It didn’t take long for Phase Four of the MCU to totally upend the entire franchise. From Chaos Magic and multiple dimensions, to Sacred Timelines and Celestials, the new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has added countless more mysteries to a world already full of them. There are so many it can be hard to keep track of them all. So we did it for you. These are the MCU’s biggest questions right now, along with the theories that could explain them.
NOTE: We’ve posted a spoiler warning before the biggest questions from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals.
How Will the World React to Its New Iron Man?
Tony Stark is gone, but his technology isn’t. Soon a new hero will take his place. Instead of an Iron Man though, we’re getting an Ironheart. Young Riri Williams (played by Dominique Thorne) will soon pick up the very important mantle from the Avenger who launched the MCU. How will the world react to a young Black girl taking Tony’s place? How will she get his technology in the first place? Will Pepper Potts stand in her way? Or make it possible for Ironheart to take flight? We’ll get many answers to these questions with the character’s very own Disney+ show.
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What Ultimately Happened to Steve Rogers?
With Chris Evans gone from the MCU, and Steve Rogers a very, very old man, this doesn’t seem like much of a mystery. But Avengers: Endgame and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier didn’t give us definitive answers. “Steve’s gone” doesn’t mean much in a comic book multiverse. Especially when his own dimension has developed time travel. Is he living on the Moon? Or is he dead? Until someone tells us specifically what happened to him we’re going to wonder.
Additional Reading
- Chris Evans Could Return to MCU As Captain America Already
- 6 Possible Supporting Roles for Captain America in the MCU
What Awaits the New Captain America and His Best Bud Bucky?
The US government thought it could follow Steve Rogers with an unhinged facsimile. That didn’t work. John Walker didn’t hold the title of Captain America very long though. Now Sam Wilson carries—or rather flies—that iconic shield. He announced himself to the world with a touching speech. But what role will he have going forward? Steve Rogers was a founding member of the Avengers and a natural born leader. Will Sam also take on that responsibility? And what does Bucky’s future look like now that he’s finally put his Winter Soldier years behind him? What moniker will he even go by now that he’s ready to truly move on with his life?
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How Many Hulks Can the World Handle?
She-Hulk is coming to the MCU with her own series. Abomination is already back. Bruce Banner has reverted to his human body, but he can almost certainly still Hulk out. And Black Widow might have laid the foundation for General Ross to become his comic counterpart Red Hulk. Normally we’d say the more Hulks the merrier, but just how many giant rage monsters can one world safely contain? With so many around, something will have to break. Or in this case smash.
Additional Reading
- Everything We Know About the Disney+ She-Hulk Series
- A Brief History of She-Hulk’s Adventures
- The Comics History Of She-Hulk’s Titania
- Did Black Widow Pave the Way for Red Hulk to Join the MCU?
- A Refresher Course on SHANG-CHI’S The Abomination
Where Will Thor’s New Path Take Him?
It’s time for Thor to be who he is rather than who he’s supposed to be. But what exactly does that mean? Where will his new journey take him? How long will he remain a member of the Asgardians of the Galaxy? How will Jane Foster end up not only back in his life but with his powers? What exactly does the future hold for the former King? And how will an original Avenger fit into a very different group? The only thing we seem to know for sure about his future is that Sad Thor is gone. He ditched all the beer and went to the gym to work out his problems.
Additional Reading
- Everything We Know About Thor: Love and Thunder
- Who Is Thor: Love and Thunder’s Gorr the God Butcher?
- 4 Comics That May Inspire Thor: Love and Thunder
- A Comics History of Jane Foster As Thor
What Will Happen With Quill and Alternate 2015 Gamora?
The Gamora that knew and loved Quill is gone. She died on Vormir as Thanos’ sacrifice for the Soul Stone. The Gamora who exists in the world now leapt forward in time from 2015 to the present. She never experienced any of the events that Peter shared with the other Gamora. Will their love transcend across time? Or is that relationship gone like the Gamora who helped save the galaxy multiple times? Before we can find out how their story ends though, Star Lord has to actually find her. Alternate Gamora disappeared after the Mad Titan’s ultimate defeat in Avengers: Endgame.
Additional Reading
- How Avengers: Endgame Sets Up Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
- Thor: Love and Thunder Will Feature the Guardians of the Galaxy
How Will The Snap Change Rocket and the Other Guardians?
