Deadpool & Wolverine’s True Villain Isn’t Who You Think According To Wild MCU Theory

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s second trailer gives more clues about the main villain, but one theory suggests Marvel could be intentionally misleading viewers. Since audiences saw the back of Emma Corrin’s MCU character in the first Deadpool & Wolverine trailer, speculation arose that Cassandra Nova, Charles Xavier’s evil twin, would be the film’s central antagonist. The second trailer seemed to confirm those theories, featuring more footage of Nova in her comic-accurate costume and a telekinetic battle between her and Wolverine.

She is also seen within the Void from Loki, using a hollowed-out Ant-Man skull as her lair. However, plenty of details remain kept secret, as the trailer doesn’t reveal why she’s in the film and how she factors into the story. An intriguing theory suggests that Cassandra may not be the central villain, and it could be another entity the MCU timeline has dealt with before.

The TVA Is The True Villain Of Deadpool & Wolverine

As seen in Loki, the TVA is an organization that exists outside of time and whose main goal is preserving the sacred timeline, no matter the cost. Deadpool & Wolverine introduces Paradox, a high-ranking TVA employee who recruits Wade Wilson to save the multiverse. While the TVA appears united with Deadpool, the trailers feature Wade killing many TVA agents, suggesting the TVA isn’t being entirely honest with Deadpool, and they later come into conflict. An interesting theory, shared on Reddit, suggests the TVA could be the main villain, not Cassandra Nova.

The latest trailer features plenty of footage of the Void, the dystopian world from Loki where the TVA sends everything that gets purged. According to the theory, when Wade and Logan get sent to the Void, they’ll discover that the TVA has been killing off different universes, sending everyone to the Void. This could explain Nova’s appearance, along with cameos from other X-Men characters, like Lady Deathstrike and Azazel. Nova could be an additional villain within the film, but the TVA often has more up their sleeve than they’re willing to admit.

Wolverine Is The Version From Days Of Future Past

The theory also suggests that Deadpool 3‘s Logan is the one from X-Men: Days of Future Past. In Days of Future Past, the mutants are about to face extinction at the hands of the Sentinels. Wolverine is sent to the past by Kitty Pryde to stop Mystique from killing Bolivar Trask, and encounters past versions of mutants like Professor X and Magneto. While Wolverine does reverse the dystopian future from happening, the TVA wouldn’t be happy with Wolverine messing with the Sacred Timeline if the mutants were meant to be wiped out.

There could be multiple variants of Wolverine featured in the film, so a Days of Future Past Logan could easily be one of them. It also allows Marvel to use a version of Wolverine that audiences are familiar with without messing with Logan‘s beloved ending. People still want the classic rugged and wise-cracking Wolverine that Hugh Jackman is known for, but it will upset audiences if his inclusion in the MCU messes with his story’s ending, so this presents an ideal prospective middle ground.

What the TVA Being The Villain Of Deadpool & Wolverine Means For Loki Season 2

The TVA changed direction in Loki season 2’s finale, becoming protectors of the multiverse rather than protectors of the sacred timeline. Now that Loki is holding all the branching timelines together, the TVA is protecting the multiverse from the Kang variants, along with other powerful threats. However, the TVA is massive, with many different departments, so it’s possible that one section of the organization either didn’t get the memo or is intentionally going rogue. This would explain how the TVA could be the villain, despite the events of Loki.

It’s also possible that Deadpool & Wolverine takes place before Loki season 2, meaning the TVA still serves the interests of He Who Remains and purges anything threatening to the sacred timeline. Marvel has shifted many of its release dates, so it’s possible that this film was supposed to come out before Loki season 2 but got delayed. This could be confusing for diehard MCU viewers, but it would align with the TVA’s goals in this film. While Cassandra Nova is the most likely villain, the TVA could be another threat that Deadpool and Wolverine need to destroy together.