Avengers: Doomsday is one of the most important movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s history, and three post-credits scenes are fundamental to what the studio is trying to achieve with the upcoming film. I believe it is clear that one of the Multiverse Saga’s biggest problems is the lack of a new Avengers movie. That has made the MCU feel aimless.

While that will soon be fixed, with Avengers: Doomsday‘s star-studded cast uniting heroes from all over the MCU, Marvel Studios has also had to deal with another key problem over the last few years. That comes from how Marvel released way too many movies and TV shows so quickly. For comparison, Phase 4 was almost the size of the Infinity Saga.

With that elevated number of MCU projects in a short time span, many of Marvel’s movies and series’ post-credit scenes have yet to pan out. Several characters were introduced in those scenes, such as Harry Styles’ Eros and Brett Goldstein’s Hercules, only for the MCU to not have a clear timeline of when they would return. Thankfully, three post-credits scenes mattered.

The Marvels’ Post-Credits Scene Sets Up The X-Men’s Return

Given how the MCU changed the plan from Kang the Conqueror to Doctor Doom for the next two Avengers movies late into the game, there are three post-credits scenes that play a crucial role in setting up Avengers: Doomsday‘s story with the limited time they had to do it. First up is the tag for the MCU’s biggest box office bomb.

The Marvels’ post-credits scene was shocking. In the context of the movie itself, the fact that Monica Rambeau woke up in another universe to find a variant of her mother, Maria, was already disorienting. However, the MCU movie would reveal the return of Kelsey Grammer as Beast. This time, the X-Men character came to life with CGI, looking extremely comics-accurate.

During the brief scene, Beast confirmed there was a version of Charles Xavier in that world, with The Marvels revealing they were at the X-Mansion. The post-credits scene has become more important since the MCU movie’s release, as several actors from Fox’s X-Men franchise have been confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. As it stands, the X-Men likely come from The Marvels‘ new universe.

Thunderbolts*’s Post-Credits Scene Sets Up The Fantastic Four’s MCU Arrival

While Captain America: Brave New World‘s post-credits scene teased other universes, The Leader’s speech does not directly impact the plot of the Avengers movies. However, the MCU’s second 2025 movie does have a post-credits scene that shakes things up. Before release, Thunderbolts*‘s asterisk generated a lot of chatter. Many theories about its meaning for the MCU emerged, and the movie delivered.

By the end of the film, it is revealed that the Thunderbolts are now the MCU’s New Avengers. That also means the team operates out of the former Avengers Tower, which had been purchased by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who is being blackmailed by the Thunderbolts. In the credits, we have a time jump that shows the New Avengers’ headquarters.

Thunderbolts* directly connects to Avengers: Doomsday by seemingly debuting a major MCU team. As the New Avengers watch a monitor show an unknown spaceship, with the heroes talking about space anomalies that have been going on — likely incursions — Marvel reveals that the ship belongs to the Fantastic Four. However, theories about Doctor Doom being on the spaceship have since gained strength.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Post-Credits Scene Debuts RDJ’s Doctor Doom

Talking about Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, while it is possible that the character was secretly the one piloting the Fantastic Four ship seen in Thunderbolts*, we know for sure when the actor appears in the MCU for the first time. Different from other live-action movies, Victor von Doom did not play a major role in the MCU Fantastic Four reboot.

However, he was present for the first The Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scene. Four years after the events of the movie, Doctor Doom enters the Fantastic Four’s home, the Baxter Building, and meets Franklin Richards, Reed and Sue’s son. Doom is not there to fight, as he takes his mask off to talk to Franklin, with Sue later arriving.

Unless the street-level Spider-Man: Brand New Day has a major surprise in store, The Fantastic Four: First Steps seems likely to be the only MCU project to feature Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom before Avengers: Doomsday. As such, it becomes crucial to the movie. Given how Franklin Richards possesses the Power Cosmic, we might know what Doctor Doom is after.

The MCU Should Continue To Make Post-Credits Scenes Meaningful

Over the past few years, there have been many debates about whether Marvel should stop using post-credits scenes or keep them. Based on how these three MCU post-credits scenes do so much to set up Avengers: Doomsday in such a short time, I believe they make the perfect argument for why credits scenes are worth keeping around.

The next Avengers movie would simply not have the same kind of setup if these post-credits scenes had not been released. That said, I understand the criticism of how many Multiverse Saga post-credits scenes set up characters without a clear plan for them.

I’m convinced that it can be easily solved. As long as any new post-credits scenes are used with a clear intent, as was the case for those crucial to Avengers: Doomsday, the MCU should reduce the criticism related to them.