*Warning: Major spoilers ahead for The Marvels*
The latest MCU movie is now playing in theaters everywhere, and fans worldwide are losing their mind over The Marvels post-credits scene. Since the beginning of Phase 4, Marvel post-credits scenes have taken a different approach than what fans were accustomed to. Stingers in the post-Endgame era focus on what’s next for the characters in that project, when previously they teased the next project on the slate.
The Marvels may have accomplished both feats in one credit scene. After several previous projects like Secret Invasion and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness failed to keep their promises of “changing everything,” The Marvels delivers. It’s unclear exactly how The Marvels’ post-credits scene will impact the MCU going forward, but the thread will certainly be picked up in future stories.
‘The Marvels’ Post-Credits Scene Teases a Familiar Universe
Before we dive into exactly what this monumental stinger means for the future of the MCU, let’s briefly recap exactly what happens. In the final fight scene, Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) uses both bangles — now known as Quantum Bands — to “open a portal in space-time,” creating a gateway to another dimension. After defeating Dar-Benn, Carol (Brie Larson) and Kamala (Iman Vellani) share energy with Monica (Teyonah Parris) who closes the portal. This brave act leaves her trapped in another dimension with seemingly no way to get back home.
When the mid-credits scene opens, Monica is lying in a hospital bed with Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) sitting beside her. This version of Maria is not her mother or the Captain Marvel variant from the Doctor Strange sequel, but instead a hero named Binary, who is a powerful form of Captain Marvel in the comics. But Binary isn’t the only one keeping an eye on Monica; the camera pans over to Beast (Kelsey Grammer), the famous, blue X-Men member known for his roles in the 20th Century Fox X-Men Universe which ran throughout the 2000s.
This shocking revelation changes the game for Marvel. Beast is the second X-Men mutant to appear in the MCU, behind Professor X (Patrick Stewart) in Multiverse of Madness, but his appearance in The Marvels is much more significant. Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) had a brief interaction with Professor before Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) snapped his neck, ending his brief journey. With Monica trapped in another dimension, the door is wide open for Beast, Binary, and who knows what other X-Men to help Monica get back home.
When and How Will ‘The Marvels’ Post-Credits Scene Pay Off?
The most glaring questions after seeing Beast are: what other X-Men are in this universe with them, and is this the same Beast from the X-Men movies? There are a couple of possibilities. This could be a brand-new universe that we’ve never seen before, and an entirely new X-Men crew with a mix of the same and new actors playing the mutants. There is also the exciting potential that Monica has landed in the 20th Century Fox-verse — where it’s very likely Deadpool 3 will take place — and we could see her again as soon as next year.
The introduction of another member of the X-Men proves mutants may be a bigger part of the MCU sooner than we realized. Now that Kamala Khan is canonically a mutant in both the MCU and Marvel Comics, will Beast and his friends return to Earth-616 with Monica and call on her to join the X-Men? Whether Marvel sticks with Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror or decides to go in a different direction, the threat will undeniably need to be bigger than Thanos. In the event the Avengers aren’t up for the task, perhaps they can lean on Kamala and her Young Avengers team to aid in the fight against the next big bad.
The Introduction of the X-Men in ‘The Marvels’ Raises the MCU Stakes to New Highs
The Marvels is a fun but flawed MCU entry that deserves to be experienced on the big screen, but the post-credits scene adds an intense layer of excitement. Phase 4 does a phenomenal job of establishing new characters, but as we move deeper into Phase 5, Marvel should start to heavily emphasize the “multiverse” aspect of the Multiverse Saga. The introduction of Beast and Binary in The Marvels post-credits scene is a great first step in getting people to care about other universes.
What do you think of The Marvels mid-credits scene? The film is now showing in theaters. Follow the Agents of Fandom socials for all the latest Marvel news and reviews.
