Top 12 MCU Villains

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been both an enormous risk and an enormous blessing. Risky because, as one can imagine, creating a full cinematic universe with storylines, characters, and other elements all intertwined - not unlike the world of comics themselves - is an incredibly difficult task, and making changes for the new medium is a tricky venture every time. It has been an enormous blessing, however, because ever since the MCU got started, people all over the world have been exposed to many of Marvel’s lesser-known characters, have been presented with some fantastic films overall...and, of course, we villain-loving maniacs have gotten some of the best baddies ever put to the silver screen. While not all of Marvel’s films are gems, and, fittingly enough, not all the villains are, either, there are more hits than misses in the MCU canon. Some of these villains have even improved upon their comic counterparts in intriguing ways, and in my book, they deserved to be recognized.

Now, keep in mind that THIS LIST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. As I type this, some of the Marvel television shows are not really known to me. I’ve seen Daredevil and Jessica Jones, but I’ve only seen bits and pieces of Agents of SHIELD and Agent Carter, and The Punisher, The Defenders, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage are all COMPLETELY unknown to me. I say this because my understanding is that the villains in these shows are often just as fascinating as the film baddies (if the two who are on this list are any indication, sometimes moreso), but since I haven’t encountered any of them, I can’t really comment on them. If/when I see these characters (I hear that Cottonmouth, in particular, is a lot of fun), I will likely update this list accordingly. And, of course, as more Marvel films come out, this list may need to accomodate the newcomers there, too.

With all that said? Dress up as your favorite member of The Avengers, and get ready to face off against the evils of the universe! These are my Top 12 Favorite MCU Villains!

12. Ego, from Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. II.

Played by Kurt Russell. Obviously, again, the actor in question is a big part of what makes Ego such a wonderful villain. However, even without taking Russell’s considerable experience and prowess into mind, Ego really does turn out to be a rather unique antagonist. In the comics, Ego is literally called “The Living Planet,” and that’s exactly what he is. A planet with a face and a sentience all its own. In the film, however, that’s changed slightly so that Ego is a celestial being given a humanoid form; he is the embodiment of the planet’s life. The planet is still alive, but now it has the power to actually interact with the characters directly through the character Russell plays. Aside from the obvious, near-deity-like status this brings the character to, Ego is also revealed to be the father of the main character, Star-Lord (leader of the Guardians). Now, at first, Ego is a seemingly kind and noble being, and even helps Star-Lord learn some new tricks with his celestial powers...but that quickly changes when it is revealed that he is trying to basically take over the galaxy, having implanted seeds of his power that will terraform various worlds, allowing his power and influence to grow throughout the cosmos. It’s a classic set-up: the long-lost father and seemingly-loving mentor who turns out to be a cold and ruthless villain in the end, making Star-Lord question who he is at heart, as a result. It’s almost Shakespearean. And, with such a set-up and such a great performer to play him, its no wonder that Ego is such a powerhouse villain.

11. Ultron, from Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Played by James Spader (via motion capture technology). Basically, give HAL 9000 limbs and superweapons. You basically have Ultron. That about sums things up. NEXT!

