7 Great Marvel Villains Who Are Currently Dead

by

In Marvel Comics, death rarely sticks. Heroes and villains frequently die in big battles, only to come back to life within months or a couple of years. Marvel often uses a villain’s death to kick off new story arcs or highlight other characters. However, as of 2025, a lot of Marvel’s most well-known and dangerous villains are currently deceased, and their absence is being felt throughout the Marvel Universe. It’s uncertain when, or even if, these evil leaders and cruel killers will return, but for the time being, they’re staying put.

Being a supervillain is a dangerous life filled with backstabbing, so it’s not shocking when they die violently – whether killed by heroes or other villains. As of right now, these villains are no longer alive.

7) Erik Killmonger

Erik Killmonger, one of Black Panther’s most dangerous foes, has died and come back to life multiple times. However, he’s been dead longer now than ever before. In 2021, he merged with an alien creature that contained the spirit of his father. This being attempted to control Killmonger, but he fiercely resisted, leading to a constant battle for dominance. Ultimately, Killmonger, empowered by the alien symbiote, was killed in a final fight with Black Panther, who fatally wounded him with a spear. Though currently deceased, Killmonger has a history of returning, suggesting he’ll likely threaten Wakanda again in the future.

6) Kraven the Hunter

Sergei Kravinoff, the villain known as Kraven the Hunter, has repeatedly died and come back to life in Marvel comics, most famously in the story Kraven’s Last Hunt. After a recent resurrection, he was cursed: he could only truly die if Spider-Man was the one to kill him. In a 2019 storyline, desperate to find peace, Kraven discovered a way around the curse. He put on Spider-Man’s costume and had his clone and son, known as the Last Son, kill him while wearing the suit. Because Kraven technically was Spider-Man when he died, the curse was broken, and he was finally able to remain dead. Following his death, the Last Son took on the mantle of Kraven the Hunter, continuing his father’s dangerous work.

5) Mandarin

Although the Mandarin was Iron Man’s greatest enemy and a formidable opponent, he was surprisingly killed in 2018 by the Punisher. The Mandarin had become the official representative for Bagalia, a small island nation run by Baron Zemo and filled with supervillains. While speaking at the United Nations, he was shot with a specialized bullet that penetrated his force field. The Punisher carried out this act as part of his campaign to eliminate Baron Zemo and his followers. The Mandarin remains the most powerful supervillain the Punisher has ever killed, and he hasn’t returned since.

4) Baron Zemo

Baron Helmut Zemo is a major villain in Marvel Comics, known as the leader of Hydra and the Masters of Evil, and a long-time enemy of Captain America. However, a recent storyline called One World Under Doom revealed that even Zemo wasn’t a match for Doctor Doom. While it appeared Zemo was supporting Doom after he became the world’s new Sorcerer Supreme, the Avengers discovered the truth: the Zemo publicly backing Doom was actually a robotic duplicate. The real Zemo had been dead for months, and Doctor Doom, as punishment for his defiance, had crushed his skull.

3) Sabretooth

Sabretooth, whose real name is Victor Creed, has always been determined to torment Wolverine. In a 2024 storyline called “Sabretooth War,” he finally faced the consequences of his actions. Sabretooth and his followers attacked Krakoa, targeting mutants – including Wolverine’s son, Daken – in an attempt to hurt him. After a brutal and devastating conflict with numerous casualties, Wolverine and Sabretooth had a final, intense battle. Though evenly matched at first, Wolverine ultimately unleashed his fury and defeated Sabretooth, tearing him apart. This brought an end to one of Marvel’s oldest and most bitter feuds, with Wolverine standing over the defeated and broken remains of his enemy.

2) Red Skull

Red Skull, one of Marvel’s original villains and Captain America’s greatest enemy, is a truly terrifying figure in comic books. Though he’s ‘died’ many times, he’s always returned through cloning. However, even these tricks couldn’t save him when Doctor Doom became the Sorcerer Supreme and took control of Earth. Doom doesn’t show how he killed Red Skull, but confirms that he did, and given how Doom dealt with Baron Zemo, it was likely a harsh end. Despite being a supervillain himself, Doom clearly has a line he won’t cross – and that line is Nazis.

1) Doctor Doom

This year, Doctor Doom made the ultimate sacrifice. In the story arc One World Under Doom, the notorious villain became Earth’s ruler by gaining immense magical power as the Sorcerer Supreme. He defeated the Avengers and Fantastic Four who tried to oppose him, but tragedy struck when his goddaughter, Valeria Richards, was accidentally killed during a battle. Devastated by the loss of the one person he loved, Doom sought a way to bring her back. He ultimately made a deal with the Living Tribunal: his life for Valeria’s. Doom agreed, and as a result, the Marvel Universe has lost its greatest villain.

What do you think? Leave a Comment below and join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/comics/list/7-supervillains-who-have-stayed-dead/embed/#

Read More

2025-11-27 22:15