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Lights, camera, action: the Wonder Man ending contained all three, with Simon Williams' name up in lights at the reboot of his beloved superhero franchise, Trevor Slattery filming a shock confession, and that thrilling third-act escape.
But what went down in the Wonder Man finale and how – if at all – does it affect the wider MCU? Below, we'll run through the major plot beats of the Disney Plus series' eighth episode and, as the dust settles on Simon and Trevor's Hollywood adventure, we'll provide more speculation on what's next for the character, including our own thoughts and quotes from the creators.
So, join us as we walk the red carpet for Simon Williams' career-defining role and its unexpected ending. For more, check out the full guide to upcoming Marvel movies, then dive into how everything fits together with the Marvel timeline and a look back at how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
Wonder Man ending explained: a recap
With Simon set to deal with the fallout from the explosion he caused on the Wonder Man set with his ionic powers, Trevor steps in and tells him to "savor every moment." Why? Because, as Damage Control closes in, he's reprised his role as terrorist The Mandarin to take the blame for Simon's mess. Trevor is then arrested by Damage Control and taken to a max-security prison.
Despite Trevor being out of the picture, the show goes on for Wonder Man. Simon is gifted the original Wonder Man glasses and goes on to be a rave success in the superhero movie, with Joe Pantoliano (AKA Joey Pants) taking over from Trevor as Barnaby. At the premiere, Simon's family and agent shower him with praise. His agent even says he's got the "pick of projects" now, despite the agency's previous attempts to map out his career.
The project in question is seemingly shadowing a small-town prison officer. However, following Chuck around in his day-to-day life is only a ruse for Simon's actual plan. Chuck works at the same prison where Trevor is being held. As part of his "research", Simon – taking on the role of 'Alfonso' – is allowed inside the facility with Chuck as a trainee.
In the prison, Simon makes his way to Trevor. The pair reconcile, Simon harnesses his ionic energy to break into Trevor's cell, and helps his friend escape through the roof. As one last act of goodwill, Simon secretly donates money – presumably from his Wonder Man payday – into Chuck's bank account so he can pay off his daughter's medical fees.
Where did Simon and Trevor fly off to?
Wonder Man got his Hollywood ending. Perhaps feeling a lick of dissatisfaction from his burgeoning movie star career and the guilt of leaving a friend behind, Simon rescued Trevor at the close of Wonder Man. But we don't get to see their final destination as they exit stage right.
We imagine this is the part of the Wonder Man ending that will receive the most speculation. Marvel Studios is unlikely to provide the answer any time soon, but our best theory is that Simon and Trevor will be laying low for the foreseeable future. Perhaps they can take in a play at the Globe or revisit some of Trevor's old haunts? Simon has already proved adept at blending in when the situation requires, and Trevor has skipped out on more than one prison sentence – we like to think they both have a happy ending somewhere.
Why did Trevor become The Mandarin again?
Wonder Man was never going to be filled with cameos but, even so, we were only too pleased to see The Mandarin return.
Earlier in the season, we snatched a glimpse at an Iron Man 3-era Trevor Slattery sliding into the role of the Ten Rings terrorist, and here he puts on the forboding voice and ties his hair back once more to construct a perfectly believable excuse for Trevor infiltrating Hollywood as the Mandarin to strike back at brain-dead entertainment. Of course, it also had the added bonus of covering for Simon losing control of his powers and causing an explosion on the backlot of Wonder Man.
What are Wonder Man's powers in the finale?
Wonder Man's powers were only teased throughout the show, most notably at Simon's mother's house and the damaged wall in his apartment. The Wonder Man ending brings out more of Simon's skillset, including extraordinary strength, utilizing 'ionic' rays, and the power of flight. But is he a mutant? We put that to the show's creators, who were non-committal with their answer.
While we haven't seen Simon up against the great and the good of the MCU yet, his power level is likely towards the top end of the non-cosmic side of Marvel's universe, especially considering how the ionic energy grants him nigh-on invulnerability in the comics. That, when coupled with Simon's undoubted charisma and ability to charm makes him one of Marvel's most formidable new heroes – should he ever show up again.
What happened to Doorman?
D-List actor DeMarr Davis was the focus of Wonder Man's fourth episode, which clues viewers in on the 'Doorman Clause', a rule effectively banning those with superpowers from appearing in films.
Doorman, who has his origins in Marvel's comics as an obscure member of the Great Lakes Avengers, discovered he had an interesting power: his body contained a dark void where matter – and people – could pass through it. After using the ability for his 15 minutes of fame, Davis' career came crashing down when filming Cash Grab 2 with co-star Josh Gad. While filming one stunt that saw Gad's character escape via Davis' body, he is suddenly trapped in the void and presumed missing and/or dead.
As confirmed by Damage Control Deputy Secretary Heyerdahl, Doorman will be "monitored for the rest of his life" and is the subject of experiments from the government – another reason, perhaps, why Simon was all too keen to leave the acting life behind in the Wonder Man ending.
Will Wonder Man return in the MCU?
Simon Williams was the leading man in Wonder Man, but will he even be a bit-part player moving forward in the MCU?
Showrunner Andrew Guest offered an answer-of-sorts in an interview with ComicBook, sharing, “I think Marvel’s approach to this is to let each project stand on its own, and if an audience connects with it and if they connect with the character, then they can figure out how to keep using them."
Reading between the lines, that means there are no immediate plans for Wonder Man moving forward, including a second season, but fans getting attached to the character could help steer the character back into the MCU.
Guest added, "Hopefully, people fall in love with Simon Williams, and he can continue to live on."
From a narrative perspective, having Simon Williams in Marvel's back pocket is an intriguing proposition. Not only is he near the power level of some of the MCU's most formidable heroes and villains, he's largely detached from the baggage of other Marvel Studios projects and characters, save for Trevor Slattery. That makes him the perfect plug-and-play option for a team-up or crossover at any time. Could he bounce off Spider-Man? Sure. Fly with Captain Marvel? Why not? For Wonder Man, the possibilities are endless – just as long as he gets a callback.
Is there a Wonder Man post-credits scene?
In a slight break from Marvel tradition, Wonder Man does not have a post-credits scene attached to any of its episodes, nor the finale. So, there are no breadcrumbs or teases for Simon's future here. Sorry about that.
Discover the latest on what's to come post-Wonder Man with our guide to Marvel Phase 6.
