Kang is out, so what’s to become of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty? As we come to terms with the fact that Marvel Studios has ultimately let go of Jonathan Majors following his domestic violence trial going against him, our next thoughts for the franchise’s future concern the status of Avengers 5.

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With director Destin Daniel Cretton recently exiting the project, it might seem like the movie is in danger of being scrapped, but screenwriter Michael Waldron being brought on to revamp the script (he’s already writing Avengers: Secret Wars, aka Avengers 6) tells us Marvel isn’t going to let what could be its biggest moneymaker since Endgame vanish from its slate.

Of course, there remains the possibility that Kang may simply be recast and The Kang Dynasty could live on as is, but it certainly seems like the mantle of the Conqueror is a poisoned chalice at this point. It might be an idea, then, to revamp the film to be built around a different villain. Not a fresh one, though, as that’s too risky, but a familiar one. A fan-favorite who folks would not only love to see back on screen, but facing the full might of the Avengers.

Luckily, Marvel has already given itself the perfect contender.

What If…? season 2 already makes clear who should take over from Kang in Avengers 5

Releasing daily over Christmas week, What If…? season 2 could be even more ambitious than the first. As well as delivering nine vast, new realities, it’s also full of even more returning MCU stars reprising their roles in animation. e.g. Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer, Annette Bening as Mar-Vell, and, most notably, Cate Blanchett as Hela. Yes, you can probably guess where I’m going with this…

In Hela’s What If…? return, we meet an alternate variant of the Asgardian Goddess of Death who got her hands on Wenwu’s Ten Rings and is therefore more powerful than ever. Fans have been begging to see Hela return to the MCU ever since she became one of the most charismatic Marvel villains ever in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. Remember, there were even widespread theories that she was going to team up with Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.

Sadly, that didn’t happen, but now Marvel has the ultimate opportunity to revisit this fan theory and make it come true in Avengers 5. Imagine a new Hela variant from somewhere out there in the Multiverse getting introduced and serving as the Avengers’ main foe for that film. Blanchett is one of the biggest casting coups in the whole MCU, so she’s definitely strong enough to carry the much-anticipated crossover event. Even better, she’s clearly up for reprising her role whenever Marvel wants her.

But, you may be thinking, surely we need a surprising fresh face to really end the Multiverse Saga on a high? Well, sure. The conclusion of Avengers 5 would then reveal her secret partner in attempting to take over the multiverse and this individual would then become Secret Wars‘ big bad. Who this could be is up to Kevin Feige — although Doctor Doom is sitting right there — but if he’s stuck he can always ask Iman Vellani for help.

Secret Wars has got a lot going for it as it is, with all those anticipated multiversal cameos, but The Kang Dynasty Avengers 5 is the one that’s really in danger with Majors missing. So bringing back one of Marvel’s most popular, and currently criminally underused, bad guys for the occasion might just be a Hela-vah good idea.