Top 20 MCU Villains
#20: Obadiah Stane
On the surface, Obadiah Stane appeared to be a loyal and supportive Stark Industries executive. But underneath his witty demeanor, he was scheming to take his partner Tony out of the equation. Stane infamously left Stark at the mercy of a group of criminals from the Ten Rings. When that plan backfired, the villain just took Tony’s arc reactor out of his chest. Stane was resourceful enough to go toe to toe with Iron Man in a climactic battle. And he was charismatic enough to hide his evil intentions. Although Stane would ultimately lose everything, he still managed to leave a heavy impact on the MCU. Without his betrayal, Iron Man might have never taken flight.
#19: Strange Supreme
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In the multiverse, there’s a version of Stephen Strange that refused to accept that he couldn’t undo a loved one's death. Instead of spending more time grieving, he took power from magical beings to enhance his own. Strange Supreme’s quest to defy time eventually led him to fight the last good part of himself remaining in an epic fight. It was heartbreaking to watch the hero fans adored fall so far to save someone. And in the end, saving his beloved Christine led to time itself unraveling and destroying an entire reality. Strange Supreme’s relatable motivations and twisted journey turned him into a sympathetic and definitely evil sorcerer. Fortunately, he was able to redeem himself by teaming up with other heroes.
#18: Johann Schmidt [AKA Red Skull]
A dose of a super soldier serum turned the already despicable Johann Schmidt into an extremely strong threat known as the Red Skull. After acquiring powers, he used the cosmic Tesseract to create deadly weapons for his HYDRA soldiers. Red Skull’s wicked plans to rule in the 1940s might’ve actually succeeded if it wasn’t for one star spangled man. Thanks to his unique appearance and dominating presence, he stood out during the first phase of the MCU. And his surprising role as the soul stone’s reflective Guardian made him memorable in phase 3. Now that the cosmic item is seemingly gone for good, Red Skull might be able to return. If so, we’d love to see MCU heroes fight this very intimidating HYDRA leader.
#17: Agatha Harkness
This witch unquestionably has the best villain song in the MCU. Fortunately, she brings a lot more to the table than an Emmy Award winning bop. After studying dark magic for centuries, Agatha saw an opportunity to steal power from Scarlet Witch. She decided to win the heroine’s trust by pretending to be a kind and funny neighbor who wouldn’t hurt a fly. But once Agatha was exposed, she instantly became a wicked witch that was hellbent on taking Wanda down. This villain’s big personality and magical skills cast a spell over audiences right away. The fact that Agatha received an entire spin off after her debut is further proof that she’s an enchanting villain.
#16: Ego
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Although Ego had the ability to manipulate an entire planet, he was still hungry to expand his dynasty across the galaxy. Since he needed another celestial being like himself to spread out, he tried to create one by having lots and lots of kids. Ego violently rejected every single child until it was clear his son Star Lord could help the living planet achieve his ultimate goals. The villain’s complete disregard for life and desire for conquest made defeating him an absolute necessity. And since he could manipulate a planet with his mind, his final battle against the heroes was extraordinarily unique. Although Ego seemed like a pretty laid back celestial at first, it became obvious that the living planet was rotten to its core.
#15: Quentin Beck [AKA Mysterio]
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After crafting technology that could create realistic illusions, Quentin Beck was fired from Stark Industries. The jilted genius eventually decided to use that tech for evil. Beck’s plan to create fake monsters that he defeated in public quickly made him a heroic icon. Once he became the popular Mysterio, he fooled multiple heroes into giving him real power. His sudden but inevitable betrayal was fascinating to watch. And Beck’s impressive illusions gave fans a few of the MCU’s most visually stunning scenes. Although he couldn’t physically defeat Spider-Man, Mysterio’s final video set off a series of events that ended with Peter being completely forgotten. Beck’s selfish actions ultimately had far reaching consequences beyond anything he could’ve imagined.
#14: James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes [AKA The Winter Soldier]
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It seemed like Bucky perished during a World War 2 mission gone wrong. Unfortunately, he was captured and brainwashed into becoming a HYDRA assassin known as the Winter Soldier. This cold villain executed everyone from bystanders to Tony Stark’s parents with brutal efficiency. Thanks to an enhanced body and metal arm, he could also handle fighting Avenger level foes. Since Bucky was once Cap’s best friend, watching those two battle was particularly devastating. The Winter Soldier finally got to break free when HYDRA officials like Alexander Pierce were finally defeated. (*xref) But before Bucky started his journey back towards the light, you absolutely did not want to see him coming at you in a dark alley.
