Top 10 Most HATED Marvel Moments

Top 10 Most HATED Marvel Moments

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most controversial moments across Marvel. We’ll be getting into spoilers for various Marvel films and tv shows so consider this your warning!

#10: All the Unnecessary Deaths of Major Characters

“X-Men: The Last Stand” (2007)

It’s not hard to see why this is one of the least liked “X-Men” films. But just in case you need a refresher as to why “Last Stand” is so poorly received just look at how it treats its characters. At multiple points we see established fan favorites get unceremoniously taken down. Standouts like Professor X and Jean Grey meet their end, but the one that arguably stings the most is Cyclops. He’s killed pretty early into the movie by Jean Grey when the Dark Phoenix takes her over. Cyclops is one of the most important X-Men members and to have him get jobbed out like this along with so many other icons is a deep wound that X-Men fanatics still can’t get over.

#9: The Entire Ending

“Madame Web” (2024)

When it comes to the ending of “Madame Web” it’s the cherry on top of an already terrible product. In it, Cassie gives an incredibly wooden monologue to her new crew of plucky proteges. She says some inspired lines about what’s next for her new sidekicks and of the future in general, saying that the greatest thing about it is how it hasn’t started. It’s such a weirdly vague statement that it’s like the writers were scrambling to find a way to desperately put a stop to this movie. Hey, it's a skill to have a movie be consistently bad from the beginning all the way to the end. It should go without saying that moviegoers didn’t love this bland ending, or the film overall!

#8: Rhodey Is a Skrull

“Secret Invasion” (2023)

This show is famous for all the wrong reasons. One of the things it did which pissed so many fans off was revealing that Rhodey had been replaced with a Skrull. The MCU basically told people that Tony Stark’s best friend was now an imposter. Every emotional journey this guy went through was now called into question. Think about it: Rhodey might not’ve actually been Rhodey during “Civil War” or “Endgame” or any other important MCU film. The worst part though was that this twist wasn’t earned. Anyone could tell that it was just done because Marvel needed to create some cheap shock value for “Secret Invasion”. Unfortunately all they really did was create a disappointing show and undermine a beloved character in the process.

#7: The Mandarin Twist

“Iron Man 3” (2013)

The Mandarin is one of Iron Man’s all-time greatest villains, so when we found out that he was coming to the MCU we were expecting some legendary stuff. Sadly, that didn’t happen right away. “Iron Man 3” introduced the Mandarin and he was pretty menacing, until halfway through the movie when they revealed that he was really just a washed-up actor named Trevor Slattery. Suddenly the monstrous villain was actually just a bumbling has-been. Though some have come to appreciate Trevor Slattery over the years, hardly anyone liked this plot twist back in 2013. And even though we eventually got the real Mandarin later on, the fact that we never saw him fight Iron Man is one of Marvel’s biggest wasted opportunities.

#6: The Not So Intriguing Post-credit

“Morbius” (2022)

Sony’s Spider-Man-less Spider-Man movies are arguably a waste of time, and “Morbius” is no exception. If you thought Milo's dancing was bizarre, the post-credit is far more baffling. The headcratching clunkily-edited scene involves Morbius meeting the Vulture, who’s been displaced from the regular MCU. Vulture suggests that he and Morbius team up, but it just doesn’t make sense. Adrian Toomes grew to respect Spider-Man by the end of “Homecoming”, so wanting to potentially fight him with Morbius like this clip implies makes little to no sense. Viewers were also confused by how Adrian recreated his suit so quickly after getting stranded on a new Earth. Vulture’s poor mischaracterization and the sloppy tease for a “Sinister Six” movie had pretty much everyone groaning in unison.

