The Marvel Cinematic Universe was once known for its shoddy villains, but Phase 4 has aimed much higher when it comes to its antagonists. With five films and six series in the bag for the MCU's latest endeavor, the franchise's reputation for crafting creative villains has undergone a dramatic improvement.
Fans haven't ignored the MCU's better quality of villains over the past few years, with many taking the time to appreciate the improved characters. Fans on Reddit have spoken up about who they believe to be the MCU's very best villain of the current phase.
10 Agatha Harkness
MangoPhish calls out the Marvel fandom for forgetting how great an antagonist Katherine Hahn's Agatha Harkness truly was in WandaVision, writing "I think everybody forgot about Agatha, she was definitely much more interesting than any of the other villains so far for me."
Aided by a brilliant performance from Hahn, Agatha Harkness truly made her mark as the first villain in Phase 4. Despite her villainy, people came to truly empathize with Agatha, especially after the debut of her hit theme song, "Agatha All Along." The character has proven so popular, in fact, that she is slated to receive her own spinoff, House of Harkness, in the next few years.
9 Wenwu
Redditor tommykaye believes that Tony Leung's Xu Wenwu, otherwise known as the Mandarin, is "the best antagonist in regards to story," adding that "anytime you get a good [villain] backstory in your MCU film... it's gonna be a hit."
As a centuries-old villain and the wielder of the Ten Rings of Power, Wenwu quickly proved to be a standout character in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Though he had one of the worst villain plans in the MCU, Wenwu's emotions drive his character arc, making for a truly fearsome antagonist for his son's origin story.
8 Hank Pym
PirateBeany had a relatively obscure choice for their favorite Phase 4 villain so far, lauding the villainous variant of Hank Pym from the murder-mystery-themed third episode of the animated anthology series What If...? as being "satisfyingly crazy/creepy."
Hank's revelation as the killer in the third episode of What If...? cemented the series' place as a genuinely unpredictable multiverse series where truly anything could happen. The mystery behind the serial killings of the original Avengers gets a satisfying and surprising payoff with Hank's reveal, leading to an equally unpredictable battle between the killer and Loki that left fans astounded.
7 Green Goblin
According to some fans, Phase 4 has proven that certain classic villains from pre-MCU titles have withstood the test of time. "Goblin in No Way Home might be my favorite incarnation of the Green Goblin ever," writes Reddit user TheIDJGuy, continuing to say that "[Willem] Dafoe knocked it out of the park even better this time."
Green Goblin is one of Spider-Man's greatest enemies of all time, who was portrayed brilliantly by Willem Dafoe in Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man trilogy. The actor's return to the role in the celebrated conclusion to the MCU's first Spider-Man saga was both necessary for the Webslinger's development and a worthy sendoff to one of the best actor-character matchups in superhero cinematic history.
6 Ikaris
Ericandabear has a somewhat controversial view, believing that Richard Madden's Eternal Ikaris is one of the best villains of the MCU's last few installments, writing that "Ikaris being so crushed by the divide between his beliefs and his family resonated with me."
Eternals sports a cast of mythologically-based characters that are often misunderstood by general audiences. Ikaris and his compatriots are not meant to be seen as the usual MCU superheroes, but rather as complicated immortal beings in the midst of unraveling their long-held paradigm. Ikaris is the manifestation of clinging to one's own worldview no matter what, making him one of the most complex and nuanced characters in the entire MCU.
5 Kingpin
On a thread discussing great Phase 4 villains, Pristine-Produce1444 voiced their opinion that Hawkeye's Kingpin was "underrated," with fellow Redditor KaneCreole agreeing that Vincent D'Onofrio's acting "was extraordinary."
Fans are understandably excited for Fisk's return to the MCU after making waves in Netflix's Daredevil series. While the character may not have lived up to the hype set by his original appearances, there is still plenty of time for D'Onofrio's iconic character to return to form in the future of the MCU, especially with Daredevil confirmed for a fourth season on Disney+.
4 Infinity Ultron
While discussing the very best of Phase 4's villains, Reddit user Sum2k3 had a rather blase but forceful answer, writing, "Easy. Infinity Ultron from What If," referring to the Big Bad of the animated anthology series' first season, who gathered the Infinity Stones and wreaked havoc on the multiverse.
Not only is Infinity Ultron one of the best MCU villains of recent years, but he may also be the most powerful villain depicted in the franchise. His villainy was enough to cause the Watcher to break his solemn oath and interfere in the lives of mortals, as Ultron's actions threatened the very existence of the multiverse. If nothing else, Infinity Ultron's rampage proved just how humble Earth-199999's Thanos was after he attained all six Infinity Stones.
3 He Who Remains
"He Who Remains for me," writes InadequateChris, who asserts that Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror variant from the season finale of Loki is setting up a perfect villain for the MCU, "[Jonathan] Majors' performance was so captivating I had to watch it on repeat."
He Who Remains certainly made waves with his debut in Loki, as his appearance portends the coming of a far more fearsome villain in Kang the Conqueror himself. Majors certainly turned in a stunning performance that leaves fans excitedly wondering just where Kang may show up next in the MCU.
2 Arthur Harrow
Redditor gszr89 sings the praises of Ethan Hawke's Arthur Harrow from the Disney+ series Moon Knight. Lauding the limited series format as a great way to "develop his plan and characteristics," the Redditor claims that Hawke's performance and the show's writing "nailed it since the first episode."
Moon Knight struck a chord with audiences for a plethora of reasons, not the least of which being Hawke's memorable performance as cult leader Arthur Harrow. Despite not being as powerful as certain other MCU villains, Harrow managed to make a name for himself through his ethereal mind games and manipulation tactics, proving that it's not necessary to have the power to destroy the universe in order to wreak havoc on the lives of innocents.
1 Wanda Maximoff
Goosebumps7 and bluefire1717 both agree that Wanda Maximoff is the best villain so far in the MCU's fourth phase. The latter of these Redditors describes their love for storylines in which the hero becomes the villain, as well as their enthusiasm for Multiverse of Madness, which revolved around just such a story. They add that "this movie showed just how OP [over-powered] Wanda really is."
After her spine-chilling heel turn in Multiverse of Madness, Wanda Maximoff has finally demonstrated just how powerful she truly is as the Scarlet Witch. Not only is she far more capable than she ever gave herself credit for, but she also overpowers the entire Illuminati, including the extremely powerful Charles Xavier, by herself. Should the character somehow survive her grisly end in Multiverse of Madness, the Avengers had best wish that she returns to her heroic ways, lest they meet the same fate as the heroes of Earth-838.
Comments
Post a Comment