The following contains spoilers for Thor: Love and Thunder, now playing in theaters.

One of the most interesting aspects of Thor: Love and Thunder was how it set up the future of many heroic characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After stopping the God Butcher, the Odinson was shown to be a mentor, fighting with his new sidekick, Love, against vicious aliens. Meanwhile, Jane Foster ended up in Valhalla, teasing she might become a Valkyrie someday, like in the books.

In addition, Heimdall's son, Axl, came to New Asgard's defense, hinting he might become a sentry like his dad or even a king. However, Love and Thunder also foreshadowed new threats to come, all due to Thor's actions that almost left Zeus dead. In the process, the Avenger may well have created the MCU's most destructive villain and one intent on destroying Midgard first and foremost.

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This revolves around when Thor tried to recruit gods at Omnipotence City to stop Gorr's genocidal mission early in Love and Thunder. He ended up feuding with the arrogant Zeus, which resulted in Thor injuring the Greek god badly and fleeing with his Thunder Bolt. The mid-credits scene showed Zeus sending Hercules after Thor to teach the Asgardian a lesson, but this quest for vengeance could also bring Ares into the fray.

The MCU has a knack for subverting Thor's stories, so if Zeus thinks the usually-altruistic Hercules can be compromised, Ares (Herc's half-brother) would be perfect for the bloodshed. More so, he'd fit the direction Marvel Studios is heading in, in terms of not just physical weapons but philosophies being poisonous and corrupting towards humans. In the books, Ares has done just that, warping mankind's minds to get them to become more violent. Admittedly, the DC Extended Universe worked this into Wonder Woman, but this version of Ares can be more direct, using his ax and also collecting other relics for the job.

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Modern Marvel stories had Ares seeking weapons from Shang-Chi and Sword Master, so he could easily come to Thor's realm, pillage and ransack to get god-slaying items. In his rampage, there'd be mass casualties and also the opportunity for him to brainwash and assemble his own army. This is what he's currently doing with the Apostles of War in Punisher, using his legion to terrorize the world and, more so, take out Frank Castle's Hand, all under the banner of his warped brand of justice. In the process, he could trigger social uprisings and world wars and even seed the kind of hate the MCU has never experienced before -- mentally or physically.

Thus, while Hercules might have compassion and realize Zeus gaslit him into being a murderer, an unhinged, unleashed Ares could bask in the explosive glow of a planet that's always had a proclivity toward war. This can also play on the Olympians' daddy issues, remixing how Thor and Loki often fought for Odin's approval back in the day. In essence, this would remind Thor how fathers can mislead sons, spurring him to redeem Hercules before he becomes a full-blooded monster like Ares. Ultimately, there's a lot to mine, given Ares did calm down and join the Mighty Avengers in the comics. But in the MCU's case, he'd be better used as Zeus' uncontrollable dog of war: rabid, relentless and hungry for mortal and immortal blood.

See how the road's paved for Ares to appear in the MCU in Thor: Love and Thunder, now playing in theaters.