Avengers: The Kang Dynasty could reveal that Kang the Conqueror’s role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is quite different than Marvel Studios made it seem. The multiversal supervillain portrayed by Jonathan Majors recently made his debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Kang’s arrival was heavily built up by Marvel Studios, both on and off-screen, prior to the Phase 5 film’s release, setting the villain up for a battle with the Avengers in The Kang Dynasty. However, given the direction of Quantumania‘s ending and Kang’s fate thereafter, it is highly possible that his role moving forward in the MCU might be one of the biggest misdirects in the franchise’s history.
The MCU hinted at Kang’s arrival in Phase 4, most notably with the introduction of one of his variants, He Who Remains, in the season finale of Loki. He Who Remains, who dwelt in the Void at the end of time, introduced the threat of other Kang variants for the very first time, hinting that they were among the most dangerous beings in the entire multiverse. While Marvel Studios was certainly hinting at Kang the Conqueror’s arrival with He Who Remains’s appearance, this all may have been a major misdirect aiming to keep viewers distracted from the true threat lurking behind the Multiverse Saga and the Kang Dynasty itself.
Kang The Conqueror Isn’t The Real Villain Of The Kang Dynasty
Kang the Conqueror may not be The Kang Dynasty‘s main villain after all. Quantumania‘s end credits introduce the Council of Kangs, a group of interdimensional Kang variants who have united to become one of the most powerful entities in the entire multiverse. Among these variants are Pharaoh Rama-Tut, the Scarlet Centurion, and Immortus, as well as countless others from every reality within the multiverse. This group of variants, all of whom are portrayed with delightful camp and whimsy by Jonathan Majors, are far more dangerous than Kang the Conqueror could ever be alone, making them the perfect threat for the Avengers to face in The Kang Dynasty.
Kang hints at the true threat behind the Multiverse Saga in Quantumania, especially after revealing that it was the Council of Kangs who exiled him to the Quantum Realm at the end of the Multiversal War. In an attempt to appear far more heroic than he actually was, Kang labeled himself the only person capable of stopping his variants, a comment which screenwriter Jeff Loveness confirmed to be absolutely true (via Polygon). As such, it appears to be very likely that the major threat facing the Avengers in The Kang Dynasty won’t be Kang the Conqueror himself, but rather his united variants from across the multiverse.
The Council Of Kangs Are A Better Avengers-Level Threat Than Kang The Conqueror
The Council of Kangs makes a better antagonist for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty than Kang the Conqueror ever could on his own. Even though Kang has killed countless Avengers in various realities, he is still quite weak when compared to the combined might of the Council of Kangs. Quantumania even revealed that Kang had already been defeated by his united variants, who stranded him in the Quantum Realm for decades after he got in the way of their plans. Unless Kang gets a major power upgrade leading up to The Kang Dynasty, his variants make far better villains for the Phase 6 film than he does.
Moreover, the duplicitous nature of the Council of Kangs lends itself better to a massive team-up film like The Kang Dynasty. The upcoming Avengers film has a massive cast that would feel largely wasted if the team is facing a singular villain. The Council of Kangs, however, is comprised of many different supervillains who could battle the Avengers on multiple fronts, making good use of their large numbers. Marvel can easily split the Avengers into different groups, each battling a different Kang variant, and therefore give more characters a chance to shine than if they were all coalesced into one giant group battling a single enemy.
Will Kang The Conqueror Join The Council Of Kangs?
Kang still has a chance of acting as one of the primary villains in The Kang Dynasty if he joins the Council of Kangs at some point in the Multiverse Saga. The supervillain still remains one of the most important Kang variants after Quantumania, even if he was defeated by Ant-Man and the Wasp in the film’s closing minutes. The Conqueror also happens to be the most well-known variant, thanks largely to his role as the main Kang in Marvel Comics. It wouldn’t make sense for the MCU to simply ignore Kang in favor of his other variants, with whom may ally himself in their coming fight with the Avengers.
Conversely, Kang may remain steadfast in his hatred toward the Council of Kangs, choosing to ally himself with their greatest enemy: the Avengers. Quantumania did see Kang promise to burn his enemies out of time, suggesting that he would do just about anything to get revenge for his exile at their hands. Kang’s many variants may be powerful, but even they would shudder at the thought of their Conquering counterpart allying with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to defeat them. Indeed, the Council of Kangs may get more than they bargained for, facing off against Earth-616’s superheroes and Kang the Conqueror himself in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
