Top 10 Marvel Big Bads We Want to See After Thanos

We’ve already seen The Grandmaster and The Collector grace movie screens, and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. In the comics, these characters are part of a larger group of exceptionally old beings known as the Elders of the Universe, each of whom have dedicated themselves to a single pursuit. This deadly warrior is the Elder whose become obsessed with becoming the most powerful warrior in the universe. And if he’s looking for a challenge, facing down The Avengers is probably a great place to start. Sure, he’s not exactly a tragic figure, but when it comes to raw strength, he’d sure give our heroes a challenge.

This alliterative villain isn’t one you should underestimate based on his less-than-inspired name alone. With the power to control the molecular structure of almost anything, his abilities actually make him one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. He’s even gone toe-to-toe with cosmic heavy hitters like The Beyonder. When you combine this with his mental instability, you’ve got a very dangerous foe on your hands. His story is closely linked with the various “Secret Wars” storylines, meaning that if the MCU decides to retell that story next, an appearance by this character is in the cards.

Who better to act as a follow-up for Thanos than the devil himself? While some efforts have been made to draw a line between this villain and Old Nick himself, he’s still the devil for all intents and purposes. From a fiery throne in a place that may or may not be hell itself, he’s schemed, manipulated and tempted the characters of the Marvel Universe in pursuit of all manner of sinister ends. He’s even responsible for the creation of the Ghost Riders, who made his MCU debut on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D”. At this point, introducing this age-old nemesis to the MCU seems like a no-brainer.

#7: Kang the Conqueror

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If The Avengers have any other recurring foe as big as Thanos or Ultron, it’s this purple-faced time traveler. His origins are as convoluted as any Marvel character out there, with numerous alternate versions from different timelines having made appearances, but here are the basics. A powerful despot in possession of incredibly advanced technology, sometimes including an entire army, he’s appeared numerous times in the present with the intent to conquer and subjugate our era. Naturally, the Avengers have opposed him at every turn. Still, as interesting as this villain is, we can’t blame you for being tired of purple bad guys with a thirst for conquest.

#6: The Magus

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Speaking of villains with confusing and hard-to-follow backstories, this cosmic villain is essentially an evil doppelganger of the much more pleasant and agreeable hero Adam Warlock. Adam’s other half began as a separate entity but has spent a good portion of existence locked away in Adam Warlock’s Soul Gem or imprisoned within Adam’s soul itself. On occasion, he's managed to break loose and wreak havoc, using his considerable cosmic powers to threaten the whole universe. Adam Warlock has already been teased to appear in the MCU, and it’s a safe bet that arch-nemesis won’t be far behind.

#5: The Beyonder

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A young member of an extremely powerful race of entities, this being is obsessed with learning about what makes humans tick, and is more than willing to mess with the fabric of reality in the pursuit of his goal. You don’t need to have the genius mind of Tony Stark to understand how dangerous an all-powerful cosmic being can be when they start getting a little too interested in human affairs. The heroes of the Marvel Universe learned this the hard way when this godlike being transported a number of them and a collection of villains to an alien planet to do battle in the epic “Secret Wars” storyline.

#4: Doctor Doom

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With each day that passes we theoretically get closer to seeing the X-Men and the Fantastic Four joining the MCU. But as fun as that sounds, we’re even more excited at the prospect of seeing this villain appear. The legendary arch nemesis of the FF is a master of both science and sorcery, using both to rule over the country of Latveria with an iron fist. He’s been a thorn in the side of the Marvel Universe for decades, a classic villain with enough charisma and power to stay a fixture of comics. There are very few Marvel villains as commanding as Thanos, but Doom is certainly one of them.

Of all the alternate realities and timelines that make up the Marvel Multiverse, the Negative Zone is the one we’d least want to visit. This dimension of swirling energy and almost perpetual struggle is ruled over by this powerful tyrant, an insectoid creature who wants nothing more than to wipe out the mainstream Marvel Universe in its entirety. And given that he has a massive armada called the Annihilation Wave and the powerful Cosmic Control Rod at his disposal, he might even be able to pull it off. He may have started out as a Fantastic Four villain, but he’s gone on to become a major cosmic threat.

We all remember the bargain that Doctor Strange made with this extra-dimensional entity at the climax of his first solo film. But while that agreement may have appeared ironclad, there are plenty of ways that the good doctor’s foe could find a way to appear again - say, perhaps if the Time Stone is lost during Infinity War? Heck, he might not even need to find a clever loophole. When you’re an all-powerful extra-dimensional deity, you can make your own rules. A return by this iconic Doctor Strange villain could be a great move for not just the next of Strange’s adventures, but the MCU as a whole. After all, few other villains can match Thanos’ raw power. Before we unveil our top picks, here are some of our honorable mentions: Enchantress M.O.D.O.K. The Leader

#1: Galactus

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There are more powerful villains in the Marvel Universe, but few as iconic and terrifying as the Devourer of Worlds himself. An ancient and malevolent being that prowls the universe absorbing the lifeforce of entire planets, this villain is almost like a natural disaster come to life. So obviously when he arrives on Earth it’s all super-hands on deck to stop our world from becoming a barren, lifeless rock. If the Fantastic Four do make it to the MCU, this iconic villain will hopefully make an appearance in the future, and he’d be a great follow-up to Thanos. Just please, don’t make him a cloud this time.