Marvel Cinematic Universe, Phase 4 & Beyond (and a chance to change your vote)

While we're waiting, I would like to make clear that all of this can go in my head as soon as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYBcjr8vjTA

Ooh heres a thought - is it likely the ending of Loki will directly link to Dr Strange?

It looks like multiversity and time-fuckery will be among the threads running through this upcoming MCU phase (and it's right there in the name of the new Strange flick) so it seems very possible.

also reality-bending magic. latest episode seems to imply that Loki(s) is potentially as powerful as Wanda at enchantments/world-creation.

my stepkid's comment: "does the existence of alligator Loki mean that there's an alligaTHOR?"

Music in this show is so good, which is shocking for the MCU world of "generically rousing/menacing."

sylvie/loki makes me cringe lol, i hope they don't go any further with that than what we saw in this episode

Re the music I had never heard of her before this series. She’s good.

Loki is supposed to go into the new Ant-Man movie and not Doctor Strange, which is why everyone is assuming the Big Bad for this is Kang The Conqueror since that casting for Ant-Man has been announced.

who is everyone

Counterpoint: Sylvie / Loki is both hot and sweet

Counterpoint: Sylvie / Loki is both hot and sweet

I guess it’s a bit cringe but it’s meant to feel a bit cringe?

Got a lot of Grant Morrison/Animal Man 25 vibes from this too

The thing with the Loki variations is that they are all presumably adoptees and therefore presumably the result of different parentage on occasion. So hooking up with his other self is only a little squicky in that context.

... what?

MOVING ALONG this show is great and I can’t wait to rewatch the last episode when I’m not passing out from tiredness

"everyone" = 'all the people I'm reading on the internet that aren't on this thread including multiple comics/sci-fi gossip sites'

Gugu Mbatha-Raw's character is named Ravonna, aka the paramour of the aforementioned Ant-Man 3 villain. Given that and the timey-wimeyness, it's not a stretch to assume That One Dude might be behind the TVA's shenanigans.

how did they all find each other so quickly?

not being nitpicky, just wondered if i missed something

fanservice normnally makes me cringe but i enjoyed teeny frog thor and the thanos copter. it felt like they could be explained away by "everything is chaos" rather than "nudge, look, a FAN THING"

... what?

One of my favorite storylines was the late 80s Avengers where a Kang the Conquerer attempted to kill off all the Kang’s from other timelines.

I don't know much about that character in comics, but from little I've read, yeah, it makes perfect sense that he's involved. Plus, of course, yeah, said character is set for Ant-Man 3, which comes out next year. I don't think they'll formally introduce him before that, though, at least not directly, and probably not in the final episode of the Loki show. I like the theory that the Big Bad of Loki is ... another Loki.

I don't know much about that character in comics, but from little I've read, yeah, it makes perfect sense that he's involved. Plus, of course, yeah, said character is set for Ant-Man 3, which comes out next year. I don't think they'll formally introduce him before that, though, at least not directly, and probably not in the final episode of the Loki show. I like the theory that the Big Bad of Loki is ... another Loki.

(Big comics geek here) I wondered about the involvement of 'said villain' from early on as well (because of the time stuff and because of Ravonna), but kept having my doubts as I hadn't heard of (or expected) any lead-ins to the next Ant-Man movie, I also would not expect a movie villain to be introduced at the end of a series episode but who knows, it would make sense indeed and they already have an actor for the part.
My wife asked me last week whether I thought the big bad would be another version of Loki. I'm now wondering if they'll go into a bit of a different direction and make use of the villain called Immortus, who in the comics is an alternate future version of Kang, but maybe here he's an alternate future version of Loki instead?

There's only one episode left, I doubt they will introduce anyone that needs any sort of deep explanation.

loved the show so far but worried that the mcu’s pathological need to tie everything into something else will make for an unsatisfying finale. they can’t do endings because they don’t want any of their stories to truly end

There's only one episode left, I doubt they will introduce anyone that needs any sort of deep explanation.

