Summary

Marvel Studios has explore the knock-down origin stories of many of the most terrifying and memorable villains in theMarvel Cinematic Universe . Since the start of the MCU with 2008’sIron Man , Marvel Studios has infix dozen of iconic supervillains from Marvel Comics into the live - activeness dealership , with each one stupefy major challenges and deadly threat to the Hero of the hour . While every MCU installing has have a dedicated villain , Marvel Studios has also introduced bigger enemies who have been developed as overarching villains for the MCU ’s expansive Sagas , including Josh Brolin ’s excited Titan Thanos for the Infinity Saga andJonathan Majors ' Kang the Conquerorfor the Multiverse Saga .

Often , line of descent stories for Marvel Studios ' baddie have been relate straight off to the tale of the MCU ’s heroes , with many , such as Tony Stark ’s Iron Man , create their own villains through their premature action . scoundrel backstories in the MCUhave also helped to make some of the franchise ’s corking foes seem sympathetic , with their motions becoming understandable and sometimes even good to the country of the Earth or the world as a whole . Often , supervillain backstories in the MCU have also razz these foeman being reformed or transforming into poor boy , while more recentvillains introduced in Phases 4 and 5have provided explanations for some of the MCU ’s oldest mysteries .

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has adapted a act of Marvel Comics villains , but what became of each of them in their MCU appearances ?

Ultron and Hela in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

10Taskmaster Allowed Black Widow To Fix Her Greatest Mistake

Olga Kurylenko’s Antonia Dreykov Was The Villain Of Black Widow (2021)

Olga Kurylenko debuted asAntonia Dreykov , a.k.a . Taskmaster , in 2021’sBlack Widow . The Phase 4 film explored Natasha Romanoff ’s tale between the events ofCaptain America : Civil WarandAvengers : Infinity War , and help to resolve one of the MCU ’s long - running mystery , as Loki’s"Dreykov ’s daughter"comment from 2012’sThe Avengerswas in the end explained . As a child , Romanoff used Antonia Dreykov as lure to make an assassination effort on her father , General Dreykov , but Antonia survived and was subsequently subject to a sprightliness of experiment and subjugation . DuringBlack Widow , Romanoff was able to free Antonia from her father ’s restraint , redeeming herself from her outstanding mistake .

9Hela’s Backstory Uncovers The Truth Of Asgard’s Empire

Cate Blanchett’s Hela Was The Villain Of Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

2017’sThor : Ragnarokrevealed that Thor and Loki had a secret older sis , Cate Blanchett ’s Hela , who had fought alongside Odin to incur control over the Nine Realms and establish Asgard ’s conglomerate . While Odin had sample to hide the truth of their conquest , even banishing his own daughter to Hel , Hela unveil the truth upon her return to Asgard , shew herself to be an implausibly formidable and powerful scoundrel to the Nine Realms . The account of Hela ’s backstory evidence that Odin had hold on a enceinte deal hidden from his sons and field of study , yet helped Thor pave his own way in an effort to prevail better than his father .

8Zemo’s Backstory Proves The Avengers Have Created Their Own Villains

Daniel Brühl’s Zemo Was The Villain Of Captain America: Civil War (2016)

One of the longest - bunk themes of the MCU is the idea of the dealership ’s heroes create their own demons . This has been see several times over the yr , andDaniel Brühl ’s Baron Helmut Zemois the perfect example , as he became a staunch foe to the Avengers after the events of 2015’sAge of Ultron . During the Phase 2 crossover film , the Avengers ' actions caused the end of Sokovia , and the destruction of Zemo ’s wife , son and father . This prompted him to target the Avengers inCaptain America : Civil War , and begin his battle against the MCU ’s topnotch soldier that continue into Phase 4’sThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier .

James Spader’s Ultron Was The Villain Of Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

Alongside Zemo , the artificial tidings Ultron , voiced by James Spader , is also a prize example of the Avengers ' make their own enemies . Ultron was inadvertently activated after Tony Stark and Bruce Banner ’s tampering with the Mind Stone housed in Loki ’s sceptre , and the baddie took control of Stark ’s Iron Legion to create his own networked army . Ultron posed a potentially world - ending threat duringAge of Ultron , prepare himTony Stark ’s greatest mistake , and the events of the Battle of Sokovia led to the emergence of other villains including Baron Zemo . Ultron evidence to be a success in alternate realness , but introduce the Avengers with one of their most terrifying challenge .

Earth-838 ’s Ultron was a success inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness , but a version of Ultron seen inWhat If … ?season 1 became even more unnerving than the adaptation inAge of Ultron , threatening the integral multiverse after empowering himself with the Infinity Stones .

6Xu Wenwu Answered The MCU’s Oldest Mystery

Tony Leung’s Xu Wenwu Was The Villain Of Shang-Chi & The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021)

TheTen Rings has survive since the scratch of the MCU , but it was n’t until Tony Leung ’s first appearance as Xu Wenwu in 2021’sShang - Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsthat the truth of the terrorist organisation was explained . Wenwu ’s backstory revealed he observe the mystical Ten Rings roughly a thousand year ago , and they accord him immortality and superhuman abilities , which he used to build a orbicular imperium . Even though he relinquish the Ten Rings after light in love , he sported them again after his wife ’s last , prove himself to be one of the MCU ’s most troubled villain , which was again render in his handling by the Dwelller - in - Darkness .

