‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ ending explained: How does Wade Wilson change the MCU?

At the heart of Deadpool & Wolverine lies a premise that’s both clever and meta: Wade Wilson’s (Ryan Reynolds) timeline – representing the former Fox X-Men universe – is in danger of collapse. The film introduces the concept that the death of an “anchor” character sets off a slow decay of their entire timeline. In Wade’s timeline, the anchor character is no one other than Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, who died in Logan. It’s a brilliant nod to Disney’s acquisition of Fox and the subsequent end of that particular X-Men era. 

While Wade’s timeline disappearance echoes real-world deals between major Hollywood companies, the exploration of the multiverse passes through the MCU’s Time Variance Authority (TVA). After the events of Loki Season 2, the TVA is now dedicated to preserving timelines rather than pruning them. However, a rogue TVA agent named Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) still believes in the supremacy of the Sacred Timeline and constructs a machine to accelerate the destruction of Wade’s world. As Paradox puts it, turning on his “Time Ripper” is fast mercy, while letting a timeline slowly vanish over two thousand years is unwanted.

Since Wade doesn’t want his loved ones to die, he comes up with a nonsensical solution: finding a new Wolverine from a different timeline and bringing him to Earth-10005. Wade eventually partners with a version of Logan who’s far from heroic. This “worst Wolverine” comes from a world where mutants are universally hated due to his actions, and all the X-Men died due to his lack of commitment. Together, they must rise to the occasion, learn what it means to be a hero and save the entire multiverse.

What happens at the ending of Deadpool & Wolverine?

In the climax of Deadpool & Wolverine, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) threatens to destroy the entire multiverse by taking over Paradox’s Time Ripper and juicing it with her Omega-level psychic powers. Since she was pruned by the TVA when she was still a baby, she has built an empire in the Void, where she intends to spend the rest of her life. However, when Paradox betrays her, Cassandra decides she can’t trust the TVA to keep their word and leave her alone. So, she intends to destroy every timeline, so the Void is the only thing that might exist.

Wade and Logan must work together to short-circuit the Time Ripper. The duo become conduits for matter and antimatter, embracing their role as saviors. Logan wants redemption, while Wade is ready to sacrifice himself to save his loved ones. Their combined will can overload the machine long enough for it to explode, killing Cassandra in the process.

Paradox tries to use the chaos that ensues to blame everything on Cassandra. However, both Deadpool and Wolverine survive their heroic act. Their willpower and healing factors allow them to endure what would have destroyed either of them alone, allowing them to escape death. As such, the TVA directress B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) learns the truth, arresting Paradox and praising the heroes for their efforts. She also informs Wade and the new Wolverine they have become anchor characters due to their actions, ultimately saving the Earth-10005 timeline. Finally, B-15 promises Wade she’ll see what she can do about Fox’s discarded characters.

In the final moments of Deadpool & Wolverine, Wade has invited the new Wolverine to stay in Earth-10005. We see all of Wade’s friends enjoying a warm gathering in his flat. Dafne Keen’s X-23 is also there, meaning B-15 has kept her promise.

The film’s resolution opens up exciting possibilities for the future of the MCU. By establishing Wade’s timeline as a haven for discontinued characters, Deadpool & Wolverine creates a sandbox where Fox’s Marvel characters can continue to exist and evolve. At the same time, the door is left open for these characters to cross over into the main MCU timeline when needed. The presence of TVA director B-15 further cements the connection between Deadpool’s world and the larger multiverse established in projects like Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

In short, Deadpool & Wolverine’s ending is a masterclass in having your cake and eating it, too. It provides a satisfying conclusion to the immediate story while leaving plenty of room for future integration with the broader MCU. Now, all that’s left is learning how the mutants will join the Avengers in the Sacred Timeline.