In the season one finale of “Loki,” viewers were introduced to the mastermind behind the Time Variance Authority (TVA), known as Kang the Conqueror.
Although Kang’s name was not explicitly mentioned, the character referred to as “He Who Remains” was a clear nod to the classic Marvel Comics villain. Fans familiar with the source material likely recognized the hints leading up to the reveal.
Several clues throughout the series hinted at Kang’s presence. The character Ravonna Renslayer, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, is a love interest of Kang in the comics. Additionally, the appearance of Alioth, a temporal beast that Kang battles in the comics, further supported the theory. Numerous Easter eggs were scattered throughout the show, reinforcing the idea that Kang was the true face behind the TVA.
In the Marvel Comics, Kang is a formidable time warlord and a frequent adversary of the Avengers. Originally known as Nathaniel Richards, he hails from the 31st century and is a descendant of Nathaniel, the father of Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards, who was a time-traveler.
Nathaniel becomes obsessed with history and eventually stumbles upon time-travel technology created by Doctor Doom, another iconic Marvel villain. Through his journeys, Nathaniel assumes the identity of Pharaoh Rama-Tut in Ancient Egypt and crosses paths with En Sabah Nur, also known as the “X-Men” villain Apocalypse.
After being displaced from this timeline by the time-traveling Fantastic Four, Nathaniel reemerges in the 31st century, a thousand years into the future. He seizes control of Earth and transforms himself into Kang the Conqueror. From there, he embarks on a quest to conquer different versions of the galaxy throughout the past, present, and future, establishing his own temporal empire.
During his conquests, Kang encounters Renslayer, the princess of one of his conquered realms, but she does not reciprocate his feelings. Kang crosses paths with several significant characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including Thor, Mantis, Spider-Man, Hawkeye, the Hulk, the Wasp, the Fantastic Four, and the Black Knight, portrayed by Kit Harrington in the upcoming film “Eternals.”
In the comics, Kang ventures into different eras such as the Old West, ancient Egypt, and World War II, assuming various aliases such as Scarlet Centurion, Immortus, Iron Lad, and Victor Timely. These alternate versions of Kang parallel the alternate versions of Loki featured in the “Loki” TV series.
The upcoming film “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” set to release in 2023, will bring Kang to the big screen. The story revolves around Scott Lang/Ant-Man, played by Paul Rudd, and his family capturing Kang’s attention when Scott’s daughter, Cassie Lang, portrayed by Kathryn Newton, builds a satellite that scans the Quantum Realm.
Scott and his family are inadvertently pulled into the Quantum Realm, where they discover that Kang has been trapped for decades, ruling over the microscopic universe as his own dominion.
Kang’s exile to the Quantum Realm stems from his desire to eliminate the Council of Kangs, a group comprising multiple versions of himself from different dimensions within the multiverse. Quantum Kang’s intention to become the sole surviving Kang resulted in his banishment.
Although Quantum Kang appears to meet his demise by the end of the film, being pulled into the Multiverse Engine Core, this is not the last we will see of the villain. The mid-credits scene reveals the existence of the Council of Kangs, as Rama-Tut, Immortus, and a variant of Scarlet Centurion convene to discuss the