Rocket was the only core Guardian spared from the Snap. (Nebula also survived.) Just as he feared in Infinity War, he lost a lot. That didn’t stop him from working to help others though. He joined the remaining Avengers to protect Earth. How different will he be now though that his old crew is back? Less reckless and more cautious? How will that alter the dynamics of the group? And how will the others adjust to a changed Rocket? How will being dusted change them too? Especially Drax, now that the man ultimately responsible for killing his wife and daughter is gone. What will motivate him going forward? Also, how will Nebula get along with Alternate Gamora? And how will the group deal with the coming Adam Warlock? The Guardians are back, but they’re likely to be very different. Unfortunately the galaxy still needs saving all the same.
Additional Reading
- Will Poulter to Play Adam Warlock in Guardians Vol 3.
- Who Is Adam Warlock And How Does the Cosmic Hero Fit Into the MCU?
Why Does Monica Rambeau Have a Problem With Carol Danvers?
WandaVision turned Monica Rambeau into a superhero. It also made clear she has major issues with her late mother’s best friend, Carol Danvers. Why? What happened between them? Does Monica feel like Captain Marvel abandoned her best friend? Abandoned Earth? Or does she think Carol Danvers caused her mother’s cancer? Once we know what the problem is between them, we’ll still need to know how that tension might be resolved. As well as what role might newcomer Ms. Marvel herself, Kamala Khan, will play in reuniting the two? She’s not only getting her own series at Disney+, she’ll be in the second Captain Marvel movie, The Marvels.
Additional Reading
- Everything We Know About the Captain Marvel Sequel, The Marvels
- 5 Popular Theories for Captain Marvel 2
- Wandavision Mid-Credits Scene Explained
- Everything We Know About Marvels’ Ms. Marvel Series
Why Is Nick Fury Creating a Space Base for S.W.O.R.D.?
The ultimate spy is currently doing his work out in the open. The open vastness of space. A Spider-Man: Far From Home end-credits scene showed Nick Fury overseeing the construction of a massive space station. It appeared to be part of S.W.O.R.D.’s mission. But after WandaVision the future of the agency is in doubt. Whatever that galactic base is, Nick Fury wouldn’t let Skrulls run around Earth impersonating him if this orbiting behemoth wasn’t of great importance. And Marvel wouldn’t have teased it if it wasn’t going to be needed. But why exactly will it be necessary and when? And is it possible S.W.O.R.D. and this station will ultimately lead to Sentinels joining the MCU?
Additional Reading:
- What Is Marvel’s Secretive S.W.O.R.D. Organization?
- Could Wandavision Just Have Introduced X-Men’s Sentinels?
Who Is Really a Skrull?
Captain Marvel introduced Skrulls to the MCU. In a surprise twist, they ended up being good guys. They helped save the day in that movie and also in Far From Home. They also arrived on the scene in WandaVision‘s finale working for Nick Fury. Skrulls are Earth’s allies. At least the ones we’ve met so far. Will others be less friendly? And have we already met some of them? Just how many characters have been secret Skrulls this whole time? How many imposters will we meet in the future? And what role will they play on the Disney+ series Secret Invasion?
Additional Reading
- Explaining Spider-Man: Far From Home’s Second Post-Credits Scene
- Everything We Know About Marvel’s Secret Invasion TV Series
- How What If…? Episode Two Could Impact Secret Invasion
- What Is Marvel’s Secret Invasion?
- How Wandavision and the Blip Could Set Up Secret Invasion
What Will Wanda Learn from the Darkhold?
Wanda’s mere existence terrified Agatha Harkness. With good reason. The Scarlet Witch can create matter from nothing. Now Wanda is now learning the secrets of Chaos Magic from the Darkhold. That won’t make Agatha feel any better. (Well, Agatha would be worried if she wasn’t currently enslaved in her own mind in Westview.) What will the Darkhold teach Wanda? How does it connect to the multiverse and the next Doctor Strange movie? Where are Wanda’s sons Tommy and Bill calling her from? Is the Vision she created in Westview also there? Just how powerful will Wanda become? Will Agatha’s fears prove prescient? And will Wanda ultimately need her former foe’s help like Agatha said Wanda would?