#13: Xu Wenwu
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Thanks to a set of powerful rings, Wenwu lived and destroyed his enemies for thousands of years. His quest to further expand his Ten Rings organization was put on hold when he started a family with his wife Ying Li. But after she was killed by his enemies, Wenwu became willing to put the world at risk to try to get her back. His relatable motivations and strained relationships with his children helped the villain feel incredibly compelling whenever he spoke. And Wenwu’s immense fighting skill meant that he was mesmerizing to watch on the battlefield as well. In the end, the villain’s quest to save his wife turns out to be his undoing. Wenwu’s final defeat gave his epic story a truly tragic end.
#12: Adrian Toomes [AKA Vulture]
All Adrian Toomes wanted to do was provide his crew with work after the Battle of New York. But after he was told to stay away from the alien materials left behind, he used a flying suit to steal extraterrestrial tech as the Vulture. It was entertaining to watch this aerial thief work because he was ruthless to anyone who got in his way. No matter how despicable he was being, Toomes justified his actions by insisting he was protecting his family. He won audiences over so well that it was actually a little sad to see him be sent to jail. Although his future in the MCU is up in the air, fans would definitely love it if the Vulture paid Spider-Man another visit.
#11: Kevin Thompson [AKA Kilgrave]
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If you hear Kilgrave ask you to do something, you’ve probably already lost. This enhanced individual gained the ability to command people to do what he wanted at a young age. Eventually, Kilgrave used this twisted hold he had over people to force the heroine Jessica Jones to never leave his side. Unfortunately, she’s far from his only victim. Kilgrave’s list of horrifying crimes is too lengthy to count. And while some people have managed to survive his influential power, they’re all left severely scarred by his actions. Audiences cheered when Kilgrave was finally executed by the very heroine he once controlled. While his physical body is gone, his shadow still looms over anyone who's fallen victim to his voice.
#10: Hela Odinsdottir
During Hela’s first ten minutes on screen, she shattered Mjolnir, killed two of the Warriors 3 and committed to single handedly taking on the entire Asgardian army. Her frightening debut established her as one of the most powerful villains in the universe. Hela’s years of imprisonment made her eager to conquer every world within her grasp. If you tried to stop her, you’d either get cut by her sharp wit or one of her many blades. Even the god of thunder’s best electrical attack wasn’t enough to stop her! Since Hela drew power from Asgard, her brother Thor had to let the entire realm be destroyed just so she’d fall. The incredibly high cost it took to defeat her makes this Asgardian villain unforgettable.
#9: Ultron
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Tony Stark’s dream to create a noble peacekeeping AI named Ultron turned into a nightmare as soon as the two first met. The artificial villain let his creator know that the quickest path to world peace was through utter destruction. Since Ultron was built by Tony Stark, the AI was full of snark. But his jokes were of little comfort to victims like Quicksilver. Ultron’s ability to jump between robotic bodies made him tremendously difficult to break for good. Although he was ironically defeated by a body he created, other MCU stories have shown us how strong he can become. A version of Ultron that collected all the Infinity Stones was able to cross the multiverse and start a new age of fear.
#8: Gorr the God Butcher
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As much as this list is populated with heavy-hitters, there are some MCU villains that don’t meet expectations. But the Taika Waititi “Thor” movies have banked on sure-bet Oscar winners to make it happen, first with Cate Blanchett in “Ragnarok,” and now with Christian Bale in “Love and Thunder.” Bale’s Gorr is consistently captivating, whether he’s being playfully devious while corrupted by the Necrosword or downright tragic. To that end, his backstory is one that inspires a lot of sympathy from the viewer and makes his quest somewhat understandable. But that’s not to say he isn’t also intimidating, proving to be one of the most singularly powerful characters Thor’s gone up against.
#7: Norman Osborn [AKA Green Goblin]
Shortly after Norman tested an experimental serum on himself, he gained superpowers and an alternate personality called the Green Goblin. When Norman was magically transported to another universe, he initially wanted to suppress his evil instincts. But the Green Goblin eventually emerged to inflict pain. Not only did the villain beat Spider-man to a pulp, but he was also personally responsible for the death of Peter’s Aunt May. Green Goblin genuinely enjoyed making people suffer while laughing in their faces. And although audiences had already met the villain in 2002’s “Spider-Man”, he seemed twice as sadistic in “No Way Home.” If the Spider-team had not stopped him, the villain might still be going on a terrifying rampage today.
