Written by Shiggins
Fear them, if you dare!
So obviously I had to celebrate the release of Avengers; Endgame with more than just a simple review of the movie. I considered ranking every film, but then I got the idea to rank the villains instead, from Iron Man to Endgame, and so here we are. It's a personal list, of course, so feel free to comment your own favourites down below after having a read. And because of the vast differences in time and budget, only the movie villains are on this list! So no Kingpin, Kilgrave or Cottonmouth this time, sadly.
Note: Spoilers for every MCU movie.
Malekith (Christopher Eccleston)
Ruler of the Dark Elves and enemy of Thor, Malekith was meant to be the next level villain that would force the protagonist to team up with the villainous Loki and stop him from reaching his ultimate goal, lest it spell doom for all involved. Instead, Malekith is a bland foe with a boring design and unclear motivation. Nobody remembers who he was, why he was a bad guy, or even his name half the time. He is the most forgettable villain of the entire franchise, which is the biggest crime a comic book villain can ever commit, and makes him the worst.
Ivan Vanko/Whiplash (Mickey Rourke)
I remember being really excited to see Mickey Rourke cast as one of Iron Man's biggest enemies, since he was just starting a new comeback after his work on The Wrestler. However, it was an utter disappointment. Rourke plays Ivan Vanko, a man who is angry at Tony Stark for the sins of his father. What follows is a fun action scene, followed by nothing substantial. He just works a bit, mumbles some lines, and then dies in a robot suit reminiscent of the previous villain. What a waste.
Herman Schultz/Shocker (Bokeem Woodbine)
I've always had a soft spot for Shocker from the comics and cartoons, since he is essentially the perfect b-list villain in the Spider-Man universe. Here, Herman Schultz is technically the second Shocker, after the first one was killed accidently for trying to betray Adrian Toomes. And while it is really fun to see his weaponry brought to the big screen, Shocker sadly does not get a lot of time to develop as a character. A good performance, but completely overshadowed by his superior.
Korath the Pursuer (Djimon Hounsou)
DJIMON HOUNSOU! How could such a fantastic actor be so wasted in the MCU? That's not to say the performance is bad, but he's given so little to do that it's actually shocking. Korath is the underling of Ronan the Accuser, which pits him against the Guardians of the Galaxy. Other than the brief scenes he has in Captain Marvel, Korath has very little to him that makes him a standout, and it really does feel like one of the MCU's biggest mistakes to not have Korath in a more prominent position.
Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins)
It's practically a cliche at this point to see Walton Goggins appear as a villain, but it's surprising that the MCU chose to cast him as a typical mob boss, rather than a costume-wearing villain. I personally think he could have made a good Mastermind... Anyway, Sonny Burch wants the Quantum stuff so he can sell it and be filthy rich, which really makes him come across as an annoying obstacle. He's at least fun at times, but he's just in the way of the main plot and refuses to leave, which is not something I want to be forced to say about Goggins ever again.
Aldrich Killian/Mandarin (Guy Pearce)
If you agree to meet a geeky guy on the roof, just do it. If not, that somehow creates the uninteresting enemy Killian and causes an entire host of problems, including a very mixed movie. CEO of Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M), Killian has an evil plot to turn people into mutated monsters through the power of "Extremis", and make as much of a profit as he can while doing so. While it is refreshing to finally see Iron Man fight an enemy with superpowers, Killian just isn't interesting. His motivation is laughably weak, and he is a complete disappointment when compared to who the film was originally making us excited for. Speaking of which...
Trevor Slattery/Mandarin (Ben Kingsley)
On the one hand, I have to give this movie credit for pulling off such a ballsy move, but it's a double-edged sword. Portrayed perfectly by Ben Kingsley, this incarnation of the Mandarin is actually a fake persona (or an impression apparently) created by Killian to manipulate the War on Terror and be a face to hate while he worked on Extremis in secret. The problem with this genius set-up is that Ben Kingsley's performance was so good as the Mandarin, with him being both terrifying and captivating at the same time, that we actually preferred him. And so his reveal, which is admittedly hilarious, as a drug-addicted loser was disappointing to many viewers because it took away this perfect performance and left us with a bland man in a suit instead of what we were enjoying beforehand. If the false Mandarin had been the real one, Iron Man 3 would probably be remembered as one of the best MCU films to date.
Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki)
Despite the Guardians of the Galaxy series having a fantastic and diverse cast of characters, they've never done especially well in the villain department, minus one (but we'll get to him eventually). Leader and High Priestess of a golden race of aliens at that point called the Soveriegn, Ayesha demands the Guardians dead for Rocket's theft, and her insane pride will make her stop at nothing until she can obtain victory. Her and her people provide some fun space action, and her motivation is almost hilarious in how thin it is, but she's still rather underdeveloped. Let's hope her and "Adam" do more next time.
Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace)
From one Guardians enemy to another, we have the exiled and former leader of the Kree who vows to destroy the people of Xander and ignore the peace treaty, killing countless innocents in his wake. To do so, he'll help Thanos gather the Power Stone, which pits him against the newly-formed Guardians of the Galaxy, and results in his death. Despite such a strong presence from Lee Pace, Ronan is basically here to service the plot and bring everyone together, and he only shrinks even more when compared to the charismatic heroes before him. Lee Pace has shown signs he's willing to play as Ronan again, so maybe there's hope for him in the future.
Children of Thanos/The Black Order
Individually, the Children of Thanos would barely make the list, but they get a boost when brought together. Ebony Maw, Corvus Glave, Proxima Midnight and Obsidian Cull are the well-designed but mostly uninteresting quartet that served Thanos during Infinity War. Each of them were loyal and obedient, capable of destruction and murder. While they were fun to look at, only Maw managed to showcase any personality, but they at least brought out some great boss fights, and were the cause of several of the heroes leaving the planet. In a way, you could argue that Tony's opening situation in Endgame is at least partially Maw's fault.
Brock Rumlow/Crossbones (Frank Grillo)
If this was on design alone, I think Crossbones would be near the top with his awesome mask and armour. Once thought to be an ally of Captain America, Brock Rumlow was one of many agents to secretly be working for HYDRA, who went on the offensive during the Winter Soldier film. After some carnage, his face got damaged and he returned for revenge, which was the opening catalyst for Civil War. For all his faults and lack of depth, Crossbones did cause a lot of death and misery during his few appearances, and we have to give him credit for that.
Taserface (Chris Sullivan)
None are more terrifying than the might of TASERFACE! Even the name strikes fear into my heart! Joking aside, Taserface is a very fun villain, and a surprisingly effective one too. When the Ravagers started to grow disillusioned with their leader Yondu, it was Taserface who took the initiative and became the new leader, executing those who were loyal to Yondu and capturing Rocket and Groot, finding the latter "too adorable to kill". He's not especially deep, scary, intimidating or even in the film for that long, but he does his job great. And again, his name is TASERFAAAAAACE!
Yon-Rogg (Jude Law)
The most recent twist villain of the MCU, yet totally obvious to any of us who had already seen Guardians of the Galaxy. Serving as Vers' mentor and friend, we discover Yon-Rogg was the one who killed her true mentor and took her from Earth to join the Kree as its weapon. Despite being played well and having an interesting relationship with the protagonist, Yon-Rogg suffers due to taking so long to reveal he's a villain, so we don't get a lot of time to see him in this new light. The failing of every twist villain honestly, but I'm positive he'll be in Captain Marvel 2, so maybe he'll get a lot more exploration then? (P.S, the Supreme Intelligence is so minor a presence that it was not counted on this list).