10. Helmut Zemo, from Captain America: Civil War.

Played by Daniel Bruhl. Now, the reason this guy is lower on the list is because he is absolutely NOTHING like the Zemo from the comics. However...believe it or not, that exact same reason is what puts him on the list to begin with! Helmut Zemo (or Baron Zemo, as he’s more often known in the comics), in his original format, is, to be quite honest, not the most complex or compelling antagonist. He’s a classic over-the-top, aristocratic, would-be conqueror. There’s nothing WRONG with that, and his theatrics and abilities in the comics can be enjoyable, but Marvel, frankly has a lot of those types of characters. The most noteworthy thing about Zemo in the comics was his costume design, with its odd mask and bright colors. This Zemo is literally only Helmut Zemo in name. His motives, his backstory, his personality...literally EVERYTHING about the character is completely different. This is both a brilliant shift, and also a brilliant misstep. It’s a brilliant shift because, honestly, this Zemo - as a character - is a lot more fascinating, and fits into the story of this film much better. The key to Zemo’s success as a villain is how wonderfully unassuming he is, in every way. He’s not played by a big star (not that Daniel Bruhl is a nobody, but he’s certainly not someone you’ll recognize as quickly as Kurt Russell), he doesn’t look or act especially threatening, he doesn’t have any special powers, weapons, or skills...he’s very much your average guy. BUT THAT IS WHAT MAKES HIM SUCH A GREAT VILLAIN: you’d never suspect him! This guy works from the shadows, largely, and plays things out like a chess game. He’s actually rather sympathetic, too, as all of his diabolical schemes are done in the name of vengeance, as he sees the Avengers as responsible for basically ruining his life. And, even though neither Captain America nor Iron Man (nor even Bucky Barnes) end up dead as a result of his nefarious actions, the rift he causes within the ranks of the “heroes” is good enough for him. When told his plan failed at the end, Zemo just smirks and camly responds: “Did it?” All of this is great. However, it’s a misstep because...well...there’s literally no reason to CALL him Helmut Zemo! At all! He never puts on the costume, he never claims to be of royal blood, he doesn’t try to take over the world or anything like that...he’s just a guy who happens to have the name of the villain! Apparently there were plans, at some point, for Bruhl to wear a militarized sort of variant of the famous Zemo costume, but those never really got off the ground. This, in my opinion, was a mistake. As it stands, this guy could have been anybody, and while that does make him an effective threat, it doesn’t make him an effective adaptation of a famous character; people who know nothing about the REAL Helmut Zemo end up missing out. If he had at least been allowed to don the mask at some point, even with the character so drastically changed, I honestly would have been cool with it! But as it stands, it just doesn’t quite make sense. Despite my griping, however, the actual meat of the character is admittedly more interesting than the original villain, in my opinion, and Bruhl’s marvelously understated performance is perfect in every way. He can be sad and pitiful, but he can also be intensely creepy; you never quite know when he’s going to snap or when he’s going to show his true colors. So, on the whole, he’s still one of the best villains the MCU has churned out...one only wishes he could be at least a LITTLE closer to the source material.

9. Kilgrave, from Jessica Jones.

Played by The Doctor - I mean, The Doctor - I mean, The Doctor - I MEAN, David Tennant! (sighs) Okay, so...maybe you can automatically guess the reason Kilgrave only makes number nine. Now, I know nothing about the comic book version of Kilgrave (a.k.a. The Purple Man), other than he has psychic powers and purple skin. For the sake of this show, the MCU decided to take a more realistic approach to things. Instead of giving Kilgrave glowing purple skin, he instead simply dresses predominantly in shades of purple, and, in several scenes, is illuminated or accented with purple light. It’s a clever little twist to the formula. Kilgrave is both hilarious and yet intensely scary; he essentially has a viral cloud (or something; it’s hard to explain) around him, which allows him to control the minds of people. Now, both the humor and the fear factor from Kilgrave come from how casual he is. When you think of a character with mind powers, you’re probably thinking of someone who has a hypnotic and intense stare, emphasizing their words slowly but softly, perhaps even making strange gestures with their hands. Kaa, Dracula, Shiwan Khan AND The Shadow, to say nothing of at least a dozen magicians in both reality and fiction - all of them use these classic “hypnotic” tricks. Kilgrave doesn’t. When he wants people to shut up, he literally just says “shut up!” and the whole room goes silent. When he wants someone to cut their own ears off, he says it as if he’s just asking for them to give them their jacket or something. It’s this casual, calm, run-of-the-mill air about him that makes him so menacing, but also so much fun to watch. His whole goal in this show is basically just to cause chaos; he claims to be in love with the title character, Jessica Jones, and everything he does throughout the series is to try and prove that love to her, and keep her under his control. He never really seems to have power or money or anything like that in mind; he’s basically just the world’s most disturbingly comedic stalker. Tennant plays it to the hilt, never overdoing it; in some ways, this is how I think Zemo could have been done better. Making the character more realistic, but keeping the necessary elements intact or referencing them in subtle and smart ways. Again, my only problem is, perhaps ironically, the actor. Again, Tennant’s performance is great, but with almost everything this man does, I just see David Tennant. I just see The Tenth Doctor! It’s one of those cases where the role and the actor are so synonymous that separating the two, even when he’s playing someone very different, is just impossible for me. This obviously isn’t HIS fault, or the writers’ faults, or really the fault of ANYONE on the creative team. It’s strictly a “me” thing; a little handicap of mine concerning the performer. All the same, it does put a slight damper on things (the keyword being “slight”), and keeps Kilgrave just a wee bit shy of making the top five.

