The next major installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has officially made its way to the big screen with the blockbuster Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. In this film, Kang is imprisoned in the Quantum Realm and must rely on the help of Scott Lang, the Ant-Man, to escape and continue his quest for multiversal domination.
Even more intriguing, those who have encountered Kang in the multiverse are actually variants of him from different realities due to the fear of being erased from existence. These variants also lead to the formation of a group known as the Council of Kang, which holds many secrets within the Marvel universe.
The Council of Kang in the MCU
The Council of Kang made its official debut during the mid-credit scene of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, simultaneously establishing itself as the organization that brings Kang into the Quantum Realm. This group comprises hundreds of thousands of Kang’s variants from different timelines, with the main character being a mysterious entity yet to be fully revealed.
The first member of the Council of Kang is the variant known as Immortus, who often appears in the comics as a significant figure in the Marvel universe. Immortus is a time manipulator who can become the highest authority in the timeline, similar to the character He Who Remains in the Loki series.
Besides Immortus, the Council of Kang is also governed by Rama-Tut – a version of Kang as an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. In the comics, Rama-Tut was once an enemy of the Fantastic Four and even had a confrontation with En Sabah Nur – Apocalypse, the first mutant in Marvel history. Although Rama-Tut has traveled to the future, he often finds himself facing off against the Avengers in specific comic series.
Lastly, in addition to Immortus and Rama-Tut, there exists another variant of Kang known as the Scarlet Centurion, who is equipped with advanced technological armor that embodies elements of the future. In the comics, this armor allows the wearer to manipulate time and space, turning them into formidable threats to many powerful superheroes.
In the mid-credit scene of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, the Council of Kang decided to convene following the death of Kang the Conqueror to discuss the new threats posed by the Avengers in the Earth-616 universe. Given that Ant-Man has killed Kang, combined with other superheroes like Doctor Strange and Spider-Man previously interfering in the time stream, the Council’s plans for the multiverse are at stake, forcing this organization to take action.
The Council of Kang in Marvel Comics
The Council of Kang first appeared in 1986 through the comic Avengers #267. This initial version of the organization is referred to as Prime Kang, which is an ambitious variant that aims to eliminate all lesser versions or those that are significantly different from his original self. However, this is essentially a part of Immortus’s plan to define the future of Prime Kang according to his own desires.
The Council of Kang includes many different versions of Kang in the multiverse, each one representing a specific aspect of Prime Kang’s ambitions to conquer the multiverse. Whenever they encounter a variant of Kang, they often seize the opportunity to create a new reality, which allows them to build their own power base. However, as mentioned above, all actions are within the calculations of Immortus, who seeks to create conflict and have the various Kangs eliminate each other.
The most notable differences between the Council of Kang in the movie and its comic counterpart lie in the portrayal of Immortus as the leader of this organization openly, rather than as the manipulative figure behind the scenes. In addition, Prime Kang has yet to appear in the mid-credit scene of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, and it remains unclear whether he will be a member of this organization or not. However, it is undeniable that Marvel Studios is still hiding the true essence of the “final boss” – another version of Kang that secretly manipulates and creates schemes before officially taking the stage in the next Avengers blockbuster.
Furthermore, the motivations and operational methods of the Council of Kang on the big screen have also changed significantly compared to the original comics. While Immortus aims to remain in the shadows and eliminate any version of Kang that dares to interfere, for instance, Kang the Conqueror, the narrative has shifted to focus on He Who Remains, who previously engaged in a battle for multiversal dominance before the events of Ant-Man to eliminate all other timelines outside of Earth-616. This is precisely why, after this character exits, the Marvel universe is freed, allowing other variants the freedom to exist. Meanwhile, the ultimate goal of the Council of Kang, up until the present time, remains to maintain the order of the organization in the multiverse and of its members in each reality.
The Role of the Council of Kang in the MCU
With the announcement of the outline for phases 5 and 6 of the MCU, Marvel Studios has confirmed that Kang will play a crucial role in the upcoming Avengers film, The Kang Dynasty. However, due to the variant The Conqueror being eliminated in Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, many speculate that the Kang variant will serve as a new antagonist in the following saga as the Avengers face a new threat.
Marvel Studios will likely need to find a way to encompass the vast scale of this battle, as the Council of Kang comprises numerous different members, and to explore all of them on the big screen might prove challenging. The mid-credit scene of Ant-Man 3 only focused on Immortus, Rama-Tut, and Scarlet Centurion, which suggests these three variants may be the main players in The Kang Dynasty and will directly confront the timeline of Earth-616, leading to the existence of these other realities.
Prior to this, the Council of Kang has been mentioned in season 2 of the Loki series, featuring the appearance of the variant known as Victor Timely. Additionally, Marvel Studios is currently working on numerous projects related to multiversal travel or timeline manipulation – which are excellent opportunities to continue to explore the larger implications of this character in the future. This may include Deadpool 3, where Deadpool and Wolverine could arrive from a different reality; or Fantastic Four, where Rama-Tut might confront the superhero team as portrayed in the comics.
Moreover, Kang’s variants will likely play a role in Avengers: Secret Wars – the closing event of phase 6, as well as the overarching storyline of the MCU. This blockbuster will connect directly to The Kang Dynasty, similar to how Infinity War and Endgame were connected before.
Source: Marvel Studios, ScreenRant
