The relationship between Brahmanism and Buddhism has been and still is a most stimulating subject. Considering its complexity, it does not come as a surprise that scholars have so far dealt with it by applying different, often antithetic methodological approaches and attitudes of mind. The question of the “borrowing” of Brahmanical deities by the Buddhist theistic system (or of their “alternative life” within this system) is one of the major issues of the scholarly debate. On this occasion, it will be addressed from an iconographic viewpoint, with the main focus on the Brahmanical god Skanda/Kārttikeya, a multifaceted and metamorphic god in its own original milieu. Formerly a demon, later on promoted to divine rank, Skanda plays a role in Buddhism as well. An analysis of the diverse iconographic contexts in which his depictions occur, from Gandhāra to Central Asia, offers interesting clues to an explanation of his presence in the Buddhist pantheon.