In Deadpool & Wolverine, the Time Variance Authority’s own Tom Wambsgans, this time called Paradox, introduces the concept of Anchor Being. These individuals are pivotal to their timelines, and if they disappear, their universe starts ceasing to exist.
Although, let’s not start being so dramatic. After the Anchor Being dies, its universe begins to perish, however, it is said in Deadpool & Wolverine that it takes thousands of years. And like Deadpool and our old-but-new Logan showed us, it could be saved. In the movie and its Fox universe, the original Wolverine, who was killed in James Mangold’s 2017 Logan, was the Anchor Being. By the end of the film, he is seemingly replaced by another Wolverine, who’s played by the same, brilliant Hugh Jackman, who will be starring in the role until he’s 90 years old.
What happened to Earth-616’s Anchor Being?
We’re sure there’s going to be numerous theories about this. The truth is that it hasn’t been mentioned yet, or at least in the movies (more details on that later), but with the MCU’s Sacred Timeline being in such disarray, we’re more than certain that we’ve already met its Anchor Being. After all, there are a few individuals who are the hearts of the MCU. And maybe so much stuff is going on because they’re dead, and the Sacred Timeline essentially lost its balance.
We’ll leave the discussion about how cool or boring this concept is for another time. More importantly, though, if it’s such a pivotal part of each universe in the MCU, then who’s the Anchor Being of Earth-616? So let’s roll the red carpet, everyone, since we have a few potential candidates who would be just right.
Tony Stark
Now, here’s the elephant in the room. Who could be a better Anchor Being for the Sacred Timeline other than the man, the myth, the legend who started it all and sacrificed himself for it by the end of Avengers: Endgame? Yeah, there’s no doubting it — Iron Man would be nothing short of perfect.
In Avengers: Infinity War, even Thanos acknowledges Tony Stark, thanks to the latter’s endeavors with the superhero team. By the end of Infinite Saga, the Titan himself was outsmarted and defeated by Stark, who snapped his fingers and saved half the universe. How ironic would that be if by sacrificing himself and doing so, he’d also doom it eternally?
Oh, and speaking about Doom. Maybe the Sacred Timeline is also dying and that would somehow lead to the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, where, as we know, RDJ is playing Doctor von Doom. Just imagine having him live long enough to save the universe, and then become a villain who’s orchestrating its potential ending because Iron Man’s sacrifice started a domino effect.
Doctor Strange
If there is someone so important that they’re literal hearts of their timelines, Benedict’s Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange also sounds like an ideal candidate. The Master of the Mystic Arts already knows a bit about the multiverse, but I guess the case couldn’t be different if a sequel to your solo movie is called Multiverse of Madness. While the community was mad about their verdicts on the film, it cemented Strange as an even more important being in the Sacred Timeline than he already had.
Still don’t buy it? Okay, let me remind you of the words of MCU’s biggest god and leader ever. And no, I’m not talking about the Ancient One, any of the Celestials, or Jeffrey Wright’s The Watcher. I mean Kevin Feige.
In 2022, when Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness was nearing its release, folks at Marvel promoted the movie, including Feige. In an interview with Variety, via IGN, he literally called Stephen Strange the “anchor of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.” Sure, one could say it was two years ago, but out of all people, Feige is the one who lives and breathes MCU, and definitely must have heard of the Anchor Being’s concept by that time. So he either tried to tease us or simply couldn’t find another word. But we’d rather believe the former.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is arguably the most popular superhero on Earth, and his return to the rest of Marvel Studios’ mix electrified every nerd worldwide. Tom Holland has been doing a terrific job so far and his inclusion in the upcoming Avengers films seems imminent, similar to at least another solo movie. Additionally, he has already been hinted to be Iron Man’s successor as the heart of the MCU, but I guess that’s just what happens when Tony Stark himself is mentoring you.
It would also fit nicely with some of the comics. In some of them, Captain America tells Spider-Man he’s “going to be the best out of all of us.” In Avengers: X-Sanction, Cable says Spider-Man’s legacy will be “the greatest hero of all.” If we want to pass the torch to a younger generation of superheroes in the Multiverse saga, having Parker as the Anchor Being would be one of the ways to do that.
Reed Richards
Last but not least, here’s an honorable mention, since Richards is just too important to not have in these discussions. The upcoming Fantastic Four: The First Steps is meant to be set in the ’60s aesthetics, and they’re confirmed to appear in both Avengers movies.
If that’s the thing, and Doom being the main villain of both Avengers films, maybe Richards can become the Anchor Being? Only time will tell.