Summary
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to grow and push limits, there’s one thing the franchise has failed to do.The Infinity Sagamade it very clear which heroes were leading the way, with Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor serving as the three core Avengers. However, with two of those heroes now gone, and Thor seemingly on his way out, it’s unclear who Marvel Studios has set to lead the way going forward. Thankfully,Deadpool & Wolverineseems to have the perfect way to fix things.
The threequel introduced the idea of Anchor Beings to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. InDeadpool & Wolverine, the Merc with a Mouth sets out to try and find a new Wolverine to be the new Anchor Being as a means to save his universe. It’s something the multiverse has yet to do, but followingDeadpool & Wolverine, it seems like exactly what the Marvel Cinematic Universe needs going forward.
How Deadpool & Wolverine Nailed Anchor Beings
Following the conclusion to the Infinity Saga, Marvel Studios sought to introduce the Mutliverse Saga. Unfortunately, things have been off to a rather bumpy start with Phase 5 starter Ant-Man and the Wasp:Quantumaniafailing to reel in critics and audiences alike. Things would only continue to get worse with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness failing to truly use the multiverse to its benefit in the film. The biggest problem with Marvel’s multiversal films was that each new entry was treated differently. Fromthe various Wandasand Stranges in Multiverse of Madness, to the various Kang’s inQuantumania, there was nothing to signify which version of the character was the true one, and how their loss would impact multiple timelines. ThenDeadpool & Wolverinemanaged to do something the Marvel Cinematic Universe hadn’t considered doing prior: introducing anchor beings. The film showed us what would’ve happened to Deadpool’s world had the Merc with a Mouth not found a way to replace the anchor being of his universe, Wolverine. The hero, of course,died at the end ofLogan, leaving Wade’s world without its anchor being. Wade’s world began to decay over time, slowly, following Logan’s death.
We’ve seen characters die within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but we haven’t seen how their deaths impact the various timelines. The concept of an anchor being hasn’t even been attempted beforeDeadpool & Wolverine, but it’s one that the Marvel Cinematic Universe should continue to tackle going forward.
Why Anchor Beings Should be in the MCU
Introducing anchor beings into the Marvel Cinematic Universe outside ofDeadpool & Wolverineis a smart move. Not only does it show the former has animpact on the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that there are risks involved with the multiverse.Lokioffered a glimpse of what was possible with the multiverse, but none of the movies have come close to touching on the impact of multiple timelines and how deaths impact them. We know that the new Wolverine is now the anchor being of Deadpool’s world - Earth-10005 - but there’s no clear anchor being for Earth-616. We’ve lost the likes of Iron Man and Black Widow, and Steve Rogers hung up his shield. Is it possible one of the former Avengers was the anchor being? And if so, would their death(s) impact the timeline, threatening to erase it and everyone within it from existence? It’s something that would be fascinating to watch unfold within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially as the franchise looks to bring in new blood for its heroes, with Sam Wilsontaking on the mantle of Captain America, andthe Young Avengers seemingly on the way. Kang the Conqueror is no longer the threat the heroes will be facing in the future, after actor Jonathan Majors was released from his contract with Marvel Studios.
It’s unclear howKang’s absence will impact the filmsthat have already completed production. But with the multiverse set to still be in play going forward, Marvel Studios needs to ensure it doesn’t ignore the concept of anchor beings in future projects. As it stands, one of the biggest problems fans have had with the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the lack of continuation. Whether it be characters are introduced, only to never appear again, or storylines that are tackled in other films butnever addressed after. There hasn’t been a clear sense of consistency. WhileDeadpool & Wolverineis an R-rated film, which makes it so some of Marvel Studios’normal audience is excluded, opting to ignore anchor beings would be a terrible mistake on the studio’s part. Especially given justhow successfulDeadpool & Wolverinehas beenfor the studio. With rumors suggesting there will be a multiverse storyline inFantastic Four: First Steps, perhaps we’ll see a mention of anchor beings when Marvel’s first family hits the theaters next year.
