The Savage Avengers have spent months battling the evil wizard Kulan Gath across the globe and through time. With the help of the likes of Doctor Doom and Kang the Conqueror, the heroes have even ended Gath’s reign of terror on Earth.
Most surprisingly of all, Conan of Cimmeria and Kang took it upon themselves to ensure the threat of Kulan Gath would never rise again. However, doing so gave Kang the insight he needed to decide Conan is far too dangerous to be left alive.
Conan Is Kang the Conqueror’s Biggest Threat Across Time
After destroying Kulan Gath in the present, with the help of Shuma Gorath, the Savage Avengers found themselves at an impasse. Conan, Kang and Doom were in agreement that the ancient wizard, who had recovered from death time and again, wasn’t a threat they could continue to oppose. Conan and Kang quickly made their way to the Hyborian Age for a confrontation with the boy who would become their greatest nemesis.
Thankfully, the Cimmerian assumed the task of training the young Kulan Gath in the ways of the blade rather than those of the mystic arts, averting the darkest of fates in the process. It’s certainly one of the most astounding victories seen by any of the Savage Avengers, let alone Conan. It’s also all the proof Kang requires to decide to end the Conan’s life on the spot.
As Kang the Conqueror explains in Savage Avengers #28, by Gerry Duggan, Patch Zircher, Java Tartaglia, and VC’s Travis Lanham, his biggest competition at the end of the world was none other than Conan. As such, the Cimmerian has become a threat to Kang’s rule, whether he realizes it yet or not. Kang even tells Conan about the futures he has foreseen for the Hyborian Age hero, from that of a cosmic Nova Corpsman to that of an immortal warrior. The time-traveling despot might claim he has merely “noticed” Conan, and not that he possesses any fear of him. However, the lie is so thinly veiled that Kang immediately retreats once he’s been disarmed.
Kang’s Rivalry With Conan Will Never End
Conan’s accomplishments during his recent stay in the present-day Marvel Universe are nothing short of incredible. Of course, so are the heights to which he rose in the Hyborian Age, as seen in King Conan, by Jason Aaron and Mahmud Asrar. The story of how Conan won and lost his crown is far from over, but the impact of his reign is nevertheless felt by Kang thousands of years later.
Deep in his stronghold, Kang keeps the swords, crown and accouterments of King Conan as trophies. However, possession of those items doesn’t mean their rivalry has been settled. Much like how Conan contacted Kang through the centuries when he was first called upon to help battle Kulan Gath, the Cimmerian has etched a warning for the time traveler to find.
With that, the call is answered, and Kang returns Conan to the present as we know it. Kang obviously sees this as another chance to prove himself as something greater than his barbaric competition. In fact, he’s likely to be setting up a version of the same futures he saw for Conan. That sort of endless need to uphold his own ego has been Kang’s downfall plenty of times before, and the odds of that happening again are probably not in his favor.
Assuming Kang takes Conan’s advice and stays out of the Cimmerian’s way, he might not have that much to worry about in that regard. Then again, Kang has never been one to pass up an opportunity to prove how great he is. Conan shares that same competitive spirit, although not to the same sort of detriment. No matter what powers or technology he employs, Kang will never outmatch his greatest rival on his own. For both of their sakes, here’s hoping Kang doesn’t try and prove that assessment wrong anytime soon.
