The Infinity War Saga was a rollercoaster ride for cinema and fans of comic book films. The MCU had incredible heroes like Ironman, Thor, Captain America, and Black Panther. All who became household names. The villains of the MCU with notables like Loki, Killmonger, Mysterio, and Red Skull were some of the better villains of the pack, but the MCU was often criticized for lacking weighty bad guys. Thanos was arguably the best of the lot and set the bar exceptionally high, so how does Kang, the latest villain in the MCU, compare to previous villains that came before him?  

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The conclusion of the Infinity War Saga and the demise of Thanos left a massive vacuum in the MCU. The question on everyone’s mind was, who can replace such an iconic bad guy? Thanos set such a high precedent that any other character has to be exceptional to satiate the viewers and fans’ expectations.

Thanos was brooding but had a quick wit and great lines, like his powerful words to Thor in the opening of Avengers: Infinity War. After Thanos and his henchmen, The Children of Thanos, decimate the Asgardians’ Ship, Thanos replies, “Dread it. Run from it. Destiny still arrives, or should I say, I have.” Exceptional dialogue of this calibre- Thanos had plenty of these lines-set him up to become as iconic as he is.

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Red Skull, portrayed by Hugo Weaving in Captain America: The First Avenger, was another exceptional villain. Hugo portrayed the Nazi Johann Schmidt and his evolution into the Red Skull with depth and a charm that made him compelling to watch. Hugo gave Red Skull and Schmidt a thick and believable German accent that gave the character an authenticity which only a few talented actors could have pulled off. His make-up as Red Skull and the villains’ costume and attire were impeccable. All these together made Red Skull great fun to watch. It was a pity we never got to see Weaving reprise his role, especially for Avengers: Infinity War.  

What we saw with Kang in Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was a partial range of the character, but while Majors does his best, it leaves much to be desired compared to some of the top-tier villains in the MCU. The defeat of Kang in Loki and his subsequent defeat in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania send the wrong message to fans. Despite the hype surrounding the character, he was swiftly beaten by the lower-ranked characters. If a variant of Loki (Sylvie) and Ant-man could beat him, what chance does he have against more significant adversaries like Thor, for instance? These defeats and signs of weakness have dissipated the level of threat that Kang might have possessed.

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Kang needed to be explored more fully as a character, and his abilities as a villain should have been more menacing for audiences to appreciate him as a powerful villain. He needs a bit of redemption after these defeats so the upcoming Avengers: The Kang Dynasty can right the wrongs. Even better, especially now that the writer and actors strike has halted production on many shows and films, is to incorporate more of Kang in Captain America: Brave New World with a tremendous post-credit scene that includes some aspect of the character or his story that will add dramatic moments and dread similar to how tension and expectation were built into the Infinity War Saga with Thanos.

Do you think that Kang compares to previous MCU villains, or is he better or worse?

How Does Kang Compare to Previous MCU Villains? Written by Google Web Stories for Fortress of Solitude