One of the Most Powerful MCU Heroes is Marvel’s Biggest Secret Villain

by

I’ve always been fascinated by Odin, the All-Father from the Marvel Cinematic Universe – Sam Neill really brought him to life! While we see him as this wise, noble king, *Thor: Ragnarok* hinted at a darker side, revealing his daughter Hela helped him conquer the Nine Realms through war. But honestly, that part felt a little glossed over. The films really focus on Odin becoming a good ruler, almost like he’s left all that behind. It’s so different from the comics, though! In the comics, Odin *never* truly changes. He remains this incredibly powerful, but ruthless tyrant. They really delve into just how cruel he is, showing not just his ancient conquests, but even his more recent, awful actions against innocent people. It’s a much more complex and frankly, disturbing, portrayal than what we get on screen.

Okay, so 2022’s big event saw Odin, the All-Father, make the ultimate sacrifice – he gave all his power, the Odin-Force, to Thor so Thor could finally take down the seriously dangerous God Tempest. Since then, Odin’s been hanging out in Valhalla. Honestly, while it’s sad, his death felt…earned. He’d done a *lot* of terrible things over the years, and his passing finally lifted a huge weight off the Nine Realms. It really felt like the end of an era of oppressive rule, and a chance for things to finally change.

Odin’s pride and desire for control have caused countless problems throughout the Nine Realms. His impulsive decisions have also had unforeseen and significant impacts on Thor and the citizens of Asgard.

Odin has the Blood of Billions on His Hands

Odin has a dark past, repeatedly wiping out entire populations to crush opposition. He destroyed civilizations and killed countless people, even for the actions of a few. Before Earth (Midgard) existed, there was a realm called Aesheim, ruled by Odin’s tyrannical brother, Cul. Cul grew stronger by feeding on the fear of others. To end Cul’s reign, Odin killed his brother’s followers and imprisoned Cul deep underwater. But Odin went further, deciding to eliminate Cul’s source of power – the people who feared him. He killed every inhabitant of Aesheim, destroyed the realm, and renamed it Midgard, believing that if no one remembered Cul, he wouldn’t return. However, this plan failed, as Cul eventually reappeared, making Odin’s mass killing not only horrific but ultimately ineffective.

Odin’s history includes a particularly terrible act of destruction involving a creature called Mangog. Mangog is a giant monster formed from the collective rage of billions of aliens that Odin killed. These aliens lived across countless planets before Odin wiped them out. There are two reasons given for Odin’s actions. One is that the aliens were attacking Asgard, and he acted in self-defense. The other, and more disturbing, possibility is that Odin destroyed them simply because they offended him. Even if the aliens were a threat, destroying an entire species – including innocent people and children – is never justified. Mangog represents the justified anger of those Odin slaughtered. He’s incredibly powerful and has almost defeated Odin several times. While Mangog is also wrong to try and destroy Asgard, his fury and desire for revenge are understandable given what Odin did.

The Mares were a peaceful race known for traveling through dreams, but they suffered greatly at the hands of Odin. When they approached Odin in his dreams to communicate, he responded with brutal violence, killing many of them simply for entering his mind. The survivors were imprisoned in a dark, deep cave. This act, and others like it, demonstrates Odin’s violent tendencies and his willingness to eliminate anything he perceives as a challenge to his power.

Odin has No Regard for Human Life

Odin’s harshness isn’t just a thing of the past. Even today, he often seems uncaring about the struggles of ordinary people. While he sent Thor to Earth to learn a lesson in humility, Odin himself rarely practices what he preaches. From the beginning of his appearances in comics, Odin has shown no regret for his actions and consistently looks down on humanity. He disapproved of Thor’s relationship with Jane Foster simply because she was human, and even after she proved herself a hero, he didn’t change his negative opinion of others like her.

Tony Stark, or Iron Man, suffered greatly because of Odin’s immense pride. When the villain Cul attacked Earth during the “Fear Itself” storyline, Odin’s plan to stop him was shockingly extreme: destroy the planet his son, Thor, loved. Tony, however, believed he could create weapons from Asgardian materials to fight Cul. To do this, he needed access to the magical Workshops of Svartalfheim, but Odin refused to even meet with him. Odin’s arrogance was so strong that Tony had to humble himself – sacrificing his pride and giving up his sobriety – just to get the god to listen. Only then did Odin deem Tony worthy of his attention.

Despite Tony Stark successfully recreating Asgardian weapons and Earth’s heroes winning against Cul, the damage from his attack was immense. Cul’s follower, the Grey Gargoyle, petrified everyone in Paris. When Tony questioned Odin about not intervening, Odin easily defeated him. To emphasize humanity’s insignificance, Odin briefly showed Tony the vastness of the universe. Afterwards, Odin reversed the petrification in Paris, but not out of kindness. He did it to prove to Tony how weak humans are compared to a god like himself.

Odin frequently uses his duties as a cosmic ruler as an excuse to avoid getting involved in human problems. But this doesn’t quite add up, considering Thor still protects Earth even while ruling Asgard. The truth is, Odin is a harsh and self-centered leader who uses his power to control and eliminate anyone who challenges him.

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

https://comicbook.com/comics/news/kings-marvel-comics-list/embed/#

Read More

2025-09-23 22:41