What That "Ant-Man And The Wasp" Post-Credits Scene Means For "Avengers 4"

Let's break this down.

This is a post about the post-credits scene in Ant-Man and the Wasp, aka the very last scene in the movie, aka this post is FULL OF SPOILERS.

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So by now you've seen the whole movie and you know that not only can our heroes go subatomic (aka get microscopically small) and safely return, but the Quantum Realm is also full of healing energy with untapped potential.

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Dr. Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) explained that 30 years in the Realm changed her, and likened the alterations in her body to human evolution (so it doesn't sound wholly negative). We only got a quick taste of her new abilities when she got back and healed Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) with some sort of energy that she transported through her hands.

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We didn't ever find out where on earth she got that sweet Quantum Realm poncho, or how she came out with absolutely perfect gray locks, but whatever.

In the first post-credits scene, we saw Janet, her husband Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Hope/The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) transport Scott/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) back to the Quantum Realm to collect more healing energy (or whatever it is) to continue treating their "new friend" Ghost.

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Unfortunately, the events of Infinity War caught up with the Ant-Man timeline right after Scott went subatomic, and the ENTIRE Pym/Van Dyne family fell victim to Thanos' mass murder and turned to ash, leaving Scott stranded in the Quantum Realm.

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WOW, things got very dark very fast. So let's unpack this, shall we?

First and foremost, the scene confirmed that the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp take place right before/during the events of Infinity War — which explains why Scott was absent from the movie.

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In Infinity War, Natasha mentions that Scott and Clint/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), took deals to protect their families after the events of Captain America: Civil War. In Ant-Man, Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) explains that Scott violated Article 16, paragraph 3 of the Sokovia Accords by fighting alongside Captain America in Germany during Civil War. As a result, Scott had to agree to two years of house arrest and a following three years of probation, and any violations would result in a 20-year prison sentence.

Secondly, even though things kinda ended on a cliffhanger, it's very unlikely that Scott will stay stuck in the Quantum Realm for all of Avengers 4 — and even if he does, he'll still likely play a big role in the action.

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The Russo Brothers, who directed both Infinity War and Avengers 4, said that they have "a really interesting story cooked up for [Ant-Man and Hawkeye], and part of that story required that they be under house arrest."

And that "really interesting story" the directors have planned for the two Dad-Avengers could also end up being really sad. It's pretty much a mathematical certainty that not every member of both their families survived Thanos' attack.

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I'm very concerned about sweet Cassie.

But, as we've theorized to death (haha), it's almost certain that most (if not all) of the major players killed off in Infinity War will somehow be resurrected through the events of Avengers 4.

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Personally, my money's on the mysterious Soul Stone playing a huge role — which will likely mean there's going to be a 100% irreversible death in the core Avengers crew. Looking at you, Cap and/or Tony.

Maybe the mysterious new energy from the Quantum Realm will play a role in defeating Thanos. If Scott stays stuck in the Realm for some of Avengers 4, he might be forced to figure out how to help his friends from the other side.

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Ant-Man and the Wasp established that Scott and Janet have a mental bond that allows her to kinda sorta possess his body. Even though Janet turned to dust in the post-credits scene, it's not impossible to believe that some part of her enhanced mind was preserved in the Quantum Realm and could pass along vital information to Scott should he get stuck there for the long haul. Or, more simply, she could have just left him some clues.

The Quantum Realm might tie into the mysterious Soul Stone other-realm we briefly saw in Infinity War.

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We know that the Soul Stone has the ability to transport people to some sort of other-realm — it's where Thanos wakes up after he kills Gamora and finds the Soul Stone newly embedded in his Gauntlet, and it's also where he finds and talks to child Gamora after he murders half the universe's population.

This might be a stretch, but both dimensions are mysterious and don't have many established rules. Maybe Scott will figure out a way to escape the Quantum Realm, and that'll help Gamora escape from the Soul Stone Realm. Maybe both realms exist in the same place. Who knows?

The scene also means that the Wasp won't be appearing in Avengers 4, which is a huge bummer.

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She was such an unbelievable badass in this movie, and seeing Evangeline Lilly sink her teeth into a central action role was a heckin' treat. Plus, Hope was just starting to forgive Scott for leaving her behind when he went and fought with the Avengers in Civil War, imagine how pissed she'll be when she finds out he fought the battle to end all battles without her.

And, lastly, I'm pretty sure the second post-credits scene of the ant drumming after everyone died was just to lighten the mood a bit.

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