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Kevin Pantoja
Published 9 minutes ago
Kevin Pantoja is a writer and editor at Screen Rant based in New York City, where he brings deep expertise in blockbuster franchises ranging from Harry Potter and Spider‑Man to Succession and the MCU. A passionate storyteller with a creative writing degree (Valedictorian, Full Sail University), Kevin blends entertainment news, feature essays, and pop‑culture commentary into engaging, audience-first content
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The current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an iffy one, which wasn't the case in the landscape before Avengers: Endgame. From controversy causing a change in the franchise's main villain to several shows and films receiving poor reviews from critics and fans, a few things are up in the air.
Due to the uncertainty of several projects, there are more loose threads in the MCU than ever before. While many of them feel like they aren't going to get a resolution, some actually feel like we're on the verge of answers. They might not all be among the most important story beats, but answers are likely on the way.
Monica In The X-Men Universe
Monica Rambeau using spectral vision in The Marvels
The Marvels is one of those MCU movies that received mixed reviews from critics and audience members. Most aspects of the film felt rather standalone and like they wouldn't play a part in the franchise's future, but two moments near the end changed that. One came when Monica Rambeau closed a rupture and got trapped on the other side.
The post-credits scene revealed that Monica woke up in a parallel universe where her mother was still alive, but one where the X-Men seem to exist, as Beast was also there. This was a huge game-changer for the MCU as it officially introduced the X-Men after the ending of Ms. Marvel confirmed Kamala is a mutant.
Although we've had no follow-up on this to date, it seems clear that we'll find out more in Avengers: Doomsday. Many cast members and characters from the original X-Men movies are slated for the blockbuster, including Kelsey Grammer's Beast. That means we'll be finding out the fallout from this shocking scene.
Sharon Is The Power Broker
Sharon Carter's Power Broker on the phone in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Another MCU project from the 2020s that wasn't all too well-received was Disney+'s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which brought back Sharon Carter, who hadn't been seen since Captain America: Civil War about five years prior. The end of the series revealed that she was actually the mastermind villain behind the plot.
It was meant to be a big reveal, though the show had kind of made it obvious and most people had correctly predicted it. That said, we haven't seen or heard anything more from the character besides an episode of What If...? The reason for her villainous turn makes sense after Captain America: Civil War, but it seemed insignificant.
However, it seems like we'll finally get some answers in the upcoming series VisionQuest. Emily VanCamp is rumored to be returning in the series as Sharon, meaning we can learn more about her role as the "Power Broker." It'll be interesting to see how this plays out since she's never interacted with Vision before.
The Young Avengers Coming Together
Kamala Khan approaching Kate Bishop at the end of The Marvels
As soon as certain characters started appearing in various Phase 4 projects, fans knew the Young Avengers were on the horizon. The MCU was planting seeds all over their Disney+ shows from the introduction of Wanda's children to Kid Loki to Patriot to Kate Bishop to Kamala Khan.
Things grew quiet on that front until the tail end of The Marvels. Kamala Khan pops up at Kate Bishop's home in an effort to form a team of young heroes, with the scene playing out like Nick Fury's appearance at the end of Iron Man way back in 2008. It signified that the Young Avengers were really happening.
There are plenty of options for the team as Kamala and Kate can be joined by the aforementioned characters, as well as Cassie Lang, America Chavez, and more. There's no confirmation on these characters appearing in anything soon, but there's likely something coming soon, even if it's a TV show rather than a movie.
Bucky & Sam's Issues Over The Avengers
Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes teaming up in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
The story of Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson's relationship has been a long-running one in the MCU. They went from uneasy allies thanks to their shared connection to Steve Rogers to getting their own TV series after Steve was gone, where they formed a bond as Sam officially became the new Captain America.
Oddly, Bucky was mostly absent from Captain America: Brave New World and was next seen in Thunderbolts*. That movie set up Bucky as a key part of a new team that feels more like a family than most MCU groups, which is ultimately the new Avengers, at least to the general public.
The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* gave us a quick throwaway line where Bucky mentions that his conversation with Sam over the "new Avengers" didn't go well. It seems strange that we didn't get to see this scene, but the result of it will clearly be covered in Avengers: Doomsday, since both actors are confirmed for the cast.
Clea Teaming With Doctor Strange
Three-eyed Doctor Strange stands next to Clea at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is another one of those films that came and went, with not much follow-up. Outside of the reappearance of Wanda's son in Agatha All Along, we haven't really heard from anyone in this film other than Wong, whether it's Doctor Strange, America Chavez, or Wanda Maximoff herself.
The post-credits scene of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness set the table for something new and major as Clea arrived to tell Strange that his actions triggered an incursion. She needed his help and he followed her into the Dark Dimension. Given that Clea is played by Charlize Theron, she'll likely have a key role going forward.
While we haven't had any updates on Clea or even Doctor Strange himself, this story is likely to be part of whatever's next for the sorcerer. Whether that means an appearance in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, Strange is a big part of the MCU and he's going to be a major player in the future, likely with Clea.
America Chavez At Kamar-Taj
America Chavez trains at Kamar-Taj in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Speaking of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a breakout character from the film was America Chavez. The likely Young Avenger has the ability to travel between dimensions, which is a big deal in what's known as the Multiverse Saga. It feels like she has to be important for the future.
When we last left off with America Chavez, he was at Kamar-Taj, training with sorcerers on how to harness her powers. Given that Wong pops up in so many different films and shows, America should be right behind him whenever Kamar-Taj is brought up.
Tying into the Young Avenger mention earlier, America Chavez's time at Kamar-Taj and whatever she can now do with her abilities should be mentioned whenever that happens. The fact that she'll be better at her skills means she'll be a big help to whatever the Young Avengers do.
Namor Working With Wakanda
Tenoch Huerta as Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
It has often been said that the MCU has a villain problem, with many films and shows featuring underdeveloped antagonists. That wasn't the case with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever though, as Tenoch Huerta delivered a stellar performance as Namor, the king of the underwater civilization Talokan.
While Namor gets bested by Shuri as the new Black Panther, he doesn't die and his last scene opened the door for more. He informed his cousin that he thinks the alliance he forged with Wakanda could be beneficial. We learned that we'll find out more about this when the Avengers: Doomsday cast was revealed.
We expected many of the heroes in the cast but seeing Tenoch Huerta's name was a surprise. This means it's likely that whatever team Shuri is on (likely with Sam) will have Namor as well. Throw in Namor's comic relationship with Sue Storm and seeing him next to the Fantastic Four will be intriguing.
The Ten Rings Beacon
Wong investigating the Ten Rings in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' post-credits scene
It's hard to believe that we haven't gotten more of Shang-Chi in the MCU since Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings back in 2021. The character was great, Simu Liu's performance was strong, and the post-credits scene set the stage for an interesting future.
That scene saw Shang-Chi and his best friend Katy greeted by Wong to find out more about the Ten Rings that Shang-Chi now held. While working with Carol Danvers and Bruce Banner, they discovered that the rings were acting as a beacon for something but we don't know what it is yet.
Again, this is another loose thread that hasn't been addressed in the years since it happened. Like Tenoch Huerta, though, Simu Liu is part of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, which means we should find out what the beacon was for, what's next for the character, and what will happen to the Ten Rings.
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