MCU's New Character Could Be The Center Of Kang's Multiverse Plan

Spotted in the trailer for Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing could be the key to all of Kang’s plans in the MCU. In addition to the werewolf himself and Elsa Bloodstone, the upcoming Halloween special is now confirmed to introduce yet another major superhero into the MCU. One shot in the trailer revealed a comic-accurate look for the MCU’s interpretation of the mysterious loner.

From the looks of things, Werewolf of Night is poised to greatly expand the supernatural and mystical corner of the MCU. It’s long been theorized that Marvel’s long-term plan is to build a team centered around these characters, and if that’s true, Phase 4 has done its part to lay the foundation for that. It’s already introduced Black Knight and Moon Knight, and is now about to add Werewolf by Night, Elsa Bloodstone, and Man-Thing to the mix. Not only that, but Phase 5 has at least one supernatural character to introduce as well. Following up on Eternals’ post-credits tease, Blade will see Mahershala Ali’s titular hero join the fray. But while the MCU could be doing its own thing with these heroes, it’s of course possible that Marvel’s intention is for their stories to become a part of the bigger picture.

As for what that really is, it’s no secret at this point that Kang the Conqueror is at the heart of the overarching story of Phases 4, 5, and 6. As the Loki season finale made clear, Kang is tied directly to the multiverse, which has been a key concept across multiple MCU movies and shows. It hasn’t affected all of them but has certainly been important to several so far. On the surface, Werewolf by Night appears to be a standalone project with little to no connections to the MCU’s multiverse arc, but a shot in the Werewolf by Night trailer hints otherwise. Here’s why the MCU’s brand-new character could be at the center of Kang’s multiverse plan.

Man-Thing’s Role In Marvel Comics Explained

Man-Thing a.k.a. Ted Sallis has an important position in the Marvel Universe defined by the place in which he stands guard. After exposure to an experimental version of the super soldier serum combined with a car accident in a swamp, Sallis was transformed into a plant-like monster. As an unfortunate consequence of his new powers and appearance, Sallis remained in the swap where his transformation took place. Later on, Sallis came to realize that the swamp itself is a hotbed for sorcerers, monsters, and supervillains. Apparently, interest in the swap stems from its true nature; the swamp is actually a place known as the Nexus of All Realities. As its name implies, the Nexus serves as a hidden gateway to every reality in Marvel’s multiverse.

Since making this discovery, Man-Thing has emerged as the self-appointed protector of the Nexus. Holding this role has led to Sallis defending the portal from both sides, as some characters have tried to reach Earth from other dimensions of the multiverse, while others have tried to leave Earth-616 from the Nexus. Over the years, Man-Thing has thwarted a long list of Marvel Comics characters looking to use the Nexus to pursue their own goals.

Kang Could Fight Man-Thing In The MCU

In the Loki season 1 finale, it was explained that Kang – a 31st-century scientist – discovered the existence of the multiverse. Since that’s the case, it’s possible that he could figure out a way to enter it. And with his first Marvel being titled Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it’s likely that the Quantum Realm will have at least something to do with his methods. However, it’s only known that the Quantum Realm can be used for time travel; there’s no evidence yet that he can use it to get to the universe of his choice. For that, he may need the Nexus. If he finds out that the multiverse has an entry point hidden somewhere, it makes sense that he would do everything he can to find it. But accessing it would call for him to go through Man-Thing first. For that reason, Marvel could end up offering a Man-Thing vs. Kang the Conqueror fight in the MCU, with the Nexus being the prize if the villain wins.

As for when such a fight could occur, one possible answer is Werewolf by Night’s ending. It’s important to note that the Halloween special’s October release slots it a few months before Quantumania, which will hit theaters in February 2023. So while Werewolf by Night has no obvious connection to the movie, it’s actually in a great position to set it up in terms of timing. A post-credits scene could mark the second appearance of Jonathan Majors’ MCU character. Not long after introducing Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night could end with the character ambushed – and possibly defeated – by Kang the Conqueror, thus laying the groundwork for his villain arc. Or, it could be that the Nexus won’t be a factor until Phase 6. In which case, Kang could launch an attack on Man-Thing in Quantumania’s ending instead.

What Kang’s Multiverse Plan Could Be

Jonathan Majors as He Who Remains in Loki

While Marvel has a tendency to keep several of its stories close to the chest, it was surprisingly frank about what Kang wants in the MCU. Interestingly, Loki already laid out Kang’s endgame. As He Who Remains said in the finale, the discovery of new realities only means “new lands to be conquered” for his multiverse counterparts, meaning that the MCU’s Kang will seek to seize control of the various universes he finds – if not all of them. Not unlike what happened in the comics, the Kang variants of the multiverse will eventually be at odds with each other as their respective conquests collide. One of these Kangs, though, is likely to rise above the others and become the Multiverse Saga’s main villain.

Getting rid of Werewolf by Night’s Man-Thing and gaining control over the Nexus of All Realities could be how one particular Kang becomes such a massive threat to the multiverse. With it, he can go wherever he pleases, eliminate any rival Kangs, procure whatever allies and resources he needs, and perhaps gather armies to wage a multiversal war. If he takes this route, he can fulfill his dream of conquering multiple realities and building his “Kang dynasty” in the MCU. Defeating him could require an assembly of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to take back the Nexus in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: The Secret Wars. If Marvel heads in this direction, Man-Thing could turn out to be instrumental to the MCU’s future, not only as a target of Kang the Conqueror but also as a potential ally in the fight to bring him down.