Loki Writer Reveals Kang’s Biggest Difference To Thanos

Loki writer Michael Waldron breaks down the biggest difference between Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) and Thanos (Josh Brolin). The recently-concluded Marvel Studio series debuted He Who Remains, who's behind the creation of the TVA. His arrival sets up the eventual debut of his more evil variant who is tipped to be the primary bad guy in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

With only four projects in for Phase 4, it's still too early to predict MCU's next overarching narrative. But while WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Black Widow had mostly self-contained, character-driven narratives, the events of Loki are expected to shape the future of the franchise moving forward. Aside from the birth of the multiverse which will factor in projects such as What If...?, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the arrival of He Who Remains is the gateway to the subsequent introduction of Kang the Conqueror, who is believed to be the next Than0s-level villain in the franchise. Given this, comparing him to the Mad Titan is almost inevitable; but while it may take a while before more information about him is revealed, there are already some key distinctions between the bad guys.

During his guest appearance at The Playlist Podcast, Waldron broke down the main difference between Kang the Conqueror and Thanos from the get-go. According to the Loki writer, fans can expect the new MCU villain to be more erratic than his predecessor. If there's a rhyme and reason to the Mad Titan's evil plans, the time-traveling bad guy will be more chaotic.

"The exciting thing about getting to originate that character on the page in the MCU was sorta creating a totally different energy than what Thanos is, which is measured and principled, almost monk-like in his evil aspirations. And obviously, He Who Remains is a much more squirrelly, chaotic, narcissistic presence, and so that was a lot of fun."

Assuming that Kang is indeed the MCU's next big bad, it's almost imperative that Marvel Studios introduces him as a significantly different villain. That way, it doesn't feel like it's just a repeat of what they've previously done. Admittedly, Thanos' original motivation wasn't as complicated as it turned out to be. As in the comics, his plans were driven by wanting to court Lady Death. But as the Infinity Saga went on, he became a more empathetic villain. Granted that, ultimately, what he wanted to do was wrong, at least, he tried justifying it with an explanation that some may find understandable. For Kang the Conqueror, however, it seems like he will be straight-up villainous, which could be fun to watch as the heroes grapple to fight him. The fact that versions of him are being introduced early on in this next storytelling chapter also means that he would already be properly established by the time he potentially fights the Avengers in the foreseeable future.

So, it may still be too early to be certain what MCU's next Infinity Saga will be. There are still a couple of projects in the pipeline that could better springboard the franchise's new overall narrative. But, it's safe to say that whatever the future looks like for the universe, Kang the Conqueror will be an integral player in it. Aside from his confirmed appearance in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, he's also largely expected to be involved in Loki season 2.

More: Thanos' Infinity War Snap Wasn't About Resources - Theory Explained

Source: The Playlist Podcast