8. Red Skull, from Captain America: The First Avenger.

Played by Hugo Weaving. Trust Agent Smith to make for arguably the best portrayal of one of Marvel’s most iconic baddies. Now, some people, more and more recently, have complained that the Red Skull is a bit too “basic” a villain. He’s not very sympathetic or complex, he’s just a fiend. To those claims, I respond with HE’S A FREAKING UBER-NAZI WITH A RED SKULL FOR A FACE! PLAYED BY HUGO WEAVING! This is the villain who, in a comic book crossover with DC, actually made the Joker feel disgusted! THE MOTHER-LOVING JOKER!!! Did anyone REALLY expect this guy to be especially complex or subtle?! Not to say it can’t be done, but that’s not really the character, nor does it honestly NEED to be! Red Skull is meant to be the polar opposite of Captain America: a vindictive mastermind who refuses to let go of the past and who lives by a creed of death, destruction, and heavy prejudice. As far as that goes, I think that Weaving played him just about as perfectly as anybody could play him, and I think that the writing and overall direction helped a lot, too. No, he’s not the most complicated or sympathetic character, but, in this case, I really don’t mind. This, arguably, is the only villain from the MCU who is played up almost EXACTLY like the villain in the comics. If anything, my only complaint about Red Skull is that he only got one film! A villain this iconic and this well-done deserves to be seen more often! In the comics, he’s right up there with characters like Dr. Doom and the Green Goblin; he’s one of the nastiest and most frequent rogues to plague the Marvel Universe. But, as it seems, the Red Skull of this universe has been dead for decades, and likely won’t be popping up again anytime soon. So, until that day - if any - that he returns, we can at least be grateful that Hugo Weaving gave probably one of his finest performances in bringing one of the most evil monsters from all of comics to vivid life on the big screen.

7. Erik Killmonger, from Black Panther.

Played by Michael B. Jordan. Erik Stevens, also called “Killmonger,” is a former black ops agent who got his nickname from the fact that he would carve a mark into his own flesh for every person he killed on his missions, Victor-Zsasz-style. However, it turns out that Killmonger has a secret: his true name is N’Jadaka, and he is the cousin of T’Chaka, the Black Panther. It is revealed that Erik’s father (and T’Chaka’s uncle) betrayed the kingdom of Wakanda when, on a spying mission, he ended up giving Wakandan weapons to a mercenary known as Ulysses Klaue. This caused the death of several Wakandans, and when Erik’s father tried to shoot his way out of being captured and brought home to stand trial, his own brother - T’Chaka’s father, and the previous Black Panther - was forced to kill him. Since then, Erik has been honing his skills as a warrior, all for the sole purpose of killing the Black Panther and taking over the throne of Wakanda. Now, what makes Killmonger so tragic is that you understand him and empathize with him all the way. He ultimately wants to bring Wakanda’s power to the world; it’s a country with major scientific advancements and weaponry unlike anything on Earth, but the former rulers of Wakanda have always hidden their secrets from the world. As several point out, so many of the devices the Wakandans own could benefit mankind in so many ways, if they would just allow themselves to share those secrets! HOWEVER, Killmonger is a vindictive ex-soldier, and someone who has become obsessed with the hate and prejudices of the world around him. He basically wants to use all the weapons of his home country to destroy all those things he hates, rather than truly giving help to those in need. He’s violent, sadistic, brutal, and incredibly scary, his murderous and vicious attitude bordering on the psychotic. But, despite all this, you understand it’s because he came from a harsh beginning, and that everything he does he does because he honestly thinks it’s the right thing to do, not simply because he’s a blood hungry monster. It’s this wonderful mixture of homicidal, zealous mania, and calculating, even sad philosophy and sense of betrayal, that makes him such a compelling rogue. He also, much like Yellowjacket, acts as something of a dark mirror to the hero, since he, like T’Chaka, is able to wield the power of the Black Panther, and since he is also T’Chaka’s blood relative. This only acts as the black cherry on top of the cake that is Erik Killmonger’s delicious villainy.

