Image via Marvel
There are strengths and weaknesses in almost every creative decision in the palpable universe; indeed, there’s no denying that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an extraordinarily impressive storytelling phenomenon, with its decades-long ability to connect individual stories of so many beloved characters into a larger narrative, not to mention the cultural impact it’s had in the process. .
But there are also disadvantages; the promise of continuity can be a trap for some audiences, who may ignore the value of the story currently being told as they await the teasing of what comes next. The unfulfilled rumors of Mephisto rearing his head at the end of Wanda Vision comes to mind.
But there is evidently a flip side to this downside, as many more fans take this promise of continuity and let their imaginations run wild with a childlike exuberance that we all, admit it or not, are at least a little jealous of. But even this can get laughably out of control, as the most enthusiastic theorists at r/marvelstudios have thrown all restraint on the sharks as they speculate about what could happen after 2026. Avengers: Secret Wars.
Naturally, the X-Men ended up being a big part of this thread’s collective imagination, as they seem poised to take over the Avengers as the MCU’s main ensemble. Galactus was also a popular choice to follow Thanos and Kang as the overarching antagonist of whatever the next saga turns out to be, with a certain chrome axis to boot.
But others dipped into worst-case territory.
Of course, we still have to wrap up Phase Four before we get through the other two pieces of the Multiverse Saga before any post-secret wars the theory can begin to take the proper form; so for now, let’s see what Wakanda and Namor have in store for us when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters on November 11.
