TheMCUhas created some of the biggest heroes of the 21st century, characters that have become household names as their faces are splashed across lunchboxes, buses, and video games worldwide. The franchise has alsospawned some unforgettable villains, from the unpredictable rogue Loki to the mass-murdering Thanos. Some of these baddies have achieved the same popularity as the good guys, earning their own legion of fans.
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But for every Killmonger, there is an Ultron, a villain brimming with potential who was sadly wasted in their only appearance. It has become a running cliché in the MCU that most villains are merely placeholders for the much more exciting heroes to overcome. A memorable baddie should not have to be the exception, however. While the following ten villains were forgettable in their first appearance, a second showing might finally do them justice. The below films are all available to stream onDisney+.
Kaecilius — ‘Doctor Strange’ (2016)
Imagine gettingMads Mikkelsento be in your movie and then relegating him to forgettable villain status. That is just whatDoctor Strangedoes, with the talented Danish actor playing Kaecilius, a fellow sorcerer who trades blows with Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) as he attempts to attain eternal life.
DirectorScott Derricksonclaims he wanted an uncomplicated villain since explaining Strange’s backstory was already complicated enough. Still, it robbed us of truly seeing Mikkelsen shine when given a meaty role in the MCU. If the character’s hopes of being reintroduced are shot, he may play Doctor Doom or Magneto.
Malekith — ‘Thor: The Dark World’ (2013)
Introduced as the leader of the Dark Elves, Malekith leads his people on a quest for revenge. Being held in stasis after a battle with Thor’s grandfather, Malekith arrives in the modern day seeking the Aether, a weapon with catastrophic capabilities. Despite being the main antagonist, Malekith takes a backseat for most ofThor: The Dark Worldas it focuses on the dynamic between Thor, Loki, and Jane. The result is theweakestThorfilm in the series.
DirectorAlan Taylorhas stated that many scenes focused on Malekith’s backstory were cut to save time, so a second appearance by the character could better develop him and the Dark Elves, a unique race in the MCU who are yet to be properly explored.
The Black Order — ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)
Featuring in two of theMCU’s most rewatchable movies, The Black Order is Thanos’s cronies who assist him inAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame. They serve as henchmen and merely fill the roles of someone for the Avengers to fight when Thanos is not around.
Renamed the Children of Thanos in the MCU, the characters are all uninteresting and routinely killed off. But what if they had the chance to develop like the Avengers before being forced to team up? They appear out of nowhere in the last twoAvengersfilms, so a series or at least a one-shot could explore what makes these villains distinct, and how they came to work for Thanos.
Taskmaster — ‘Black Widow’ (2021)
Taskmaster has always had one of the coolest powers among Marvel’s villains. Possessing photographic reflexes, Taskmaster mimics the fighting style of each of our heroes.Black Widowretcons the character to be a brainwashed assassin rather than a mercenary, making Taskmaster a lackey rather than the big bad.
While Taskmaster still takes part in some great action sequences inBlack Widow, her role as a henchman significantly weakens her identity. Thankfully the character has been confirmed to return in the upcoming movieThunderbolts, hopefully giving Taskmaster her unique persona.
Gorr the God Butcher — ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ (2022)
Introduced as a tragic figure mourning the loss of his daughter, Gorr is one ofPhase 4’s most sympathetic villainsas he vows to exterminate every god across the universe. Of course, this puts him on a collision course with Thor, the God of Thunder, and the two battle as Thor attempts to stop the grieving father from reaching Eternity, where he will be granted a single wish.
Christian Baleis fantastic as Gorr, but the character suffers from a lack of screen time. He is easily one of the most interesting and developed villains in the MCU, so a greater focus on the character would have greatly aided his impact and the quality ofThor: Love and Thunder. Hopefully, this is not the last we see of Bale in the MCU.
Ghost — ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ (2018)
A more grounded villain than Thanos and Loki, Ghost is a thief with the power to phase their physical form, allowing them to walk through walls. Revealed to be searching for the cure to a condition that is killing her, Ghost, aka Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen), is less of a villain and more of an obstacle for the heroes.
While Ghost was hyped as the main villain forAnt-Man and the Wasp, that role fell more toWalton Goggins’s Sonny Burch. It is a shame, as Ghost is the more interesting of the two and could have benefited from more screen time. Like Taskmaster, Ghost is confirmed to appear inThunderbolts, so hopefully, the character finally gets her chance to shine.
Ronan the Accuser — ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxyalready had its hands full, introducing five unique heroes that it would have been hard also to add a fleshed-out villain to the mix. Thus, Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) is simply in the film as an obstacle the Guardians must face, a common problem that forces the ragtag crew to work together.
Ronan appeared again inCaptain Marvelas a way to strengthen his character, but it was too little too late, as he remains one of the more forgettable villains. His leanings as a religious zealot give him a unique motive, and if this angle were explored further, it could shed some light on the diverse religious cultures within the MCU.
Dormammu — ‘Doctor Strange’ (2016)
The big bad that Kaecilius is working for inDoctor Strange, Dormammu, does not make his presence known until the movie’s finale. Presented as a giant face made of mystical energy, Dormammu travels the galaxy absorbing universes into his Dark Dimension, with Earth the next target on his hit list.
Everyone remembers the amusing moment where Strange defeats Dormammu by boring him with repetition, but the character has not returned since then. A massive threat to the galaxy, it seemed only a matter of time before the Avengers would have to battle him, but six years later and the character has not been mentioned at all.
Whiplash — ‘Iron Man 2’ (2010)
Iron Man 2is not a great movie, even if it is the first to plant the seeds of the broader MCU. WhileSam Rockwelltries to save the film with his scene-stealing turn as Justin Hammer,Iron Man 2’s other villain, Whiplash (Mickey Rourke), drags the movie down every time he is on-screen.
Though the movie has other problems, Rourke’s lumbering performance as Whiplash is one of its weakest aspects. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) never honestly had an onscreen rival, in the way Thor has Loki, and while it is too late now due to the character’s death, a better-written and cast Whiplash could have filled that role for Stark.
Ultron — ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ (2015)
Hyped up as the greatest threat the Avengers have had to face up to that point, Ultron proved to be nothing more than another disposable bad guy inAvengers: Age of Ultron. An AI created by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Ultron phases into a physical form as he enacts a plan to wipe out humankind.
Ultron is commonly referred to as the Avengers arch nemesis in the comics, but in the film series, he is swiftly defeated with minimal casualties and quickly overshadowed by Thanos. It is a shame that this beloved villain remains one of theMCU’s most underutilized characters, as he has the potential to have the same universe-shaping influence as The Mad Titan.
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