The Rise of Kang the Conqueror
Marvel Studios billed Kang the Conqueror as the primary antagonist of the Multiverse Saga, but rewatching the supervillain in his previous MCU appearances may now come with some harsh realities.
Kang the Conqueror fighting Scott Lang at the end of Ant-Man 3
After the conclusion of the Infinity Saga and the defeat of the Mad Titan Thanos in 2019's Avengers: Endgame, the MCU introduced Kang the Conqueror as the next big bad. Jonathan Majors has now portrayed several variants of Kang the Conqueror in Loki on Disney+ and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and was set to have an even larger role in the MCU's future as the main villain featured in 2026's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars.
Thanos waiting for the Infinity Gauntlet in Avengers Endgame
Despite being an exciting addition to the MCU's Multiverse Saga, Kang the Conqueror has not come without his disappointments. Not only has the supervillain not been depicted as much of a threat yet, but Jonathan Majors' arrest and assault allegations and subsequent trial have soured the character and put his future in the MCU in jeopardy. Kang the Conqueror is a powerful and persistent foe in the Marvel Comics source material, but his integration into the MCU in recent years hasn't been easy, and rewatching the villain's previous appearances in Marvel Studios' ever-expanding live-action franchise comes with its fair share of harsh realities and unanswered questions.
Kang the Conqueror seemingly being killed at the end of Ant-Man 3
Kang's Disappointing Performances
Marvel Studios is now halfway through the MCU's Multiverse Saga, and Jonathan Majors has made appearances as three primary variants of Kang the Conqueror. While each of these variants have presented a huge threat, they have all ultimately failed at their missions. Loki's He Who Remains wanted Loki and Sylvie to replace him, but was killed by Sylvie and left for dead. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's Kang the Conqueror was thwarted by Scott Lang's Ant-Man and Hope Van Dyne's Wasp, and Victor Timely underwent spaghettification several times before being reverted to his old self. This suggests that Kang doesn't actually pose that much of a threat to the MCU.
Kang in the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man 3
As well as officially introducing Kang the Conqueror, 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania also debuted the MCU's Council of Kangs, a group comprising potentially infinite variants of Kang with nefarious intentions. Quantumania's mid-credits scene featured thousands of Kang variants teleporting into the Council of Kangs' arena, and while they were all portrayed by Jonathan Majors, most of them had vastly different appearances to the Conqueror himself. Unfortunately, the designs for the members of the Council of Kangs, specifically Immortus, Rama-Tut and the Scarlet Centurion, felt almost goofy and cartoonish - which doesn't set up Kang as an imposing threat in the MCU's future.
The Council of Kangs in full costume at the end of Ant-Man 3
Marvel Studios' Loki series on Disney+ has, so far, done the most with Kang the Conqueror in the MCU, having introduced two major variants of the multiversal supervillain over the duration of its two seasons. While Jonathan Majors' deliveries of He Who Remains and Victor Timely have been celebrated by die-hard MCU fans, more casual viewers of the franchise - those who perhaps only watch the theatrical releases - will have missed out on these strong performances. This leaves them with only Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's Kang the Conqueror as reference, which isn't the best representation of the villain's sinister motivations.
Victor Timely dying over and over in Loki season 2 episode 6
Kang's Uncertain Future
With only a few more years before the MCU's Multiverse Saga comes to an end in Avengers: Secret Wars, there simply isn't enough time for every variant of Kang the Conqueror to be explored in any great detail. This means Marvel Studios has created a problem by debuting the Council of Kangs in Quantumania, particularly the three central figures who seem to be leading the group. There has been no word on whether Immortus, Rama-Tut or the Scarlet Centurion will be reappearing in the MCU's future, and with so many more variants beyond them, including Mister Gryphon and Iron Lad, it seems impossible for them all to be developed.
Thousands of Kang variants appearing in the Council of Kangs arena in Ant-Man 3
Kang the Conqueror was revealed early on to be the new antagonist of the Multiverse Saga, hot on the heels of Thanos' defeat in Endgame. However, while the Mad Titan was teased over a number of years in the Infinity Saga, with brief appearances in The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Age of Ultron before revealing his plans in Avengers: Infinity War, Kang was introduced to the Multiverse Saga immediately. He Who Remains debuted in Loki season 1, Phase 4's second project, and while this set up Kang's prominence in several Multiverse Saga projects, it diminished any mystery surrounding the villain, taking away some of the character's magic.
Kang in costume on his throne in Ant-Man 3
Recent speculation has suggested that Marvel Studios may be moving away from Kang the Conqueror altogether, particularly after recent controversies surrounding Jonathan Majors' arrest. This idea has been exacerbated by the recent dropping of writer Jeff Loveness and director Destin Daniel Cretton from Phase 6's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. The creative team departing The Kang Dynasty suggests Marvel Studios may be reworking the MCU's upcoming Avengers project, potentially putting a new villain from Marvel Comics front-and-center - with some suspecting Doctor Doom or Galactus - which means the Kang the Conqueror storyline may have ended before it really even began.
Jonathan Majors' He Who Remains smiling in Loki season 1 episode 6
