Buzz
Before Kang emerged on the big screen, another variant of him known as He Who Remains made his debut in the Loki mini-series. The character exhibited immense power by controlling events at will and erasing any divergent timelines. Even Thanos' Infinity Stone at the Time Variance Authority (TVA) was merely a paperweight.
Seemingly, he's the one who 'allows' the superheroes to defeat Thanos. He Who Remains also revealed himself to be the 'gentlest' variant of them all. With such formidable power in the hands of a villain like Kang, the level of destruction is unimaginable. Through various trailers, he seems to imply that he has vanquished countless Avengers teams across the multiverse. Ant-Man alone would find it challenging to stand against Kang.
To defeat Thanos, Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) had to sacrifice. Ant-Man's death will demonstrate that the villain's power is far more terrifying than the 'Mad Titan' multiple times over. Consequently, Kang will garner attention from viewers and place the Avengers in horrifying scenarios in the upcoming battles.
Scott Lang has always been willing to sacrifice for those he loves
Through trailers, viewers also get a glimpse into Ant-Man's journey since his first film debut in 2015. Unlike other Avengers, Scott has a checkered past, spending time in jail. He wasn't trained to be a superhero but rather stumbled into Hank Pym's radar for another job. However, out of love for Cassie, Scott gradually becomes a true hero and is willing to sacrifice himself throughout the films.
The trailers released allude to the poignant death of the superhero through images of a shattered helmet or the ease with which Ant-Man variants are erased by Kang. It seems he also wishes to perish or at least disrupt Kang's plans through the statement: 'We don't have to win. We just need to lose together.'
Cassie Lang has the potential to become a superhero
Recently, Marvel Studios has been focusing on building a younger generation of superheroes to follow in the footsteps of the previous generation. After the death of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), the title of Black Panther passes to Shuri (Letitia Williams), Riri Williams will become Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) following Iron Man. She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) takes over from Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) replaces her sister as Black Widow, and Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) passes the torch to Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld).
In the original comic, Scott also sacrificed in battle and inspired his daughter Cassie Lang to become the superhero Stature. Moreover, her role is crucial as she becomes close friends with Iron Lad - a young variant of Kang. Through the imagery of Cassie wearing armor in the trailer, this detail could entirely appear in the film adaptation.
If Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ends in tragedy, Cassie Lang will follow in her father's footsteps to become Stature, forming the Young Avengers and promising an enticing revenge story in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2025). After all, the role of superheroes always inspires and helps the younger generation do the right thing.
Thus, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is likely to be a film of tribute as well as a conclusion to Ant-Man's tumultuous journey on the big screen. The movie promises to be grand and emotional, setting the stage for an exciting MCU Phase V.
