On the surface, it seems that everyMCUhero is a true hero. They come in, they defeat the big baddie, and they save the day, all so humanity can continue living on. But, what if some MCU heroes were actually low-key villains at heart? These heroes, rather than saving the world, would deep-down love to see it burn to a crisp.
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Believe it or not, this topic has been debated countless times ever since the MCU entered the entertainment lexicon, with numerous heated debates centering on which hero would be a great villain if given the chance.
Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) may be a good guy, but once he becomes angry, everyone should be on the lookout. As far as superpowers go, The Hulk seems to be on the bottom rung,but his brute force can easily be a powerful weaponagainst mankind if he ever turned evil.
He can smash entire cities into rubble if he puts his mind to it and becomes disillusioned with being part of the Avengers. Maybe this is the reason why the team tries not to aggravate the mild-mannered Banner. They know exactly what he’s capable of when he gets mad, and it would be in the Avengers’ best interest to keep him on the good side.
Doctor Strange
Always fear a man that can open up the world to strange, new dimensions. Even though he was seen as having some weaknesses inSpider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) powers are something humanity should be fearful of.
Imagine, just for a second, if Spider-Man managed to make Doctor Strange re-think being one of the “good guys?” He can use his powers to unleash an unholy amount of evil on the world. Humankind is lucky that he didn’t, but seeing Doctor Strange as a villain instead of a hero is not out of the realm of imagination.
Scarlet Witch
InWandaVision, MCU fans were reintroduced to Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), or the Scarlet Witch, an Avengerwho can bend reality and unleash chaos magic. Based on her extensive powers — which includes telekinesis and telepathy — the Scarlet Witch is one of the MCU’s more powerful heroes.
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As with all-powerful beings, it can be easy for that power to be exploited for the power of evil as well; and that doubly goes for the Scarlet Witch, whose powers and insecurities can make her a powerful foe.
If it’s one thing thatEternalstaught audiences, is that loyalty can be exploited to trick one into doing “the right thing.”
Ikaris (Richard Madden), a Celestial who came with his fellow Eternals to Earth to protect it from the Deviants, turned out to be the true bad guy as he was tasked to help bring about the Emergence and kill billions of people in the process. Not only that, but he tricked his fellow Eternals about the true nature of his mission, which should make everyone question if a Marvel superhero is truly a “hero” at heart.
While Thena (Angelina Jolie) wasn’t a “bad guy” in Eternals (that distinction went to the deceitful Ikaris), her struggles with Mahd Wy’ry could easily push her into the dark side if not properly maintained.
Mahd Wy’ry is a condition that can afflict Eternals where they experience suppressed memories of their past lives. It isn’t out of the question for an evil being to exploit her struggles with Mahd Wy’ry so that they can use her superhuman strengths to their advantage, and that would be a very bad time for the rest of humanity if that were to occur.
He may seem like a charming superhero on the surface, but Ant-Man can easily turn evil if given the chance.
Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is a petty criminal, and while he used the Ant-Man suit for good in the first two MCU installments featuring him, what if he taps into his criminal side while being Ant-Man? Although he’s trying to find redemption, Lang could be tempted to use his Ant-Man suit for evil; and imagine the evil possibilities if that were to ever happen.
Sprite (Lia McHugh) is a young superhero that can easily be manipulated into using her powers for something that she thinks is “good,” but, in reality, isn’t good for everyone else.
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Seizing on her eternal youth and desire to be a “normal teenager,” Ikaris was able to fill her head with how letting the Emergence happen was a good thing for the Earth; and she went right along with it. Knowing just how close she was to letting billions of people die, Sprite may have some villainous ways hidden underneath her heroic demeanor.
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.)is one of the most intelligent people in the MCU, and that can spell both good and bad news for everyone else.
As much as Stark is a hero, he has also proven to be quite a puppet for politicians, agreeing inCaptain America: Civil Warthat The Avengers needed new laws and political oversight to curtail their awesome power. With the brains and the money, it isn’t far-fetched to see Iron Man use his powers to bring about complete control over the rest of the populace.
Rocket (Bradley Cooper) is a cybernetically enhanced raccoon that finds work as an intergalactic mercenary. Although he is an Avenger and uses his skills and weapon knowledge for the greater good, there is just something about this character that would make one think that, if he ever had an opportunity to go to the dark side, he would do it in a heartbeat, taking his skills with him. Sure, one may not think much about it, but Rocket could become a problem for the Avengers if he were to turn into a villain.
Black Widow
There is something about undercover Russian agents that you can’t ever completely trust. While Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) found herself and began to fight the good fight, one can’t help but not trust this hero. She’s one of the best fighters in the MCU, but her double agent past can come back to haunt her, which could make for an interesting plotline in future Black Widow films.
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