Strip Talk #39: Kang Dynasty is over after Major MCU bag fumble

Kang the Conqueror wowed us. We were charmed. Foolishly, perhaps. But we were in. We saw the buildup and the follow through with Loki Season 1. We were primed for the Kang Dynasty. We gave Jonathan Majors his flowers and anticipated the greatness that would surely ensue because Majors ate and left no crumbs in the Loki Season 1 finale.
And then Majors fumbled the bag.

Somehow, some way Jonathan Majors — who left absolutely no piece of the scenery unchewed in his portrayal of the major villain Kang — managed to mess up Marvel money. Y’all, he was going to get Marvel MARVEL money, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the days of RDJ. He was supposed to be on the threat level of Thanos and make him look like Ronan the Accuser by comparison. How did he fumble this hefty bag? Well, by now, we all know that he was found guilty on a few counts of assault. That’s just it. He assaulted someone he used to date, and it didn’t fall in his favor.

The condemnation from Marvel was swift and merciless. Majors, my guy, you were out of the picture before your court case even finished, as evidenced by the throwaway line at the end of Loki Season 2, which you starred in. Read this again: They had you starring in a series that they wrote you out of in the coda with a throwaway line. Marvel already knew they were done with you before you knew they were done with you. The audience knew Marvel was done with you before you knew Marvel was done with you. An ignominious way to go, I’d wager.

I have so many questions: How do you fumble Marvel money, guy? You were literally about to be the face of a billion-dollar franchise. Your performance was hailed as powerful and a taste of things to come, highly anticipated and impossible to duplicate. All eyes were on you and what you would do next. And then you get into a he said, she said near brawl with your now-ex-girlfriend. You have now cost yourself millions, and your reputation is in tatters.

But back to the money for a second. The Marvel bag — as we so lovingly call it around these GI parts — was an assured pay day and come up. You were already lauded for Lovecraft Country. Marvel money is known for being life changing. Did you not understand that you could do whatever you wanted after this? Young, black, gifted, talented actor who caught folks’ eye just on your name alone, do you not realize how much you fumbled the bag and messed up? No, I don’t think you do because you’re still out here not taking accountability for your actions and still doing too much.

Marvel is never coming back and they’re right not to do so. You’ve done too much negative, and you’ve not been smart about things. You always, always, ALWAYS, take the money, shut up and keep your head down until the checks clear. You never mess up the truckload of money that Marvel intends to back up to your door. Just ask RDJ or his compatriot Terrence Howard. Whatever you do, don’t mess up the money with foolishness. You will not get a second chance. You will be replaced, the role cast with someone who doesn’t look anything like you and that will be that. You will watch that bag hopelessly slip through your fingers, and you’ll wonder what could have been as another young, black, gifted, talented actor steps into your role of a lifetime and secures the bag where you failed. And, yes, we know you’re sorry, champ. Or are you?

Lyndsey Beatty is editor-in-chief of Gaming Insurrection. She can be reached by email at lyndseyb@gaminginsurrection.com

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