5The Winter Soldier Went From Best Friend To Powerful Enemy

Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes Was The Villain Of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Sebastian Stan ’s Bucky Barnes has one of the most emotionally - deep backstories in the MCU , as he was introduced as Steve Rogers ' childhood best friend inCaptain America : The First Avenger , but by and by became one of Captain America ’s most powerful enemies . After seemingly fall to his demise , Bucky was taken in by HYDRA and brainwash to become the sodding assassin . This lead toBucky , now work as the Winter Soldier , come back into contact with Rogers in 2014’sCaptain America : The Winter Soldier . Luckily , Bucky ’s conditioning was eventually removed , allowing him to become an MCU hero , but his connection to Captain America still made his turn to villainy even more tragic .

4Killmonger’s Childhood Story Sets Up A Sympathetic Villain

Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger Was The Villain Of Black Panther (2018)

Erik " Killmonger " Stevens debuted in 2018’sBlack Pantheras the perfect antagonist to the late Chadwick Boseman ’s T’Challa . Michael B. Jordan’sKillmonger was T’Challa ’s cousin , the son of T’Chaka ’s chum , N’Jobu , who was incidentally kill by the former Wakandan King , with the young Killmonger being left give up . This kick - started his womb-to-tomb pursuance to infiltrate Wakanda and use its innovative imagination to arm nonage around the cosmos . Killmonger ’s motivations were incredibly apprehensible , and though his method acting were refutable and certainly nefarious from T’Challa ’s perspective , his actions did handle to change the way T’Challa rule over his Kingdom , so , in a manner , he did succeed .

Killmonger yield to recognize Shuri in the Ancestral Plane inBlack Panther : Wakanda Foreverupon her ingestion of her celluloid fondness - shaped herb , instruct her new object lesson on how to be the good Black Panther potential .

3Loki’s Backstory Sets Him Up As A Villain & A Hero

Tom Hiddleston’s Loki Was The Villain Of Thor (2011) & The Avengers (2012)

Tom Hiddleston ’s Loki is one of the MCU ’s oldest baddie , debuting in 2011’sThorand endure as the original Avengers team ’s adversary . As the brother of Thor , Loki farm up in his crony ’s fantasm , always assay the approval of Odin , but never getting it . This pursuit for approval led to the Battle of New York inThe Avengers , but also set Loki on a salvation electric arc in the MCU ’s Phase 3 . Even though he play his dying inInfinity War , a variant ofLoki embark on a new adventure with the TVAinLokion Disney+ , which led to him protect the entire multiverse and discharge his full redemption plot line .

2Thanos' Backstory Is What Makes Him Such A Great MCU Villain

Josh Brolin’s Thanos Was The Villain Of Avengers: Infinity War (2018) & Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Josh Brolin ’s Thanos was depict as the primary villain of the Infinity Saga , but his conquest for the Infinity Stones was detail specifically inAvengers : Infinity WarandEndgame . After predicting that his homeworld , Titan , would experience prostration due to overpopulation , Thanos suggest random genocide , and though he was consider sore , his prediction would eventually come to decease . Imagining this for the entire universe , Thanos define out to wipe out half the population of the cosmos with the six Infinity Stones in an effort to bring balance wheel to the population , hoping the survivors would be grateful . His actions were reverse , but many still believeThanos was rightin his intentions .

1Scarlet Witch’s Villain Arc Built Up Over Several Years

Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff Was The Villain Of WandaVision (2021) & Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022)

Wanda Maximoff was introduced as a minor antagonist inAge of Ultron , butElizabeth Olsen ’s Scarlet Witchwould go on to become a spectacular member of the Avengers . After lose their parents , Wanda and her brother signed up for HYDRA experiments that gave them superhuman abilities ( or enhanced pre - existent top executive ) . Later , after the death of Pietro inAge of Ultron , and the loss of Vision and their children inWandaVision , Wanda became corrupted by the Darkhold , completing her transformation into a bona fide villain . The Scarlet Witch ’s backstory is one of the most tragical storylines in theMarvel Cinematic Universe , providing a deep honkytonk into themes of grief and trauma .

Spider-Man in the MCU and Jean Grey in Marvel Comics

Nextwave team

Thanos, Ultron and the Scarlet Witch as prominent villains in the MCU

Taskmaster with arms crossed in Black Widow

Baron Zemo with super soldier serum in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Ultron threatening Ulysses Klaue in 2015’s Age of Ultron

Xu Wenwu with the Ten Rings trying to get into Ta Lo in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger scowls while apprehended in Black Panther.

Loki in the Hulk’s cage in The Avengers

Younger Thanos in full body armor in Avengers Endgame

Marvel Cinematic Universe