Ant-Man has remained one of Marvel’s more light-hearted characters since making his debut in 2016, and most of his screen time contains humor or goofiness. He slowly started to gain more depth as he continued to appear in the MCU, especially after going through things like getting stuck in the quantum realm and having to fight for his right to maintain a relationship with his daughter.
For the most part, when fans think of Ant-Man they think of laughter, ridiculousness, and the classic Marvel “funny guy” character with a go-getter attitude and an army of insects. All of this has worked well for the character of Scott Lang thus far, and will surely continue to do so in the future. Paul Rudd plays the part perfectly and Marvel viewers are excited about his 2023 return in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.
But despite all the goofiness associated with Ant-Man, Scott Lang is a brilliant man with a strong desire to protect the innocent and do the right thing. Scott has everything it takes to be a good hero, including humility, as he often forgets how important he is.
Ant-Man was a key player in bringing back the population during Avengers: Endgame and the heroes likely wouldn't have been able to solve the Thanos problem if it weren't for his help.
There have been many moments where Scott forgets that he's actually a hero himself, instead acting much like a little kid that's eager to please their parents. For example, he expressed a deep admiration for Steve Rogers in Civil War and Avengers: Endgame (which led to the infamous ‘America’s ass’ punchline) and Scott can't seem to believe that he's working alongside such big names in the hero business.
Scott did get into the superhero lifestyle much later in life than a lot of the other characters did, which is probably why he struggles to see himself as an equal to those like Captain America or Scarlet Witch. Having spent so much time as the up and coming new guy with a willingness to learn from the best, Marvel should consider turning Ant-Man into one of the more experienced, titular characters during the next phase.
There have been rumors that the Young Avengers are being assembled, which is why characters like Kate Bishop are now taking over mantles for older, more seasoned heroes. Of course, most (if not all) of the Young Avengers will likely receive some sort of guidance from their predecessor, but after learning the necessary skills required to be a hero, they'll need to learn how to act like a team. This is where Scott fits in.
Not only has Scott worked with all the original Avengers, but he's also a father. So, much like Clint, Scott knows how to handle misguided youths and steer them in the right direction. His numerous and rather juvenile demeanor would allow him to connect with the young heroes on a more personal level, and his humility would make him the type of person people actually want to follow.
Knowing what it feels like to be the new, inexperienced guy on the block, Scott could sympathize with the Young Avengers and show them that their role in the world of heroism is just as important as those that came before them. Placing Scott in a leadership role would also be a great chance for Marvel to continue expanding upon the Ant-Man character.
It would certainly be different for fans to see Scott taking on a more serious role, especially since Ant-Man has been profiled as being a bit ludicrous since before the first film was even released. Given all the comedy that's slapped on top of his other personality traits, it's easy to forget just how exemplary Ant-Man really is.
Even as a newbie, Scott had no problem adjusting to the fact that he was going to have to face threats on a scale no hero has ever dealt with before. Having begun with Earthly threats then quickly upgrading to battling Thanos, any future Ant-Man villains should be afraid.
Based on what little information Marvel has released about Ant-Man 3, the stakes will be raised even higher, now that it's been confirmed a Kang the Conqueror variant will be rearing his head to face off against Scott. This next step in his journey will launch Ant-Man completely into the multiversal chaos that's currently wreaking havoc across the MCU, while also giving Scott the opportunity to gain even more worldly experience as a hero.
Given all of Scott’s life experience, both as a regular guy and a superhero, it seems only fitting that he gets to step into the role as a leader. With so many old heroes gone and new ones taking their place, Ant-Man could easily be the secret weapon the world needs to stay safe from otherworldly evil.