WhenAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniahits theaters this week, it’ll introduce the latest menace to the Marvel Cinematic Universe:Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror. The time-traveling tyrant apparently has a firm grip on the Quantum Realm and judging from the latest trailer, he’ll also beat Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) to within an inch of his life. This mixture of ruthlessness and pragmatic thinking has made Kang a formidable threat in Marvel Comics canon, and led him to battle plenty of opponents over the years. Here are just a few of the greatest showdowns in Kang the Conqueror’s long and bloody history.
‘The Kang Dynasty’: Kang vs. Captain America
“The Kang Dynasty"is one of the bestAvengersstories put to paper, and is slated to influence the upcomingAvengers: The Kang Dynastyfilm. (In case it couldn’t be any more obvious, the tagline forAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniaheralds “the beginning of a new dynasty” and screenwriterJeff Lovenessis penning both films.) “The Kang Dynasty” storyline in the comics pushes the Avengers to their limits as Kang conquers the Earth. The Avengers counterattack, with Captain America summoning a giant holographic impression of himself to do battle with Kang. Later on, the two are shown in a fierce battle and the Sentinel of Liberty manages to get the upper hand on Kang, delivering a brutal beatdown. It’s the kind of high-pitched fight the movie version could use — especially with directorDestin Daniel Crettonhaving helmed intense martial arts fights inShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
‘Young Avengers, Vol. 1: Sidekicks’
Kang has also had a hand in forming a major superhero team: the Young Avengers. In the opening storyline, “Sidekicks,” it’s revealed that Iron Lad — a younger version of Kang — escaped his older self and attempted to find the Avengers. But Earth’s Mightiest Heroes were disbanded at the time, so he ended up forming a new team consisting of teenage heroes. Kang eventually confronts the Young Avengers, and a brutal battle ensues. Eventually Iron Lad impales Kang with his own sword — though this leads to disastrous consequences. Nearly every member of the Young Avengers has made an appearance in Phase 4 of the MCU, with a teenage Cassie (Kathryn Newton) slated to play a major role inAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. It wouldn’t be a surprise if aYoung Avengersfilm or TV series ends up adapting elements of this storyline.
‘Uncanny Avengers: Avenge The Earth’
One of Kang’s greatest schemes had him abducting mutant twins and raising them to become ruthless warlords. However, he did his job too well as the Apocalypse Twins wind up causing the literal end of the world. Kang, alongside a hand-picked team of warriors from other timelines, approaches the X-Man Havok with a daring plan. Havok and the remaining Uncanny Avengers will have their minds projected into the past, where they will attempt to stop the Twins and Exitar the Celestial from carrying out the Earth’s extinction. It works…all too well. Kang soaks up Exitar’s power and becomes godlike, leading to a battle with Havok. The toll it takes on him is both mental and physical: though Kang is defeated, Havok is left scarred. Even worse, Katie — the daughter he had with the Wasp — is lost in time.
RELATED:‘Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania’ Featurette Spotlights Kang the Conqueror
‘Kang War One’
Kang would launch his greatest attack against the Avengers in the “Kang War One"storyline fromMark WaidandMike del Mundo. Seeking to end the Conqueror’s reign, the Vision traveled back in time and abducted an infant Kang. This led Kang — alongside his alternate self, the Scarlet Centurion — to hit the Avengers where they lived, literally. The duo traveled to various points in time and killed the Avengers as babies, effectively wiping them from existence. Or so they thought: the Vision, alongside an older version of himself, had pulled the Avengers into a pocket dimension. Assembling an army out of different Avengers in the team’s history, they launched an attack against Kang, crippling his empire and forcing the Conqueror to retreat.
‘Avengers: Mech-Strike’
By itself,Jed MacKayandCarlos Magno’sAvengers: Mech-Strikeseries would be an impressive feat. After all, mixing together giant robots and superheroes is a recipe for success. However, the miniseries takes things a step further as it’s revealed that Kang is causing time to fold in on itself, forming an army of biomechanical monstrosities that push Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to their limit. In desperation, the Avengers turned to Thanos for help, thinking his raw power would turn the tide. But that hope proved to be fleeting, as Kang aged the Mad Titan to dust within seconds.
‘Avengers Forever’
Though Kang has battled many of Marvel’s heroes, his greatest fight has been against his older self Immortus. Their war finally came to an end when Immortus attempted to kill Rick Jones, the man who was responsible for forming the Avengers. Kang saved Rick, and with the help of the Kree Supreme Intelligence, formed a team of Avengers across time to battle Immortus and the malevolent Time Keepers.Avengers Foreveris considered to be one of the greatest Avengers stories, due to the scope and scale thatKurt BusiekandCarlos Pachecobrought to the table, and even inspired plot points inAvengers: Endgame.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniadebuts exclusively in theaters on February 17. Check out the official trailer below.
