MCU Villains Ranked: Part 2
Yesterday I shared my picks for the bottom tier MCU villains, 55-31 of the list. So today I’m sharing the top 30 MCU villains. What is the best MCU villain? That’s the question we are answering today. Let’s get started!
30. Karli Morgenthau (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier): This seems to be a villain, that people really aren’t a big fan of, and I can kind of see why. Her plan and characterization makes her come off as a B-grade version of Kilmonger from Black Panther. She doesn’t pose a big enough threat to our heroes to make are intersting or this character you want to see taken out. So I think ideas about her work, things about her work. But the writing could have been better.
29. Ronan the Accuser (Guardians of the Galaxy): Now sure, is Ronan a generic villain? Yes, yes he is he doesn’t do a whole lot. But at least with him he does have a clear motivation as to what he wants to do and he does betray Thanos right in front of him. So those things do put him higher up on this list, then he would be on other’s peoples list. He’s not a top tier villain, but he is better then people give him credit for.
28. Hayward (WandaVision): This could have been higher up on this list, but I think was hurt but some weak writing in the finale. Up until the finale, he was written as this guy who survived the blip and wants to do what is right. But his worldview, the way he goes about things don’t nessaercily line up with what is good. But in the finale, they just turn him into a full on villain and I didn’t care for that side of the character.
27. Brock Rumlow/Crossbones (Captain America Franchise): At face value, he is just a henchmen. But he do spend a lot of time with him, more then the average MCU henchmen. And he does have a personal motivation against Captain America, more so then the average henchmen in the MCU. So he is more memorable and has things about him that are good. Plus, I think that Frank Grillo does a solid job as the character.
26. Ghost (Ant-Man and the Wasp): What makes her interesting is she’s not really a villain, she’s an antagonist towards our heroes. But her motivation is just trying to keep herself alive, that doesn’t make her a villain. So in the movie, she fights with Ant-Man but she’s not evil. She’s not the most memorable or exciting of villains, and that’s probably why she’s towards the middle.
25. Yon-Rogg (Captain Marvel): An interesting villain to up against Captain Marvel, where at the beginning he’s a mentor figure towards her. But we later learn in the finale of the movie, that he’s evil and not really on her side. So you do feel this sense of betrayal from all of it. And I do enjoy Jude Law as an actor, so him in the MCU is fun to see. Once again, he’s not super flashy or super memorable but he fits the role in the movie that he is in.
24. The Chitauri and The Other (The Avengers): These guys are essential just cannon foughter for our Avengers to destory in the finale of the original movie. But they are the best cannon foughter inside of the MCU. Plus, The Other is this interesting character that has ties and connections to Thanos.
23. Emil Blonsky/Abomination (The Incredible Hulk): Now I don’t really like the movie he is in, but Abomination as a character isn’t really the problem of the movie. He does provide a good enough threat towards Hulk in the movie, he is involved with a fun finale between him and Hulk. Tim Roth is a great actor and can play Blonsky very well. And I am excited to see him in She-Hulk whenever it does come out. The visuals for Abomination are the big thing holding him back.
22. Justin Hammer (Iron Man 2): For me this is a character that I wish we get a lot more of in future projects. Because after the death of Tony Stark, he seems like a character that would rise up and try and take control. But as for his 1 apperance over 12 years ago, I thought he was a fun character that had a fun personality about him. Sam Rockwell is just so good at playing him, and he’s so good at making you not like him but also find him charming at the same time.
21. Max Dillion/Electro (Spider-Man: No Way Home): A character that did originally appear in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but was given a huge upgrade with Spider-Man: No Way Home. And they let Jamie Foxx just do his thing, so that snark that Foxx brings he brings it all to this role. He does get a bit of a redemption arc when talking with Andrew Garfield. I don’t think he’s given quite as many memorable moments as the other villains in the movie, but still a very good villain.
20. Agnes/Agatha Harkness (WandaVision): One of the most fun and most flamboyant villains on this entire list. And maybe the villain with the most personality about her. She’s not really the show’s main antagonist but she is an antagonist towards Wanda. And I thought her rivalry with Wanda was handled very well, and she does provide us and Wanda with information about her. Kathryn Hahn plays the character with lots of energy, so I sure hope we get more of her in the MCU.
19. Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger (Iron Man): The first ever villain inside of the MCU is still a good one. He’s basically a guy that was mad at Tony Stark, so decides to turn evil. But that is a villain trope that’s been done many times in the MCU, but since it was done here first I think he can get away with it. Plus, Jeff Bridges is a world class actor and can play the mentor and the villain very well. I do think he could have been used more in the MCU.
18. Arnim Zola (Captain America Franchise): Sure, he’s basically a henchmen type character but he is used rather well in the two movies he is in. He’s a much memorable henchmen, the weird awkwardness vibe about him does stand out. And he is somewhat response for the events of Captain America the Winter Soldider, which changed the trajectory of the MCU post that movie. And he did show-up once again in What If…? just last year.
17. Gorr the God Butcher (Thor: Love and Thunder): Now I think this villain had the pieces to be a better villain, and had things about him that were great but made mistakes. On the positive, he is a truly terrifying villain that is very creepy and disturbing. Of course when you have an actor like Christian Bale he brings this world class talent to the movie. But I felt like he was in the wrong movie, the movie was so goofy and over the top and he was so dark and terrifying and the two didn’t match. Also, since the run time for the movie is somewhat short I think Gorr wasn’t fleshed out as much.
16. Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus (Spider-Man: No Way Home): Another villain that appeared in the second movie in a Spider-Man franchise that returned for Spider-Man: No Way Home and hear I thought he was used very well. He continues the redemption arc that was started in Spider-Man 2 of not wanting to be a monster, and here he continues that and becomes a superhero in the finale of this movie. Alfred Molina also gives a solid performance as the character.
