The Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading toward one of its most ambitious chapters yet with ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, a film that’s already rewriting the course of the Multiverse Saga. With Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom, the MCU is reshaping entirely.
However, beneath all this change lies a fascinating glimpse into what could have been. Thanks to a recent revelation by writer Michael Waldron, we now know which heroes were originally supposed to defeat Kang the Conqueror.
The Young Avengers Were Going To Beat A Kang Variant
In a recent Reddit AMA, Michael Waldron, who was previously attached to ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ before it was retooled into ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, shared an intriguing piece of lost Marvel history. According to Waldron, he and fellow writer Jeff Loveness had once pitched a story that saw the Young Avengers take down a variant of Kang. Their pitch revolved around a lighthearted but clever twist.
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The young heroes, including Ms. Marvel, Kate Bishop, and Cassie Lang, would triumphantly defeat a Kang variant, celebrating what they believed was a major victory. However, their excitement would be short-lived when they discovered a small card on the defeated villain that read: “Please be patient with me, it’s my first day as a Kang.” It was the kind of punchline that balanced humor and heartbreak. So, classic Marvel storytelling at its best.
Waldron even mentioned that the variant they beat might have been the Lizard Kang briefly shown in the Council of Kangs scene during ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’. That idea never made it to production. And even though ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ was scrapped following Jonathan Majors’ exit from the MCU, Waldron’s concept reveals how close we were to seeing the Young Avengers step into the spotlight in a meaningful way. More importantly, it gives us a clue about what the MCU might still do.
How The Storyline Could Still Save The Multiverse Saga
Let’s be honest, Kang’s story in the MCU has been messy. ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ introduced him as the next big threat, but his supposed demise in that film, followed by Jonathan Majors’ firing, left a gaping hole in Marvel’s grand narrative. The shift to Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom makes sense from a creative and business standpoint, as Downey’s return will reignite fan enthusiasm. However, the Kang storyline still deserves a proper conclusion.
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That’s where Waldron’s old idea could come in handy. Instead of an inexperienced Kang, imagine if the Young Avengers actually faced the prime version of Kang the Conqueror in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. A brief but powerful battle at the film’s beginning could wrap up Kang’s lingering arc, symbolically passing the torch to a new generation of heroes while clearing the stage for Doctor Doom’s reign of terror. Such a moment would accomplish multiple things at once.
It would give closure to the Kang plotline that’s been built up since Loki Season. It would also establish the Young Avengers as a capable and unified team ready to lead future MCU projects. And most importantly, it would restore faith in Marvel’s ability to weave satisfying payoffs into its larger universe. After years of uneven reception to Phase 4 and early Phase 5 projects, fans are craving a return to form. And it would make sense narratively, too.
