One of the MCU’s Best Villain Teases Still Hasn’t Been Paid Off Almost 10 Years Later (Will It Ever Be?)

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As a huge movie fan, I’ve always noticed something about truly great villains: they aren’t fully formed right away. Take Darth Vader, for example. He’s instantly intimidating in Star Wars: A New Hope, but it’s not until The Empire Strikes Back – with that massive reveal about Luke being his son and, well, the hand incident – that he really becomes a terrifying force. The Marvel Cinematic Universe learned from that lesson. Thanos, their first big bad guy, appears briefly after The Avengers, but it takes years and several movies before he starts making his big moves. It’s a slow burn, for sure, but when Avengers: Infinity War finally hits, that build-up pays off in a huge way. It’s just good storytelling!

Marvel hasn’t had a villain as impactful as Thanos since then. Kang the Conqueror seemed poised to fill that role, first appearing in Loki and then causing trouble in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Unfortunately, the character never quite clicked with audiences, and Marvel quickly removed him from future plans. This quick decision sends a message to any other potential villains – especially those who were hinted at years ago – that their time to shine might be limited.

2016 Was a Big Year for MCU Villains

Following Avengers: Age of Ultron, the Marvel Cinematic Universe took a brief detour in 2016 before building towards its next major film. Captain America: Civil War creates a difficult situation for the Avengers with the introduction of the Sokovia Accords. Iron Man and Captain America disagree on how to handle things, causing a major falling out. They each gather their own teams and fight each other, eventually discovering that Helmut Zemo, a Sokovian who blames the Avengers for the destruction of his homeland, is the one who orchestrated the conflict. Zemo’s plan to turn the heroes against each other is considered one of the MCU’s smartest, placing him among the most cunning villains like Thanos.

While Doctor Strange, released in 2016, also features a villain, Kaecilius isn’t as compelling as Zemo. He’s essentially a tool used by the more powerful Dormammu to invade Earth. And Dormammu himself isn’t a particularly impressive foe – just a giant, floating head defeated by a simple plan. Interestingly, the movie also subtly introduces Baron Mordo as a future threat. Mordo disapproves of Doctor Strange’s use of magic and intends to eliminate anyone who misuses power, but so far, he’s only taken one step towards that goal. The Marvel Cinematic Universe seems to be waiting to develop Mordo’s story further, and it’s unclear why it’s taking so long.

Baron Mordo May Not Have a Future in the MCU

Following his introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange dedicates himself to protecting the world from threats like Loki and Thanos. This leaves little time to reconnect with his former friend, Mordo, and his life is further disrupted by Thanos’s Snap. After being resurrected, Doctor Strange joins the battle for Earth and then returns to his work in New York. Things take a dramatic turn in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness when the Scarlet Witch arrives, proving to be a far greater danger than any single sorcerer. Her use of the Darkhold puts the entire multiverse at risk.

Despite not being a central villain in the sequel, Mordo still appears as a version of himself from another universe (Earth-838), and this version is more reasonable than the Mordo we know. However, encountering this alternate Mordo doesn’t motivate Strange to reconnect with him. Instead, Strange returns to his normal life until he meets Clea, who alerts him to a dangerous threat called incursions. This encounter strongly hints at the events to come in Avengers: Doomsday, where Doctor Doom will emerge as a powerful enemy. The storylines are becoming increasingly grand, and Mordo doesn’t seem focused on being a major threat right now. He might be quietly working behind the scenes, hoping to eventually become a problem that Strange can’t ignore.

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2025-10-23 17:43