Johann Schmidt/Red Skull (Hugo Weaving/Ross Marquand)
It's a shame that Captain America's most major villain is the lowest of his three major film antagonists, but Red Skull was just lacking. The Nazi captain who took the Super Soldier serum before Steve Rogers did, Johann Schmidt was deformed and given a redhead, now seeking to use the power of the Tessaract (later known as the Space Stone) to power up weapons so he can take over the entire war. At times, Red Skull is almost like a Bond villain, as he drinks his glass and commands his army of goons, the very first incarnation of Hydra, but there could have been so much more. His scene in Infinity War was awesome though, but that will most likely be the last we see of him, sadly.
Emil Blonsky/Abomination (Tim Roth)
Before comic-book movies ran the "hero fights an evil version of themselves" into the ground, there was this Abomination! Played by Tim Roth, Emil Blonsky was a soldier who worked for General Ross, and was given some Super Soldier serum to try and improve his skills so he could fight the Hulk, which eventually resulted in him injecting Bruce Banner's blood and transforming into the huge monster we're more familiar with. The transformation for Emil as the film progresses, starting out normal but eventually breaking down into malice, is very interesting to watch, and his beastly form has a a great design. It's also just cool to see something that can actually punch the Hulk back, but we definitely need more of him one day. Hulk's strength needs a rival who can take it, and I think Abomination is the right guy for the job.
Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelson)
The man with the most ridiculous name, and another Mads Mikkelson's role where he has weird eyes, Kaecilius was Doctor Strange's first major antagonist and sadly, not the most memorable of the movies. A man who lost his family and became angry with the Ancient One for not allowing him to use magic to see them again, Kaecilius feels like someone desperately trying to be better than he's allowed. It's clear Mikkelson is adding as much charisma as he can, but the character of Kaecilius is fairly one-note and he's quickly overshadowed by a certain other villain. On the plus side, he has a few witty moments and his fight with Strange in a folding city is a joy to behold.
Arnim Zola (Toby Jones)
It's sad that his underling is higher than him, but Red Skull's head scientist really did do more villainy, appearing in the first two Captain America films and being part of a surprisingly deep wound to many heroes. Originally working for Red Skull, Arnim Zola was arrested by the newly-formed Shield and offered a position by them, but used this to rebuild Hydra without them realising. By the time Captain America met him again, Zola was a brain in a computer and his waiting had finally paid off. Although he never got the credit for it, Arnim Zola was the reason Shield was destroyed! So all those deaths in Agents of Shield? I blame Zola!
Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt)
It must suck to be Bruce Banner, when you're potential father-in-law is a war general asshole who keeps trying to kill you because you have a few temper issues. Thaddeus Ross is, as well as being played by the only actor that's remained in the MCU after the Incredible Hulk, a surprisingly effective villain in terms of persistence. He constantly tried to kill the Hulk, before retiring from the army and becoming the Secretary of State, and was the audience's representation for the Sokovia Accords that tore apart the Avengers. He might not be "evil", but he is an ass, and an ass constantly in need to be told to shut up.
Dormammu (Benedict Cumberbatch)
Poor Kaecilius, unaware he was trying to summon his own demise. If only he had seen movies before. Dormammu, looking very different compared to his usual comic-book design, is the ruler of the Dark Dimension, and literally one of the most powerful beings in the entire MCU, and beyond. While his appearance was brief, his confrontation with Doctor Strange during the third act provided one of the franchise's best scenes, and his new look is both imposing and stunning. What he lacks in depth, he makes up for in presence. And he's played by Smaug!
Darren Cross/Yellowjacket (Corey Stoll)
Out of every actor on this list, Corey Stoll feels like he's trying the hardest to make an uninteresting character actually work, but the odds just aren't in his favour. Once Hank Pym's apprentice, Darren betrayed his mentor and took over the entire company. With his newfound power, Cross worked on figuring out the Pym Particle technology and developed the Yellowjacket suit, but the exposure to the suit drove him to madness and he found himself battling against Scott Lang, spouting monologues and losing everything that made his personality interesting. While his goal was weak, Darren's reason and relationship with Hank Pym were certainly worth exploring and could have brought this character to the level I felt Corey Stoll wanted him to be. Instead, we get someone fun but not too memorable, especially near the end. Still, his suit is gorgeous and the climax is one of Marvel's best fighs. It had Thomas the Tank Engine in it!