...My God, that analogy was terrible, LET’S MOVE ALONG!

6. Hela, from Thor: Ragnarok.

Played by Cate Blanchett. First of all: okay, before I get into the positives...what the heck is up with that headdress she creates? It looks like she’s got a dead tarantula stuck to the top of her head! I know it’s supposed to be scary, but it really tends to look more strange and even a little silly beyond anything else. Seriously, how can she fight so easily with a wingspan like that?! I kept expecting someone to bang into those horns by accident, or cut off their tips, or something! Nitpicking nonsense about the design of her...ahem...coiffure aside, Hela really is a marvelous mistress of evil. She is the Goddess of Death, and, much like Erik Killmonger reveals dark secrets about the hero’s family, Hela does the same. She is actually Odin’s first-born child, and was essentially his secret weapon for many years; a warrior princess without compare. However, as time went on, Hela’s tastes became ever more sadistic and disturbing. I can’t imagine why...I mean, who would have expected THE GODDESS OF DEATH, of all characters, to be a little dark from time to time? In any event, Odin had her banished essentially to limbo. However, in this story, she ends up breaking free, and takes over Asgard. To make matters worse, the source of Hela’s power is literally Asgard itself the longer she stays there, the stronger and more dangerous she becomes. Blanchett is absolutely divine in the part; she’s basically the Marvel version of Maleficent. She is cold and calculating, and almost unnervingly attractive, giving her the air of the classic femme fatale. On top of that, she can also be rather bombastic, and quite ruthless. She is also tremendously powerful, able to literally crush Thor’s hammer WITH HER BARE HANDS. There is a sort of funny side to her, however, too, as there’s this wonderful blend of both terrific theatricality and blunt cynicism to her; she loves to give grandiloquent speeches, but she also isn’t above throwing in a few quips and dollops of black comedy into her words and the way she does things. She’s clearly having fun with every move she makes, no matter how graceful or utterly destructive. And to top it all off, while she isn’t the most sympathetic villain of the lot - again, GODDESS OF DEATH - you do feel for her a bit, since, given her upbringing and title, she’s basically just doing what comes naturally to her, and she clearly feels genuinely hurt and betrayed that her own father turned against her, and seems to feel quite used by him in reflection. As a result, she is one of the most multi-layered and delightfully despicable villains the MCU has ever given us, and is arguably the best part of the entire movie. Just, um...see about visiting a salon after you take over the world, madam...seriously, about half the armies of the world will just find that THING on your head hysteric-(is impaled by Hela’s blades)



5. Thanos, from Avengers: Infinity War.

Played by Josh Brolin. (pauses) I can't talk about this guy. No, I'm serious, everybody, I CAN'T talk about this guy. If you haven't seen Infinity War yet, you NEED to see it, and THIS guy is most of the reason why. Never have I cared for a villain so much, yet also wanted them utterly DESTROYED so much. I have never hated nor loved an antagonist as much as Thanos, in this franchise or likely any other film or series. I can't really say much about him and what he does without spoiling the film, though, so...yeah. AT LEAST FOR NOW, it may be a cheapshot, but I'm just going to shamelessly say "Watch Infinity War and Endgame. All will be revealed." It's cheating, I know, but this is my list, so...HA!



4. Mysterio, from Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Something I've always found amusing is that everyone and their mother, when this film came out, said, "Oh, this is such a different Mysterio! It's so unique and new!" My response was: "Um...no, not really." Granted, this take on the Master of Illusion has different ORIGINS from the Mysterio we all know and love, but what I honestly love about Jake Gyllenhaal's take on the villain is that he is very, VERY close to the Mysterio from the comics in nearly every other way. His motivations are basically the same, his method of operation is slightly altered but basically the same, his personality is basically the same...really, this is not that new and different a Mysterio. However, the changes that ARE made do make this an interesting interpretation, and I actually kind of appreciate that the character was translated so well, considering how decidedly unique and new the story itself is. I know some people don't like this version that much, and I honestly have no idea why: I think this is an excellent portrayal of the Master of Mesmerism, and definitely deserving of a place in the Top 5.

