Summary

When the Infinity Saga came to an end, theMCUwas forever altered, and now with the final films of the Multiverse Saga fast approaching, people are speculating about howAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Warscould conclude.The MCU has had a remarkable journey from its humble beginnings in 2008 to the megalithicgiant that Marvel Studios has built today. And while the success of the studio has skyrocketed from an independent practice, being acquired by Disney, and taking risks on actors, the storytelling has to be acknowledged as the single greatest part of the MCU.

Across more than 30 movies and 10 TV shows, the MCU grew to be a massive interconnected narrative that literally became its own universe. With incredible stories threaded through dozens of projects, ending in incredibly satisfying event films likeAvenger: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame. Now, as the Multiverse Saga begins to wrap up Phase 5, and prepare for the sixth and final Phase of its arc,there is plenty of speculation about how the Saga will end. But, however it ends, it is certain to change the landscape of the MCU forever.

Chris Evans' Johnny Storm, Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker, and the MCU’s Ultron with a red cosmic background

10 Most Underrated Marvel Movies

While Marvel has some of the best superhero movies of all time, many MCU and Marvel films in general are underrated and deserve more love.

10The Multiverse Saga Will End With A Reboot

And Maybe Also A Recast

One theory that has been put forward regarding the Multiverse Saga’s final chapters is that it may bring the entire MCU to a close, and reboot the franchise. Like the DCEU rebranding into the DCU, the MCU could enter a new era and shed the previous stories behind to make room fora brand-new set of stories, with new cast and characters to lead the way. However, with the structure of the MCU, this appears unlikely.

All of this combines to make it appear less likely that the MCU will be rebooting after Avengers: Secret Wars, but it is possible.

X-Men Movie Timeline Header

The MCU has spent more than 15 years building an empire, with movies and shows full of bright, colorful characters who come from a range of backgrounds and even various realities.The MCU has already built and included several alternate timelineswhich feature prominently in the stories, and linked back to pre-MCU Marvel movies. All of this combines to make it appear less likely that the MCU will be rebooting afterAvengers: Secret Wars, but it is possible.

9The Multiverse Saga Will End With The Multiverse Combining

Into One Main World

Throughout the Multiverse Saga, the fanfare around the MCU has been in what appears to be a freefall.While the majority of projects in the Infinity Saga received overwhelmingly positive reviews, the sequel saga hasn’t been nearly so fortunate. There have been some huge hits, and theMCU has managed to cross the billion dollar box officethreshold with titles likeSpider-Man: No Way HomeandDeadpool & Wolverine, but considering the studio was regularly breaking that figure towards the end of the Infinity Saga, it’s less impressive.

The Complete X-Men Movie Timeline Explained (From 2000 To Dark Phoenix)

The X-Men movie timelines can get pretty confusing, but this breakdown guides you from X-Men to Days of Future Past, and on to Dark Phoenix.

As a result, the idea of combining the Multiverse together has been floated as a possible fix for the cluttered Multiverse Saga. This theory is backed up in the comics as stories around Secret Wars also include the idea of a Battleworld, created by Doctor Doom. With Doom confirmed in the MCU, with Robert Downey Jr. returning to play the villain, this puts this theory in good standing. However, whetherthe fusing of these realities remains more permanent, or it creates a ripple effect in the next Saga is less certain.

Namor in Black Panther Wakanda Forever with Norman Osborn’s Cabal in Marvel Comics

8The Multiverse Saga Ends With A Reveal

It Was A False Reality

One theory presented by a user on Reddit suggests that the entire MCU up to this point has been a false reality. Or at least from the moment that Wanda Maximoff entered the series. User Legitimate-Bet3221 proposed that Wanda’s powers go far beyond what was shown inWandaVisionandDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with those films only offering a small glimpse at her true power. Wielding her tremendous power, they suggest thatWanda created the false reality which has been shown as a way to erase mutants from people’s minds, which creates interesting parallels to the comics.

Wanda’s powers go far beyond what was shown in WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with those films only offering a small glimpse at her true power.

Doctor Doom in Marvel Comics and Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man

In theHouse of Mstorylinewhich was released in 2005, Wanda grows increasingly erratic, and eventually uses her powers to erase mutants, with an iconic comic book panel that sees her utter, “No More Mutants.“If this plays out in the MCU, it would be an incredible way to introduce the mutants into the Sacred Timeline, but it could also risk deterring fans who have no emotional attachment to the comics storyline. After all, this would alter the entire MCU and essentially consign earlier films to being just a dream.

7Doctor Doom Will Break Into The Sacred Timeline

At The End Of The Multiverse Saga

Doctor Doom is a character who can’t help but have his presence felt as it oozes and emanates from the enigmatic Victor von Doom.A villain of his calibre is likely one that should not be wasted, and one that deserves to have a strong story arc in the MCU. Like Thanos in the Inifinity Saga, building anticipation for the character, and their lore within the franchise is an important element of setting the table for their eventual arrival and the process of enacting their evil masterplan.

Marvel Only Needs To Confirm 1 More MCU Villain For The Perfect Avengers Replacement Team

Marvel Studios has introduced or teased the debut of most of the members of one dark team from the comics, but one villain is still missing.

While RDJ was announced to play Doctor Doom recently at SDCC 2024, it would be a shame to see the character arrive and disappear in a total of two or three movies.As a result, it is possible that Doom will make his way to the Sacred Timeline following the events ofDoomsdayandSecret Wars, where he can further establish his presence and threaten the world of the heroes to a greater extent. If Doom fails to enact his plans in these films, it makes sense for him to integrate into the Sacred Timeline to create more mischief in the next saga.

