Paul Rudd downplayed his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe during a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend. Rudd was one of several A-list stars who appeared in the program’s opening skit, which celebrated host Martin Short’s induction into the “Five-Timers Club.” During the segment, Rudd candidly joked: “’Ant-Man’s powers aren’t good.”
The skit revisited an old SNL tradition of celebrating five-time hosts and featured other stars who have joined this exclusive club. The scene depicted the group confiding in one another backstage. When Kristen Wiig, another five-time host, said, ”It’s okay! In this club, you can be completely honest! Anyone else want to try?” Rudd chimed in with his self-deprecating remark about ‘Ant-Man.’
“I’ll go,” Rudd offered. “’Ant-Man’s powers aren’t good.”
The MCU’s Ant-Man is undoubtedly beloved, but his powers have often been the subject of debate among fans. First, some were disappointed when Marvel chose Scott Lang over Hank Pym as the lead for the big-screen adaptation. Additionally, the MCU’s portrayal of the Pym Particles has faced scrutiny for being inconsistent.
Pym Particles are a science fiction concept, but their applications in the MCU have been contradictory. In the first ‘Ant-Man’ film, Hank Pym explains that the particles work by reducing the distance between atoms, allowing objects or people to shrink while retaining their strength and mass. This premise supports ‘Ant-Man’s physical strength when small but creates confusion when Scott stands on someone’s shoulder unnoticed, despite supposedly retaining his full weight.
This inconsistency deepens with the introduction of the quantum realm. In the film, Hank tells Scott he must be smaller than an atom to enter the quantum field. However, this contradicts the original explanation, as shrinking beyond the size of an atom would seemingly require a different mechanism altogether. Many fans have dismissed the Pym Particles as plot-driven comic book science.
Currently, it’s unclear when ‘Ant-Man,’ ‘The Wasp,’ or related characters will next appear in the MCU.
