Wonder Man ending explained: What happened to Simon Williams and what’s next?

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It’s interesting to note that the creator of Wonder Woman also came up with a very early lie detector. This feels particularly relevant considering Marvel’s Wonder Man – specifically, the version portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II – is a character largely built on deception.

Simon is caught in a web of lies. He hides the truth about his incredible, but dangerous, power from himself, and every day on set, he pretends to be a normal person. This is ironic, considering his profession as an actor relies on creating illusions.

Even after everything that’s happened, Williams is heartbroken to discover that his new friend, Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), has been deceiving him all along.

Initially placed with Williams by the Department of Damage Control to spy on him, the person pretending to be the Mandarin unexpectedly became a genuine friend during their time auditioning for the Wonder Man film. However, by the end of the seventh episode, their deception was revealed.

Williams stormed off after delivering a harsh comment, leaving Slattery deeply hurt by the revelation and feeling betrayed by his close friend.

What does all of this mean for Williams? Could he win an Oscar? Will he join the Avengers? Or is he facing more serious consequences, like jail time?

Marvel’s Wonder Man ending explained: Where does Simon Williams go?

The season one finale opens with a look back at Simon’s childhood, highlighting the impact the ‘80s film Wonder Man had on him and his relationship with his father. These shared experiences explain a lot about Williams’ current actions, though the show has hinted at this connection before in earlier flashbacks.

The following morning, Slattery and the team at the DODC learned about the explosion Williams had caused. Knowing his time was limited, Williams called his mother, using the conversation as a way to say goodbye without alarming her – though he suspected she always knew when something was wrong.

Just when it seems agents are about to raid Williams’ apartment, he gets a call from Slattery. Slattery apologizes, saying he’ll never forget hurting Williams but is trying to make amends – it sounds like a final farewell. He asks Williams to promise to live a full and meaningful life.

Suddenly, we see a video confession from Slattery, where he’s playing the role of the Mandarin – the same terrorist he pretended to be in Iron Man 3, over 13 years ago.

Slattery jokingly asks if everyone was worried about him, taking the blame for Simon’s outburst. It turns out the government agents weren’t after Wonder Man at all – they were raiding Slattery’s apartment.

It’s a tragic end for this good-hearted actor, who struggled to escape being known only as the Mandarin’s associate, but he believes it’s the only way to make amends for his past.

While the DODC acknowledges the arrest, they seem to indicate it wasn’t their primary target. It’s strange, considering they’ve reportedly been pursuing Williams for years due to the danger they believe he presents, yet he’s been allowed to continue his career as a major movie star.

Slattery told the police he was secretly The Mandarin the entire time, and that his career as an actor was just a performance within a performance. It’s quite a twist!

The director of Wonder Man, Von Kovak, asked Williams to focus on the feeling of betrayal for his role. But Williams found the most help came from a pair of vintage glasses the prop department provided – the same ones worn by the original actor in the 1980s film that inspired this new version. Interestingly, those glasses are also a key part of Simon Williams’ look in the comic books.

Joe Pantoliano replaced Tom Slattery as Barnaby, which feels especially harsh considering how unkind Slattery had been to the actor beforehand.

The scene quickly shifted to the premiere of Wonder Man, and based on what people were saying outside the theater, it seemed to be a big hit.

Honestly, it’s crazy – everyone’s already buzzing about a follow-up, and even Simon’s notoriously difficult brother, Eric, gave it a thumbs up! It feels like everything’s gone exactly according to plan for Williams, which is awesome to see. But, you know, it’s hard to celebrate completely when you think about what happened with Slattery. It really casts a shadow over everything.

Simon’s representative says he’s now receiving offers for larger roles, which explains why we see him next observing a regular truck driver. It seems he’s preparing for a new part!

The show briefly focuses on Simon reconnecting with Chuck Eastman, a former colleague, and his family. This detour feels sudden and drawn-out, leaving you questioning its purpose so late in the series.

But then we find out that Chuck works security at the DODC and everything falls into place.

Alfonso quickly locates The Mandarin’s prison and breaks him out, unexpectedly demonstrating full control over powers he’d previously kept hidden his whole life.

Simon doesn’t just have incredible strength; he can also fly. Unlike his 1980s superhero influences who needed rocket packs, Simon takes to the air all on his own, effortlessly blasting through the ceiling.

Where will Simon’s story go from here? Will he eventually become an Avenger, mirroring his comic book history? Since we don’t know where his powers came from, might he connect with the X-Men in future movies? Or could he end up with a lesser-known team, like the Great Lake Avengers – the same group Doorman joins early in the comics?

Honestly, it’s pretty obvious Williams and Slattery are fugitives now, wanted for crimes against the government. What I really don’t get is why they didn’t arrest Simon sooner. They had evidence of what he could do, so if the DODC is right about him being a major danger, it seems like a huge mistake to let him run. It just doesn’t make sense to me.

It’s possible we might not get answers to all of this, though. Marvel often ends its TV shows on cliffhangers – shows like Moon Knight and She-Hulk are good examples. Interestingly, Disney put a lot more effort and promotion into those series.

Since Disney released the Wonder Man series all at once as a limited run, it’s highly unlikely that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II or Williams will return for a follow-up season.

But when it comes to Marvel, never say “never”.

Wonder Man is available to stream now on Disney Plus.

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Authors

David OpieFreelance Writer

David Opie is a freelance writer covering TV and film for publications like TopMob, Indiewire, and Empire. He’s a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ representation in media, often speaking on related panels and prioritizing queer stories in his work. Beyond TV and film, he enjoys comics, animation, and horror—and he’s a big fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, hoping to see a musical episode based on the show on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Before becoming a freelancer, David worked as a Deputy TV Editor at Digital Spy and holds a degree in Psychology.

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2026-01-28 14:36