Captain America and Thor in front of House Of X comic book

6The Mutants Will Join The Fight

And Save The Day

While theHouse of Mplot is an exciting prospect, it risks rewriting the history of the MCU. For that reason, theMutants could be seen to join the MCU, but in a much less twisty reveal. With access to various timelines, andMutants beginning to appear in the MCU, as seen with Kamala Khan and the post-credits scene ofThe Marvels, it appears that the Mutants are set to appear imminently in the MCU.

While there is a lot of crossover between the Avengers and Mutants in the comics, the two factions are typically distinguished within the stories.

Captain America- Brave New World - Poster

This is an incredibly exciting prospect as Mutants are a strong enough and diverse enough set of characters to take the MCU forward after The Avengers era. While there is a lot of crossover between the Avengers and Mutants in the comics, the two factions are typically distinguished within the stories.The Mutants represent the next step in evolution, as opposed to wealthy inventors, enhanced humans, and gods from other realms. And this creates interesting stories and plots that would not work with the widely beloved and celebrated heroes like the Avengers.

5The Timelines Will Separate

Dividing The Avengers For Good

Rather than a reboot, or saying goodbye to the Avengers for good,the MCU could just divide into various branches. In some ways, this is already happening with multiversal stories, but taking this to another level would create even more opportunities for storytelling. While a shared universe is great for a large story arc, it can get tiring and boring if overused.

Robert Downey Jr. Confirming Which Doctor Doom He’s Playing Has Me More Excited Because It’s The Best Choice

Robert Downey Jr. is the MCU’s Doctor Doom, and after clearing up which version of the character he will play, I’m excited about the villain.

In addition, it’s challenging for new movies to be created when they have so many other storylines to consider and make accommodations for. So,it could make sense for the MCU to split apart and see heroes existing in alternate realities, making it more accessible to new audiences, and freeing up the creative process for the cast and crew who want to make something new and exciting.

01685606_poster_w780.jpg

4Doctor Doom Will Die

And With Him The Battleworld

DespiteDoctor Doom’s incredible intelligence, and his astonishing powersin the comics, he is not unstoppable.It is possible thatAvengers: Secret Warswill see the character conclude his story, with the heroes defeating him and ridding the multiverse of his overwhelming threat. Not to mention, this would also be one of the most practical and cost-effective choices for the MCU, as RDJ has become the face of the franchise, and is capable of commanding huge costly contracts for the studio.

It may be anticlimactic to see the villain played by RDJ die once again, and also somewhat cruel, as it would echo the sacrifice given by Tony Stark inEndgame, but it makes financial sense. And,considering the state of the multiverse, this could also pave the way for another actor to assume the role, taking the reins from RDJ. It feels like a lot of build up for little pay off, but it could happen.

01593277_poster_w780.jpg

3The Avengers Initiative Will Be Discontinued

At Least The Way We Know It

As briefly mentioned above, it’s possible that the Avengers initiative, the secret operation set up by Nick Fury that saw the heroes come together in the first place, is dissolved. Considering everything that has happened in the MCU, the Avengers has gone through a lot. While several of the team are now dead or retired,others could be better utilized in a new team. So, it makes sense to put the Avengers initiative on an indefinite hold.

Avengers 6’s Reboot Theory Perfectly Explains A Major X-Men MCU Mystery 16 Years Later

Avengers: Secret Wars may pull directly from the comics, creating the perfect opportunity to introduce a new iteration of the X-Men in the MCU.

This would be a sad moment for the series, but also potentially one that makes the most sense. TheMCU is ready to introduce and focus on new teams, such as The Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and several more. If the Avengers remain, it could become too confusing and conflicting. Instead, the MCU can put its entire focus and drive behind the next generation of heroes, and move beyond the Avengers Epic.

Avengers 5 Concept Poster

2The Multiverse Becomes Even More Accessible

Speaking of new heroes,Multiverse of Madnessintroduced America Chavez to the MCU. The character has the unique ability to literally punch holes into other dimensions. Considering how recently she has joined the MCU, and the likelihood of her appearing in future entries, it would make sense to make the multiverse more accessible. Rather than combining timelines, splitting them, or rebooting them, embracing the eclectic stories could be a great way forward.

Instead of having the Multiverse Saga end with the conclusion of the Multiverse, it could simply lead to the multiverse being seen as normal. This would allow for more unique stories, crossovers, and creativity to be present in the futureof the MCU. In addition, other characters like Wanda, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man have interacted with the multiverse, so it feels like a natural next step to see these characters evolve from their experience.

01688840_poster_w780.jpg

1Doctor Doom Wins

Finally, a theory that would certainly change the course of the next saga. InAvengers: Infinity War,Thanos won because he gathered all the Infinity Stones and snapped half of all life out of existence. This led to a soul crushing five years for the survivors, and a shocking ending for a superhero movie in general. While it would be hard to replicate this impactful moment,Avengers: Secret Warscould go one step further.

Rather than simply winning in the middle of two chapters in the same story,Doctor Doom could winat the end ofSecret Wars. This would create a huge shock for audiences, and leave viewers waiting to see what comes next, but the answers would only be found in the next set of films. If Doom won, it would change the course of the MCU forever, and it would lead to him appearing in many more stories. Either way,Avengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Warshave a lot of potential to include MCU-quaking events.