7 Marvel Comics Heroes Who Turned Into Villains

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Marvel stories often explore characters finding redemption, but they also frequently feature heroes who become villains. While characters like Norman Osborn and Sandman have sometimes turned towards good, there are just as many former heroes, Avengers, and mutants who choose to embrace villainy. Sometimes, they find it’s simply easier to be a criminal, and other times, they’re driven to evil by the actions of other heroes, seeking revenge. Each story is unique, but ultimately, these Marvel villains decided that being a hero wasn’t for them.

From heroes like the Avengers becoming dangerous enemies to mutants posing a global threat, here’s a look at some of Marvel’s most famous heroes who have become villains.

7) Ant-Man (Eric O’Grady)

Over the years, several different characters have been Ant-Man in Marvel Comics. Hank Pym was the first, and he briefly struggled with his mental health, which affected his actions. Scott Lang later became Ant-Man after stealing the suit to help his daughter. Another character, Eric O’Grady, has also held the title.

Eric wasn’t naturally a hero. He became Ant-Man by taking the suit from a deceased friend and initially worked in that capacity for SHIELD. However, he often displayed problematic behavior, using his powers to invade women’s privacy. Interestingly, his most compelling stories often occurred when he played the role of a villain, particularly while partnering with Taskmaster.

6) Madelyne Pryor

Madelyne Pryor’s life was tragically predetermined. Created as a duplicate of Jean Grey by the villain Mister Sinister, she was meant to take Jean’s place in the life of Scott Summers (Cyclops). Unaware of her origins, Madelyne and Scott fell in love, married after he left the X-Men, and had a child. However, their happiness was shattered when Jean Grey unexpectedly returned. Abandoning his wife and child, Scott went to Jean, and Sinister retaliated by sending his Marauders to murder Madelyne and abduct their baby.

Madelyne’s situation worsened when she discovered who she really was and embraced villainy, transforming into the Goblin Queen and attempting to unleash Hell on Earth during the Inferno storyline. Sadly, despite her attempts to change, no one ever trusted her again, and each return led to further mental instability.

5) Alex Wilder

Alex Wilder’s betrayal doesn’t feel as shocking as when established Marvel heroes become villains. This is because he was introduced as a new character in Runaways specifically to eventually become a villain. From the start, Marvel planned for him to be a spy, secretly working against his friends and helping his evil parents and The Pride. The only truly impactful part of his turn was how it hurt Nico Minoru, someone he genuinely cared for, and her subsequent rejection of him after discovering his deception.

4) Beast

Beast’s evolution in Marvel Comics is remarkable. He began as a large, strong, and quick mutant in his first appearance in X-Men #1. He then attempted to cure his mutation, which resulted in his now-iconic blue, furry appearance. Despite the changes, he maintained his playful personality, often acting as the friendly and funny member of teams like the Avengers. However, the situation became more serious after Cyclops killed Professor X.

Beast started conducting ethically questionable scientific experiments, which concerned even his fellow mutants. Things came to a head on Krakoa, where he completely lost control. Despite being put in charge of X-Force by Xavier, Beast went rogue, mistreating his team and killing without hesitation. He nearly ruined everything for mutants until his friend Simon Williams intervened. That version of Beast is now deceased, and a clone has reappeared, thankfully with his original, cheerful personality.

3) Hulk (Maestro)

While many Hulks possess incredible power, Maestro is arguably the most frightening. He’s a version of the Hulk from an alternate Earth devastated by a nuclear war. After years of hibernation, he emerged to find humanity hadn’t improved, leading him to the conclusion that he should take control and rule the world.

During this period, he committed terrible acts, including killing rivals and attempting to harm his former friend, Rick Jones. He even had Hercules murdered after Hercules challenged his authority. It took the Hulk from another dimension to finally defeat him, but even that wasn’t enough to ensure he remained defeated.

2) Red Hulk

Calling General Ross a ‘hero’ is debatable, but he was a soldier dedicated to protecting the country. He saw Hulk as the biggest danger, particularly because of the destruction caused when Hulk unintentionally rampaged through cities. Ultimately, Ross was a hero, though his focus on capturing Hulk bordered on obsession.

When General Ross transformed into the Red Hulk, he briefly became truly villainous. While he’s since become more of an anti-hero, he’s largely self-serving and no longer dedicated to national security. He’s become a much more dangerous and morally ambiguous figure.

1) Ultimate Reed Richards (Maker)

This version of Reed Richards comes from the Ultimate Universe, but it also offers a glimpse of what the main Earth-616 Reed Richards might have become if he’d embraced his negative traits. While he aimed to be a hero, this Reed was incredibly self-assured – even more so than his counterpart – and firmly believed he was always correct, which ultimately caused issues.

After Susan Storm turned down his proposal and the Fantastic Four disbanded, Reed Richards staged his own death and tragically killed his parents. He reinvented himself as the Maker, anticipating the destruction of his world, and then launched an attack on Earth with his creation, the Children of Tomorrow, ultimately becoming the planet’s most formidable villain.

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2025-11-16 00:16