Description: With 'Avengers: Kang Dynasty' becoming 'Avengers: Doomsday,' what happens to the villain? We explore which story threads, characters, and multiverse rules will survive the transition to a Dr. Doom-centric plot.
The Great Marvel Shake-Up: What's Left of the 'Kang Dynasty'?
The entire landscape of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's future shifted when "Avengers: Kang Dynasty" was officially shelved in favor of a new title: "Avengers: Doomsday." This wasn't just a simple title change; it signals a fundamental pivot away from the villain who was painstakingly set up across multiple films and series. With a new (or perhaps, returning) villain in Doctor Doom rumored to be taking center stage, the central question for fans is no longer what will happen, but rather, what's left?
For years, audiences were told Kang was the next great threat. We saw him in Loki, we were warned about his variants, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ended with a terrifying post-credits scene revealing a literal stadium full of them: the Council of Kangs. Now, that entire narrative thread is seemingly being abandoned, leaving a massive vacuum.
Massive story elements, character introductions, and multiversal rules were being put in place for a Kang-centric saga. Do they all get thrown out, or will the new creative team build on that existing foundation? The answer may lie with the one writer who has been the architect of the multiverse all along: Michael Waldron. His return is the key to understanding how Marvel plans to navigate this complex transition without completely invalidating everything audiences have invested in.
The 'Multiverse Architect' Returns
Michael Waldron (the creative mind behind Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) has been confirmed to be working heavily on both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. This is, to put it mildly, the most significant clue we have. Waldron wasn't just a writer-for-hire; he essentially built the two pillars that the entire Multiverse Saga rests on:
The Time Variance Authority (TVA): Waldron didn't just introduce the TVA; he completely reinvented it. The Loki Season 2 finale elevated this concept from a temporal bureaucracy to the literal heart of the new multiverse. Loki is no longer a prisoner; he is the "God of Stories," a lonely god holding the branching timelines together in a new, tree-like structure. This isn't a side story; it's the new cosmic status quo. Will Doom see Loki as a threat, or as a power source to be usurped?
Incursions and Multiversal Logic: Multiverse of Madness was our first terrifying look at the consequences of multiversal travel: Incursions. This is the idea that universes can collide and destroy one another, a concept taken directly from the 2015 Secret Wars comic event. Waldron made this the central danger, and it's the literal engine that will drive the plot toward Secret Wars.
His return suggests that while the villain may be changing, the rules of the game are not. The new team, which now includes the Russo Brothers and Stephen McFeely (the minds behind Infinity War and Endgame), is likely bringing Waldron back to ensure continuity. This writing "supergroup" suggests a desire to blend Waldron's high-concept, sci-fi world-building with the grounded, character-driven stakes the Russos are famous for. He's the one who knows the "science" of this new reality, and his involvement is the key to figuring out what stays and what goes.
The Elephant in the Room: Will 'Doomsday' Even Say Kang's Name?
Let's start with the biggest question: How will the film address the villain who was supposed to be the next Thanos? The consensus is... it probably won't, at least not directly.
It's highly unlikely that the new films will dedicate significant time to resolving Kang's story. Instead, he may be relegated to a passing reference. We can almost picture a scene: a character like Scott Lang, who has direct experience with the villain, might try to warn the other heroes.
He might say, "Yeah, I fought this one guy, a variant... he controlled time, he was a huge threat, but I guess he's just gone."
Another character could then dismiss this, saying, "There have been many multiversal conquerors, but they all pale in comparison to the true threat." That threat, of course, would be Doctor Doom. The narrative will likely pivot hard, framing Kang as just one of many threats that have emerged, allowing Doom to take his place as the ultimate endgame-level villain.
But what about the Council of Kangs? The film can't just ignore that stadium of variants. The most logical (and terrifying) solution is that Doom's introduction will involve him solving the Kang problem himself. A cold open showing Doom single-handedly dismantling or pruning the entire Council of Kangs would instantly establish him as a far more dangerous, intelligent, and ruthless threat, effectively cleaning the slate while elevating the new big bad. This move would re-contextualize Kang not as the main disease, but as a symptom of the multiversal chaos—a chaos that only Doctor Doom, in his own mind, can cure.
What 'Kang Dynasty' Story Threads Will Survive?
This is where Waldron's involvement becomes critical. He laid track for a specific destination, and much of that track can still be used.
1. The TVA Will Be Central The Loki series is arguably the most successful and narratively important project of the entire Multiverse Saga. Its finale, with Loki as the new Yggdrasil, cannot be ignored. The TVA is the one organization that exists outside of time and has a complete view of the multiversal war. With Deadpool & Wolverine set to re-introduce the TVA to mainstream movie-goers, it's clear this is a core concept. Expect it to be either the new multiversal "Avengers HQ" where heroes gather, or, more likely, Doctor Doom's first strategic target. To control the multiverse, you must first control its loom.