Additional Reading
- Wandavision: What Was Agnes’ Book and What Does It Mean?
- Wandavision’s Post-Credits Scene Explained
- Everything You Need to Know About Agatha Harkness
- Disney+ Confirms Agatha Harkness Spinoff and Shares Logo
Where Did White Vision Go?
While one Vision might be living/trapped in a different dimension, Earth still has a version of the sentient robot flying around. After Westview Vision unlocked White Vision’s memories, White Vision took off into the unknown like the Ship of Theseus leaving port in a fog. Where did he go? What is he looking for? When will he return and why? With so many new threats on the horizon, an apathetic Vision might not be much help. But a Vision returning from a journey of self-discovery could be very valuable.
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Who Are WandaVision‘s Mysterious Unseen Figures?
The MCU’s trip to Westview included two characters only mentioned but never seen or identified. The first was FBI Agent Jimmy Wu’s missing witness. The second was Monica Rambeau’s unseen aerospace engineer. Why reference them if they weren’t important? Even the smallest moments or lines of dialogue can have huge ramifications for the future of the franchise. Is Wu’s witness related to the next Ant-Man movie? Was the aerospace engineer the start of the Fantastic Four‘s introduction to the MCU? Was it Victor von Doom or Reed Richards? Or will these two mystery figures prove to be nothing more than minor plot points we spent way too much time thinking about?
Additional Reading
How Will Doctor Strange Protect Reality When an Infinite Number of Them Exist?
As he told Tony Stark in Infinity War, Stephen Strange protects Earth’s reality. Not an easy job under the best of circumstances. Now the introduction of an infinite multiverse to the MCU will make it infinitely harder. It’s also not a great sign that his next film, a horror movie, is called Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Between countless threats and Scarlet Witch studying the darkest of magic, strange terrors await the Sorcerer Supreme. And what makes it worse is we don’t even trust that the real Stephen Strange is currently standing guard at the Sanctum Sanctorum. The Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer was so out of character for him we’re not convinced it’s really him.
Additional Reading
- Everything We Know About Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness
- Was That Really Doctor Strange in the Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer?
- Could the Face from Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Poster Finally Be…
- Everything You Need to Know About Shuma-Gorath
Do People Still Believe in Spider-Man?
The MCU’s J. Jonah Jameson revealed Spider-Man’s real identity to the world. He also labeled Peter Parker a murderer, following the final cruel lie by Mysterio. How does the world feel about the webbed-slinger now? The No Way Home trailer indicates Peter will avoid jail, but not public scrutiny. But will people ever believe in Spider-Man again? We know he’ll go to Doctor Strange to help restore his anonymity. That’s going to cause multiversal problems though, so how permanent is that solution? Will all of those crossover Spider-Man movie villains make the rest of these questions moot? Or will a trio of live-action Spider-Mans save the day?
Additional Reading
- Everything We Know About Spider-Man: No Way Home
- All the Spider-Man Villains Confirmed for No Way Home
- Who Are the Sinister Six? From Spider-Man Comics to the MCU
- The Controversial Comics Inspiring Spider-Man: No Way Home
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage’s Post-Credits Scene Explained
Who Will Take Up the Mantle of Black Panther in Wakanda Forever?
It feels empty speculating about the fictional future of Wakanda. The unimaginable loss of Chadwick Boseman is the only thing that really matters. But a second Black Panther film is coming, and someone will take T’Challa’s place as his nation’s leader. How will they be chosen? How will they live up to his legacy while shaping their own? We don’t envy the character or the actor tasked with doing so. The memory of their late ruler will always weigh heavily on Wakanda, the same way Chadwick Boseman’s always will over the MCU.
Additional Reading
- Everything We Know About Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Okoye Black Panther Spinoff in Development For Disney+
- Here’s How Killmonger Could Return in Black Panther 2
- Avengers: Endgame Is Hiding a Major Marvel Superhero
What if What If… is More Than Just a “What If?”
Disney+ gave fans a glimpse at events and heroes that could have been in the MCU with the animated What If…? Its series of hypotheticals were supposed to serve as an entertaining, low-stakes way to enjoy the franchise. But what if What If…? was so much more? Could the series’ revelations and alternate realities prove to be massively important to the future of the franchise? With the multiverse about to blow wide open, everything that happened on the show might end up being far more significant to the events in the MCU than we first realized.
