How Kang Got His Scars (MCU & Comics)

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania introduced Kang the Conqueror and many Kang variants to the MCU, fit with facial scars that carry a deeper meaning.

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania!

Kang the Conqueror’s facial scars in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania carry a hidden deeper meaning in Marvel Comics. While Loki debuted Kang in the MCU in the form of He Who Remains, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania saw the introduction of the main Conqueror variant, revealed to have been exiled in the Quantum Realm by the Council of Kangs. As the nefarious ruler of the Quantum Realm, Jonathan Majors reprises his role as the Multiverse Saga’s major villain, portraying a very different version of Kang from his previous stint in Loki, now donning the comic-accurate green-and-purple suit of armor and sporting mysterious scars over each of his eyes.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania marks the first time that Majors has portrayed the Conqueror variant of Kang, though the mid-credits scene also shows him portraying various other incarnations of the iconic supervillain. Most variants of Kang have scars in the shape of two lines down their faces, directly over their eyes, and while variants such as He Who Remains and Victor Timely don’t have these scars, it’s likely that these marks have a deeper meaning to Kang the Conqueror. The answer is in the pages of Marvel Comics, as Kang’s scars are explained in 2021’s issue of Kang the Conqueror #1.

Related: When Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania Is Set In The MCU Timeline

Kang’s “Scars” In Marvel Comics Are Tribal Face Markings

Kang the Conqueror #1 features a Kang taking his younger self, still known as Nathaniel Richards, into the prehistoric era in order to train him to become the Conqueror. There, Richards gets caught in a whirlwind romance with a prehistoric woman, Adi, whom he saves from a Tyrannosaurus Rex attack. To honor Richards for saving Adi’s life, her tribal elders paint two blue lines down his face, reminiscent of his future self’s scarring. Angered, the powerful Kang the Conqueror decimated the tribe and killed Adi, hoping to ignite Richards’ darker side, but instead perhaps sealed his own fate as Kang potentially scarred himself so that he’d never forget his roots.

Did Kang Scar Himself In The MCU Or Are They From Battle?

In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Kang the Conqueror’s scars aren’t explained, and though it’s possible that Kang’s backstory will be explored in future MCU projects, there’s still a huge amount of mystery surrounding the villain. If Kang’s MCU origins are the same as in the comics, it’s possible that Kang scarred himself after removing the blue paint as a mark of remembrance and a way to honor his history. Kang’s scarring in Quantumania does look almost surgical, so he perhaps implanted technology underneath his skin that would allow his eyes to glow blue when donning his mask or enabling him to keep a neural link with his Multiverse-traveling vessel.

On the other hand, Kang the Conqueror’s costume in Quantumania is revealed to have granted him some incredible abilities that have allowed him to wreak havoc across multiple timelines before even entering the Quantum Realm, so it’s possible that his scarring is simply battle scars from his years of operating as the Conqueror. During Kang’s final battle with Scott Lang, further scarring can be seen on his arms, so his facial scars could simply be marks his years of conquest across the Multiverse. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is only the beginning for Kang and his variants, as his story will continue to unravel in upcoming MCU projects.

More: New Kang Update Makes A Terrifying Connection To WandaVision & Loki