There are currently multiple versions of Kang the Conqueror in the MCU. But, while most viewers see only the big bad villain, there are variants of Kang that are innately good.
According to Alex Perez of the Cosmic Circus, a “truly good and benevolent” variant of Kang exists in the Multiverse. The insider was responding to a question by an X user asking about the possibility of Iron Lad being added to the MCU. Perez said that he could not confirm an Iron Lad variant but a good version of Kang is present in the Marvel franchise.
“I can’t confirm that there will be an Iron Lad variant in the future, mainly because it would be irresponsible,” Perez tweeted. “HOWEVER, what I can tell you here and now is that just as there are evil Kang variants in the multiverse, there are also those who are truly good and benevolent.”
I can’t confirm that there will be an Iron Lad variant in the future, mainly because it would be irresponsible.
HOWEVER, what I can tell you here and now is that just as there are evil Kang variants in the multiverse, there are also those who are truly good and benevolent. https://t.co/tjGwHR9SfY
— Alex P. (@AlexFromCC) October 8, 2023
Nathaniel “Nate” Richards aka Iron Lad is one of the Kang variants in the comic books and is a teen version of the time-traveling supervillain. He models a suit of armor reminiscent of Tony Stark’s Iron Man and leads a team of young like-minded superheroes with the sole purpose of defeating his evil future self. There were rumors of Iron Man returning to the MCU so it may be possible that the Iron Lad variant of Kang could be added instead.
He Who Remains is often regarded as one of the most benevolent of Kang’s variants within the comic books. The Kang variant created the TVA in hopes of fixing the damage done by the Multiversal War that he and his Temporal selves caused. However, the variant was killed by Sylvie to allow the multiverse to branch out again.
According to Loki writer Michael Waldron, He Who Remains is not a hero but is aware that his actions (and those of his other variants) were terrible. However, he believed that his actions were for the greater good.
“I think that, like Loki at the top of the show, He Who Remains is self-aware enough to know that he’s done terrible things, that pruning people and sending them to the Void to be devoured by Alioth is not — he’s not a hero for that, but that the ends justify the means,” Waldron explained. “He believes, ‘Well, but this is for the greater good,’ just like Loki would have argued, ‘Well, but I would be such a good ruler; it would be better for people. I would have made it easy for them if they’d just let me rule.'”
Most other versions of Kang that audiences have seen in the movies and TV shows are inherently evil and antagonistic. It makes for an interesting scenario to see Marvel add a redemption arc for Kang at the end of the Multiverse saga. For now, fans will just have to see how Loki Season 2 unfolds and if the TV show will again have surprises during its finale.
