Rama-Tut Is Secretly Kang and ‘X-Men ’97’ Just Revived the MCU’s Most Notorious Scrapped Storyline
‘X-Men ’97‘ has never been shy about tugging on threads connected to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Season 2 just pulled on one of the biggest threads of all. Buried inside the two part ‘Rise of Apocalypse’ storyline is a villain fans thought Marvel had quietly buried for good.
That villain is Kang the Conqueror, and his return comes through a version of the character most casual viewers have never heard of, wrapped inside a mystery that connects directly to Apocalypse’s own origin story.
The ‘X-Men ’97’ Kang Twist Nobody Saw Coming
The threat in ‘Rise of Apocalypse’ initially looks like it belongs entirely to En Sabah Nur, the ancient outcast who eventually becomes Apocalypse. Instead, the true antagonist of the story turns out to be Rama-Tut, a warlord from the future who traveled back in time to conquer Ancient Egypt.
In the comics, Rama-Tut actually searches for En Sabah Nur hoping the world’s first mutant will become his heir. That connective tissue is exactly why the character fits so naturally into Apocalypse’s origin story on the show.
When Professor Xavier demands Rama-Tut identify himself, the villain answers by listing off several names, including Nathaniel, Kang, and Victor, before admitting that finding one’s self can be confusing. Then, in case anyone missed the reference, Rama-Tut puts on the same distinctive purple mask associated with Kang the Conqueror.
This is only the second time a version of Kang has shown up across the shared continuity of ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ and ‘X-Men ’97,’ following a four part storyline from 1995 that introduced the Immortus variant of the character.
Why This Storyline Was Abandoned by the MCU in the First Place
Kang was originally supposed to be the connective villain of the entire Multiverse Saga, first seeded in Loki Season 1 before making his full debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania, ahead of a planned starring role in ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’. Jonathan Majors played Kang, Rama-Tut, Immortus, and several other variants across those projects.
Those plans fell apart after Majors was found guilty of misdemeanor assault and harassment in December 2023, and Marvel ended its association with the actor shortly after. ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ was officially cancelled in 2024, with Marvel shifting its focus toward Avengers Doomsday instead.
Robert Downey Jr. will now return to the MCU this December as Doctor Doom, the new central villain of the Multiverse Saga, and the film that was once meant to spotlight a Council of Kangs will instead focus on Doom. Marvel ultimately chose not to recast Kang for live action, effectively dropping the character from the franchise’s broader plans altogether.
How X-Men ’97 Recast Kang the Conqueror After Jonathan Majors
Rather than reusing Majors’ voice or likeness, ‘X-Men ’97’ Season 2 brings in Star Trek veteran John de Lancie to voice this version of Kang. De Lancie is best known for playing Q across multiple Star Trek series, including The Next Generation, Picard, and Strange New Worlds.
The animated Rama-Tut also looks nothing like Majors’ live action version from the Quantumania post credits scene.
Instead of the purple and black armor associated with that modern warlord design, this Rama-Tut wears a green helmet and cape pulled directly from the character’s classic comic book look.
That deliberate visual pivot appears designed to distance the animated side of Marvel from the live action controversy while still honoring the character’s comic roots. It is a clever bit of course correction, letting the studio salvage a storyline that once seemed permanently shelved.
What This Means for Kang’s Future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
‘X-Men ’97’ returned for its second season on July 1, 2026, with a three episode premiere on Disney+, and the remaining episodes will roll out weekly leading into an August 12 season finale. Marvel has not confirmed whether any version of Kang will factor into Avengers Doomsday’s lineup at all.
Some reporting suggests the door may now be open for Kang to return in some form beyond Majors, especially since the MCU has been fairly loose about what actually defines a variant, casting different actors as different versions of the same core character. With the X-Men set to become a major part of the MCU’s plans after Avengers Secret Wars, there is speculation that Rama-Tut specifically could still tie into a future live action take on Apocalypse’s origin.
Whether or not Kang ever gets a real second chance in live action, ‘X-Men ’97’ has proven that Marvel can quietly rescue a storyline everyone assumed was dead. Do you think Rama-Tut’s redemption arc on ‘X-Men ’97’ should convince Marvel Studios to bring some version of Kang back into live action after Avengers Doomsday?
