Deadpool and Wolverine introduces the idea of Anchor Beings to the MCU multiverse, but it leaves a big unanswered question: who does that apply to in Earth-616?
Earth-616 is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Sacred Timeline, the prime universe around which everything revolves (this will annoy comic readers, but you just need to get over it).
Deadpool comes from Earth-10005, aka the Fox universe and X-Men timeline. Unfortunately, at the start of the new movie, his world is slowly fading away after Wolverine died in Logan.
According to Mr Paradox, Logan (the one we’ve spent nearly 25 years with) was an Anchor Being – but Earth-616’s remains a mystery. Spoilers to follow!
Firstly, what is an Anchor Being?
An Anchor Being keeps their universe stable; think of them as the Jenga block that’d bring the whole tower toppling down if they were removed.
Their deaths have stark consequences, though. As Mr Paradox explains in Deadpool & Wolverine, universes decay until they cease to exist.
This process can take thousands of years, so it’s not like an entire world can vanish in the blink of an eye (although that’s Mr Paradox’s plan with the Time Ripper).
Deadpool tries to replace the dead Logan with another Wolverine variant, hopping across the multiverse and regularly getting maimed and slashed for his efforts.
Mr Paradox says it isn’t that simple, but Earth-10005 is deemed safe and secure by the end of Deadpool & Wolverine. Perhaps the ‘worst’ Wolverine redeemed himself, or maybe Deadpool himself has fulfilled the role.
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Doctor Strange may be Earth-616’s Anchor Being
Kevin Feige may have already revealed the Anchor Being of Earth-616… and it looks like it could be Doctor Strange.
When Benedict Cumberbatch got his name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Feige said: “Benedict has turned this character into an icon, appearing in a historic three of the top six films of all time.
“And you’ve always seen the tremendous potential in this character. Because of that, you’ve become the anchor of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the only actor capable of guiding us through the madness of the Multiverse.”
You probably think it’s Tony Stark. That would make sense; the Infinity Saga ultimately revolved around him, and there’s been chaos in the multiverse since his death in Endgame.
Spider-Man is another candidate, as he’s been described as Earth-616’s Chosen One in the Marvel comics (this concept hasn’t been carried over into the movies, but Anchor Being could be a version of that).
However, I’m betting that it’s Doctor Strange. In Infinity War and Endgame, he foresaw the only way the Avengers could win against Thanos, and it meant Stark had to sacrifice himself.
In Spider-Man: No Way Home, he said the “multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little” – but he knows more than most people, and it’s unlikely he’d willingly endanger an entire universe by allowing its Anchor Being to die.
With the movie in cinemas now, check out our Deadpool & Wolverine review, our breakdown of the Marvel movies in order, and every Deadpool & Wolverine Easter egg explained.
