Bill Murray’s Ant-Man Character Krylar Explained

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Ant-Man and the Wasp: QuantumaniaAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania stars Bill Murray as Lord Krylar, one of the oddest characters from Marvel Comics to have ever been given an on-screen debut in the MCU. Featured in the new Ant-Man movie as a former ally to Janet van Dyne during her 30 years in the Quantum Realm, Bill Murray's role as Krylar is a brief yet important part of the film. However, it's quite bizarre that "Krylar" was the comic character chosen for adaptation.

In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Ant-Man's daughter Cassie Lang attempts to send a signal down into the Quantum Realm that inadvertently sends the entire Ant-Family down to the subatomic universe. As such, Janet's secret history from her time in the Quantum Realm is quickly revealed, including her ties with Kang the Conqueror and Bill Murray's character. Here are the origins and Lord Krylar's role explained, and how he compares to the original version from the comics.

Krylar's History & Only Appearance In Marvel Comics Explained

Strangely enough, Lord Krylar only appeared once in the original comics. Debuting in 1972's The Incredible Hulk #156 from Archie Goodwin and Herb Trimpe, Bruce Banner's Hulk visits the Microverse in an attempt to reunite with his love Jarella, princess of the subatomic realm of K'ai. However, Marvel Comics' Microverse is under threat from Visis the Vagabond, Jarella's cousin who seeks the crown for himself. As such, Visis forges an alliance with Krylar, Lord of the Isle of Assassins. Although Krylar always intended to betray Visis, the Vagabond anticipated the treachery and slayed Krylar first, making The Incredible Hulk #156 Krylar's first and only appearance in the Marvel Universe.

It should also be noted that the Microverse is essentially the comics' version of the MCU's Quantum Realm. Likewise, Hulk was similarly only able to access the subatomic universe thanks to help from Hank Pym and his particles. As such, this is likely a core reason why Krylar was chosen to have a role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. However, it does seem as though there would have been other characters in the Microverse with longer histories who might have fit just as well (if not better).

Why Quantumania Includes Krylar (When He's Not An Ant-Man Character)

In the MCU, Bill Murray's Lord Krylar is initially presented as an old friend to Janet van Dyne, one of her allies from when she sought to resist the Conqueror and his growing power after Kang was exiled to the Quantum Realm. Although she had initially helped Kang repair his Time Chair and his multiversal energy core, she eventually discovered his true self and dark past, having destroyed countless universes and trillions of lives. This motivated Janet to blow up his core and subsequently battle him for years as a freedom fighter before Hank rescued and brought her home seen in 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Krylar is one of the first characters Janet seeks out when the Ant-Family is sucked into the Quantum Realm. Not only did they fight Kang together, but she and Krylar became lovers during Janet's decades in the subatomic universe. However, Krylar admits quite a lot has changed in the time Janet was away. Having become a lord, it's implied Krylar's increased status has come via an alliance with Kang himself. At the very least, he agreed to turn Janet and her family in. It seems as though the movie needed someone Janet thought she could trust, and Krylar's betrayal motivated her to finally admit her past to Hank and Hope.

How Bill Murray's Krylar Is Different From Marvel Comics

Although their penchant for treachery is the same, the similarities end there between the comic version of Lord Krylar and the one who serves the exiled Kang the Conqueror in the MCU. In the comics, Krylar has green skin like most citizens in the Mircroverse's kingdom of K'ai. He's also in charge of an island full of assassins who hoard advanced technologies and weapons. Thanks to his first and only appearance in the Marvel Universe, there's not much to go on in terms of adapting him for the MCU, meaning there wasn't much for Bill Murray's character to take from the comics' version (beyond the name).

In the MCU, Krylar is living a life of luxury with his own ship with very expensive clothes and tastes. Although he was once a part of the Quantum Realm's group of freedom fighters against Kang alongside Janet, it seems those days are behind him. Likewise, it's possible he potentially became heartbroken after Janet left with Hank back to the Marvel Universe above. This would explain his willingness to broker a deal with Kang to help maintain order among the citizens of the Quantum Realm. As such, Bill Murray's version has very little in common with the comics' Krylar aside from living in a subatomic universe and being generally treacherous.

Will Krylar Return In The MCU?

Krylar, Janet Van Dyne, and Kang in Ant-Man Quantumania

While the Pym Family was making their escape from Kang's soldiers, who had been called by Krylar, Hank threw one of his enlargement disks at the lord's bizarre drink. As such, the Pyms left Krylar in the tentacles of the living creature who was part of the drink, having become big enough to fight back. Based on how Lord Krylar's encounter with Janet, Hank, and Hope van Dyne ended in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it seems unlikely that Bill Murray's character will be returning to the MCU anytime soon.

That being said, it's unknown if Lord Krylar met his demise in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Either way, it seems unlikely that he'll be featured in the future, seeing as how the Ant-Family managed to leave the Quantum Realm. Unless they return to the subatomic universe in a possible Ant-Man 4 or if members of the Quantum Realm somehow make it to the Earth above, the MCU's Lord Krylar may have gained one more thing in common with the comics' version: his first appearance was probably also his last.

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