Since the release of Avengers: Endgame six years ago, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen a lot of new villains emerge. Following Thanos was a tough act, but some of the newer antagonists have been truly impressive. Villains like Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Agatha Harkness, Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, and the Void have all stood out in recent years. However, not every new villain has been a success. The current Multiverse Saga has had some disappointments, and some of the weakest links have been poorly developed villains.
With Doctor Doom expected to be the next major villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s a good time to look back at some of the less impressive antagonists we’ve seen recently. Here are five of the most disappointing MCU villains from the last five years, ranked from worst to least bad, since the release of Avengers: Endgame.
5) Arthur Harrow
One of the biggest flaws in Moon Knight is its villain, Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke). While he opposes Marc Spector/Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac) and aims to release the Egyptian goddess Ammit (Saba Mubarak), Harrow’s reasons for doing so aren’t fully explained. He mostly shows up sporadically, acting menacing and secretive. This lack of development is noticeable, especially when contrasted with the complex personality of Moon Knight, who benefits from having multiple identities. Ultimately, Harrow isn’t a particularly compelling villain, which is a shame considering Ethan Hawke’s talent.
4) Galactus
Before the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, many fans were excited to see Galactus (voiced by Ralph Ineson) join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the character ultimately proved disappointing. While visually impressive and imposing, Galactus is surprisingly dull throughout much of the film, mostly just standing around. The movie also fails to explain why he destroys planets or why he’s interested in Franklin Richards, leaving his motivations unclear.
The final battle with Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps is surprisingly anticlimactic. Despite building him up as a major threat, he’s easily defeated by the Fantastic Four simply pushing him into a portal. This makes him a disappointing villain, as the outcome of the fight never feels uncertain. Ultimately, Galactus feels less like a compelling character and more like a tool used to move the plot forward, making him easily forgettable.
3) Karli Morgenthau
In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) leads a group called the Flag Smashers, who believe society has forgotten the people who survived Thanos’s attack. They want to restore the world to how it was during the five years everyone was gone. While it’s easy to understand Karli’s motivations, the show doesn’t develop her character enough to make viewers truly invested in her story. The Flag Smashers also feel like a secondary storyline, as the series mainly focuses on Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) becoming Captain America and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) dealing with his past. Because of this, Karli doesn’t get much screen time for character growth, and her unfulfilling death at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier makes her a somewhat weak villain.
2) Dar-Benn
Dar-Benn, the villain in The Marvels, unfortunately didn’t get enough screen time, making her one of the least compelling villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Avengers: Endgame. Despite having a strong motivation – a deep-seated hatred for Captain Marvel stemming from a civil war and the destruction of her home planet – her quest for revenge felt underdeveloped and less engaging than it could have been.
The villain in The Marvels doesn’t get much screen time and comes across as simply someone seeking revenge, lacking depth. Dar-Benn feels underdeveloped and isn’t featured enough throughout the movie’s brief runtime. While the film is enjoyable due to the great chemistry between Carol, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, the weak villain is a letdown.
1) Kang the Conqueror
Kang the Conqueror, played by Jonathan Majors, ultimately didn’t work out for Marvel. He was originally intended to be the next major villain, following in the footsteps of Thanos and leading the planned Avengers: The Kang Dynasty movie. After a promising start in the Loki series in 2021, Majors was convicted of assaulting and harassing his former partner, leading to his dismissal from Marvel. Rather than finding a new actor to play Kang, Marvel decided to abandon the character and his storyline, effectively making his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe irrelevant.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe made a mistake by introducing Kang as the villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and then having him defeated without any major character deaths. This, combined with the recent issues surrounding Jonathan Majors, quickly derailed Kang’s potential as a compelling villain. His initial promise faded rapidly, making him one of the MCU’s weakest villains since Avengers: Endgame.
What do you think are the weakest villains the Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced since Avengers: Endgame? Share your thoughts in the comments and discuss with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!
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2025-12-29 22:16