3. Vulture, from Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Played by Michael Keaton. (Also, please don’t ask me how I survived being impaled.) Much like Kilgrave, I think that Vulture is a great way to show how Helmut Zemo could have been made even better. And, in the case of the Vulture, I’m not nearly as distracted by the actor as I am with Kilgrave, so that only makes things better! Now, granted, Michael Keaton is certainly a familiar face - there’s way someone like me CAN’T see Batman/Birdman/Beetlejuice when he’s around - but, perhaps just because of the greater variety of roles I’ve seen the actor in, or something about the actor’s style and overall performance, I never felt too bothered by the fact Keaton was playing the character the way I felt about Tennant as Kilgrave. I’m not watching the actor and making jokes about him (too often, anyway); he’s just right there, in the role! He’s the Vulture! I talked about Keaton’s Vulture on another list, so I will do my best to make things short and sweet. This film reimagines the Vulture in a really fun and fascinating way, but still keeps elements of the original character close in terms of personality, design, and even motivations. Much like Zemo, much of what he does seems to be born out of resentment for the Avengers, but it’s the way he goes about things that separates the two. Zemo seeks to strike the Avengers directly, turning them against each other, but Vulture simply decides to fight fire with fire; he (fittingly) scavenges things left in the heroes’ wake, or outright robs them blind, and uses the gizmos and gadgets to commit crimes with the help of his gang (which includes such more minor villains as the Shocker and the Tinkerer, just to name two). His rivalry with Spider-Man is explored in an interesting way, and they manage to give him quite a sympathetic and intriguing edge, too. As a result, this is another take on the villain that, at least some might argue, improves on the original concept. And, while I will always love the more classic takes on Vulture a lot, I do still feel Michael Keaton’s take on Adrian Toomes made for a fine update.

2. Kingpin, from Daredevil.

Played by Vincent D’Onofrio. First of all, perfect casting choice, in every way. Second of all, Kingpin is another incredibly iconic villain from the comics, and perhaps most noteworthy for being another villain who really doesn’t have any superpowers to speak of. True, in the comics, he’s used a few gadgets here and there, but that’s never really been the point of his character. Kingpin is a villain who has basically always been about survival; a human who rises to the top in a world of costumed supervillains with incredible tools and powers. This version plays that to the hilt; Kingpin, in this series, is very much someone who wants to make the world a better place. Wilson Fisk’s home life as a child was pretty rough, and, in his mind, all of his criminal dealings are with the specific goal of making things safe. But they can only be safe under HIS guiding hand. He uses crime as a means to an end; trying to take control of the city and get things done illegally, but only because he feels it is the best way to manage it. He’s an intimidating heavy (in more ways than one), but he also has a slightly dapper side to him, and is just as sympathetic and tragic as he is dangerous and deadly. D’Onofrio plays him as almost mercurial; he can be composed and rather gentlemanly, but when you push his buttons the wrong way, he becomes an animal; a charging bull who will not stop until he completely annihilates whatever has provoked him. The fact that both he and Daredevil are essentially fighting for the same end goal makes the battle all the more personal, as one seeks to stamp out crime, while the other, again, sees crime as the only course of action to take. In another life, these two could have been partners, or even switched sides completely; there’s a lot that’s similar about them, and I think both recognize that. It’s just that the hand each has been dealt has led them to feel and pursue certain things in a manner that’s radically different from the other. And, once again, it’s a real testament to Fisk’s power as a character that, on a list and in a universe populated with ancient beings, dark wizards, killer robots, and flying fiends, he manages to come out so close to the top here despite not only having none of these things himself, but also fighting a hero who, truthfully, really does not have “superpowers,” per say, either.

But while the Kingpin is a fascinating and almost perfect portrayal of a classic villain, there’s one MCU baddy who is even better...and you all know who it is.

