Wonder Man’s Ending Sets Up The Forgotten MCU Series Iron Man Teased 10 Years Ago

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Marvel’s upcoming 2026 projects are starting strong with Wonder Man, which introduces Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams into the MCU. The series proves Marvel can still be inventive and surprising. Wonder Man is a bold and creative show that stands out because of what it doesn’t do – it skips the typical superhero origin story and doesn’t bother explaining the characters’ powers right away, leaving many questions unanswered. Be warned: the following discussion contains major SPOILERS for Wonder Man.

The most interesting part of Wonder Man is a subtle hint in the finale about where the story could go next. If the show continues and we see more of Simon Williams in the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe, it would be great if the creators explored the full potential of his powers and pitted him against the Department of Damage Control – an idea first introduced by Tony Stark years ago. Even though Wonder Man has a straightforward plot, this would be a rewarding development.

What Happens at the End of Wonder Man?

The season finale of Wonder Man features Simon unintentionally unleashing his powers, causing significant damage and attracting the attention of the DODC. Just when things look dire, Trevor Slattery unexpectedly releases a video claiming he’s the genuine Mandarin and responsible for the attack on the Wonder Man set – a retaliation against Hollywood’s manipulative tactics. He explains that revealing his “true” identity as Trevor was a deliberate deception, meant to set the stage for his next move against what he sees as American excess. He’s taken into custody, and Simon ultimately stars in Wonder Man, with Joe Pantoliano stepping in to brilliantly play Barnaby, replacing Trevor.

When the movie comes out, Simon instantly becomes famous. Director Von Kovak even hints at making a sequel, something he previously refused to consider. However, Simon is focused on preparing for his next project, and he does this by observing a working-class individual. The story takes a surprising turn when it’s revealed this worker is actually employed at a high-security government prison. Simon uses this connection, secretly paying the man handsomely to settle his debts and retire, to gain access. Finally, we see Simon unleash his full potential, rescuing Trevor and using his energy powers to fly out of the prison to freedom.

There’s No Wonder Man Post-Credits Scene

Even though the credits for Wonder Man are lengthy, there aren’t any extra scenes after they finish. This means no hints about a second season of Wonder Man or a future appearance of the hero in Avengers: Doomsday. The movie simply ends after the credits roll.

Is Simon Williams A Superhero In Wonder Man’s Ending

The ending of Wonder Man could easily be seen as Simon fully embracing the Wonder Man identity, either as a true hero or at least a vigilante, especially since he breaks into a government agency to free Trevor Slattery. This would technically make him a criminal, and the DODC would definitely be after him to recover what was stolen. However, he doesn’t actually become Wonder Man – that wouldn’t fit the story, considering Wonder Man is a character Simon plays in a movie within the show. He doesn’t even wear the character’s costume or signature sunglasses when freeing Trevor. Ultimately, Simon Williams isn’t Wonder Man because Wonder Man isn’t a real person; he’s a fictional character.

Will Simon Williams become Wonder Man? It’s possible, though it feels strange considering the established story. He definitely can’t return to his acting career, at least not without the Department of Damage Control covering up his escape from prison. Agent Cleary’s comment about him being either a serious threat or a valuable asset suggests he might be forced to work for the government. We’ll explore that possibility further soon.

How Powerful Simon Williams Is (And How He Got Them)

Simon Williams is an incredibly powerful hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, on par with the strongest heroes like Superman. While the show hasn’t fully showcased his abilities, it’s clear he can generate massive energy blasts – sometimes by accident – manipulate technology, fly, and possesses extraordinary strength. What we’ve seen so far is likely just a glimpse of his full potential.

We don’t currently know where Simon’s powers come from. In the original comic books, Baron Zemo gave him superpowers through an experiment, resulting in super strength and invulnerability. However, Zemo also poisoned Simon, needing to give him regular antidotes to control him. The new Marvel Cinematic Universe series, Wonder Man, doesn’t explain the origin of Simon’s powers at all, but that could be something they explore later on.

Another idea is that Simon might be a mutant, which would explain why he doesn’t have a typical origin story for his powers. This also connects to earlier rumors that Destin Daniel Cretton might be involved in future X-Men projects. Could “Wonder Man” ultimately become part of the X-Men instead of the Avengers?

How Wonder Man’s Ending Sets Up The Future

If Wonder Man gets a second season, it will likely focus on the escalating conflict between Simon and the Department of Damage Control (DODC) following Trevor Slattery’s escape. The season finale strongly hints at this future: Cleary revealing Simon’s ionic powers opens the door to exploring how he got them and what he’s truly capable of, while the situation with Trevor suggests the DODC might try to bring him onto their team.

For years, Marvel’s been teasing a series focused on Damage Control, the folks who clean up after superhero battles. There was a lot of buzz about a show around ten years ago, and they even introduced Tyne Daly as Director Anne Marie Hoag in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Honestly, the initial concept – just a cleanup crew – didn’t feel strong enough. The MCU wisely evolved Damage Control into something more: an investigative force dealing with the fallout of Civil War. By the time we saw them again in Ms. Marvel, they were essentially tracking potentially dangerous people with powers, a lingering reminder of the Sokovia Accords. It’s a smart shift that gives them a much more compelling purpose.

The most exciting possibility for Wonder Man Season 2 involves the future of Damage Control. If the show continues, it should focus on a full-season conflict between Damage Control and superheroes, moving beyond their current role as minor villains. We’ve already seen hints that Damage Control is recruiting people with superpowers, which could finally give Wonder Man a worthy opponent. This would be a great way to explore the Damage Control storyline originally introduced in Homecoming, and hopefully, that’s the direction the show will take.

Could “Wonder Man” Become An Avenger?

It doesn’t make sense that someone as powerful as Simon could avoid the Avengers’ attention. Normally, they’d definitely look into a superpowered criminal who just broke people out of prison. However, with the world facing such huge threats like Doomsday and Secret Wars, they have more pressing problems to deal with right now.

It seems a bit early for Simon to return without any setup in the story, but Secret Wars allows Marvel to bring in pretty much any character they want. This could create an opportunity for Simon to reappear, though it’s still more probable he’ll emerge after the events of Secret Wars and whatever state the Marvel Cinematic Universe is left in.

All episodes of Wonder Man are now streaming on Disney+. Have you watched it yet? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-28 14:41