Additional Reading
What Other Secrets Does the Quantum Realm Hold?
Loki‘s He Who Remains (played by Jonathan Majors) lived in the Citadel beyond time. That nebulous region looked a lot like the Quantum Realm. Meanwhile, the third Ant-Man movie is titled Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. And Majors will star as its main villain, Kang the Conqueror. He’s one of He Who Remains’ most dangerous Variants. (And the most likely winner of the Multiversal War that Sylvie launched.) What other secrets does this small dimension hold beyond what we already know? The answers could have huge ramifications for every single aspect of the MCU.
Additional Reading
- Everything We Know About Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
- Everything You Need to Know About the MCU’s Multiverse
- Kevin Feige Confirms the Quantum Realm’s Role in the MCU’s Future
- Everything You Need To Know About the Quantum Realm
- Could Morgan Stark Be the Key to Introducing Kang to the MCU?
Who is Working With Sharon Carter, the Power Broker?
Peggy Carter’s niece, former loyal S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sharon, did well for herself after the US branded her a traitor for helping Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson in Civil War. She went to Madripoor, an underworld haven, and became the Power Broker. Just because her homeland absolved her of any wrongdoing doesn’t mean she’s giving up her title as a criminal kingpin. But while we now know her secret identity and intentions, we don’t know who she called at the end of the show. Who is Sharon Carter working with and what do both of them ultimately want?
Additional Reading
- The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: Sharon Carter’s Mystery Phone Call Theory
- 9 Questions for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Finale
What Other Super Groups Could Join the MCU?
The MCU has laid the foundation to create its own version of the Young Avengers. Iron Heart, Kate Bishop, Kamala Khan, Tommy and Billy, Cassie Lang, and more MCU characters whose comic book counterparts joined the upstart group could form a formidable team of youngsters. Meanwhile, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is recruiting members for what might very well be the MCU’s Dark Avengers. Contessa already landed John Walker as US Agent. And she has Florence Pugh’s Yelena on the payroll. Who else will she sign to her team of deadly “heroes?” Also, will Baron Zemo get involved in the super group game by forming the Thunderbolts? And exactly what is Wong doing with his growing assortment of heroes and villains?
Additional Reading
- Is Wandavision Hiding Mutants in Plain Sight?
- Did Wandavision Explain How Mutants Can Exist in the MCU?
- What Fate Awaits Wandavision’s Twins, Billy and Tommy?
- Could Loki’s Kang Reveal Hint At a Future Young Avenger?
- Which Young Avengers Comics Could Inspire Their MCU Debut?
Why Does Contessa Want Hawkeye Dead?
We don’t know who Contessa is working with or for. Nor do we even know why she’s assembling a team of super powered people. But we do know she wants Clint Barton dead. You don’t tell a skilled killer like Yelena that Hawkeye killed her sister unless you want him eliminated forever. But why does she want Clint dead? What threat does he pose to her future? Is the reason tied specifically to Clint? Or does she have her sights set on wiping out every member of the Avengers? They will pose a threat to her own super group and whatever she ultimately has planned.
Additional Reading
- Black Widow’s Post-Credits Sequence Explained
- What You Need to Know About Marvel’s Valentina Allegra De Fontaine
Who Controls the TVA Now?
He Who Remains is dead. Sylvie killed him and started a new Multiversal War in the process. But He Who Remains did not win this time around like he expected. One of his Variants emerged victorious. And that winner’s very public visage now adorns the TVA in this new iteration of the Sacred Timeline. Which Variant is it though? Kang the Conqueror? Immortus? Or another version of the character? What does all of this mean for Owen Wilson’s Mobius? Loki and Sylvie? And where is Judge Renslayer going and why? The new ruler of the TVA will loom large over everything, every person, and every timeline in the MCU going forward. And maybe also going backwards.
Additional Reading
- The End of Loki’s Season 1 Finale Explained
- Why Mobius’ Final Scene in Loki Season 1 Changed Everything
- What Loki’s Season 1 Finale Means for Ravonna Renslayer
- The 9 Biggest Questions for Loki’s Season Finale
When and How Will the Fantastic Four, Deadpool, and the X-Men Join the MCU?
