The world was introduced to the double-chinned twenty-something a year and a half ago when he was heralded as the ailing Kim Jong Il’s heir apparent, standing on a dais before massed throngs at the first “Worker’s Party Conference” held by Pyongyang in 30 years. Little is known about Jong Un. The North Korean dictator’s third and youngest son, Jong Un was considered Jong Il’s favorite, dubbed “Morning Star King” by a doting mother. According to reports, he attended a Swiss boarding school before finishing his education in North Korean military academies. Jong Un now stands poised to take up the mantle of the Great Leader, but shadows lurk: few can divine whether the portly princeling may be able to build up the same cult of personality that still surrounds his father and grandfather, Kim Il Sung — a man whom he is said to resemble. He may also face challenges to his fledgling authority from rival generals and officials within the regime.
After Kim Jong Il: A Look at the Kim Family Tree
The heavy-jowled Kim Jong Un looks poised to succeed his father. But he was not always the most likely: TIME looks at those in the Kim clan who may have had (or still possess) designs on the Hermit Kingdom's top job.