One thing the Marvel Cinematic Universe has always been great at since its early days is knowing how to connect the pieces. A single detail in a movie or show, or one of those famous post-credit scenes, is enough for fans to start theorizing and getting a taste of what might be coming in the future. The problem is that, lately, Marvel Studios has ended up building up more and more unanswered mysteries because of that. The most recent example is Wonder Man, which ended with a major hook for a continuation before the series was canceled, apparently due to an internal strategy shift. With that, we now have another cliffhanger with no resolution. And when you stop to think about it, the list of moments that have existed for years without any explanation is actually pretty significant.
The MCU has introduced characters, threats, and artifacts that seemed like important pieces of a bigger plan, but some of them eventually got left behind as new projects arrived and the franchise continued to change over time. Can you remember when? We picked 3 that are honestly a huge crime to still have no follow-up whatsoever.
It has been five years since fans have been waiting for answers about the mystery left behind by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ post-credit scene. At the time, it felt like the beginning of a new MCU era, when everything was being set up for Kang the Conqueror to become the next big villain. The scene in question showed Wong meeting with Bruce Banner and Carol Danvers to analyze the Ten Rings, but no one could figure out what they actually were. They weren’t made of Vibranium, they didn’t appear in any Kamar-Taj records, and suddenly, they started sending a signal into space. And ever since then, nobody has heard anything about that. Plus, Shang-Chi also disappeared from the MCU’s main storyline until his appearance in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday was confirmed.
According to the infamous fan theories, it’s possible to argue that Shang-Chi’s Rings are made from the same technology as Kang’s ship, especially after the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (and even Ms. Marvel, with the Quantum Bands having some possible connection). However, nothing has even been confirmed. This year, Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton commented that he wants to solve this mystery. So how can Marvel resolve it now? The most obvious answer would be trying to move whatever involvement Kang was supposed to have in this storyline over to Doctor Doom. But it makes much more sense to focus on the idea that the Ten Rings are technology from an entirely new cosmic race: the Makluans.
There are still fans who are frustrated that Moon Knight was forgotten and never received a second season. The show stood out because it had a tone completely different from anything the MCU had explored before, but since then, the hero has disappeared, and nobody really knows whether he could return at some point or not. However, the interesting thing is that the show’s post-credit scene leaves the door wide open. After watching Marc Spector and Steven Grant learn how to share control of their own body, the audience discovers that there has been a third personality hidden the entire time: Jake Lockley. And he completely changed the character’s dynamic, because while Marc and Steven try to break free from Khonshu’s influence, Jake continues working for the Egyptian god without any resistance.
It seems that Moon Knight ended up being more of a deliberate open-ended finale, leaving fans to interpret whatever they want from it. A new season would be interesting, especially because Blade, which could have involved the hero in some way, probably won’t happen after so many attempts. But beyond a continuation, it’s also interesting to speculate about something involving Ghost Rider, who was recently announced. From there, a Midnight Sons project could start coming together, who knows? The MCU introduced one of the most dangerous versions of the character and then immediately put him on the shelf, which makes very little sense.
Unfortunately, Eternals was one of the projects that suffered the most (if not the most) consequences within the MCU. After the movie’s failure, the question remains whether and how the studio plans to do something with these characters. And the worst part is that they had massive potential when thinking about the Multiverse. In the story, after Tiamut partially emerged from the planet, Arishem appeared before Earth, took Sersi, Kingo, and Phastos away, and left a warning: he would analyze their memories to decide whether humanity deserved to continue existing. We’re talking about a Celestial announcing that the fate of the entire planet would be put on trial. Then, in the post-credit scene, Thanos’ brother, Eros (aka Starfox) appears, saying that he knows where the captured Eternals are and he can help.
Since then, the MCU has moved forward as if nothing happened, with no one even mentioning the situation left behind by the film’s ending. And this is actually something the studio could easily explore without even needing a sequel. Following the events of Avengers: Secret Wars, which is set to arrive in 2027, it’s not impossible to imagine a new movie being based on A.X.E.: Judgment Day, featuring the Avengers, the X-Men, and, of course, the Eternals. Nothing has been confirmed about it, but reportedly, it seems like the studio is in the early stages of developing this storyline. So, even if it takes a little longer, at least this plot could finally continue.
