The MCU Has the Perfect Way to Resolve Its Kang Storyline (and Introduce Doctor Doom)

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Avengers: Doomsday will mark the first in the epic two-part finale to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Multiverse Saga. Set to hit theaters on May 1, 2026, Doomsday will lead directly into the events of Avengers: Secret Wars, with both films following Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as they battle a new threat in Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. While audiences are hesitant about certain aspects of the upcoming films, including Downey’s casting, the Russo Brothers’ long-awaited return as directors should quell any doubts that Doomsday and Secret Wars can live up to Infinity War and Endgame.

Fans are finally starting to learn more about the Multiverse Saga finale as they hear more and more casting news about Avengers: Doomsday.However, Marvel still has yet to reveal how it plans to wrap up one of its most annoying lingering plot threads. It is no secret that the Multiverse Saga had to take a hard pivot after Marvel fired Jonathan Majors, who played Kang the Conqueror and several of his variants in multiple MCU projects. Kang was initially planned to be the main villain of the ongoing saga, with Avengers 5 originally titled The Kang Dynasty. Although Marvel has pivoted to focus on Doctor Doom, it still has to deal with the lingering existence of Kang the Conqueror and the Council of Kangs. Thankfully, the MCU has the perfect way to deal with the surviving Kang variants–and it involves borrowing a key trick the franchise has used before.

Doctor Doom Needs to Kill the Council of Kangs

The Multiverse Saga’s Main Villain Needs to Kill His Predecessors

Despite Marvel firing Jonathan Majors in 2023, Kang could return to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday, but not necessarily in the way that fans expect. While Kang the Conqueror and his many multiversal variants were originally slated to act as the main antagonists of the Multiverse Saga, Doomsday can realign their roles to help set up Doctor Doom as a major threat to the Avengers. Regardless of its story, the upcoming fifth Avengers film needs to address the Kang variants’ fates if only to appease fans who have questions about their status post-Quantumania. As such, Marvel should at least use this dangling plot thread to its benefit, serving both the story and viewers who want to know more about Kang’s fate. The MCU can do this by featuring an epic opening scene in Avengers: Doomsday that features Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom brutally killing the Council of Kangs.

This is the best way for Marvel to write Kang out of the MCU, as it permanently erases any lingering questions about the character and his variants, leaving more room for Doom to shine in the Multiverse Saga finale. Audiences would love an epic opening sequence featuring Doctor Doom arriving in the strange arena seen in Quantumania‘s post-credits scene, where he wreaks havoc on the Kang variants who aren’t prepared for his strength. One by one, each Kang variant would fall, including Rama-Tut, Immortus, and the Scarlet Centurion, who seem to be leaders of the council. With the Kangs defeated, the MCU would have one fewer loose end and Doctor Doom would have made an excellent introduction as the next big bad.

The Council of Kang’s Destruction Would Mirror a Key Infinity War Scene

Thanos Killed Loki In the Opening of Avengers: Infinity War

Having Doctor Doom murder the Council of Kangs in Avengers: Doomsday would harken back to Avengers: Infinity War‘s unforgettable opening scene. In the opening sequence of the third Avengers film, the Mad Titan Thanos finally gets in on the action when he and the Black Order attack the Statesman, a refugee vessel carrying the surviving Asgardians as they flee the destruction of their homeworld after the events of Thor: Ragnarok. Although Thor, Hulk, Heimdall, and more try to defend the Asgardians from Thanos and his minions, they are all defeated, leaving only Loki to use his trickery to protect his loved ones. Loki attempts to assassinate Thanos after pledging him his “undying fidelity,” only for the Mad Titan to call his bluff. Thanos then brutally murders Loki by choking him to death with the Infinity Gauntlet, killing one of the MCU’s most iconic villains.

Infinity War‘s opening scene established Thanos as the MCU’s most dangerous new villain. Loki was the first villain that the Avengers fought, teaming up to defeat the Norse god of mischief during the events of 2012’s The Avengers. Although he had adopted an antihero role in later films, Loki was still fondly remembered as one of the more compelling antagonists in the MCU. By having Thanos murder Loki in Infinity War‘s first scene, Marvel showed just how powerful he was–and the massive threat that he would pose to the Avengers. Similarly, Doctor Doom killing the Council of Kangs would mirror this storytelling trick. By killing the Council of Kangs, Doctor Doom would establish himself as a threat worthy of fighting the Avengers.

Doctor Doom Needs to Be a Major Threat

Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom Needs to Feel Like a Real Threat to the Avengers

Audiences need to fear Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. As the main antagonist of the Multiverse Saga, Doom is one character that Marvel can’t afford to misuse. Unfortunately, every live-action depiction of the character so far has been extremely disappointing, especially to fans of the comics. Julian McMahon’s Doctor Doom in the Fantastic Four movies of the early 2000s never felt like a real threat to the main superheroes. Toby Kebbell’s Doctor Doom in 2015’s Fantastic Four was even worse, possessing almost none of the qualities that fans love about the supervillain in the comics. The MCU therefore has a more pressing need to get Doctor Doom right. The best way to do so is to showcase the extent of his powers and establish Doom as one of the strongest supervillains in the universe.

Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom has already received plenty of pushback from some fans who would have preferred if the MCU had cast a new actor in the role. Marvel can quell any lingering dissension about Downey’s casting by making him one of the strongest, most terrifying villains to ever appear in a superhero movie. The systematic killing of the Council of Kangs would go a long way in doing just that, showcasing Doctor Doom’s incredible might before he even meets the Avengers. This would be a quick and efficient way of setting up Doom’s story for the rest of the movie–while also eliminating an annoying plot thread that continues to bother fans.

“}]] The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a massive plot hole to deal with after its Council of Kangs cliffhanger–but it has the perfect way to fix it.  Read More