5 Marvel Villains Who Are Heroes in the Ultimate Universe

Marvel Comics’ successful second Ultimate Universe is nearing its climactic end with the heroes of this parallel world fighting the Maker. This cruel villain is an evil version of Reed Richards and who created this Ultimate Universe. To maintain his dominance over this world, Earth-6160, the Maker ensured that numerous iconic heroes would either become his loyal lackeys or never receive their powers. However, while the Maker focused on trying to ensure that many notable heroes never revolted against him, he forgot to account for the villains. In a world ruled by a cruel dictatorship, many characters who would otherwise be iconic villains instead became heroes and freedom fighters against the Maker’s regime.

In the main universe, many of these characters are among its cruelest and wickedest villains. However, in the new Ultimate Universe, these would-be-villains are on the front lines in fighting the Maker and the Maker’s Council.

5) Mysterio

Instead of a charlatan who uses smoke and mirrors to fake being a sorcerer, the Mysterio of the Ultimate Universe is the real deal. Here, Mysterio isn’t one person but a mystical secret society that takes turns holding the Mysterio mantle. Members of this group include Quentin Beck and Gwen Stacy. After a bomb nearly killed them, the five members fused to survive and become stronger. Gwen Stacy uses the Mysterio mantle to help her husband, Harry Osborn, aka the Green Goblin, fight criminals in New York like the Kingpin and Sinister Six. The Mysterio of this world possesses real magical powers, such as illusions, flight, astral projection, and teleportation. Where other incarnations of Mysterio only pretended to be a hero, this amalgamated version is a genuine protector.

4) Killmonger

Taking heavy inspiration from his MCU interpretation, the Erik Killmonger of the Ultimate Universe fights for the liberty of his people but doesn’t let hate consume him. When members of the Maker’s Council, the Egyptian Gods Khonshu and Ra, sought to conquer Africa, Wakanda initially sought to stay out of the conflict. However, disillusioned by Wakanda’s isolationist policy, Killmonger left his homeland to become a freedom fighter. He’s also in a relationship with the weather-manipulating mutant Ororo Munroe, aka Wind-Rider. Eventually, Killmonger’s heroism and selflessness lead Black Panther to declare that Killmonger will one day be his successor and anointed as king of Wakanda, so that he may bring a new age of prosperity and justice to its people.

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3) Sabretooth

Sabretooth is an interesting case because he’s a hero in almost every universe except the primary Marvel timeline, where he’s an animalistic serial killer. In this world, mutants are hunted and Wolverine is the brainwashed assassin for the Eurasian Government, called the Winter Soldier. In contrast, here, Sabretooth is one of the last defenders of mutantkind. Sabretooth is a member of the Opposition, a mutant/human group rebelling against the oppressive Eurasian Government. Sabretooth primarily focuses on helping mutant child refugees hide and escape persecution. As always, his relationship with Wolverine is complicated: they started as friends but became enemies when Logan was brainwashed into an evil monster. However, once Logan was freed from his mind control, he and Sabretooth reconciled.

2) Green Goblin

When the Maker prevented Peter Parker from becoming Spider-Man as a teenager, a new hero had to rise and become New York City’s defender. After the deaths of his parents, Harry Osborn combined his family’s resources with discarded Iron Man suits to become the superhero the Green Goblin. Instead of relying on a Goblin Formula, this version of Harry possesses strength-enhancing power armor and laser blasters, along with more stereotypical Goblin weaponry, such as a glider and pumpkin bombs. When Peter became Spider-Man as an adult, he and Green Goblin weren’t enemies, but instead became close friends and crimefighting partners. And while Green Goblin is more willing to kill his enemies, for a long time, he was one of his world’s only public heroes.

1) Kang

With a world as twisted as the new Ultimate Universe, one of its greatest hopes was ironically a conqueror. This version of Kang is a future Tony Stark. Enraged by the Maker’s rewriting of history, Kang and his army attacked the villain in his headquarters, the City. Kang and the Maker engaged in a time-warping battle and Howard Stark managed to entrap the two in the City for two years. This gave the world’s heroes time to come together and form a rebellion called the Ultimates. When the Maker and Kang escaped the City, the conqueror died helping the Ultimates fight the Maker. Although Kang’s certainly morally dubious, the world only ever had a fighting chance against the Maker thanks to him.

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