The Marvel Cinematic Universe lays claim to one of the greatest comic book movie villains of all time in Thanos (Josh Brolin), but since he last appeared in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, a number of captivating villains have filled the void he left. Before Thanos cemented his iconic status in Avengers: Infinity War, interesting antagonists like Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), and Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) stood out as memorable villains. The years since Endgame have produced some great new adversaries for the MCU’s heroes — even though disappointments like Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), Galactus (Ralph Ineson), and Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) didn’t live up to the hype.
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These seven MCU villains introduced after Avengers: Endgame are excellent additions to the franchise and are the best antagonists of Phase 4 and beyond.
7) Kingpin
Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) was menacing villain in Netflix’s Daredevil show, and he’s as fearsome as ever now in the MCU. Kingpin’s smaller roles in the Disney+ series Hawkeye and Echo paved the way for his involvement as the principal antagonist of Daredevil: Born Again. The powerful organized crime figure seems to always come back with a vengeance after every defeat, and his status as New York City’s mayor in Daredevil: Born Again makes him more threatening than before. Ruthless and calculated, Kingpin remains one of the few MCU villains that feel truly unbeatable, and he doesn’t need super powers to be so. Fisk’s rivalry with Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) has produced gripping tension and shocking twists thus far, and Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 could make him an all-time great MCU bad guy.
6) Wenwu
Immense power and a tragic backstory come together to form Wenwu’s (Tony Leung) villain arc. The antagonist of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a legendary conqueror before raising Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Xialing (Meng’er Zhang). But after the murder of his wife and their mother Ying Li (Fala Chen) he became consumed by violence and revenge, commanding the brutal Ten Rings organization. It’s clear Wenwu wanted to be there for his children and right the wrongs of his past, though the loss of his true love broke him. Outside of his sympathetic story, Wenwu’s powers when wearing the Ten Rings are amazing. A genuine master of combat, Wenwu is a standout character in Shang-Chi and a great MCU villain.
5) Namor
Namor (Tenoch Huerta), the ruler of the underwater nation Talokan, emerged in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, literally. The powerful mutant attacked Wakanda when it refused to help him wage war on the surface world. Namor is incredibly skilled in battle, and it’s so cool to watch him take flight with his spear in hand. He might seem totally cold-blooded, but Namor has a good reason for protecting his people. Forced off their land and into the sea by Spanish colonizers, the Talokanil rely on Namor’s leadership to keep their home safe. Namor is one of the most complex villains since Avengers: Endgame, and it will be interesting to see what Avengers: Doomsday has in store for him now that an alliance with Wakanda is secured.
4) Green Goblin
Superhero movie fans loved Norman Osborn/Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, and the iconic villain was spectacular again in the MCU’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. Shifted over to Earth-616 by Doctor Strange’s botched spell, Norman appears scared and disoriented at first, but later returns to his Green Goblin alter ego and fights the title hero. He’s evil and depraved when he attacks Peter Parker/Spider Man (Tom Holland), and distressed when he reverts to his usual self. Green Goblin’s deeds made for some of the most stunning moments in No Way Home, once again proving that he’s among the best comic book villains to ever grace the big screen.
3) The Scarlet Witch
After obtaining the Darkhold and losing her family at the end of WandaVision, Wanda Maximoff/the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) took a villainous turn in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. As she desperately searched for her children across the multiverse, the Scarlet Witch effortlessly slaughtered dozens. From massacring all of Kamar-Taj to dreamwalking in an alternate Wanda’s body and annihilating Earth-838’s Illuminati, the Scarlet Witch’s displays of power were breathtaking. Despite the massive tonal shift between WandaVision and Multiverse of Madness, it’s still easy to sympathize with Wanda. The character has endured so much hardship, and her can agony can be felt even while committing sinister deeds. The Scarlet Witch is still a top-tier MCU character, and the franchise needs to bring her back to show off more of her extraordinary abilities.
2) The Void
The Void is a villain unlike any other in the MCU. Thunderbolts* introduced Bob Reynolds (Lewis Pullman), who joined the Sentry program when struggling with his mental health and drug addiction. After becoming the all-powerful Sentry, Bob’s darker side known as the Void, revealed itself. Bob’s trio of personas are fascinating to watch develop throughout Thunderbolts*, and the Void is terrifying villain concept. Daunting and heartless, the Void terrorizes Bob and everyone in New York by trapping them in a dimension made up of interconnected trauma rooms forcing its victims to relive their most painful moments. The Void’s power is frightening and can be used in a lot of different ways. Thus, his role in Avengers: Doomsday is one to look forward to.
1) Agatha Harkness
The MCU’s best post-Endgame villain coming from TV shows may be a huge surprise, but Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) deserves the title. Introduced in WandaVision as a centuries-old witch posing as Wanda’s nosy Westview neighbor and secretly seeking her power, Agatha has evolved into a compelling three-dimensional character exhibiting profound vulnerability alongside her wickedness and strength. Agatha is a total scene-stealer as the antagonist of WandaVision, bringing laugh-out-loud humor and a catchy song to the show. The MCU’s decision to center a spinoff series on Agatha was a superb move. Without making its protagonist any less of a villain, the show delved into Agatha’s fascinating backstory involving her romance with Rio Vidal/Death (Aubrey Plaza) and loss of her young son Nicky (Abel Lysenko).
Agatha outranks every other post-Endgame villain because of her rich lore and complex personality. The MCU has rarely granted its villains such a platform to explore their identity, and even though Agatha’s journey unfolded on Disney+, the formidable spell-caster prevails as the most memorable MCU villain of the last five years.
Who is your favorite villain in the MCU since Avengers: Endgame? Let us know in the comments!
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