5 MCU Characters Who Got The Short End of the Stick

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In the cinematic world created by Marvel, over 40 films and television shows make up a massive universe, breathing life into hundreds of characters originally found in comic books. Characters like Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) were the mainstays during the initial phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Their journeys were central to the storyline. However, numerous other heroes, villains, and supporting characters have been underutilized or poorly developed, often meeting untimely ends before they could fully realize their potential. This has been a recurring issue in the MCU since its beginning. Fortunately, the development of more TV series on Disney+ is helping to address this problem, but many past mistakes still linger.

It would have been great if these five MCU characters who are no longer with us had received more focus on their stories while they were part of the series.

Maria Hill

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In 2012, Maria Hill (portrayed by Cobie Smulders) made her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the movie “The Avengers.” Over the years that followed, she became a regular character, appearing in films like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014), “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015), “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” (both 2018 and 2019), “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019), and the upcoming series “Secret Invasion” (2023). Throughout her eleven-year tenure in the MCU, Maria Hill worked closely with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and the Avengers. In a surprising turn of events at the end of the first episode of “Secret Invasion,” Maria Hill was killed during a Skrull ambush, setting up an intriguing narrative for the rest of the series.

Despite playing a secondary role, it seems fair to argue that Maria deserved a more fully fleshed-out narrative arc. Over the span of many years and multiple projects, the character hasn’t shown much growth or development, which is surprising given her talent. The Marvel Cinematic Universe had an opportunity to expand upon Maria’s story, but instead chose to abruptly end it prematurely, cutting short a potentially captivating tale that had great potential for further exploration. A seasoned character like Maria could have carried her own or shared the lead in a project, but unfortunately, the MCU decided on a premature conclusion to Maria’s intriguing, yet underdeveloped, storyline.

Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver

In the movie “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” audience met Pietro Maximoff, also known as Quicksilver (portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson), together with his sister Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). Initially joining the villainous robot Ultron (James Spader), the Maximoff twins eventually switched sides and aided the Avengers in the fight at Sokovia. Pietro’s extraordinary speed made him a standout hero within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, he met an unfortunate end when sustaining bullet wounds while safeguarding a civilian.

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For numerous fans, Pietro’s brief role within the series fell short of expectations. Conversely, Wanda experienced an intriguing character development journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Unlike Wanda, Quicksilver was primarily utilized to set up tension and consequences in Avengers: Age of Ultron. If his storyline had been further developed, it would have been captivating to witness him evolve alongside his sister over multiple films.

May Parker

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, May Parker, portrayed by Marisa Tomei, first appeared in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War.” She has since been seen in movies such as “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017), “Avengers: Endgame,” “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021). Unfortunately, May met a tragic end during the Green Goblin’s bomb explosion in the latest “Spider-Man” film.

Absolutely, in the original Spider-Man series, characters like Uncle Ben and Aunt May played significant supporting roles, just as May has been intended to be in the story of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). However, the MCU’s portrayal of May ended prematurely, leaving fans wanting more. The narrative introduced an engaging subplot about May’s relationship with Happy Hogan, Stark Industries’ head of security (played by Jon Favreau), but this romantic angle was only developed as a brief fling.

Gorr the God Butcher

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As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I found myself captivated by the antagonist of Thor: Love and Thunder in 2022 – Gorr the God Butcher. His narrative was deeply rooted in personal tragedy, as he held the gods accountable for the loss of his daughter. With the Necrosword at his side, he embarked on a relentless quest to eliminate every deity, frustrated by their indifference towards the starving and oppressed populace. Alas, Jane Foster/Mighty Thor (Natalie Portman) and Thor managed to bring an end to Gorr’s crusade in the film’s climax.

Unfortunately, Gorr’s solo outing within the Marvel Cinematic Universe left much to be desired. The scarcity of his screen time combined with the jarring tonal shifts between the movie’s humor and Gorr’s grim, vengeful nature created an uneasy balance. Despite being portrayed as a dark and ruthless character from the get-go, Gorr failed to carry out any on-screen god slayings following the film’s opening scene. Furthermore, the excessive silliness in Love and Thunder made Gorr’s brief appearances feel like they belonged to an entirely separate production.

It’s hard to imagine a scenario where an actor as gifted as Bale isn’t utilized optimally, and unfortunately, “Love and Thunder” didn’t fully capitalize on his talent in his limited role. The character of Gorr would have been more effectively used in a separate project or even across multiple projects to build his persona. Regrettably, Gorr’s rampage didn’t align well with the storyline of “Love and Thunder,” and it’s sad that the Marvel Cinematic Universe might not provide another opportunity for this character.

Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow

It’s long overdue that Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson), didn’t merely stay a supporting character. She first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2010’s Iron Man 2, and played significant roles in The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. After her self-sacrificing death in Endgame, Natasha ultimately received her own film in 2021 titled Black Widow, which delved into the character’s family background between Civil War and Infinity War.

In recent times, it’s been noticed that many people criticize the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for not giving Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, a significant role until after her character’s death. The timing of “Black Widow” didn’t help its success and prevented any potential sequels. Fans feel that she should have been the lead in a trilogy, similar to Iron Man, Captain America, and other main male characters. Unfortunately, the MCU’s narrow focus on Black Widow resulted in a less satisfying story arc, which was further weakened by her underdeveloped relationship with Bruce Banner/Hulk in “Age of Ultron.” Sadly, fans will never witness Natasha Romanoff in the prominent roles she deserved before her departure from the franchise. The MCU’s mishandling of Black Widow is considered one of its most significant mistakes to date.

All of the MCU titles mentioned in this article are available to stream on Disney+.

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2025-02-05 22:12