#6: Wilson Fisk [AKA Kingpin]
Every time Fisk walked into a room, fans were prepared for him to completely dominate the screen. This crime boss is willing to do whatever brutal deed it takes to maintain his grip over his criminal empire. If his subordinates can’t get the job done, he’ll use his own considerable strength to take care of business. The most fascinating part of Kingpin’s ruthless reign is that he genuinely believes he’s helping his New York City home thrive. Kingpin was such a dynamic character that he appeared as the main villain of two separate Marvel shows. Since it’s unclear if the villain died at the end of “Hawkeye”, there’s a good chance he’ll turn up again to do more evil.
#5: Baron Helmut Zemo
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Days after the Avengers and Ultron turned Sokovia into a battlefield, Helmut Zemo discovered his entire family had died during the fighting. This fact motivated him to end the superteam. Although Zemo didn’t kill any Avengers, he successfully helped to fracture the alliance two years before the Earth was attacked. Not only was the villain one of the few big bads to see his plan succeed, he also made an impressive return a few years later. Zemo’s knowledge of the underworld and set of skills made him a valuable asset to two of the remaining Avengers. When he wasn’t dancing, he managed to stop the creation of more supersoldiers. Zemo’s tendency to get what he wants makes him a villain that cannot be underestimated.
#4: Wanda Maximoff [AKA Scarlet Witch]
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Wanda was once considered to be one of the world’s greatest heroes. But after losing the husband and kids she created with her magic, she used the sinister Darkhold book to become a villain. During Wanda’s fall from grace, she possessed the body of one of her variants, slayed numerous sorcerers and tried to sacrifice the life of America Chavez. Scarlet Witch’s most brutal display of power occurred when she violently dispatched nearly every member of the heroic Illuminati team. Scarlet Witch’s obscene amount of power made her one of the most overwhelming and terrifying villains the MCU’s ever seen. But even when she was at her most horrifying, we still felt sympathy for the magical witch that had lost everything.
#3: Loki Laufeyson
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While Loki has leaned towards being more of an antihero in the last few years, he still deserves to be recognized as one of the MCU’s best villains. The god of mischief wanted nothing more than to prove he was worthy enough to become king of Asgard. His desire to rule only increased when he tragically discovered Odin had lied to him his entire life. Loki’s done everything from betray his own family to invade New York to gain more power. Although this witty villain can’t always back up his boasts, he has impressive achievements under his belt. Outside of brainwashing heroes, Loki’s actually managed to temporarily rule over Asgard twice. His victories and overconfident personality have made him a glorious villain to follow.
#2: Erik “Killmonger” Stevens [AKA N’Jadaka]
At a young age, Erik’s father was slain for trying to use Wakandan weapons to help Black Americans start a revolution. After the boy grew up and became Killmonger, he tried to finish what his dad started. Killmonger used his impressive fighting skills to defeat the Black Panther and become king. His plan to start a revolution was only derailed by his cousin’s miraculous return. Although many heroes disagreed with Killmonger’s methods, he made sharp statements that even T’Challa had trouble arguing against. The charismatic villain was also able to convince other Wakandans to stand by him. While Killmonger didn’t kickstart a revolution before he died, his actions motivated the isolated Wakandans to help more people. The villain ultimately brought about lasting and necessary change.
Fakeout #1: Justin Hammer
Dancing his way to the top of our list is none other than Justin Hammer. His dumb jokes, ineffective weapons and hilarious easy defeat would make him our top pick…if it were opposite day. In reality, our top pick was inevitable.
#1: Thanos
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The mad titan became obsessed with eliminating half of all life in the universe after overpopulation led to his planet’s destruction. After leading many slaughters, Thanos decides to achieve his goals faster by collecting the stones. The mad titan had the intelligence, strength and will to get them all. And Thanos left everyone shook when he successfully snapped away half of all life. The only thing more surprising than his victory was the fact that the powerful villain could come off as reasonable and even vulnerable. Although the effects of his win were reversed in “Endgame”, the snap’s consequences have been felt in nearly every MCU project since. It’s unclear if any villain will ever have as much impact on the universe as Thanos did.
