Summary
TheMarvel Cinematic Universeis filled with a diverse array of heroes, but not all of them embody the ideals of justice like Steve Rogers and Peter Parker. Some are darker characters known asanti-heroes, who blur the lines of morality and do not fit the typical hero mold. These anti-heroes possess more complex traits, often exhibiting both good and bad qualities simultaneously.
From Phase One to Phase Six, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced a variety of anti-heroes over almost two decades. Some characters have always been recognized as anti-heroes, while others have transitioned from being villains to more heroic figures. These characters frequently make questionable decisions, even with good intentions.
10Ghost
Being Spared Turned Her Into A Better Person
WhenGhostwas first introduced inAnt-Man and the Wasp, she was far from the worst villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as all she wanted was not to be killed by her own powers. Ava Starr was willing to rob and murder for a chance at a cure, even sacrificing other innocent lives to do so, but rather than be killed off, Janet Pym used her quantum powers to cure her and give her a second chance.
Ava being spared affects her, as shown by her big return to the MCU inThunderbolts*asa powerfulteam member,where she’s still a flawed person, but she’s willing to fight the Void to save the world. Throughout the film, there is a pattern with Ghost, showcasing that she is unwilling to leave people behind, especially her new friends with whom she has a lot of fun and snarky banter.
9Moon Knight
Marc And Steven Are The Result Of Abuse And Trauma
Marc Spector showcases how childhood trauma can affect a person, which the god Khonshu took full advantage of, using an emotionally troubled person to transform into hisMoon Knight. He is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, with Steven Grant being a wholesome, quiet, and shy personality who lives a good life, while Marc gets to spend his nights being a mercenary and Khonshu’s agent of vengeance.
It all stems from the loss of his brother, which turned his mother into an abusive drunk. It led to Marc becoming a caped hero with qualms about killing criminals, especially when Khonshu gives him immortality and other abilities to get the job done. This conflicts with Steven’s more innocent and less-violent nature.
8Yondu Udonta
Being pirates like the Ravagers, who steal from anyone they come across, it’s hard to remain a good person. However,Yondu Udontawas different from the moment he picked up Peter Quill, aka. Star-Lord, on Earth, showing a soft spot that led to him thinking of the young human like a son, even if it took him over thirty years to admit as much.
Yondu spent years bringingthe evil Ego the Living Planet’soffspring to him, leading them to their demise, but he hid Peter to protect him. Little did he know that this planted the seed for him, later blooming into an official Guardian of the Galaxy. It was also his good heart that would lead him to make up for his criminal acts by sacrificing his life to save his adopted son.
7John Walker
Being On A Team Made Him Better
John Walkeris the perfect example of what Dr. Abraham Erskine warned against if the wrong person got the super soldier in their system: power taking what was already flawed and making it worse. John Walker was never a bad person, but his inflated ego and need to prove himself caused him to react to the super soldier serum poorly, almost like a superhero version of roid rage.
Between murdering an innocent person and fighting two Avengers, John Walker’s actions earned him a dishonorable discharge, which was the beginning of his turnaround. InThunderbolts*, he’s far from a great hero, but beingpart of a team of anti-heroesallows him to live up to his original goal of being a superhero.
6The Punisher
Frank Castle Fully Embraces His Murderous Ways
Many anti-heroes are still driven by a sense of justice, even if it’s a warped version. That is not the case withThe Punisher,played by Jon Bernthal, who hates the ideals of costumed heroes like Daredevil. Instead, Frank Castle is blunt about who and what he is: a revenge-driven vigilante who doesn’t care about what is right or wrong; he just wants all criminals to meet an early grave.
At times, The Punisher can come across as downright villainous in his approach to crime-fighting, which puts him at odds with Daredevil, but he does have some honor in him. While he may not agree with him, Frank was willing to help Daredevil when he needed it, and he has a firm stance against people trying to be like him, especially the corrupt police force that looked to him as an inspiration.
5Winter Soldier
Life Has Not Been Kind To Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnesoriginally wanted to serve his country during World War 2, but he never anticipated that his desire would lead to him being experimented on and transformed into Hydra’s personal assassin, theWinter Soldier. Instead, he became anevil counterpart to Captain America. However, thanks to Steve Rogers' loyalty and kindhearted nature, Bucky regained his mind and gradually evolved into a hero.
Although his decades as a mindless assassin resulted in a darker disposition, the Winter Soldier still retains a sense of justice and fearlessness that he utilized during the battles against Thanos as an Avenger. He even became the most experienced member of the Thunderbolts, helping the team save the world from the Void’s rampage in New York City.
4Loki
The Multiverse Blessed Him With Glorious Purpose
Loki, like Bucky, has been a part of every single phase of the MCU, and fans have witnessed him transform from a devilish but enjoyable villain who fought the Avengers to a smarmy anti-hero not once, but twice. Not only did the main Loki of the MCU slowlyredeem himself across multiple films, but a multiverse variant in theLokiDisney+ series did the same thing across two seasons.
That Loki variant would even go as far as to become the God of Stories and save the multiverse from collapsing in on itself, and now he is set to become an Avenger inAvengers: Doomsday. It’s one of many examples of how much a character can change when given enough time to spread their wings across multiple chapters of a story.
3Yelena Belova
Florence Pugh Has Defined A New Era Of The MCU
InBlack WidowandHawkeye, fans got to meetYelena Belovaand get to know her as a young ex-Black Widow rediscovering her true self, which is not easy for someone who has been a slave to the Red Room almost their whole life. This results in her being a darker hero, dealing with a lot of inner turmoil that she doesn’t know how to process.
Yelena’s trauma andgood heart are exemplified inThunderbolts*, where her sins and past mistakes constantly haunt her, but that helps in the battle against the Void. Florence Pugh has become a beloved part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, giving Yelena so much depthwhile also making her as charming and lovable as possible, even when she is at her darkest.
2Nebula
She Overcame An Evil Father To Be A True Guardian And Avenger
When audiences first metNebulainGuardians of the Galaxy, she was portrayed as nothing more than a bloodthirsty assassin with a hatred for her sister, Gamora. However, with each sequel and time as part of the Avengers, it became clear that she was a victim of Thanos’ cruelty, transforming her into someone willing to do anything to please him.
Nebula’s rising hatred for Thanos and acceptance of the Guardians helped reshape her into a more honorable character. She helped in the war against Thanos, became the leader of Knowhere, and, like Yondu, becameone of the Guardians of the Galaxy, with audiences coming to love her for both her moody personality and her surprisingly wholesome relationships with her friends.
1Deadpool
Wade Is A Vulgar, Childish Anti-Hero Who Saved The Multiverse
While he did not begin in the MCU,Deadpoolis one of the lucky characters to be brought over from the Fox Marvel universe thanks to the Multiverse Saga, and from the beginning of his first movie,he states that he is not a hero. Deadpool has expressed no care for the selfless and honorable qualities that define a superhero, and often acts out of his own impulsiveness and greedy desires.
At the same time, Deadpool can do good when pushed. He stops a child from becoming a villain and sacrifices everything to stop the multiverse from imploding. Across his trilogy of films, Deadpool gradually shows more humanity and becomes more than just the jester who breaks the fourth wall while brutally taking out any enemy that comes his way.