2. Incursions and Multiverse Rules The core concept introduced in Multiverse of Madness—Incursions—is the literal mechanism for Secret Wars. This was always the plan, and it's not going anywhere. The idea that universes are colliding and destroying each other is the entire basis for Battleworld. Doomsday will be the film that accelerates this threat, likely showing us the "how" and "why" on a massive scale. This also provides Doom with a complex motivation. Instead of just wanting power, Doom may position himself as the only man smart enough to stop the Incursions, forcing the heroes into an impossible choice: side with a tyrant or face total annihilation.
3. Doctor Strange's Unfinished Business While Doctor Strange was conspicuously absent from the rumored "set chairs" announcements, his role becomes more critical, not less, in a Doom-centric story. Strange represents the mystical side of the universe, while Doom represents the dark, arrogant fusion of science and magic. This is one of the most iconic rivalries in all of Marvel Comics. His absence is easily explained: he's currently in the Dark Dimension with Clea, dealing with an Incursion. This isn't a side quest; it's his training ground. It's safe to assume his Kang Dynasty plot is being scrapped in favor of a far more personal and philosophical one where he is the primary mystical foil to Doctor Doom's plans.
What's Likely on the Cutting Room Floor?
With a new villain, some heroes and plotlines that were being set up may no longer fit the puzzle.
The Young Avengers? In a recent AMA, Michael Waldron mentioned a fun, scrapped pitch from the Kang Dynasty days: "The Young Avengers defeating a version of Kang... only to discover that that particular Kang carried a little card that said, 'Be patient with him. It's his first day.'" This is a fascinating reveal, not because it confirms the Young Avengers, but because it likely de-confirms them. The comic book logic for their inclusion was likely tied to Iron Lad, a young Kang variant who forms the team. With Kang gone, their primary narrative driver evaporates. Writers often share "scrapped" ideas precisely because they are no longer part of the plan. Expect the team to be saved for their own, more grounded project.
Moon Knight's Ancient Connection? Another popular theory was that Moon Knight would be essential to Kang Dynasty. His powers come from Khonshu, an Egyptian deity. This would have made him the perfect hero to fight the Kang variant known as Pharaoh Rama-Tut. With Rama-Tut and the Council of Kangs likely being removed from the story, Moon Knight's most logical entry point is gone. Doom's origins are Latverian, not Egyptian. Factoring in the high VFX cost of the character and his complex, unfinished personal story, it's very likely he'll be sitting this event out in favor of more central magic users like Strange.
Other Cosmic Loose Ends What about Tiamut, the giant Celestial sticking out of the Indian Ocean? Or the Eternals being kidnapped by Arishem? A sprawling, time-based Kang saga might have eventually addressed these cosmic-level plots. A more focused saga on Doom—a character intrinsically linked to Earth, magic, and the Fantastic Four—will almost certainly ignore these threads to keep the new narrative lean and focused.
The Final Mystery: Solving the Variant "Look-Alike" Problem
There's one lingering, confusing thread that Waldron is perfectly suited to tie up: why do some variants look identical (like Wanda and Doctor Strange), while others look completely different (like Loki)?
The films have been wildly inconsistent. The Loki series embraced variability—Alligator Loki, Classic Loki, Sylvie—while Multiverse of Madness showed us Stranges and Wandas who all looked identical to their 616 counterparts. This becomes a major narrative problem if the rumors of a major, well-known actor playing Doctor Doom are true.
Waldron may have been brought back to create a definitive, logical in-universe explanation. One popular theory is the idea of "Nexus Beings," cosmic constants who are fundamentally the same across most realities, with only minor deviations. Wanda, as the Scarlet Witch, is a prime candidate. Another idea is that a character's nature informs their variability; Loki, a god of mischief and a shapeshifter, is naturally going to have more chaotic and diverse variants. This "look-alike" question must be answered, as it allows the new films to introduce a new version of Doctor Doom—even one with a very familiar face—without confusing the audience or breaking immersion.
Conclusion: A New House on an Old Foundation
The transition from Kang Dynasty to Avengers: Doomsday is not a total teardown. It's more like a change in architecture. The foundation—the TVA, Incursions, and the rules of the multiverse that Michael Waldron built—is still solid.
The new creative team is simply building a different house on top of it; in this case, a dark, gothic fortress. While the specific plot involving Kang and his variants is likely gone for good, the world he was set to terrorize remains. And now, a new, and perhaps even more terrifying, villain is about to move in.
This pivot represents an upgrade in threat. Kang was a conqueror who wanted to rule time and history. Doctor Doom is a tyrant who believes he alone has the intellect and will to be God. Kang's motive was control; Doom's is a twisted, arrogant sense of order. The only question now is whether the heroes are prepared for a threat that combines terrifying intellect with dark, unknowable magic. Doctor Doom's arrival is imminent, and he won't be as easy to dismiss as "that other guy."
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