Ant-Man may repeat Spider-Man’s greatest error in ‘Quantumania,’ and it could have even graver consequences

The latest trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania proved to be illuminating in all kinds of ways. Not only did it unveil our first glimpse at the MCU’s MODOK (for better or worse), it also gave us our best indication yet at what the incoming threequel’s storyline will be, as Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang faces off against the franchise’s newest big bad, Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. Unfortunately, for the astonishing shrinking hero, it looks like he’s about to repeat the biggest mistake of one of his fellow Avengers, only with potentially even direr results.

The trailer in question unveiled that Kang will present Scott with a deal he can’t refuse — he can restructure the timeline so that Scott never missed his daughter Cassie growing up, and all he has to do in return is retrieve some powerful macguffin from the depths of the Quantum Realm that will no doubt allow the multiversal maniac to achieve dominion over reality. Despite the huge dangers involved, it sure looks like Scott goes along with the bargain. Which only brings to mind a similarly reckless move made by Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Much like Peter before him, Scott is likewise tempted by a shortcut to fix his problems — in Peter’s case, he used magic in an attempt to wipe everyone’s memories of his alter ego. As we all know, Doctor Strange’s spell backfired, threatening the whole of the multiverse and, to cut a long story short, ultimately resulting in Peter’s existence being forgotten by the entire world. That was certainly the webhead’s darkest hour, but Scott’s own goof could have even more catastrophic consequences for the MCU.

If Scott really does go through with handing over whatever it is that Kang wants, he may just be responsible for whatever multiversal mayhem that Kang and his dynasty of variants unleash on existence come Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. It would be ironic if this is the case, considering that Ant-Man was key to defeating Thanos and reversing the Snap in Avengers: Endgame. The Quantum Realm giveth and it taketh away, I guess.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania opens in theaters on Feb. 17.