Ascending through the Multiverse: Exploring Phase Five of the MCU

After a series of controversial Phase IV projects, Phase V of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU, faces even tougher challenges. It is now in the midst of the multiverse storyline, where various projects are setting the stage for the upcoming climax. Series like "Loki" and "Spider-Man: No Way Home" notably explored the idea of the multiverse, and recently "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" introduced Kang the Conqueror, the main supervillain of the multiverse narrative.

Admittedly, Phase IV did not go as well as Marvel had hoped, especially after the success of "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame." There were disappointments like "Thor: Love & Thunder," a film that showed signs of Marvel’s expedited agenda and dull writing. It is safe to say that Phase IV lacked the depth of character and storytelling seen in the earlier MCU phases. Now, Phase V is also encountering its own set of challenges. Like Phase IV, Phase V does not include any Avengers films. With the ongoing multiverse complexities, there seems to be no rush to assemble the Avengers team for major missions. Instead, Marvel Studios seems focused on giving these heroes shorter standalone stories. This approach certainly speeds up the storytelling, but it also means fans will wait longer to see the official Avengers team at the forefront of the multiverse saga.

In the midst of Phase V planning, the MCU is hastening to introduce new heroes like Echo and Ironheart due to expiring actor contracts, among other reasons. Yet rushing character development and reproducing clichéd hero origin stories will not retain viewership: defeating a villain and joining the array of MCU heroes had always been the way to introduce these new characters. A great example of solid character development is seen with Spider-Man in the MCU. Starting as a naive teenager, Spider-Man gradually transformed into the well-rounded hero he is today. His journey through the heroes' Civil War, Infinity War, and his own trilogy allowed for this natural growth, whereas current character growth feels compressed within a single project.

Furthermore, Phase V lacks a clear narrative thread compared to previous phases. In Phases III and IV, it was clear to audiences that most of the heroes' stories revolved around the Infinity Stones. Yet looking ahead to the MCU's Phase V projects (after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) many projects seem self-contained or unrelated to the multiverse. Some, like "Secret Invasion" and "Ms. Marvel," are linked to the overarching issue, while others, like "Captain America: Brave New World" and "Thunderbolt," deal with more grounded themes that do not heavily involve the multiverse. Nonetheless, "Loki" Season 2 might be the main Phase V project tied to the multiverse, leaving a larger plot narrative possible for Phase VI.

More importantly, Phase IV left several questions unanswered and, unfortunately, Phase V does not seem set on addressing them. Upcoming plans show little chance of resolving mysteries from Phase IV, such as White Vision's fate, Doctor Strange's third eye, Venom's Symbiote, Starfox's deal in "Eternals," and the stories of the Ten Rings in "Shang-Chi."

As we transition into Phase V, Marvel shows ambition in expanding its multiverse storylines. However, the current approach risks confusing the audience and falling into formulaic storytelling. Recent episodes and movies have largely mishandled old characters, as with Maria Hill's shocking death in the first episode of "Secret Invasion,” or the overly-simple introduction of the new supervillain Kang in the latest Ant-Man movie. Thus, Marvel should take a more measured approach, carefully considering how characters and storylines evolve, rather than recycling old concepts into new ones.

Eric Nie