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The Marvels may have received mixed reviews, but its post-credits scene teases something significant for the MCU's future: the collision of two universes that could set up an Avengers versus X-Men storyline.
The Incursion and Monica's Journey
The film ends with an incursion, a phenomenon pulled directly from Marvel comics where two realities are drawn toward each other. When Dark Phoenix tears a hole in space, Monica Rambeau finds herself trapped and eventually wakes up in an alternate universe. This appears to be Earth-838, the same reality featured in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
In the comics, incursions occur when someone uses dreamwalking to travel between realities, destabilizing both worlds in the process. The presence of a person from another universe itself can trigger catastrophic effects, which is why Christine Strange warned Doctor Strange about staying too long in alternate realities.
A Familiar Face in a Strange Reality
Monica awakens in a hospital bed alongside her mother, Maria Rambeau. However, this version of Maria doesn't recognize her daughter. In this universe, Maria reached the hangar first during a crucial moment in their shared past and never became Captain Marvel. Instead, she took on the mantle herself and developed superhuman powers.
Maria appears to have evolved into Binary, the next level beyond Captain Marvel, complete with a costume change and enhanced abilities. This Maria survives encounters that would have killed others, suggesting she's far more powerful than her 616 counterpart.
The Illuminati and Beast's Return
The most striking visual element is the introduction of Beast, rendered in full CGI and wearing his iconic spectacles. Voiced by Kelsey Grammer, Beast mentions he needs to inform Charles, suggesting Professor X may still be alive in this universe, despite having been killed before. In the comics, Professor X can transfer his consciousness at the moment of death, allowing him to survive indefinitely.
Beast's presence hints at Earth-838's version of the Illuminati, a secret society that controls world events. The appearance of this group could signal how the MCU plans to introduce other major characters and storylines moving forward.
Setting Up Avengers Versus X-Men
The collision of these two universes mirrors the comics storyline Avengers Versus X-Men, one of Marvel's most popular crossovers. If one universe consists primarily of X-Men characters and the other of Avengers, their eventual conflict becomes inevitable.
What makes this compelling is that these are characters audiences already know and care about. Rather than introducing new variants, the MCU could pit established heroes against each other. Imagine Kelsey Grammer's Beast fighting Mark Ruffalo's Hulk, or Hugh Jackman's Wolverine battling familiar Avengers. This creates genuine stakes, as audiences become emotionally invested in characters on both sides.
Civil War succeeded partly because it forced beloved heroes to fight each other, making the conflict feel personal and consequential. An Avengers versus X-Men film built on this principle could deliver similar impact.
The Complexity of Monica's Position
Monica faces an emotional dilemma: she's met a living version of her mother, whom she lost before they could say goodbye. Yet helping close the barrier between universes would destroy this world and kill this version of Maria. This personal stakes add layers of complexity the MCU has been missing, offering shades of gray rather than straightforward heroics.
The post-credits scene suggests that Secret Wars may follow, where both universes could be destroyed before being reassembled into Battleworld. Before that happens, however, the collision of these two realities provides fertile ground for exploring why two teams of heroes might find themselves at odds.
While The Marvels itself may have felt rushed and tonally inconsistent, its final moments deliver the kind of setup that could define the MCU's next chapter.