#5: Emo Peter Parker

“Spider-Man 3” (2007)

Ok yes, Bully Maguire has become a meme icon, but when this scene first hit the big screen in theaters it was undeniably a point in the loss column for “Spider-Man 3”. When Peter Parker is infected by the Venom symbiote, he goes through seismic shifts in his personality. Not only does he wear all-black clothes and style his hair differently, he also picks up some wild dance moves. Peter’s always been a dork but this blend of cringe was tough for fans to digest. People wanted an epic conclusion to Sam Raimi’s trilogy but moments like this turned it into a punching bag. Point is: we can all have a laugh about Bully Maguire now, but he wasn’t exactly a crowning achievement in 2007.

#4: Introducing M.O.D.O.K.

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (2023)

One of Marvel’s most eye-rolling moments happened during “Quantumania” with the debut of M.O.D.O.K. When Scott and Cassie Lang are stranded in the Quantum Realm, they run into a deformed giant head, who’s actually Darren Cross, the villain of the first “Ant-Man”. People were stunned by his awful looks to say the least. M.O.D.O.K. looks weird in the comics, but Marvel didn’t fully capitalize on his absurd design. Instead they just stretched out Corey Stoll’s face with bad CGI and thought we wouldn’t notice. Fans also didn’t like that Marvel recycled an old character instead of introducing the M.O.D.O.K. from the comics. Horrendous CGI and lazy character choices make for one poor introduction.

#3: “It’s Fantastic!”

“Fantastic Four” (2015)

Contrary to the title, there wasn’t much fantastic about this movie or its heroes. The gritty cinematic reinvention of Marvel’s first family had potential on paper. But that potential was quickly squandered when this movie was released. It doesn’t help that the team never actually calls themselves the Fantastic Four. The closest we get is this awkward ending. As Reed starts brainstorming names, Ben looks back on what they’ve been through and calls it fantastic. People weren’t very impressed with this lackluster scene serving as the origin of the team’s name. Who can blame them? If you combine a corny one-liner with a really weird head turn from Miles Teller then you’ve got a moment that’ll be viciously memed and mocked for years to come!

#2: Playground Clash

“Daredevil” (2003)

Early 2000s superhero movies were definitely a time ripe with cheesiness, and this playground scene is a pretty good example of that. This moment in question has Matt Murdock and Elektra Natchios duking it out in a public playground. You’ve got to love how none of the kids are concerned about two grown adults fighting right in front of them. The fight moves that are pulled off are super clunky, and that’s putting it mildly. Plus the staredown the two have before fighting is so cringy it’s like we’re watching a parody movie. No one liked this over-the-top sparring session, and years later we’re still wondering who thought it was a good idea.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions.

Coming up With Names

“The Marvels” (2023)

Alright We Get It, Workshopping Superhero Names Can Be Hard, Now Move On

How Fury Actually Lost His Eye

“Captain Marvel” (2019)

This Kitty Has Claws and Unfortunately They Scratched Out All the Coolness Nick Fury Had

Howard the Duck & Darcy Having a Kid Together

“What If…?” (2021-24)

Maybe We’re Being a Bit Too Harsh but This Relationship Is Like a Crime Against Humanity

Ralph ‘Bohner’

“WandaVision” (2021)

Wait Did Evan Peters Come Back as Quicksilver?! No, Marvel Just Wanted a Throwaway Joke

#1: Deadpool’s Disastrous Debut

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (2009)

So you know how Deadpool is the Merc With a Mouth? Well, Fox decided to take away Wade Wilson’s gift of gab. Sure, he was kind of interesting at the start of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” but that movie ultimately flopped. Moments like Wolverine boxing the Blob are a great example why. Anyway, near the end Wade was turned into someone unrecognizable. By sewing his mouth shut and burying him under horrible designs, Fox made him the Merc Without a Mouth. To call this an unpopular decision would be a huge understatement. Fans were furious at how Fox butchered this character. It would take years before the character would get his image rehabbed, but even then, this moment is still arguably Deadpool’s lowest point ever.

Are there any other groanworthy Marvel scenes we left out? Vent all of your frustrations down in the comments!