Spider-Man: No Way Home theory reveals a mind-blowing Kang connection
Is Mr. Gryphon hiding in plain sight?
Spider-Man: No Way Home is set to introduce an entire rogue’s gallery.
After its much-anticipated trailer teased a Green Goblin appearance and gave us the first glimpse of Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus, fans are feeling practically spoiled when it comes to the bad guys set to menace our favorite web-slinger. All those Sinister Six rumors aren’t hurting, either. But could there be even more villains in store, being kept tightly under wraps?
One fan theory suggests there are still more tricks up Peter Parker’s sleeve.
The trailer is misleading, according to Redditor hashslingingslashar. Though it appears Doctor Strange casts a spell to restore Peter’s secret identity again come true, this fan theory posits that he’ll change his mind at the last second. This would make sense, as casting a spell at the drop of a hat is out of character for the most level-headed Avenger.
Having hit a dead end with Doctor Strange, Peter will be looking for alternatives and could find one in Mr. Gryphon.
Mr. Gryphon as seen in All-New All-Different Avengers #5, published in 2016.
Mr. Gryphon is a Kang variant who appeared briefly in Marvel Comics as the CEO of Qeng Enterprises. He buys Stark Tower and essentially positions himself as an evil Tony Stark. Gryphon could trick Peter into thinking he’ll be sent to an alternate timeline where his identity wasn’t revealed to the general public, instead sending him to a timeline where the Sinister Six lie in wait.
This reveal has been teased with a dilapidated Qeng Enterprises tower being shown in the Void of Loki. Could this have been foreshadowing for Spider-Man’s latest adventure? Peter’s grief over the loss of Tony Stark made up a large section of Spider-Man: Far From Home, so perhaps No Way Home can conclude that storyline with Mr. Gryphon serving as an ostensible replacement Peter is led to believe he can trust.
Mr. Gryphon could be another Kang variant like He Who Remains.
This theory may seem to be coming out of nowhere, but making it so Doctor Strange doesn’t cast the spell sets that character up to save Peter from wherever he ends up in the multiverse, priming the Sorcerer Supreme for his own story in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Of course, this would also allow Kang to make a major appearance in this film, the first to really tackle the multiverse since Sylvie unleashed it in the season finale of Loki.
Mr. Gryphon, much like He Who Remains, could be another Kang variant introduced before Kang the Conqueror himself debuts in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Spider-Man: No Way Home premieres in theaters December 17, 2021.
