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- The Issue with Kang in the MCU
- Kang Is the Ultimate Character for ‘What If…?’
- Marvel Has Two Potential Kang Replacements in Waiting
As a long-time fan of the Marvel universe, I must admit that the recent developments regarding What If…? and Kang the Conqueror have left me feeling somewhat bewildered. It’s like watching my favorite superhero flick, only to find out that the villain’s best scenes were cut from the final edit.
What If…?, the first animated series within the MCU, is set to conclude its three-season run by the end of 2024. Despite the opening monologue for each episode that The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) narrates about infinite possibilities, it appears the multiverse only contains about 26 alternate timelines worth of stories. What If…? will end close to the end of Phase 5 of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, as the franchise begins winding down the multiverse stories with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Just two years ago, Marvel Studios was going all in on the multiverse, but now it appears that ship has sailed.
A significant part of this development involves Jonathan Majors, who played Kang the Conqueror in Marvel Studios, being arrested and subsequently convicted on domestic abuse charges. As a result, he was dismissed from his role as Kang the Conqueror. Originally slated to be the main antagonist for the Multiverse Phase of the MCU, Kang has now been replaced by Doctor Doom, portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., a well-known figure in the MCU. The narrative surrounding Kang seems to have been resolved in both Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Loki Season 2, but if What If…? were to continue, it might have offered an opportunity for a fitting conclusion to Kang’s story.
The Issue with Kang in the MCU
“The challenge with introducing Kang the Conqueror into What If…? lies with actor Jonathan Majors. The animation style used in What If…? closely mimics the actors’ faces from live-action, creating a predicament for the creators. They might require permission to use Majors’ likeness, regardless of finding a voice replacement. Moreover, displaying Majors’ face could be seen as inappropriate given his criminal background.
A potential solution for this issue might involve Marvel Animation creating a distinct version of Kang, one who doesn’t bear a likeness to actor Jonathan Majors. Although the post-credit scene in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” suggests that all incarnations of Kang are portrayed by Majors, an episode of “What If…?” could be utilized to introduce the concept that various versions of Kang have unique features, with some being concealed within a crowd shot. Alternatively, they could decide to keep Kang’s face hidden behind his signature mask, thereby granting artists more creative freedom in designing Kang’s facial appearance without resembling Majors.
In essence, everything revolves around the assumption that “What If…” continues and is set to end. But it doesn’t mean that Marvel won’t reconsider the idea of “What If…” or produce another animated series in the future to delve into Kang’s backstory. Given Marvel’s significant investment in animation, it could be an ideal way to uncover the origins of Kang the Conqueror.
Kang Is the Ultimate Character for ‘What If…?’
Kang the Conqueror’s status as a multiversal antagonist makes him an ideal fit for the “What If…?” series. His character could show up in any reality across the Marvel Multiverse. There are numerous stories about Kang that “What If…?” could have delved into within the multiverse, such as tales featuring alternate versions like Rama-Tut or the Silver Centurion, or scenarios where Kang would have clashed with other Marvel villains such as Ultron, Ego the Living Planet, or even Thanos himself.
What If…? also could have explored the true origins of He Who Remains or Kang the Conqueror and even confirmed or denied the fan theory that they are the same character at different points in their timeline. The Kang shown in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was already established to have conquered various timelines and killed many different MCU hero variants, which would have made for a compelling episode of What If…? that could have led directly to him being stranded in the Quantum Realm before meeting Janet Van Dyne. It appears at one point that Avengers: The Kang Dynasty would have explored the origin of the villain, which is now off the table for fans. Yet an animated episode of What If…?, or an animated miniseries like the upcoming Marvel Zombies centered on Kang the Conqueror, could have told an abridged version of the tale.
Marvel Studios might venture into creating their initial animated feature film, either for cinemas or Disney+. This could potentially take the form of a narrative similar to “What If…?”, exploring what Avengers: The Kang Dynasty could have been if the plans had not been changed. An animated movie focusing on Kang the Conqueror could serve as the grand, epic film that Marvel Studios initially intended for Kang but had to abandon due to the Jonathan Majors controversy. This would make for an engaging alternate reality tale and let fans catch a glimpse of a story that never came to fruition. Fans would be treated to a peek into a universe that never unfolded, both in terms of it being an alternative Avengers movie and a sneak peek at what the MCU’s grand saga almost became.
Marvel Has Two Potential Kang Replacements in Waiting
Instead of primarily concentrating on whether Jonathan Majors is suitable for the role of Kang the Conqueror and discussions centered around him, it’s worth noting that two separate interpretations of Kang could lead to fascinating adaptations, be it animation or live-action, neither of which need to resemble Jonathan Majors since they are different manifestations of established Marvel characters.
In the original Marvel Universe, it’s disclosed that Kang the Conqueror is actually an altered future self of Sue Storm, or the Invisible Woman, from the Fantastic Four. If Deadpool and Wolverine were to eliminate Chris Evans’ Human Torch as portrayed in the 2000s Fantastic Four movies, a What If…? episode or spin-off could be created featuring an animated version of Sue Storm from those films transforming into the infamous villain, launching her conquest across multiple realities. This narrative twist would serve as a satisfying conclusion for the 2000s film series and connect with Deadpool and Wolverine. Given Jessica Alba’s expressed desire to reprise her role as Sue Storm, this seems like a mutually beneficial opportunity. Furthermore, either in animation or live-action, Jessica Alba’s portrayal of Sue Storm (as Kang) could collaborate with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom to form a team of malevolent variants from different universes.
In addition, there is character named Kamala Kang, an adaptation of Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), who made an appearance in the 2018 comic series “Infinity Wars”. Kamala Kang presents an opportunity for a captivating “What If…?” tale involving Kang the Conqueror and Ms. Marvel. This scenario could provide Iman Vellani with the chance to portray a darker, villainous version of her character. Should Marvel decide to take a different approach with Kamala Kang, they could delve into her role as the sole good variant of Kang and pit her against multiple Kangs scattered across various universes. Given Iman Vellani’s impressive performance during Phase 4 of the MCU, playing a dual role as both Kamala Khan and a Kang the Conqueror variant appears to be a shrewd move.
I must admit, it’s really unfortunate that Marvel seems to be parting ways from the ongoing series of What If…? and the character Kang the Conqueror. There was so much untapped potential in What If…?, especially considering the upcoming phases 4 and 5 with new characters like Namor, Werewolf by Night, and Man-Thing. This concept had the potential to run for years. As for Kang, he’s a captivating villain whose intrigue was somewhat dulled by the actor’s portrayal and the underwhelming movie Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
In a universe where Daredevil’s story continues anew in “Daredevil: Born Again” and Tim Blake Nelson reappears as The Leader following his hint in “The Incredible Hulk”, it’s not too far-fetched to imagine that Kang the Conqueror might make a comeback, albeit with a fresh identity. Speaking of returns, season 3 of “What If…?” is set to premiere on Disney+ on December 22nd.
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2024-12-22 07:02