15. Ulysses Klaue (Avengers: Age of Ultron and Black Panther): On paper he is just a generic arms dealer, similar to Sonny Burch in Ant-Man and the Wasp. But with this character he’s characterized much better and they just let Andy Serkis have a lot of fun playing this character. He’s not super layered, he’s not given an arc but I think both the writing and the performance make him a very good villain.
14. The Children of Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War): These guys might be the best henchmen in movie history. Where they do some serious damage to our Avengers and causes some heroes to be seriously damaged. And they all have something interesting about them that stands out, Squidward with his little hand gestures makes him this super interesting character, but they aren’t given any characters arcs but they are great villains.
13. Ultron (Avengers: Age of Ultron): This is a frustrating one for me to rank on this list. Because I think it’s interesting that he’s kind of like an evil verison of Tony Stark but in robot form. He does help Tony’s arc in the MCU, so that’s a nice touch. James Spader’s voice is the perfect voice for this villain. But I think they made him to goofy, and a bit to silly for what Ultron should have been.
12. Zemo (Captain America: Civil War): Maybe the greatest mastermind in the entire MCU. Where he is the guy that is responsible for breaking up The Avengers, causing Captain America and Iron Man fighting each other. And he does it all without throwing a single punch or kick with our heroes. And then I thought he was used very well in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but not as a villain.
11. Wenwu/The Mandarian (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings): 8 years after they did a failed attempt with The Mandarian in Iron Man 3, they did deliver a great villain. He’s a character that is very complex and is driven by lose and desire and not by evil. His relationship with Shang-Chi is very interesting and once again…complex. So put it all together and I thought he was a great 2021 MCU villain, and a great MCU villain in general.
10. Red Skull (Captain America the First Avenger): The guy that is the leader of creator of H.Y.D.R.A. one of the big pieces in the MCU. He is a guy that wants to rule with power, so that makes him dangerous. Hugo Weaving is great at playing these type of evil characters, he showed that with Agent Smith in The Matrix, and he brings those talents to this movie. I know some people have issues with him and don’t like the fact that he delivers exposition for 90% of his screentime, that’s never bothered me.
9. Alexander Pierce (Captain America the Winter Soldier): Another leader of H.Y.D.R.A. that was involved heavily in reshpaing the MCU post Captain America the Winter Soldier. He is a guy that is dangerous and is willing to kill millions of people so H.Y.D.R.A. can complete their mission. It also helps that they got the legendary Robert Redford who is great as the character. I would want to see a What If…? episode focused around this character.
8. Hela (Thor Ragnarok): One of the most powerful and complex villains on this list. We learn that she is the long lost older sister of Thor. She was meant to rule Asgard but Odin saw the evil in her banished her. Cate Blanchett gets to be wonderfully over the top and energetic with her performance here. She does get some get lines of humor that work for me, they make her pop and stand out a bit more.
7. Erik Kilmonger (Black Panther): A very interesting character that is trying to do the right thing. His worldview what his goal isn’t unreasonable but he goes about in a villainious way. That is when you have a great villain when he is still sympathetic but can also do some evil things. Michael B. Jordon just knocks it out of the park with his performance, based off of performance he’s probably top 5 best MCU villains.
6. Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Captain America the Winter Soldier): Another interesting villain because this is a guy that didn’t really set up to be a villain. He was just brain washed and controlled by HYDRA. There is also a lot of emotional weight with this character because he’s Steve Rogers’ best friend, basically Steve’s brother. So in the finale Bucky knows that Steve is his mission, but Steve is trying to reason and not hurt Bucky. Plus he also has the coolest costume in the MCU.
5. Adrian Toomes/The Vulture (Spider-Man: Homecoming): There are several things about this character that I really do enjoy. First up, he’s not a villain that is trying to blow up the city he’s just trying to take care of his family and in the process does villainous things. I love the twist with him and him being Liz’ dad. That is one of the most shocking movie twists of all time for me. And it does help that I love Michael Keaton and love him in this movie.
4. Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin (Spider-Man: No Way Home): For me this is easily the best of the villains that returned for No Way Home. His actions in this movie give Tom Holland’s Peter Parker a run of his money. He kills Aunt May and is really the one responsible for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker changing in this movie. Where he helps with the arc for Tom to become Spider-Man. Willem DaFoe just gets to chew up certain scenes and shows that he is great in this role.
3. Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch (Various MCU Projects): A character that has been given quite the arc over the years. She started off as a villain in Age of Ultron then was a hero for several movies. Then in phase 4 with WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has gone back to her villainous roots. She has lost almost everything in her life and therefore turning her evil. And with the last couple of projects it just shows that Elizabeth Olsen is a world class actress.
2. Loki (Various MCU Movies): Of all of the characters on this list this is probably the one that has been given the most development. Where he started off as a villain in Thor and The Avengers, he did some villainous things in those movies. But with each installment after that he turned into a better and better person. So when he dies in Infinity War it feels earned and it’s a satisfying death. He might not always be the one out the throw punches with our heroes but he’s also manipulating and pulling the strings.
1. Thanos (The Infinity Saga): Speaking of pulling the strings, Thanos has done a lot of string pulling within the MCU. Where we would get little teases of him through-out phases 1 and 2 and finally in Infinity War after waiting 6 years we finally got to see him in action. And Thanos was the main character in Infinity War where that movie spent the most time developing him as a character and making the audience be more sympathetic with him. The visual effects for the character are fantastic too. So all in all, easily the best MCU villain.
There you have it, my ranking of all of the MCU villains. What villains are your favorite? Thanks for reading!
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