10 MCU Mysteries That Need Answers Before Marvel Reboots

The Marvel Cinematic Universe may well be heading toward a reboot, but there are several mysteries that simply must be answered before the franchise can start anew. The movies of the MCU have done more than build a large shared universe: they have each contributed to one of the biggest and most ambitious franchises in cinematic history. As the sprawling, interconnected narrative of the MCU has grown almost complex enough to rival that of the comics, this development has come at a cost. There are multiple plot threads left unexplored or unexplained, leading to many unsolved mysteries within the MCU.

One of the franchise’s most beloved qualities is the way it appears to constantly lay the foundations for future stories, with every new entry offering up teases or narrative elements that set up the next big development for upcoming Marvel movies. Unfortunately, many of these teases have yet to be resolved, and with the MCU potentially heading for a reboot in Avengers: Secret Wars, there’s a chance that answers will never be forthcoming. Though the idea of a reboot is somewhat enticing, leaving these nagging mysteries unsolved would be a huge mistake for the franchise. Here are 10 MCU mysteries that need answers before Marvel reboots the franchise.

10 Will Ned Leeds Become A Villain?

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

The MCU’s Spider-Man has one of the franchise’s best sidekicks in the form of Peter Parker’s best friend Ned, but in the comics, Ned Leeds is actually the villain known as Hobgoblin. No Way Home teased this potential transformation by having Ned state he’d never turn on Peter, but the film actually showed the character possessed an entirely different set of magical powers. It’s clear that the MCU has set Ned up to be a powerful character, and the mystery of whether he’ll remain a friend or become a foe is one that simply needs to be answered.

9 Where Is The MCU’s Original Mordo?

Doctor Strange (2016)

Of the many characters to return as part of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ cast, Mordo was one of the most anticipated. Unfortunately, the sequel did nothing to pay off Doctor Strange‘s post-credits tease, as its Mordo was a variant rather than the MCU’s original iteration of the character. As Mordo’s pursuit of a villainous crusade against the franchise’s sorcerers is one of the MCU’s longest unresolved teases, exactly where he is remains one of the franchise’s mysteries most desperately in need of a resolution ahead of the potential reboot.

8 What Happened Between Captain America & Red Skull On Vormir?

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

After seemingly killing off Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger, the iconic villain was brought back for a brief role in Avengers: Infinity War as the guardian of the Soul Stone on Vormir. Endgame concludes with Steve Rogers returning the Stones to their original timelines, seemingly confirming that Cap would encounter his old nemesis on Vormir. However, the film didn’t actually show their reunion, instead leaving it to the audience’s imagination. Even so, what exactly happened between Captain America and Red Skull is an enticing mystery that desperately needs to be answered.

7 What Are The Origins Of The Ten Rings?

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021)

The design of the Mandarin’s Ten Rings was changed significantly for the MCU, setting them apart from the comic book counterparts. The power of the rings was revised for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, hinting that they may just be among the shared universe’s most powerful objects, teasing a greater significance in future stories for both the hero and his inherited weapons. Sadly, the MCU has not yet been able to pay off this teased narrative development, leaving many to wonder exactly what the nature of the MCU’s Ten Rings really is.

6 What Happened To The Raft?

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Introduced in Captain America: Civil War and briefly glimpsed in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the Raft is one of the MCU’s most important and most overlooked locations. A prison designed to house the most powerful and dangerous criminals in the MCU, the Raft is a veritable fortress capable of containing any number of Earth’s villains (or heroes, for that matter). However, the MCU has largely skimmed over the continued existence of the Raft – though this may simply be because it wasn’t necessary for recent MCU entries, it also presents an interesting mystery that deserves to be solved.

5 What Happened With HYDRA’s Stolen Pym Particles?

Ant-Man (2015)

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania might have solved multiple Ant-Man mysteries involving the Quantum Realm and the fate of Darren Cross, but one of the MCU’s longest-running mysteries remains unresolved. In the 2015 movie, Mitchell Carson steals Pym Particles on behalf of Hydra, escaping with the coveted technology. The implication was that the villainous organization could duplicate the particles, but no such development has yet come to light in the MCU. Exactly what happened with the Pym Particles Hydra stole remains unknown, but it’s a mystery that the MCU should solve before rebooting.

4 Does Uncle Ben Exist In The MCU?

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Despite being a pivotal part of Peter Parker’s backstory, Uncle Ben has so far been conspicuously absent from the MCU. Though Aunt May ultimately played the role of Peter’s tragically fated guardian, there are some minor hints to suggest Uncle Ben may exist within the franchise. Although it’s not necessarily one of the MCU’s dangling plot threads, it’s certainly a burning question that needs answering about the MCU’s iteration of one of Marvel’s greatest heroes and his revised backstory within the franchise.

Related: Spider-Man 4: Cast, Story, & Everything We Know

3 How Did Tiamut’s Partial Emergence Affect Earth?

Eternals (2021)

Eternals saw a number of shocking revelations for the MCU, including the partial emergence of the Celestial Tiamut from beneath the surface of the Earth. Though the ramifications of this have been teased via Easter eggs and off-handed references, the specifics of how the Emergence affected the Earth really should be better explored within the MCU. After Eternals saw the occurrence of a life-changing phenomenon for humankind, the fabric of the universe has been irrevocably altered, and it’s something that the MCU would do well to properly address.

2 Where Did White Vision Go After WandaVision?

WandaVision (2021)

Vision’s death in Avengers: Infinity War was one of the MCU’s few irreversible sacrifices, but due to his artificial nature (and Wanda’s magic), Vision was able to live on in a sense. WandaVision saw Vision’s body reanimated without any of his memories or humanity, the former of which was later restored by Wanda’s magically realized version of the character. The show ended with White Vision retreating into self-imposed exile to process his memories, and he’s yet to reemerge. White Vision’s whereabouts and status within the MCU certainly warrant addressing before the franchise moves on entirely.

1 How Does No Way Home’s Memory Spell Work?

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

The ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home saw the hero opt to have everyone forget him in order to preserve the fabric of the Multiverse. Though it was a heroic gesture, the MCU hasn’t yet had a chance to fully explore exactly how the memory spell works within the franchise. For example, Peter still exists and is still a part of society, but his friends don’t seem to know him. The logistics of the hero’s new (and lonely) existence may be relatively unimportant in the grand scheme of the franchise, but it’s one of the biggest mysteries that the Marvel Cinematic Universe should answer ahead of the potential reboot.

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