MCU Accidentally Gave Kang His Most Comic-Accurate Arc By Dropping Him So Fast

In the movie “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” Kang the Conqueror suffered a swift defeat, which might disappoint some viewers. However, this fits perfectly with his character within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Following the apparent demise of Kang in the film, Marvel Studios reportedly let go of Jonathan Majors. In an interesting twist, Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom has stepped up to take on the role as the main antagonist for the Multiverse Saga instead. Similar to how the Avengers battled Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame,” Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will now face off against Doctor Doom in the upcoming films, “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.

In simpler terms, Doctor Doom’s debut in the MCU will occur unexpectedly compared to Thanos’, due to sudden changes following Kang’s latest appearance. Unlike Thanos who had minor roles in earlier phases before becoming the main villain in Phase 3, there were no direct setups for Doctor Doom in Phases 4 or 5. As for Kang and his variants, their future remains uncertain, and Marvel might need to resolve any lingering plot threads to ensure they won’t reappear.

Kang’s Abrupt Departure Makes The Council Of Kangs’ His Main MCU Enemies

Kang Never Fights The Avengers On Screen

In a bold boast, Kang the Conqueror often claims he has vanquished numerous iterations of the Avengers before the occurrences depicted in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”. However, it’s Ant-Man and his kin who ultimately bring about Kang’s demise, with assistance from a renegade MODOK and a swarm of ants. Whether Kang’s multiverse exploits are genuine or not, he never encounters the main Avengers in the MCU, as he fails to escape the Quantum Realm. Since Jonathan Majors’ real-life legal matters hindered Marvel Studios’ ambition to portray Kang as the next formidable adversary, it turns out that his primary foes within the MCU are actually his own variations.

In a fashion reminiscent of his comic book version, Nathaniel Richards embarks on a mission to rule multiple universes. He appears to obliterate numerous timelines until the Council of Kangs intervene and stop him. During this multiversal quest, Kang spawns potent counterparts who challenge his conquest. These Kang variants combine their forces and banish him to the Quantum Realm, celebrating what seems to be his downfall. However, due to Jonathan Majors’ dismissal from future projects, it’s unlikely that Kang will make further on-screen appearances. As a result, the Council of Kangs emerge as Kang the Conqueror’s chief adversaries in place of the Avengers.

Quantumania Accurately Adapts Kang The Conqueror’s Self-Sabotaging Nature

Kang The Conqueror Is Incredibly Powerful, But Never As Successful As Villains Like Ultron And Thanos

Among the roster of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) villains, Kang the Conqueror has arguably had the least impactful screen presence compared to others like Loki, Ego, Ultron, Hela, and Thanos who advanced considerably in their nefarious schemes before meeting their match. While some MCU antagonists were swiftly defeated before causing extensive damage, few made promises as grandiose as Kang’s. One exception is Gorr the God Butcher, who aimed to eliminate all deities but managed to slay merely two.

In a surprising turn of events, Kang the Conqueror misjudges Ant-Man, MODOK, and the rebels from the Quantum Realm, leading to an embarrassing defeat for himself. This early fall might seem underwhelming compared to typical MCU villains, but it echoes his comic book history. In the original stories, Kang has frequently vexed the Avengers, yet he often undermines himself and fails to match up against villains like Ultron, Thanos, and Doctor Doom – who have each had memorable victories over the Avengers in sagas such as “Age of Ultron”, “the Infinity Gauntlet”, and “Secret Wars”. Kang’s fixation on Ravonna Renslayer, his intricate ties with time travel, and the numerous versions of himself often work against him.

The MCU Has The Chance To Follow Up On Quantumania’s Post-Credits Scene In The Best Possible Way

Avengers: Doomsday Can Pay Off Quantumania’s Credits Tease Without Bringing Jonathan Majors Back

Quantumania’s post-credits scene could be to reveal Doctor Doom as the one who eliminated them off-screen, but there might be a superior alternative.

If Doctor Doom eliminates the Council of Kangs prior to Avengers: Doomsday, there’s a risk that the Marvel Cinematic Universe could repeat the mistake made in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania by keeping Kang the Conqueror’s most powerful acts hidden. This might create unrealistic expectations about what Doctor Doom could achieve. Instead, Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars could disclose that Kang’s variants were responsible for each other’s demise. Given the nature of all Kangs, this would make sense and also explain how Doctor Doom is able to dominate the multiverse in Avengers: Doomsday.

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2025-05-10 22:52