With the conclusion of Disney+'s Loki, the MCU has finally introduced its latest Avenger-level threat. More than that, he's also speculated to be the big bad evil guy. Kang the Conqueror is the ambiguous villain in question and he's apparently on track to dethrone Thanos as the biggest threat to have ever existed in the MCU. Anyone who's familiar with the comic books ought to know what's ahead now that Disney+ has pulled the curtains back and set the stage for one of Marvel's most troublesome baddies.
Then again, there's so much material to catch up on in the comic books. Kang's tenure there spans many issues and spin-offs that familiarizing with him in the traditional manner can be daunting. That's why we're here to make it easy for MCU fans. It's time to get to know Kang better before he eventually ruins everything, if all goes to plan.
10 His Real Name Is Nathaniel Richards, Supposedly
Kang's introduction in Loki and in the MCU was cryptic, to say the least. The show didn't even touch upon his comic book name and mostly went with his many fabled monikers and titles. He wasn't always called Kang, however.
Kang's real name, at least in the comic book canon, is Nathaniel Richards. What he did say is true in Loki, he came from the far future of the multiverse and there are several versions of him. Most of them are aware of the multiverse and their existence in other parallel universes.
9 His Origin Is Interesting And Murky
So who exactly is Kang apart from his chilling achievements? Supposedly, Nathaniel Richards is a future descendant of Reed Richards, otherwise known as Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four collective. They don't exist yet in the MCU since their ownership went to another studio instead of Disney so establishing that origin story for Kang might be off the table.
Kang has other rumored origins anyway in the same canon. The other dominant origin story is that he's the future descendant of Doctor Doom, the Fantastic Four's most popular nemesis. Either way, Kang comes from an astonishingly intelligent stock. That best explains how and why conquers the multiverse.
8 Some Of His Variants Are Not All Scientists
As Kang explained in Loki's ending, he has many variants that are mostly vying for power and are just as intelligent. That version was a scientist but other versions of Kang in other parallel universes are less amicable or pacifistic. Some of them are Pharaohs or warriors.
Others are inventors or businessmen. Some are straight-up military tacticians. Since Kang also messed with the timeline frequently, he tends to create some anomalous versions of himself. Some of them are even amalgamations of Marvel heroes or villains, namely Kamala Khan or Doctor Doom.
7 His Powers Are Complicated
Kang's powers might be a little surprising to some. He's by no means as physically powerful as Thanos. One thing is for certain though, he's smarter than an 8-foot tall CGI of Josh Brolin with a weird chin. Since Kang is from the future and he's also highly intelligent, the technology at his disposal is far better than what Tony Stark could conceive.
That's in the MCU. The comic book version is also not too far off when it comes to how advanced he is; Kang practically made himself immortal and developed technology that gives him superhuman abilities. He's still very much a human it seems, which is why he needs special equipment to enhance himself.
6 He's More Powerful Than Thanos In The MCU
Thanos' capabilities are pretty apparent. The combined might and wits of Earth's best genius and its best sorcerer couldn't hurt him. So how is Kang more powerful than the Mad Titan? For starters, he's above and beyond the parallel universes in the MCU. Some might even say that he's the one who pulls the strings.
Kang likely could have plucked and punished Thanos out of his own divergent timeline if he caused too much trouble. He probably already did once using the TVA. There's also the fact that he has no use for Infinity Stones. In the comic books, he can likely defeat Thanos if the Mad Titan didn't have his Infinity paraphernalia.
5 Ravonna Renslayer Was Her Love Interest In The Comic Books
Ravonna Renslayer has a big role in Loki where she's pretty much the CEO of the TVA. The Time Keepers were the Board of Directors and Kang's proxy. Such is their role but in the comic books, Renslayer is placed in a different light.
Renslayer in Marvel comics is none other than Kang the Conqueror's lover. Initially, she hated him for conquering her world but Kang couldn't execute her. The two got close eventually, and the rest is history. Loki doesn't explicitly dictate the two's personal relationship but it seems platonic or tame compared to their comic book counterpart.
4 He Has A Main City Base Outside Of All Dimensions
Where did Kang the Conqueror establish his own Kangdom-- sorry, kingdom? Certainly not somewhere vulnerable where other Kangs could easily assault him, like his original home planet. No, Prime Kang in the comic books was smarter than that and established his own domain called Chronopolis.
It exists outside of the timeline. Rather, it's more like a hub of timelines where each city block or entrance leads to certain timelines or parallel universes. At the heart of it all is Kang's Citadel. Truth be told, it makes Kang's dilapidated mansion or TVA offices in the MCU look minuscule.
3 Kang Has His Own "Avengers"
Since Kang doesn't fight conventionally, he often requires some tough bodyguards to accompany him. After all, most of the Avengers use fight tooth and nail in order to stop their enemies. Kang, instead of dirtying his hands, usually prefers to employ the help of his elite retinue.
They're called Anachronauts. These individuals are some of the toughest and fiercest Kang has defeated in his multiversal conquest. So now, they work for him. If not them, then Kang occasionally pulls metahumans from certain timelines to act as a freebooter for him. He calls them Chronos Corps.
2 He Has A Good Version Near The End Of Time
Kang at the end of Loki was actually based on the oldest version of Kang in the comic books. That one is named Immortus. He's a Kang who grew tired of losing his loved ones over and over again in several timeline conquests and has wisened up.
Immortus exists at the end of the universe or time and represents the comic book version of the Time Keepers (who aren't fabricated robots). There, he seeks to protect the Time Keepers and the timelines from interruptions, including those caused by his younger self. This also led him to side with the Avengers multiple times to keep the order. He's not too far off from the variant in Loki.
1 He Became An Avenger At One Point
That isn't to say only old man Kang was the only wise Kang. A younger version of Kang became afraid of what he would eventually become in his near future and decided to set things right. He did so by joining the Avengers as Iron Lad.
Iron Lad joined a teenage version of the Avengers in his own timeline, wanting to stay away from his usual path as Kang the Conqueror. Sadly, this did not last as Iron Lad gradually became disillusioned and drifted back into Kanghood.