An ambitious The Fantastic Four theory explains how Kang the Conqueror returns in the MCU thanks to the debut of Marvel’s First Family. Loki set up Kang the Conqueror to be the Multiverse Saga’s overarching villain, with He Who Remains describing Kang as an unstoppable threat. Kang’s official MCU introduction confirmed that he destroyed countless universes and killed an unknown number of Avengers. Yet, Kang’s defeat at the hands of Ant-Man in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania‘s ending raised doubts about his true power, as he seemed to die when Ant-Man threw him into his own multiversal engine, though it’s very likely that he was only teleported elsewhere.

Kang the Conqueror’s fate has only been made more uncertain by Jonathan Majors’ legal troubles. With Majors officially fired by Marvel Studios, there are currently no clues about the villain’s status in the Multiverse Saga. Whether Kang will be played by a different actor or be replaced by a different villain altogether is unknown. However, if Kang does come back, a new actor could play a much more powerful and convincing version of the time traveler. In fact, Kang could return during the same Phase he made his debut; more specifically, in Phase 5’s The Fantastic Four movie.

Kang The Conqueror Was Sent To His Original Universe In Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania

The Fantastic Four Could Reveal That Kang The Conqueror Comes From The FF’s Timeline

There’s a chance that Kang the Conqueror may not have died when he was sucked into his multiversal engine at the end of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Instead, the machine could have granted his wish to escape the Quantum Realm, sending him back to his original universe. Although not his direct descendant, Kang the Conqueror a.k.a. Nathaniel Richards is a 31st-century relative of Reed Richards in the source material. This could also be the case in the MCU, where Kang could originate from the same reality as The Fantastic Four‘s titular team.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania didn’t reveal where exactly Kang comes from, nor what made him start his multiversal conquest before his exile by the Council of Kangs. By featuring Kang’s arrival in this universe, The Fantastic Four could reveal what originally led Kang down his villainous path and continue his quest for multiversal dominion. Beloved MCU villains like Loki and Thanos had a clear background that explained their motivations. As it stands, Kang the Conqueror still lacks a clear motivation for his villainous actions, and The Fantastic Four‘s retrofuturistic setting could offer the perfect chance to fix that.

The Fantastic Four Fail To Stop Kang From Destroying His Original Universe

Kang The Conqueror Could Cause Another Infinity War In The Fantastic Four’s Universe

Kang the Conqueror could be the villain who destroys the Fantastic Four’s timeline and forces them to find refuge in the MCU’s Earth-616, linking the Fantastic Four to the Avengers in a single war against the same villain. The reason why Kang struggled and ultimately failed to defeat Ant-Man might have been that he was out of his element in the Quantum Realm. Now free, Kang could use his technological prowess to destabilize the Fantastic Four’s timeline. Galactus and the Silver Surfer could either serve as living weapons for Kang, or they could side with the Fantastic Four to stop their universe from collapsing.

Whatever method Kang would choose to destroy the Fantastic Four’s universe, he would definitely be more rageful due to his previous defeat, as well as more powerful due to his newfound access to technology. Destroying the Fantastic Four’s timeline would help Kang regain credibility as a villain after his humiliating defeat in the Quantum Realm, and it wouldn’t require the MCU’s Earth-616 to be affected. Kang’s victory could create an Avengers: Infinity War scenario for the Fantastic Four, who would desperately try to stop Kang and still fail to save their universe, just like the Avengers did with Thanos.

The Fantastic Four Follow Kang As He Heads To Ant-Man’s Universe In Search Of Revenge

Kang The Conqueror Provides The Perfect Reason For The Fantastic Four’s Arrival In The MCU

If Kang the Conqueror survived the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it’s almost certain that he would seek revenge on Ant-Man. And if Kang crosses paths with the Fantastic Four, they could easily follow him to his next destination. An Avengers: Infinity War-level catastrophe in the Fantastic Four’s timeline would justify their involvement in the Avengers’ battle against Kang in Earth-616, and possibly some conflict between the Fantastic Four and the Avengers as well. While Kang tries to exact revenge on Ant-Man’s universe, the Fantastic Four would be trying to exact revenge on Kang.

Whether Ralph Ineson’s Galactus and Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer also make the jump to the MCU’s Earth-616 would be uncertain. They could perish in their attempt to stop Kang and later be replaced by their Earth-616 counterparts, or they could be the only other survivors coming from The Fantastic Four‘s timeline. Either way, The Fantastic Four offers the chance to introduce an expansive, lived-in universe filled with alternative takes on classic Fantastic Four characters — and destroy it to raise the stakes for the Fantastic Four’s arrival in the MCU’s main timeline.

Why The Fantastic Four Is The Right MCU Movie To Redeem Kang The Conqueror

Kang the Conqueror’s Comic Book Connections To The Fantastic Four Justify His Return In The Phase 5 Movie

Besides Kang’s narrative potential in The Fantastic Four, Nathaniel Richards also has an established comic book history with Marvel’s First Family that makes his main antagonist role viable in the Phase 5 movie. Kang has faced the Fantastic Four numerous times in the source material, not only in his Kang persona but also as Scarlet Centurion, Rama-Tut, and Immortus. Kang’s destruction of the Fantastic Four’s universe in the MCU would make him the team’s archnemesis and could lead to their war against the Council of Kangs, possibly alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Secret Wars.

Apart from Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars, no other project in the MCU’s current Multiverse Saga slate fits Kang the Conqueror’s possible return more than The Fantastic Four. If he’s still alive somewhere, Kang the Conqueror has the necessary comic book connections, power level, and potential motivations to become the Fantastic Four’s first MCU villain. Kang’s mastery over time travel would provide a breath of fresh air from the Fantastic Four’s traditional battles against Doctor Doom on the big screen, and his appearance alongside Galactus could put his real power in perspective.