The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is known for its gripping storylines and jaw-dropping cliffhangers, but not all dangling plot threads receive the resolution fans crave. As the MCU gears up for a new chapter with Robert Downey Jr. stepping into the iconic role of Doctor Doom, two major story arcs hang in the balance: Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror and the epic saga of the Eternals.
With recent developments casting uncertainty over these plots, fans are left wondering if Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios will ever address the unresolved cliffhangers that have left audiences in suspense. Let’s dive into these two cliffhangers and explore the potential impact on the MCU.
The Eternals: A Galactic Cliffhanger
In the 2021 film Eternals, directed by Chloé Zhao, the story concluded with several tantalizing cliffhangers. The film’s climax saw Kit Harington’s character, Dane Whitman, on the verge of revealing a family secret to Gemma Chan’s Sersi. Instead, Sersi was abruptly abducted by Arishem the Judge, the Prime Celestial, who also took Phastos and Kingo with him into the cosmos.
Arishem’s departure left viewers on edge, as he promised to return and judge humanity based on their memories—a promise that seemed poised to launch a significant storyline in the MCU. Additionally, the film introduced Harry Styles as Eros, adding another layer of intrigue.
However, despite these promising threads, there has been little to no update on the future of Eternals. Kevin Feige recently addressed the lack of immediate plans for a sequel, stating,
“There are no immediate plans for Eternals 2. There are, and I think you’ve seen maybe in a trailer we’ve released recently, an acknowledgment of some of those events. Certain giant things came out of the ocean.”
This lack of follow-up has left fans disheartened. As one fan lamented on Twitter,
“Honestly just a damn shame that we won’t get to see a new movie with this talented and effable cast and characters. What a waste!” Another commented,
“Eternals gave us a phenomenal ending and never get a sequel. The box office of the first one was pretty great—400 million and that was after the pandemic.”
Kang the Conqueror: A Multiverse of Unanswered Questions
The other major cliffhanger in question involves Jonathan Majors’ portrayal of Kang the Conqueror. The mid-credits scene in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania unveiled the Council of Kangs, a formidable assembly of Kang variants including Rama-Tut and Scarlet Centurion. This scene hinted at a multiversal showdown, sparking excitement about the potential ramifications for the MCU.
However, with Jonathan Majors’ recent legal issues, Marvel Studios made the difficult decision to part ways with the actor. This shift has created a void in the narrative surrounding Kang, especially given the anticipated Avengers film titled The Kang Dynasty. In light of these changes, Marvel is pivoting towards introducing Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, with the next Avengers film retitled Doomsday.
The abrupt end to Kang’s storyline has been met with disappointment from fans who had high expectations. One fan expressed their frustration, stating,
“The Council of Kangs being abandoned like this seems like such a waste!”
The Future of MCU Storylines
As the MCU continues to evolve, the unresolved storylines of Kang and the Eternals remain a point of contention. While the addition of Doctor Doom brings a new and exciting dimension to the Marvel universe, it’s hard to ignore the lingering questions about Kang and the Eternals.
For now, fans can only hope that Marvel Studios will find a way to address these cliffhangers or provide new narrative directions that honor the rich storylines introduced. As one fan optimistically put it,
“As of now, we can only hope that Eternals gets a proper ending like it deserves and that the dangerous variants of Kang are used in the MCU in one way or another!”
Stay tuned as the Marvel Cinematic Universe unfolds its next chapters, and let’s keep our fingers crossed for the resolution of these epic cliffhangers.
