Kang the Conqueror, known as Kẻ chinh phạt Kang, is the next major character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will officially debut on the big screen through the blockbuster Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, set to release on February 17. Based on the trailers released so far, it appears this formidable villain is trapped in the multiverse and desperately needs the assistance of Scott Lang to escape and continue his nefarious plans to control the universe.
The pressing question at this moment is: Who imprisoned Kang the Conqueror in the multiverse? No one knows exactly why he is confined there, and it is uncertain how long he has been stuck in this limbo. All we know up to this point is that Kang has been defeated by someone (or some entity) many years before. Below are the most notable candidates who may have played a part in this unprecedented event.
He Who Remains
He Who Remains first appeared in the season finale of the Loki series, where he was introduced as the founder of the Time Variance Authority (TVA), an organization tasked with overseeing the sacred timeline of the Marvel universe, which is also the main setting of the MCU. The TVA’s role is to track and eliminate events that could cause potential timeline branches, thus preventing alternate realities from forming.
In fact, He Who Remains is one of many variants of Kang, originating as a scientist in the 31st century. After discovering a way to open a door between various timelines, He Who Remains, along with other variants, connected to exchange knowledge, technology, and assist in the advancement of their realities. However, not all variants had good intentions, and Kang the Conqueror is one of them.
The Loki series confirmed that there was a multiversal war among Kang’s variants, and He Who Remains was the ultimate victor. This is why this variant decided to establish the TVA to prevent a future multiversal war from occurring. This implies that He Who Remains is likely the one who imprisoned Kang in the multiverse to thwart his plans for domination.
Additionally, imprisoning Kang in the multiverse instead of completely eliminating him could be part of He Who Remains’ larger strategy. As the master of time who can control nearly every event occurring in the sacred timeline, He Who Remains understands the complex laws of the Marvel universe. This variant knows that if Kang escapes, the multiverse will once again be at risk of chaos, leading to a full-scale conquest across all realities.
The TVA Organization
As mentioned earlier, the TVA’s mission is to eliminate alternate timelines that could potentially endanger the sacred timeline. Therefore, it is no surprise that this organization placed Kang in the multiverse, as he is a dangerous variant, akin to a version of He Who Remains, who governs the sacred timeline of the MCU.
Typically, the TVA would send these variants to The Void – a realm existing near the end of time and considered a “garbage dump” for timelines. However, since Kang is a particularly dangerous variant, they would not dare risk sending him to this location. With his knowledge of time travel and his own universe, Kang could easily find a way to escape The Void and reach The Citadel, similar to what Loki and Sylvie once achieved.
At this point, he could easily persuade He Who Remains and become the new ruler of the sacred timeline. This is precisely why the TVA had to imprison Kang in the multiverse. In reality, the conclusion of Loki indicates that this villain, or a variant of him, eventually became the new ruler of the TVA after the universe was established in the MCU. In other words, if they did not confine Kang in the multiverse, it would be highly likely that he would become the ruler of time and the universe.
Janet van Dyne
Janet van Dyne may also be the one who imprisoned and detained Kang in the multiverse before the events of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. The trailers for this film have continuously hinted at a “connection” between Janet and Kang. Although these two characters appear to be familiar with each other, Janet had previously been trapped in the multiverse for over 30 years following an accident in 1987, before she was rescued in the blockbuster Ant-Man & the Wasp.
Some theories suggest that Janet once worked for Kang but decided to fight back after recognizing his ulterior motives and the danger he posed to the universe. It is also possible that the two may have collaborated to find a way to escape the multiverse but were unsuccessful. Only when Hank Pym, Scott Lang, and Hope van Dyne rescued Janet did she decide to confront Kang to restore reality, as she was aware of the evil nature of her own essence and would do anything to escape.
Regardless of the initial cause, we can reasonably conclude that the relationship between Janet and Kang will be more antagonistic than cooperative in Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. This is why in the latest trailer for this blockbuster, Janet warns Scott not to trust Kang, especially not to collaborate with him, despite the tempting offers he may present.
Reed Richards
With Marvel Studios set to release the blockbuster Fantastic Four in late 2025, it is highly likely that Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic is one of the characters who imprisoned Kang in the multiverse. Previously, this character also appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as a member of the Illuminati from Earth-838. This will be the official introduction of Reed Richards to the main MCU timeline, Earth-616, in the near future.
The Fantastic Four has encountered Kang multiple times in Marvel Comics. However, this character and the leader of the superhero team have a much more complex and nuanced relationship. In the future, Kang will have a variant named Nathaniel Richards – a descendant of Reed Richards, who is also a brilliant scientist living in the 30th century on Earth-6311.
Thus, it is likely that Kang and the Fantastic Four will cross paths again in the future of the MCU, with the outcome being that this villain will be defeated and imprisoned in the multiverse. With this narrative, Marvel Studios will have a great opportunity to bring the Fantastic Four into the cinematic universe while also elevating the significance of the character to set the stage for the two major events Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.
The Avengers Connection
In the teaser snippets Marvel Studios has released, Kang is rumored to have previously killed one (or multiple) Avengers in the past. This raises the question of whether Scott Lang could be a victim of his own making. This detail hints at the fact that he is not far removed from the most crucial superheroes in the universe, and it could even be the case that he is the primary antagonist of them in another timeline.
So far, the relationship between Kang and the Avengers has not been established in any of the official trailers for Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. This detail could potentially be omitted from the main promotional campaign, or Marvel Studios may want to keep it hidden until the very last moment.
If Kang starts facing off against the Avengers in his universe, the stakes of the upcoming blockbusters Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars will be elevated significantly. First, he will become a much more formidable villain after gaining extensive experience in battling with notable superheroes. Second, Kang could specifically target or wish to retaliate against several key members of the Avengers, allowing Marvel Studios to focus on developing these characters, similar to how they approached Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor in the blockbuster Endgame.
Based on the trailers released, Ant-Man does not seem to be the superhero Kang will directly face. He primarily wants Scott Lang to assist him in escaping the multiverse.
Source: ScreenRant, Marvel
