The cataclysmic bomb that was Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania didn’t give the Marvel Cinematic Universe the leg up it might’ve hoped for. One good thing that did come out of it, however, was the introduction of Jonathan Major’s character Kang the Conqueror.
In the movie, Kang is presented as a multiversal time-traveling ruler who destroys entire timelines with as much speed and efficiency as, say, Thonos’ snap. After capturing Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), Kang informs the tiny Avenger that this isn’t even the first he’s come face to face with a member of Earth’s mightiest heroes.
In fact, Kang’s multiversal conquest has seen him kill countless Avengers in his lifetime (most frequently Thor, evidently, since that is who he mistook Scott for). That Kang’s comment — “You’re an Avenger? Have I killed you before?” — is offered without fanfare speaks volumes to the level of this villain’s power.
Marvel fans on Reddit are now returning to Kang’s comment and pondering whether it implies he’s also encountered Thanos in his multiversal travels. More importantly, they’re wondering whether he has killed Thanos before.
As one fan puts it, pitting Kang against Thanos is like asking whether Batman or Superman would win in a fight. As we know, physical combat skills and the right technology can do wonders. If he had time to prepare, Kang could win. If not, well, snap you go.
Another fan says “it’s pretty much guaranteed” that Kang has killed Thanos at some point in time, and even claims Thanos is a “whole class below Kang,” which we have to admit does match up to what the director of Quantumania said.
If we want to get really specific, this Marvel fan says all we have to do is return to episode five of Loki season one, in which a Thanos-Copter Easter egg appears in the background of The Void. The Thanos-Copter was famously used by Thanos in the Marvel comic and subtly (but not completely) implies that the titan fell victim to Kang at some point.
The real issue here, and the reason why so many people are asking this question, is Kang’s (presumed) death at the end of Quantumania.
Kang’s demise at the end of the movie inarguably tarnishes the madman’s reputation. Should Marvel wish to elevate Kang’s abilities in the eyes of the MCU fans, the cleverest tactic might be to outright confirm that he has indeed killed Thanos in another timeline.
Someone who’s killed the last big bad of the MCU is no one to be trifled with, to be sure. But right now, Kang is just someone who got stampeded by a swarm of ants. (Still not over it.)