Kang's Scars Could Explain His Origin & Set Up A Major Character

Kang the Conqueror's scars in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania can help to explain his backstory in the MCU and also set up the introduction of one huge Marvel superhero. Jonathan Majors debuted as a variant of Kang the Conqueror, He Who Remains, in the season finale of Loki, setting up the appearance of more Kang variants in the MCU's future, with his next appearance set to come in February 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. This warrior variant of Kang the Conqueror is trapped in the Quantum Realm but seeks freedom with the help of Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), and his size-changing team of heroes.

The iconic Marvel supervillain debuted as Rama-Tut, the Egyptian Pharoah, in 1963's comic run of Fantastic Four #19, later appearing as Kang the Conqueror in 1964's The Avengers #8, quickly becoming one of the team's most formidable enemies. Over the years, Kang's command over time made him a terrifying threat, and the Avengers found themselves pitted against multiple different versions of the villain, including the Scarlet Centurion, Immortus, and Mister Gryphon. However, one variant of Kang has also been an important superhero in Marvel Comics, Nathaniel Richards, a.k.a. Iron Lad, the leader of the Young Avengers, a team who have been teased in recent MCU projects.

What Kang The Conqueror's Scars Mean

An image of Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man: Quantumania

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will see Ant-Man battle Kang the Conqueror in the Quantum Realm, and the trailers have revealed Kang's menacing costume and appearance, including two huge scars over both of his eyes. Many are wondering how Kang was given these scars since they almost seem to be surgical, but 2021's issue of Kang the Conqueror #1 might provide the answer. This storyline in Marvel Comics features the villain training his younger self, Nathaniel Richards, in the ways of villainy, time displacing the pair in prehistoric times, though the training doesn't go to plan for the evil Kang the Conqueror.

Kang the Conqueror's wide-eyed protégé ends up falling into a whirlwind romance with a prehistoric woman, Adi. After Nathaniel saves Adi from a Tyrannosaurus Rex, her tribal elders paint two blue lines down his face as a mark of respect, very reminiscent of his future self's scars. Angered by his younger self's sentimentality and romance, the powerful Kang the Conqueror decimates the tribe and kills Adi, hoping to send Nathaniel fully on a villainous journey. Nathaniel eventually removes these marks on his face, but it seems that Kang never truly forgot, as he could have marked his own face with these scars as a constant reminder of his roots.

Kang’s Backstory Needs To Be Shown In The MCU

marvel comics backstory for kang the conqueror

Marvel Studios made a mistake when introducing Thanos (Josh Brolin) as the major villain for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, in that his mission felt rushed as his backstory was never properly explained. The epic events of the Infinity Saga would have been even more impactful had Thanos' origins been revealed, instead of the few brief glimpses audiences were given, such as his explaining of the history of Titan and his adoption of the young Gamora. Since Kang the Conqueror has been introduced so early in the Multiverse Saga, there is plenty of time to explore the supervillain's backstory and fully flesh out his motivations in future MCU projects.

If Marvel Studios expands more on Kang the Conqueror's MCU backstory, he will become an even larger threat than the Infinity Saga's Thanos, as audiences might be able to more clearly understand his intentions in upcoming projects. With the concept of the multiverse being investigated in the MCU, and with several separate variants of Kang the Conqueror to explore, the MCU's new major villain can receive a huge amount of development, which can help to make Avengers: The Kang Dynasty even more powerful. An explanation of Kang the Conqueror's history can also help to set up some massive storylines that many are desperate to see in the MCU.

Kang's Scars Might Set Up Iron Lad In The MCU

kang the conqueror and nathaniel richards in marvel comics

The adaptation of this recent Marvel Comics storyline in the MCU could act as the perfect introduction of Iron Lad into the franchise since Nathaniel Richards goes on to become Iron Lad. Debuting Nathaniel Richards in a self-contained MCU story that features the young hero being trained by his future self would not only help to flesh out Kang's own MCU backstory but would also be the best way to debut the future Iron Lad without him being overshadowed by other Marvel Studios heroes. This could easily happen in a Marvel Studios Special Presentation, particularly because an adaptation of this prehistoric storyline would play with the MCU's genre conventions.

Phase 4 of the MCU played with audience expectations in some exciting ways, such as seeing Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) play in the sitcom-style WandaVision and taking inspiration from classic horror flicks with the first Special Presentation, Werewolf by Night. This means that a project set in prehistoric times would fit perfectly in the midst of the Multiverse Saga and would lay down some important plot threads that can be followed as the battle against Kang comes to a head in The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. The debut of Iron Lad can also supply the final piece of the MCU's Young Avengers setup.

Iron Lad’s Debut Is Inevitable, But Marvel Needs To Be Careful

An image of Iron Lad from a Marvel comic.

Several characters from the Young Avengers have been introduced in the MCU's Phase 4, including the likes of Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), Eli Bradley (Elijah Richardson), and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), but the leader of the team is still yet to make an appearance. Since so many seeds have been planted for the formation of the Young Avengers in the MCU, many are speculating that the team will make a full appearance soon, probably before the end of the Multiverse Saga. This is especially relevant as Iron Lad is a variant of Kang the Conqueror, so his debut in the MCU is inevitable.

Even so, Marvel Studios has to be careful not to rush Iron Lad's MCU introduction, particularly since he will likely be not only a huge part of the battle against Kang but also the future of the MCU as a whole. Nathaniel Richards should get a solo introduction, and the storyline of Kang the Conqueror #1 would be the perfect way to bring this major character into the MCU. Iron Lad shouldn't just be thrown into another project, but teases of his eventual debut can still come in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, thanks to the true introduction of Kang the Conqueror.

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