Nebula (Karen Gillan)
It's surprising how few villains have actually turned good in the MCU, which is somewhat a shame because Nebula (and a certain other character we'll get to eventually) did it great. Adoptive sister to Gamora, Nebula was raised by Thanos but could never measure up to the green assassin, which caused Thanos to care less for her and keep replacing parts of her with machinery in an attempt to improve her. While she is bereft of any comedy like the majority of the Guardians cast, Nebula's relationship with Gamora, alongside her ruthlessness in battle and hostile personality, has made her quite the memorable character.
Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford)
Admit it, we all knew he'd be a villain as soon as we saw him. From scene 1 it was obvious, but that doesn't mean he wasn't a great character. Once one of Shield's highest members, Pierce was a major influence with much of its history, including nominating Nick Fury himself to be the new Director. Eventually, he was revealed as the highest of the undercover spies working for Hydra, and was plotting to kill literally million of potential threats to bring about a new order. Surprisingly intimidating, constantly effective with his schemes, all of which was aided by a very human performance from Robert Redford, Pierce was not the most dynamic of foes but he was a great one, and probably the most underrated around.
Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen)
Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis)
While the main antagonist of Black Panther was amazing, we shouldn't forget the amount of fun and joy on Andy Serkis' face as he ran around causing chaos and death for his own nefarious deeds. Ulysses Klaue was a weapons dealer, first appearing and losing his arm in Age of Ultron, before coming back to make more money by trying to take as much of Wakanda's vibranium as he could. A weak motivation, sure, but Klaue was a very charismatic character, and brought some much needed levity to the antagonist side, including trying to get Martin Freeman to listen to his own songs. It's a shame we probably won't see him again, because any opportunity for Andy Serkis to shine is always welcome in my world.
Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger (Jeff Bridges)
Let's give congratulations to Obadiah Stane, the man who worked alongside Tony Stark's father, for being the first ever major villain of the MCU. That's an achievement! Played by Jeff Bridges, who almost looks like a completely different actor here, Stane wanted more in his life, so he orchestrated the capture of Tony, which eventually caused the creation of Iron Man. After Tony's return, Stane worked to create an improved ripoff of the Mark 1 armour, resulting in his death. A fierce, intimidating character who sadly lost some of the charm that made him special by the ending battle, but an important foe for Iron Man. It's weird that he's never really been mentioned again since, isn't it? He offered Tony pizza, damn it! You can never forget that!
Talos (Ben Mendelsohn)
So if you've seen Captain Marvel, which you have because you're a good person who wants to watch the entire series, then you'll know Talos isn't necessarily a "villain", but he is a foe for the majority of the movie, and definitely did his share of damage. One of the last of his kind, the Skrulls, Talos is a general that Vers/Captain Marvel originally thought she had to kill, but was shocked to discover he was actually just trying to save his family and find a place for them all to live peacefully. Thanks to Ben Mendelsohn and some fun writing, Talos has a great balance of everything you want to see from a Marvel antagonist, from his violent methods to his witty banter with his "science guy", to his emotional centre that keeps him pushing forward. The only reason he's not any higher? I'm worried we might not get a true Secret Empire storyline because of this guy now.
Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan)
On paper, this character shouldn't even be in the top 20, but it truly is the delivery and writing that saves our cold boy and gets him so high up. First appearing as a threat in the second Captain America film, the Winter Soldier was Alexander Pierce's top agent and ruthless assassin, killing everyone in his way, beating up Nick Fury and even catching Cap's shield with a metal arm, eventually being revealed as Steve's best friend Bucky Barnes, and fighting against the programming in his head! Everything about the Winter Soldier's presence, from his design to his movements, helps sell what a force of power he is, and the tragedy of this being Bucky gives the Winter Soldier an edge over other killers in this series. So weirdly enough, it's the lack of personality as the killer that makes Bucky so high up here, rather than low down.