That is indeed another reason why I'm having my doubts on 'said villain' and more expecting another Loki variant. But he could then still have taken on the role of a mastermind ruler, which is why I'm wondering if they shape it like that other villain I suggested.
But if they go full-on tie-in with the next Ant-Man villain, I expect that I'll be cheering at the screen next week myself - I love those MCU interconnections!

my money is on the final boss being loki from a timeline where the avengers didn’t win at the end of their first movie and loki got everything he wanted but still ended up miserable

the whole show has been about loki exploring himself, thematically it makes sense for the big bad to be loki, and for him to have to defeat the worst part of his own character

2 lokis 1 cup of destiny

Next three MCU things (Black Widow, Shang Chi, Eternals), I have no idea if or how they might fit into a big picture sort of thing. Black Widow is out now, right? Anyone know if it has any connections to the MCU going forward, or is it strictly stand-alone? The other two, I know nothing about them. But then right after that is Spider-Man 3, which is supposed to have more multiverse stuff, then Dr. Strange 2, which has multiverse in the title, Thor 4 (which we know features an alternate Thor), then The Marvels, which ... who knows. But just noticed that Ant-Man 3 isn't released until 2023 (barring another pandemic), so that seems like a lot of stuff (6 or 7 movies, some shows) without really hinting at where it's all going, let alone introducing a big villain. Though it seems most likely we won't really see him til Ant Man 3.

it will be batman

I mean, at this rate, sure, it might as well be Batman.

xxpost It's also possible that (this) Loki will settle on ruling this particular timeline. They've made Loki something of a softy pushover, but they frequently revert back to his desire to rule. Old Loki has shown a Loki willingness to live alone in exile, but it could be a tidy way to wrap things up by having (our) Loki and Sylvie stay in this timeline/nexus/apocalypse to "rule," which conveniently gives them a place to wait until the next time they are needed in the MCU (if ever). Because if (our) Loki were to escape again, where would he go? To yet another timeline where he would be captured or killed? Seems in character to stay where he's "won." Better to rule in hell (Hel) than serve in heaven, etc.

the whole show has been about loki exploring himself

My completely unsupported assertion is that Kang is gonna be like the Thanos of this new MCU phase and, like Big T, will make some cameo appearances in the shadows or whatever before he's formally introduced.

It does make sense thematically that another Loki is pulling the TVA strings...but who is pulling his strings?!?!

I wouldn't rule out a brief post-credits scene featuring that villain. I mean, let's not forget how Thanos was officially introduced, they can do it without minutes of exposition.

lol xpost with OL, yeah.

Re: Black Widow and the MCU going forward the post credits scene has Pugh's character being lined up to assassinate Hawkeye by Julia Louis-Dreyfus at Natasha's grave. So maybe she'll be in the Hawkeye series?

_the whole show has been about loki exploring himself_


u must be watching the unrated DisneyMax version of the show

This is MCU continuity, they could have the Big Bad here be another Loki and then have him rebrand himself as Other Villain to distance himself from the other variants if they wanted to

that would be a fun twist

Goddamn it why did I click on that tag... be warned others that treefell's spoiler tags are about Black Widow and not Loki.

Not your fault treefell, just not paying attention to what your post was about.

lol I actually do appreciate post-credit spoilers, or at least more than I appreciate being made to sit and watch the scroll of 1000 fx dudes for just 30 seconds bonus footage.

And the character in the spoiler tags was of course introduced in Falcon & The Winter Soldier so Marvel appear to see all the pieces playing together.

I like the theory that the Big Bad of Loki is ... another Loki.

i like this theory, provided that the ‘another loki’ is möbius. his exit was much too smooth imo

(i imagine there are many in-universe reasons of which i am unaware that this is impossible)

appreciate any and all black widow spoilers because the movie seems extremely mid

Caught Black Widow last night, I thought it was excellent. Definitely more of a spy story than a superhero story though there is a supersoldier involved. Stay for the end credits scene which sets up Hawkeye.

sorry, not a spy story, just an action film. but the action is great.

BW end credits LA Times article with spoilery future path guesses.

...guesses that have been made in this thread! that direction seems pretty likely I guess.

Definitely a few nods to Tarkovsky’s stalker in this weeks episode

Also, serious Time Bandits vibes. Grant as Old Loki even looks a bit like David Warner:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/96/60/fa/9660fa5a2472cf6268f6712af8791773.png