Kang’s powers of disintegration and bodily control aren’t exactly new threats to the MCU. However, the appeal of Kang as an on-screen character doesn’t have to do with the powers he wields — instead, it’s about how he handles the burdens they provide him. See, in addition to his standard abilities, he can also see every timeline across the multiverse, and the constant disappointment he sees across them has seemingly forced him to fix it. This involves wiping entire civilizations and universes off the map, but to him, it’s a small price to pay for salvation.
There is a part of Majors’ performance that makes viewers wonder if he is actually sorrowful for the mass murders he’s committed. Despite the truly horrific things he has done, Majors carries a sadness in his demeanor and delivery that will make you second-guess your perception of him. Kang’s dialogue doesn’t do that on its own — it is almost entirely how Majors presents it that makes the character so interesting and compelling to watch. Through subtle touches and inflections, he makes Kang his own in a way that would not have been possible with an actor that just stuck to the script. Without him, “Quantumania” falls apart at the seams.
Thankfully, if those post-credit scenes are anything to go by, Majors’ Kang isn’t going anywhere. And thank goodness for that.
“Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” is now playing in theaters.