Director Peyton Reed’s explanation for Kang the Conqueror as the villain for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is good news for Scott Lang in the MCU.

An explanation for why Kang the Conqueror was chosen as the main villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania helps debunk the prevailing theory that Scott Lang will meet his demise in the Ant-Man sequel. Played by Paul Rudd, Quantumania will be the third Ant-Man film and Scott Lang’s fifth appearance in the MCU overall. However, facing Kang might not be the heroic end that’s seemingly been teased for the smallest (and also biggest) Avenger.

In the first trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Scott Lang and his family are seen getting sucked into the Quantum Realm, the microscopic universe where the original Wasp Janet van Dyne was trapped for decades. Featuring all kinds of colorful beings and creatures, the Quantum Realm also looks to be home to the time-traveling despot Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). Being set up as a major villain in the MCU to rival Thanos, Ant-Man 3 director Peyton Reed elaborated on the reason Kang was chosen, an explanation that may tease Scott Lang’s survival in his next chapter rather than his death. Here’s the full quote from Reed below:

“That’s interesting to me: to take the tiniest, and in some people’s minds weakest, Avenger, and put them up against this absolute force of nature.”

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Kang Vs. Ant-Man Doesn’t Work If Ant-Man Dies

Keeping Reed’s comments in mind, it wouldn’t make much sense if the “absolute force of nature” that is Kang simply annihilates Scott Lang. Reed even admits that some view Ant-Man as one of the weaker Avengers. As such, it’s more likely that the smallest and seemingly weakest Avenger proves himself as one of the biggest and best, surviving the Conqueror’s onslaught and finding a way to thwart the villain’s plans (even if Kang is simply stalled until 2025’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty).

While Scott has greatly enjoyed his Avenger status and fame following the events of Avengers: Endgame, it’s evident that Quantumania will force him to prove himself once more without Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, all while protecting those he cares about the most. As such, Scott Lang going the distance and surviving the aftermath of Kang feels more dynamic and worthwhile rather than some noble sacrifice where he just gets squashed. With Kang having great power and likely having command over time itself, Scott resisting him would be an incredible feat, regardless of the Comic-Con footage that saw Kang asking Ant-Man if he’d killed him before (presumably in some other timeline or reality).

Ant-Man 3 Makes Kang Much Scarier If Scott Lang Lives

Likewise, it’s possible Kang could become even more terrifying in future MCU installments if Scott’s Ant-Man survives Quantumania. If Ant-Man and his family barely survive to flee the Conqueror in the Quantum Realm, it stands to reason that Scott would then go to the other Avengers and warn them of Kang’s existence and whatever he may have planned. It would work quite well to help set Kang up as an imposing threat on the horizon.

While Scott being killed by Kang would also establish him as brutally formidable, barely managing to survive and sounding the alarm would help build greater tension for the overarching big bad without mitigating Ant-Man’s heroism as an Avenger. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is Scott’s chance to prove he’s anything but the weakest MCU hero by facing someone as powerful as Kang and living to tell the tale.