Kang the Conqueror has been a fierce foe of the Avengers for a long time. Obsessed with overpowering his myriad of enemies throughout endless time periods, the megalomaniac has very rarely been portrayed in a sympathetic or relatable way. But this all changed when Kang landed his own mini-series, which delved into the tragic origin of his signature mask.
Released in 2021, Kang the Conqueror #1 (by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Carlos Magno) had the titular villain attempt to train his younger self in the ways of villainy. The sentimentality of the young Nathaniel Richards not only angered Kang, but it also led to a short-lived romance that would shape his identity going forward.
Past and Future Collide in Marvel's Kang the Conqueror Series
Kang the Conqueror #1 opened with a spotlight on young Nathaniel Richards from the 31st century, who was bored in his time period and the relative ease he experienced there. He consequently traveled outside his cozy confines, and discovered long-abandoned ruins that were guarded by a Doombot. He was saved from the robot's assault by Kang the Conqueror, his future incarnation, who subsequently took the boy under his wing.
The pair traveled back to prehistoric times, where Kang hoped to impart his cynical, misanthropic views to his wide-eyed counterpart. Of the rules the elder attempted to instill in his younger self, the refusal to ever fall in love was the most important. Though he initially aimed to follow his teacher's demands, Nathaniel fell head over heels for a primitive woman named Adi. After saving her from a ravenous T-Rex, Nathaniel was blessed with two blue lines on his face by her tribal elder.
The Emotional Clash Between Kang and Nathaniel Richards
Nathaniel inevitably spent more and more time with Adi and her tribe. Together, they reveled and partied, celebrating life and all its pleasures. Nathaniel eventually returned to Kang, having taken off without alerting him beforehand when he saved Adi. Hoping to share some of his happiness with his teacher, Nathaniel was shocked to find that Kang was incredibly angered by his actions and demeanor.
Kang stated that Nathaniel had grown soft and forgotten all the lessons that he attempted to teach him. This caused Nathaniel to lash out, having grown tired of his older self's cynicism. Kang retaliated by striking Nathaniel and rejecting Adi and her people, just as meteors began to bombard their home.
Marvel Gave Kang the Conqueror's Mask New Meaning
While this marked the end of Nathaniel's young love, this incident also formed a major part of Kang's life. Although Nathaniel Richards eventually wiped the blue markings off of his face, Kang added them to the mask he's worn for the remainder of his supervillain career. Although this issue didn't explain whether it's a tribute or a brutal reminder of his failed romance, this experience clearly left a lasting impression on the time-traveling villain.
Despite his appetite for conquest, Kang has always been a romantic at heart. As this issue shows, a yearning for adventure sent him on a quest through time that taught him what may have been his most valuable lesson concerning life, love, and loss.