You aren’t wrong to say Thanos was a great villain, but you might not be right to claim he was the biggest threat to the Avengers.
Thanos may be mighty and ambitious, but his threat level is just a small part of the recent Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Who could be a bigger threat than this Mad Titan? Before we get to that, let’s explore why Thanos is just the beginning stage of the MCU.
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Thanos Is the Universal Threat, But the MCU Is Moving to the Multiverse
If everything had ended with Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos would have been an “inevitable” conqueror.
He spent a decade preparing, commanded a universal army, acquired all the Infinity Stones, understood sacrifice, and completed a mission that seemed impossible to reverse.
Needless to say, Marvel built this character beautifully and intelligently.
But as Avengers: Endgame showed, even the mightiest Thanos and his inevitable conquest had a turning point. This was when Marvel introduced the concept of Branch Timelines.
To fully grasp the battle in Endgame, you can dive deeper into this article right here. Simply put: Thanos may threaten an entire town, but there’s a whole city out there.
Post-Endgame, the MCU has released several key movies and series to explore the mysteries of Branch Timelines:
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness;
- Loki with the Sacred Timeline and He Who Remains;
- The three Spider-Men in Tom Holland’s No Way Home;
- Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania with The Kang Council, and so on.
The introduction of new characters, concepts, and unsolved mysteries (like the consequences of Doctor Strange using the Darkhold) hints at a bigger challenge than just Thanos in the Infinity Saga.
And trust me, in Marvel Comics, Thanos is just an average villain. There are many cosmic threats out there, and Kevin Feige is about to bring them in.
So, what could they be?
Is There Any Possible Threat Could Come After Thanos
Dormammu
Dormammu is a formidable entity from Marvel Comics, often known as the chief villain against Doctor Strange.
This villain is characterized by his quest for universal domination and conflicts with various superheroes across the Marvel Universe.
Based on that origin, in the MCU, Dormammu is introduced in “Doctor Strange” (2016), but his appearance is brief and doesn’t focus much on his full power.
He is portrayed as an immensely powerful being who rules the Dark Dimension and seeks to conquer other worlds by merging them with his own realm.
Doctor Strange ultimately uses the Time Stone to trap Dormammu in a time loop, forcing him to agree to leave Earth alone in exchange for an end to the loop.
Although Dormammu was thwarted in “Doctor Strange,” the open-ended nature of his departure, combined with the evolving narrative of the MCU, particularly the introduction of multiverse concepts in later phases, suggests the potential for his return, especially when Doctor Strange has lost the Time Stone after Endgame.
Given his abilities, ambition, and existence in the Dark Dimension—where time flows differently—his return could indeed be a possibility.
An intriguing detail that supports this scenario is the appearance of Clea, a sorceress from the Dark Dimension and Dormammu’s niece, in the mid-credits scene of “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”
Her appearance hints at a potential comeback for the Dark Dimension and its ruler, Dormammu.
Kang The Conqueror
Kang the Conqueror, originating from Marvel Comics, is a scholar from the 31st century named Nathaniel Richards who uses time travel and future technology to dominate various eras.
In terms of capability, Kang doesn’t possess superhuman abilities but relies on his intellect and advanced technology to control and influence events across different timelines, making him a significant multiversal threat, he sees Infinity Stones as no more than paperweights while Thanos is chasing after 6 colored ones.
Kang was subtly introduced in the MCU as “He Who Remains,” a variant of Kang, in the Disney+ series “Loki.”
He is portrayed as the mastermind behind the Time Variance Authority (TVA) and the creator of the “Sacred Timeline.”
Kang the Conqueror then appears in “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania,” where he is depicted as a formidable antagonist battling the titular heroes.
This marks the beginning of his deeper involvement in the MCU, setting him up as the next major villain after Thanos.
He is confirmed to appear in major titles, including “Avengers 5: Kang Dynasty” and potentially “Secret Wars.”
Even though allegations against Jonathan Majors might force Marvel to drop him from future projects and the phrase “Kang Dynasty” has been removed from “Avengers 5,” Kang can still be recast, and his return remains a possibility until further announcements.
Galactus
Galactus – a cosmic entity known as the “Devourer of Worlds,” is depicted as a necessary force in the universe, maintaining cosmic balance by consuming planets that have the potential to sustain him.
Through comic pages, this character is complex, often seen not as a villain but as a force of nature or a demi-god, beyond traditional concepts of good and evil due to his cosmic duties.
In general, Galactus possesses immense power and is capable of consuming entire planets to sustain his life force.
This makes him a beyond-universal threat, as his actions can affect the balance of the entire cosmos.
Galactus is planned to debut in the MCU through the upcoming “The Fantastic Four” (2025), portrayed by Ralph Ineson.
Celestial
The Celestials are cosmic entities in Marvel Comics, introduced as god-like beings who manipulate cosmic energies to control space-time.
They play a pivotal role in the evolutionary process of various life forms across the universe by conducting genetic experiments and interventions on numerous planets, including Earth.
Celestials have already made appearances in the MCU, notably in “Guardians of the Galaxy”, “Eternals”, and “Thor: Love & Thunder.”
These beings are responsible for major cosmic events and have shaped the history and structure of the universe, including the creation of the Eternals and Deviants.
Celestials possess the power to create and destroy planets, and they can manipulate energy, matter, and time on a nearly omnipotent scale.
Their interventions can lead to significant changes in the development of civilizations and species, marking them as beyond-universal threats.
The story of the Celestials remains open-ended after “Eternals,” with Arishem’s return for judgment and other hints in the ending scene.
Their return will most likely be explored in upcoming TV series, but let’s stay tuned for further updates from Marvel Studios.
What do you guys think? Did we miss any upcoming multiversal villains in the MCU? Share your thoughts!