Hela Oddinsdottir (Cate Blanchett)
Instead of Odin, you will have a queen! The secret sister of Thor, locked away for a millennia, makes her big entrance in Thor Ragnarok after the death of her father Odin. Immediately wanting to take the throne of Asgard, Hela begins with a mass slaughter of Thor's friends and allies, summoning her pet wolf back from the dead, and destroying Thor's mighty hammer with just one hand. She even made Karl Urban betray his people, and that's terrible! In all seriousness, Hela was a force to be reckoned with and a breath of fresh air after the disappointment of Malekith from before, and her design is so ridiculous that it's actually amazing. Intimidating, hot and cold, Hela is by far the best of the female antagonists in the MCU and more than worthy to be in the top 10.
En Dwi Gast/The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum)
Every now and again, Jeff Goldblum stars in a few movies to remind everyone how awesome he is, before disappearing back into the ether. Well, we're lucky he did because his performance as the Grandmaster somehow completes Thor Ragnarok in a way I never realised I needed. Ruler of the trash planet Sakaar, the Grandmaster is an immortal being with a love for music, melting people who displease him, and hosting huge arena fights involving his slaves and the Hulk. It's easy to forget that we're meant to hate the Grandmaster because of how likeable he is and how much personality is being displayed, but it's also great to see his comeuppance after he loses his beloved orgy-ship and the people revolt against him. His title is appropriate, because I had a grand time with this character.
Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell)
It's almost bizarre that Justin Hammer, rival to Tony Stark and CEO of Hammer Industries, hasn't made a return since Iron Man 2. Serving as a perfect counter to Tony, Justin Hammer was as cocky and arrogant but with a slimier edge to him that set him apart from the armour-wearing hero, and with less talent as well. Eventually, Justin was arrested for working with Ivan Vanko but he did swear he'll return, and his work is still felt to this day. From TV shows like Luke Cage using his tech in street fights to the very first creation of War Machine, Justin Hammer has had a surprisingly important and unrecognised influence on the MCU, and it'd be a shame not to see his dance moves again on the big screen.
Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl)
I remember being profoundly disappointed to hear that we were getting Helmut Zemo without the mask or sword from the comics, but it was a surprisingly welcome change of pace to have someone as simple as Helmut in Civil War. A master of disguises, Zemo spends the majority of his appearance in mystery as he seems to be trying to build an army so he can kill the Avengers, but is actually working to tear them apart after they caused the death of his family in Age of Ultron, and he's just an ordinary man who has lost everything. A great performance, a tragic story, a human motivation, and a devious plan was all the adversary needed to get so high up here, and be sorely underappreciated by the masses.
Ego the Living Planet (Kurt Russell)
When your dad appears out of nowhere, has a beard, and reveals himself to be a planet, don't trust him! Father to Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Ego seemed to be a nice guy at first who wanted Peter to unlock his hidden potential as a Celestial God, but it was soon revealed he needed Peter's help to convert the universe into himself. Why? Well, that's because nobody is as great as Ego. He's a charming bastard, skilled at holding his foes hostage with little hostility, and his chemistry with his son change perfectly from heartwarming to disturbing in a swift swap of context, making him even more horrifying upon repeated viewings. No wonder Ego thought himself so great.
Ultron (James Spader)
By far the sexiest villain on our list, Ultron was the character everyone knew was a bad idea to be created, but even we couldn't predict how much damage his existence would cause. Created by Tony Stark as Earth's protector, Ultron immediately went crazy after looking on the internet for five minutes and decided to wipe out humanity, destroying Sokovia in the process. His actions caused a huge change for Tony, who still feels guilty over it to this day, and he was a major influence in everyone's actions during Civil War. Ultron is also just a great character, fun and twisted. Lacking in some nuance perhaps, but voicework by James Spader managed to bring out the menace of the snarky robot, while keeping him restrained enough to let out some deeper thoughts, such as his last conversation with Vision before his final death. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll have a back-up file somewhere, but I doubt it.
