As said, the Quantum Realm introduced in Ant-Man is one of the most important discoveries (if we can call it this way) presented in the MCU after Tony Stark developed the arc reactor. If the latter is a powerful source of energy which can power a rather heavy Iron Man suit for a long period of time, we don't really know too much about the former. Or do we?
Thankfully, after seeing Ant-Man and how the Microverse was adapted for the MCU, we can say that we have a pretty good idea as to what the Quantum Realm actually is. Check it out - but you may want to look the other way, because here be spoilers!
The Quantum Realm - in the comics
In the comics, the Quantum Realm (which is a rather sophisticated and scientifically acceptable way of adapting the comic book name) is the Microverse, which is an alternate dimension. However, in itself, it isn't tiny, being as big as any other universe (if we may say so - it is comics, after all). However, the gateway between these dimensions is a small one.
In this way, the MCU's Quantum Realm cannot be reached by a person, unless that person makes itself really small.
There are some theories (already) which say that Ant-man doesn't actually shrink, because this would be physically (and thus, scientifically - and the MCU is, thus far, scientific-based) impossible. Instead, the Pym Particles continuously transport the user between dimensions. It is just a theory about a theory from the comics - so it may as well work out this way.
In the comics, the Microverse has its own origin story, being created by a time traveler, after a savage war from the future. In the MCU, Ant-Man has barely touched this new dimension, so we don't actually know how it came into existence. However, we do know something else about it.
Check out on the next page how the Microverse was adapted!
The Quantum Realm - in the MCU
As Hank Pym explains in Ant-Man, the Quantum Realm is indeed an alternate dimension, which can be reached only if one shrinks to subatomic levels. Which is a mind-bending and fascinating theory, we may add. A subatomic particle is also an elementary particle (with the other type being the composite particle) - and this type is not made from anything else. It is the smallest quantifiable thing we know of in the real world, and it is not composed by anything that we know of.
In other words, one needs to become what the world hasn't even found out yet. As said, it is mind-bending. According to Hank Pym, when a person becomes this small, time and space cease to exist as we know them. Which is also mind-bending in itself, granting a person (in a way) powers beyond one can even imagine (in Ant-Man, it is said that one becomes faster and stronger - and that is all; but, frankly, the possibilities are limitless).
For someone who is not used to being in this new dimension, it is more than a strange experience. The new dimension seems to be filled with waves of energy and infinite reflections of the person transported.
And this is also the reason why Scott Lang remembers nothing from this experience…
On the next page, more about the Quantum Realm and how it teased the abstracts!
The Quantum Realm - our first look at Marvel's abstracts
So the Quantum Realm is a place (if we can call it so), where space and time do not make any sense. Much like what we saw in last year's Interstellar, when Cooper entered the black hole (see that movie!) and time became a physical, visible dimension. You do know where this is going, right?
Marvel has its fair share of abstract entities in the comics. And one of them might have appeared in Ant-Man - Eternity itself. Leaving aside the possibilities and theories of what this entity might be in the MCU, this signifies something else.
As said, if one finds oneself for the first time in this new dimension, one will not be able to make any sense of it. However, what changes will occur if one becomes trapped in the Quantum Realm for a long time? Are these changes going to be physical in nature, or otherwise? And we will let you to say what this otherwise means"¦
On the next page, when will we visit this strange new world for a second time?
A strange new world
Doctor Strange is set to discover new dimensions and travel to new worlds, as the official synopsis says. As Kevin Feige said, the Quantum Realm will play an important part in the whole Phase III of the MCU. It is pretty obvious that Doctor Strange will also visit this new dimension, although by using other means than the ones of Hank Pym and Scott Lang.
So the strongest possibility would be that the new dimension will be further explored next year, on the 4th of November.
At the moment, the second Ant-Man film hasn't been announced yet. It will most certainly be, though. And when that happens, we can bet that some more scientific mumbo-jumbo will be provided about the Quantum Realm.
And we cannot wait for this to happen.
On the next page, more info and more possibilities!
For more…
For more about the Quantum Realm, check this one out!