1. Loki, from Various.

Played by Tom Hiddleston. Yes, I know, this is sort of a predictable choice, but, to be honest...who else COULD it be? People have made videos and essays analyzing why Loki is such a great character and antagonist, and he remains extremely popular. While he’s always been a perennial nuisance in the comics, and has popped up on T.V. and in video games more than once, this was the role that REALLY put the villain on the map, and not only cemented his status as a great comic book rogue in the minds of a moviegoing audience, but also cemented Tom Hiddleston’s status as an actor. This God of Mischief is deliciously scheming and conniving, but he’s also pretty funny. He’s got plenty of moments where he can be intimidating, but also plenty of moments where he can be utterly hilarious, either of his own accord or just because of the situations he finds himself in. He’s also incredibly sympathetic, to the point where I think some may even argue he’s less of a “villain” now and almost more of an “anti-hero,” since his past two appearances have had him actually HELPING the heroes in facing off against a greater evil. And, on that note, considering he has appeared in FOUR FILMS so far (Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, and Thor: Ragnarok), all in major roles, and is slated to appear in at least one more (Avengers: Infinity War) it’s pretty clear he’s got more time to play than arguably any of the villains here (aside from perhaps the T.V.-based rogues). He’s melodramatic and over-the-top, admittedly like many Marvel villains from both the comics and several of the films, but never so much that he can’t be serious and get down to business when necessary. All in all, while I will readily admit that Loki is not, in all honesty, one of my favorite comic book villains of all time (for no other reason than lack of exposure), Hiddleston plays the character about as perfectly as anybody could, and he is almost indisputably the best baddy to come out of the MCU. And, for such a status, I see no reason not to name Loki as My Favorite MCU Villain. A predictable choice, but not one I regret in the slightest.

Honorable Mentions Include…

Yellowjacket, from Ant-Man.

Played by Corey Stoll. Yellowjacket is a wonderfully twisted character. A smarmy but gifted scientist and a former associate of Hank Pym (the first Ant-Man), his real name is Darren Cross. While working under Pym’s direction, Cross and Pym created a sort of “shrinking suit.” Pym was working for SHIELD when he created the costume, but resigned when he found out that the organization was planning to have it redesigned for military purposes. However, sometime later, Cross ends up taking over Pym’s company, and goes right back into developing exactly that: a shrinking suit with built-in weapons that could be used for military purposes. The only downside is that the technology of the suit is rather unstable, and, over time, Cross begins to steadily go insane from using it. Perhaps due to his degenerating mental state, or perhaps due to the simple fact that he’s about as sleazy as it gets, Cross ends up turning on SHIELD, planning to develop the Yellowjacket suit for the evil group known as Hydra. However, his plans go awry when Pym gives the original costume to a fellow by the name of Scott Lang, who becomes the new Ant-Man. Cross is just a classically sneaky and slimy sort of character, but the implication that he might not be entirely in control of some his actions does lend him a LITTLE sympathy. To top it off, he’s clearly a genius, so you can’t just call him a slimeball and be done with it. Once Cross puts on the costume of Yellowjacket, he’s genuinely intimidating, and, of course, a villain who is essentially the mirror image of the hero is always fun to play with.

Aldrich Killian/The Mandarin, from Iron Man 3.
Yes, yes, unpopular opinion, I know. Now, I’m talking about KILLIAN here (played by Guy Pearce), not Ben Kingsley as the “Fake Mandarin” in the story. (Yeah, that twist is so often talked about, I don’t feel guilty revealing it.) Killian, much like Darren Cross/Yellowjacket, is a wonderfully smarmy and sly villain, and does have his fair share of intimidating moments, in my opinion. I actually rather liked Iron Man 3, and I don’t quite understand all the hate the movie, or this character, seem to get. Well, actually, let me rephrase that: I understand why everyone hates the twist about the Mandarin, but I think the fact people were so upset by that actually got in the way of realizing what a genuinely fun character Killian could be. Again, it’s an unpopular opinion, and I’m well aware of that fact; I’m sure pretty much everyone will disagree with me. But it’s my list, and for now, I’m sticking with this. So sue me.

Other Honorable Mentions Include…

Kaecilius from Dr. Strange. (Played by Mads Mikkelsen.)

Ronan the Accuser, from Guardians of the Galaxy. (Played by Lee Pace.)

Iron Monger, from Iron Man. (Played by Jeff Bridges.)

Malekith, from Thor: The Dark World. (Played by The Doctor - NOPE, not going through this again! He’s played by Christopher Eccleston.)

Alexander Pierce, from Captain America: The Winter Soldier. (Played by Robert Redford.)

Yon-Rogg, from Captain Marvel. (Played by Jude Law.)