The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has a new villain named Kang the Conqueror. With the upcoming film “Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania,” excitement has been building about the latest addition to the MCU’s rogues’ gallery, who has been dubbed by moviegoers as the “new Thanos.”
Jonathan Majors will portray Kang, who is set to make his debut in the film that is scheduled to be released on Feb. 15 nationwide. Majors has previously appeared in the Disney+ series “Loki” as “He Who Remains,” a variant of Kang from a different timeline.
Here is a quick summary of what this new purple-coated big bad is all about (spoilers ahead):
In the comics, Kang the Conqueror is a descendant of Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) from the 31st century who travels back in time to ancient Egypt and becomes a pharaoh. He then acquires technology from various timelines and universes to become a conqueror. Just like Tony Stark (Iron Man), Kang does not possess any superhuman abilities, but instead relies on his vast technological knowledge to impose his rule over others.
Kang’s full-body armor gives him the ability to lift five tons, project an electromagnetic force field, expand up to 20 feet and even withstand a direct nuclear strike. He also commands a vast armada of warriors and robots that contain “growth pollen.” This “growth pollen” is the same substance used by Hank Pym (an entomologist and physicist who developed the Ant-Man suit) in his Pym Particles, which allows him to change size.
In the comic books, Kang has defeated The Avengers and Fantastic Four multiple times and has outsmarted and overpowered some of the strongest members of these superhero groups, including Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Thor and Hulk.
The new portrayal of Kang the Conqueror in the movies will be interesting because it’s essentially an interpretation of what would happen if someone like Tony Stark went rogue. The audience is yet to see how this portrayal of the character will compare to his comic book counterpart, and it is expected that Nathaniel Richards, aka Kang the Conqueror, will be the greatest challenge yet for The Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.