Multiverse Of Madness Might Have Provided The Secret To Defeating Kang

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania!The secret to defeating Kang the Conqueror in the MCU might have already been revealed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. After the ending of the Infinity Saga, Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror replaced Thanos as the MCU’s overarching villain, posing an even greater threat to Marvel’s heroes in the Multiverse Saga, as Kang has the power to obliterate entire realities. Phase 4 teased the introduction of Kang the Conqueror, particularly with the debut of He Who Remains, a Kang variant, in Loki, but Phase 5 kicked off by showing Kang the Conqueror in full force during Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

The post-credits scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania debuted hundreds of Kang the Conqueror’s variants in the MCU, setting him up to be an almost unbeatable enemy for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. While Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne were able to contain the threat of Kang to the Quantum Realm, upcoming MCU projects in Phase 5 and beyond are set to see Kang’s variants gain more power and spread out in a variety of MCU adventures. However, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness might have already revealed how Kang the Conqueror can be defeated, thanks to the incredible power of the Scarlet Witch.

Related: Scarlet Witch Is Marvel Phase 6’s Biggest Threat… To Kang

How Did The Scarlet Witch Destroy The Darkhold In Multiverse Of Madness

WandaVIsion, the first project of the MCU’s Phase 4, saw Wanda Maximoff realize her full potential as the Scarlet Witch, and take possession of the sinister Darkhold, the MCU’s Book of the Damned. This storyline continued into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, during which the Scarlet Witch scoured the multiverse in order to find the sons that she created in her Westview Hex, though Doctor Strange and America Chavez were able to convince her to cease her rampage. After being confronted by her own variant in Earth-838, Wanda proceeds to destroy her altar in Mount Wundagore, along with every copy of the Darkhold throughout the multiverse.

This imperceptible level of power hadn’t been seen in the MCU until Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, though the Scarlet Witch had previously been suggested to be among the most powerful characters in Marvel Studios’ roster. Prior to her dream-walking and destruction of the Darkhold, Wanda’s power had only been glimpsed briefly, especially in moments which could have seen her tear Thanos to shreds, or her installment of the Hex around Westview. The fact that she was able to destroy every copy of the MCU’s Darkhold in every reality of the multiverse could be linked to her status as the 616-universe’s Nexus being.

In Marvel lore, a Nexus being is an individual who has the ability to affect probability, and therefore can change future events and alter the timeline significantly. Only one Nexus being occupies a given reality at any time, and Wanda Maximoff is the Nexus being for the 616-universe, the MCU’s main reality. This means that she has a remarkable amount of power that could allow her to reach throughout the multiverse and destroy every copy of the Darkhold with ease, though this apparently also led to her demise as Mount Wundagore, the site of the original Darkhold texts, crumbled down on top of her.

The Scarlet Witch Could Wipe Out Kang The Conqueror (If She Returns)

Despite seemingly dying in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a well-timed flash of red energy as Mount Wundagore collapsed has led many to speculate that the Scarlet Witch could soon return to the MCU. Elizabeth Olsen herself has even contributed to the conversation, suggesting that Wanda deserves a redemption story after descending into villainy in the MCU’s Phase 4. With projects such as WandaVision spinoffs, Agatha: Coven of Chaos and Vision Quest, and the supernatural-themed Blade, among others, on the horizon, the Scarlet Witch could have plenty of opportunities to return to the MCU.

If Wanda Maximoff returns to join in the battle against Kang the Conqueror during Phase 6’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, the Scarlet Witch might be the best candidate to take on the multiversal villain single-handedly. The Scarlet Witch’s status as a Nexus being makes her unimaginably powerful compared to Marvel Studios’ other superheroes. The fact that she has already used her power in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to destroy the Darkhold in every reality across the multiverse means that the same idea could be applied to Kang the Conqueror and his variants.

Kang the Conqueror’s ability to travel throughout time means that he and his hundreds of variants exist in multiple timelines throughout the multiverse. This was glimpsed in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s post-credits scenes, which introduced the Council of Kangs to the MCU, including the likes of Immortus, Rama-Tut, and Victor Timely. This means that Kang will be a very difficult enemy to defeat, but since the Scarlet Witch has already destroyed copies of one object across the entire multiverse, it’s possible she could use this trick to defeat the variants of Kang the Conqueror across the multiverse too.

Wanda Defeating Kang Would Be The Perfect Redemption Story

Wanda has had a rough go of it since her debut in Phase 2’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, losing her parents, brother, home, freedom after Captain America: Civil War, and Vision in Avengers: Infinity War. Her tumultuous life certainly contributed to her questionable actions during the MCU’s Phase 4, which saw her imprison the residents of a small New Jersey town in a makeshift reality. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness saw her fully embrace her life as a villain, terrorizing America Chavez throughout the multiverse, and decimating the members of Earth-838’s Illuminati team, before finally realizing the error of her ways.

Before her descent into darkness, Wanda was one of the most beloved characters in Marvel Studios’ shared universe, meaning many are desperate for Olsen to reprise the role of the Scarlet Witch in future MCU projects, which could see her once again side with the Avengers in a redemption story. There may be no better way for Wanda to redeem herself than to defeat Kang the Conqueror and save the multiverse from total destruction. Her importance to future MCU storylines, particularly those featuring mutants, means that she must be returning to the MCU soon, and taking down Kang would be the best way for her to prove her good intentions.

Why Kang May Be Immune To This Wanda Strategy

Unfortunately, it might be so easy to kill Kang the Conqueror, as he too has recently been revealed to be a Nexus being. This means that his power might be too great for even the Scarlet Witch, and that’s assuming that she returns to the MCU at all, since nothing has yet been confirmed by Olsen or Marvel Studios. It seemed as though Ant-Man and the Wasp were able to defeat the Quantum Realm’s Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but recent speculation suggests that he isn’t actually dead, meaning he might be even more powerful than anybody realized.

There was no mention of Kang the Conqueror being a Nexus being during Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but it’s possible that the Scarlet Witch’s power might have little affect on the Multiverse Saga’s villain, or at least could be an even match. While this might set the stage for an epic battle between the pair, it will probably take more than just the Scarlet Witch to take down Kang across the multiverse. While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness might have set the stage for the Scarlet Witch’s eventual return, she’ll need the help of other heroes to take on Kang the Conqueror in the MCU’s Phase 6.