Kang the Conqueror is one of the most dangerous threats in the Marvel Multiverse. His true name is Nathaniel Richards, and he originates from a far future where Earth was devastated by war with its own lunar colony. He has technology, scientific knowledge, and power that a mortal in the present day cannot begin to grasp.
Kang has waged war with the heroes of the modern era countless times, but he has most often clashed with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. He's even scored a few victories, and those instances have spelled the darkest hours for the heroes of Earth.
6 Saving His Future From The Proliferation Of Ultron
In an alternate future, Ultron wins by using a weapon that Iron Man designed to devastate Earth. Kang became aware of this version of Ultron and the potential of it to proliferate across the timelines and take over Kang's native reality. To stop this, Kang began amassing endless armies from across the Multiverse to defeat this Ultron, but none succeeded.
This destabilized the timestream and attracted the attention of the Avengers of Earth-616 (the mainstream Marvel Universe). They investigated the cause and ended up allying with Kang and the Next Avengers (children of the Avengers from this Ultron's timeline) to overthrow Ultron. To do so, they showed Ultron that he must lose, as continuing to fight Kang could potentially destroy the Multiverse--and that included Ultron himself. Ultron surrendered to Kang, and the timelines were restabilized.
5 Finally Winning The Love Of Ravonna Renslayer
Ravonna Renslayer is the one true love of Kang. She is born of royalty in Kang's native time, and Kang had tried for years to win her affections. He finally succeeded in doing so with the help of the Avengers and while fighting an army of revolting soldiers. Unfortunately, Ravonna was killed saving Kang from a rebelling soldier by the name of Baltag.
This was a bittersweet victory for Kang, and it led to a long and complicated history with Ravonna. She returned to Kang's life and became his princess at a later time, but she would later become the Terminatrix and betray Kang. Eventually, she would seem to die a final death when Immortus conquered and destroyed Chronopolis, Kang's kingdom in Limbo.
4 Saving His Future From Destruction At The Hands Of The Apocalypse Twins
The Apocalypse Twins are the two children of Archangel of the X-Men, and they are the heirs to the mantle of Apocalypse. However, Archangel was defeated and restored by X-Force, and Kang would take the Apocalypse Twins. Kang trained them to be his most deadly and brilliant soldiers, but they rebelled against him and destroyed his native timeline.
Kang would gather a team called the Chronos Corps from across the timelines, and they would wage war against the Apocalypse Twins alongside the Avengers Unity Divison. They succeeded in defeating the Twins, but Kang wanted more. He attempted to gain the energy from a Celestial wounded by the Apocalypse Twins, but the Avengers would stop him from doing this. Nevertheless, Kang won, and his native timeline was restored.
3 Conquering Earth With The Aid Of His Son, The Scarlet Centurion
Kang the Conqueror would one day return to the current time period with a powerful army outfitted with advanced technology and conquer modern Earth. He did so with the help of his son Marcus, who had taken the name Scarlet Centurion.
In doing so, Kang finally defeated the Avengers and forced the governments of the world to come to heel. This is one of Kang's greatest and most thorough victories, but it's also one of his most short-lived ones. Marcus had grown to like Carol Danvers, then using the codename Warbird, of the Avengers. He freed her, which led to the Avengers rallying and coming back to beat Kang. He repaid his son for this treachery with death.
2 Helping Thanos And Adam Warlock Defeat An Omnipotent Future Version Of Thanos
In Jim Starlin's Thanos-centric Infinity graphic novels (namely the Infinity Siblings and Infinity Ending), Kang saw a vision of an omnipotent Thanos battling an entity called the Hunger. In the end, the Hunger still killed Thanos and ended all of reality.
This led to an adventure upon which Kang sought the aid of Starfox, Adam Warlock, and Pip the Troll. They challenged the omnipotent Thanos to stop the future Kang saw from coming to pass. The future Thanos had the help of the present Thanos under his thrall, but Kang and Warlock were able to free the present Thanos. The trio went onto defeat the future Thanos and prevent the apocalypse that could be brought about by the Hunger.
1 Defeating His Alternate Self During Avengers Forever
Immortus, a future version of Kang the Conqueror, had resolved to kill Rick Jones, a longtime friend to the Avengers. Rick was possessed by the Destiny Force, powerful energy that Immortus saw as a threat. Kang protected Rick, and this led to a war between Kang and Immortus. Rick summoned Avengers from across the timestream, and they helped Kang fight Immortus, who was being used as a pawn by the Time-Keepers.
In the end, Kang and Rick Jones won this conflict, breaking the cycle of destiny that would lead Kang to become Immortus. This also led to the downfall of the Time-Keepers, who were killed by Kang himself. All of this came to pass in Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco's legendary Avengers Forever story.
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