Kang's Future in the MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is going through a shake-up after parting ways with Jonathan Majors, but this universe already has an easy explanation for Kang the Conqueror not returning despite Avengers: The Kang Dynasty still moving forward. After Jonathan Majors’ arrest in March, speculation about what Marvel would do with Kang and his variants began, especially as the upcoming crossover events Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars were planned to be centered on him as the main villain.
Loki tearing up at the end of Loki season 2
Kang the Conqueror was set to be the big villain of the Multiverse Saga, and he made his official debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, though a variant had already been introduced in season 1 of Loki. Since then, the MCU has tried to properly set Kang up as the main threat to defeat, but the bad reception of Quantumania and Majors’ off-screen issues have put a big question mark on Kang’s future in the MCU. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is still moving forward without Majors’ Kang and his variants, and if Marvel decides not to have Kang back, it already has an easy explanation thanks to Loki.
Loki Season 2's Ending Sets Up The MCU's Easiest Kang Replacement Explanation. Loki season 2 saw the God of Mischief struggling with time-slipping while trying to save the multiverse from a major catastrophe following He Who Remains’ (Majors) death in season 1’s finale. After realizing that another Kang variant, Victor Timely, wouldn’t be able to help him save the TVA and the multiverse, and refusing to accept the solution given to him by He Who Remains in the past, Loki used all his powers to hold all the multiverse’s branches. Loki became the God of Stories and sat on a throne at the end of time, holding the branches together in a tree similar to the Yggdrasil from Norse mythology.
Loki Season 2 Story Quantumania Setup Kang
Loki’s new role is overseeing the entire multiverse and its branches, meaning that he can see everything happening in the multiverse, including his own variants. With Loki now in control of the multiverse, and after his many confrontations and problems with a Kang variant, the MCU can justify Kang’s absence by saying that Loki got rid of any Kang variants looking to destroy or control the multiverse, thus avoiding another multiversal war triggered by a variety of Kangs. Loki’s new role in the multiverse can also be used to justify a Kang recast, as Loki could have missed one or more variants that seemed harmless, but in reality, they also wanted to take over the multiverse.
The Logic Behind Loki's Role in the Multiverse
Loki season 2 was the goodbye of the title character after serving as a villain in Phase 1, redeeming himself, dying, and his variant becoming perhaps the most important MCU character ever thanks to his new role as God of Stories. This new job makes Loki a key character in the MCU’s multiverse, but now he can also be blamed for various inconsistencies in this universe. Another reason why it makes sense to use Loki and the events of season 2 to explain Kang’s absence or recast is that the series was the last place where Kang’s variants were featured, and Loki is now linked to them by taking He Who Remains’ place. Marvel will have to get creative with what it does with Kang in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and so far, Loki and his new place as overseer of the multiverse is Marvel’s best way to justify whatever happens to Majors’ Kang.
Marvel's Best Way to Justify Kang's Future
Loki's season 2 ending provides a compelling narrative for Kang's future in the MCU. With Jonathan Majors' off-screen issues and the bad reception of Quantumania, Marvel has the opportunity to utilize Loki's new role as the God of Stories to explain Kang's absence or potential recasting. By linking Loki's multiverse oversight to the eradication of Kang variants, Marvel can justify the absence of Kang the Conqueror and pave the way for new narratives in the MCU. As Avengers: The Kang Dynasty continues to move forward, the MCU's creative use of Loki's role as overseer of the multiverse presents a promising solution to the challenge of integrating Kang's storyline.