Once Disney bought Fox Entertainment it no longer became a question of if Marvel Comics’ other famous super characters will join the MCU. It became a matter of when. But we still don’t know the how of when they’ll get involved. Will it be thanks to the multiverse? The Scarlet Witch’s mutant-creating Hex? The new Sacred Timeline? Or will we find out lots of other super people have secretly been living in the MCU this whole time?
Additional Reading
- Kevin Feige Announces MCU Fantastic Four Movie
- Professor X and Magneto Could Form a Radically New MCU X-Men
- How Eternals Could Bring X-Men Into the MCU
- Black Panther 2 Could Mean Doom for the MCU
- Deadpool 3 Will Be An R-rated MCU Movie
What’s the MCU’s Next Big Crossover Event?
For all of the many movies and shows Disney has on its schedule, nary a single Avengers or even Civil War style film is on it. For a franchise that made crossover events with all of its heroes a huge part of its first three phases, it’s not clear if Phase 4 will have any of them. But when Earth’s mightiest heroes do inevitably come together again, what terrible threat will unite them? What other famous villains await? And what will they all be fighting over?
Additional Reading
- Who Is the Next Big Bad of the MCU?
- Will Marvel’s Phase Four Head Towards Secret Wars?
- Eternals Writers Tease the Coming Of Galactus to the MCU
NOTE: Below are the biggest mysteries from Shang-Chi and Eternals. If you haven’t seen either yet stop now. If it’s only Eternals you still need to see, stop after the next two questions.
What Will Become of the Ten Rings Under Xialing?
Tony Leung Chiu-wai’s Xu-Wenwu was one of the MCU’s best villains, but his thousand-year reign is over. He sacrificed himself to save his son and likely all of Earth. But while he’s gone, his Ten Rings organization remains under the leadership of his skilled daughter Xialing. What does she have planned for the group that still has ties around the globe? And was it the former Black Widows, seen working for Xialing’s underground fight club, the ones training in the courtyard at the end? How powerful will she and her Ten Rings be with that force of deadly women under her rule?
Additional Reading
Who or What Is Shang-Chi’s Rings Sending a Beacon To?
Those ancient rings have many secrets left to unveil, like exactly where they came from and why they’re so powerful. But the post-credits scene where Wong, Captain Marvel, and (a human-again) Bruce Banner couldn’t identify their origins also revealed the rings are sending out a beacon. To whom, where, and why? Is it calling for help? If so, to help with what and against which enemy? The Avengers? Or a coming threat they will face?
Additional Reading
What Will the Remaining Eternals Do Now?
Now that the Eternals know the truth behind their creation, what role will they play in the coming MCU events? Some are still on Earth. Will they join the Avengers in protecting Earth? Meanwhile, others are traveling the cosmos to find their fellow Eternals brethren. What success will they have? Will they find friends or enemies? And how much will Thanos’ brother Eros factor into their future?
Additional Reading
- Who Is Harry Styles’ Eros from the End of Eternals?
- Do Sersi’s Eternals Powers Point to Her MCU Future in Secret Wars?
- How Eternals Could Bring Mutants Into the MCU
Who Will Join Blade and Dane Whitman in Fighting Supernatural Forces?
The Avengers are great at handling the “big three” of androids, aliens, and wizards. But Mahershala Ali’s Blade is the hero you’ll want when it comes to vampires and other supernatural forces. He has yet to appear on screen in the MCU, but we did hear him at the end of Eternals. He showed up right before Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman was about to pick up his family’s ancestral sword and become the Black Knight. Who else will join them on their quest? And where will these previously unseen monsters come from?
- Eternals’ Post-Credits Scene Introduced Blade
- Everything We Know About the MCU’s Blade Movie
- The Comics History Of Marvel’s Black Knight
Additional Reading
What Will Happen after Arishem the Celestial’s Judges Earth?
The Eternals killed a Celestial to save one world and its people. Will Arishem deem that a justified sacrifice? Or will the Eternals’ memories of Earth put the planet in mortal peril yet again? No matter his ruling, there are sure to be deadly consequences for messing with such powerful forces. What will they be and what will it take to answer them?
Additional Reading
- How Eternals Post-Credits Scene Sets Up Guardians of the Galaxy 3
- The Cosmic Comics History of Eternals’ Celestials
Featured Image: Marvel
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