Adrian Toomes/Vulture (Micheal Keaton)
I'll admit to not thinking this character could work, or at least, not as great as this. Adrian Toomes was a simple salvager, until he was screwed over and his company was shut down. Angry at those who caused it, Toomes used the technology of the Chitari to build himself a wing-suit and sell weapons. The wing-suit is amazing, with a real sense of weight and energy behind every movement, and the design is fantastic. Michael Keaton's performance is brilliant and terrifying, his threat to Peter Parker is one of the best hero-threatens-villain-talks in the genre, and his reason for committing these crimes is understandable, since most rich people these days really do deserve an ass-kicking.
N'Jadaka/Erik Stevens/Kilmonger (Michael B. Jordan)
I wrestled hard with placing this character as either 3rd or 2nd best, so if you believe he should be higher then I understand completely. Son of Wakanda's prince N'Jobu, N'Jadaka was left alone and abandoned after his father was killed by the king. Living alone, N'Jadaka saw the world's oppression and violence towards people like him first-hand and became convinced that Wakanda's technology should be used to fight back and take over. After years of being a soldier, racking up the kills to gain the title Kilmonger, he finally came to Wakanda and unleashed war upon our hero, the Black Panther! From his first line to his last, Kilmonger takes over the film. His reason for all this is not only understandable, it's almost agreeable, and he actually manages to change T'Challa's own opinions with his own words and actions, like all great villains do. He's ruthless, cunning, cool and a great voice for the social commentary taking place before your eyes, never being preachy but getting the message through with no room for debate. You know what he's talking about, why he's talking about it, and why it's his methods that are wrong, not his reasoning. Michael B. Jordan really upgraded after Fant4stic, huh?
Loki Laufeyson (Tom Hiddleston)
For far too long, the only villain that anyone cared about was Thor's adoptive brother and prince of Asgard, Loki, resulting in everyone being compared to him and coming up short. Raised by Odin, the God of Mischief Loki wanted the throne but knew he'd never get it because of Thor, so he betrayed him and began a reign of villainy that includes, but is not limited to, using the Destroyer armour on a small town, nearly killing Odin and Thor, faking his death, and even causing the Battle of New York! When the Avengers teamed up for the first time, it was because of Loki, and that's a massive achievement. Since then, Loki has dabbled back and forth between hero and villain, but either way, he's remained one of the MCU's biggest and best characters, and will be missed. "No more resurrections this time", right? ....right?
Thanos (Josh Brolin)
To defeat a God, Marvel brought a Titan! The one who was built up for so long that nobody thought they could pull it off, Thanos is easily the best villain of the franchise. After the destruction of his home planet, Thanos became convinced that the universe didn't have enough resources and so he'll take the merciful route by wiping out half of the population so the other half can live and that way nobody has to suffer. To achieve this goal, he sets out to collect the Infinity Stones and comes across the Avengers. And everything about Thanos is absolutely brilliant, from his twisted delivery of his motivation that almost convinces you he's right to seek out genocide, to the motion capture performance, to the way he fights against Iron Man and Doctor Strange, to... everything else! Thanos is a wonderful character, a wonderful villain, and has a wonderful taste in jewellery, delivering everything I could have wanted and more.
Shiggins:[Admin]
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Born under the stars of the Dark Gods, Shiggins owns the power of the Great Eye and is utterly magnificent in his omniscience. If you dare to discover more about someone as great as him, then go ahead. And to all my friends and family members, YOU are wrong and I should be disappointed! Not the other way round!,. You can find out about him or ask him stuff on ask.fm/shigginsishere or go to his tumblr page http://otakugajeel.tumblr.com/
What's up, just wanted to say, I liked this blog post.
ReplyDeleteIt was funny. Keep on posting!