The Worst Thing Every Member Of Marvel’s Illuminati Ever Did

As a lifelong movie and comic book fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the Illuminati. The idea was to be a secret group protecting the world, but honestly, they ended up causing more problems than they solved. They actually existed in the Marvel Universe long before most people realized it – way back before their debut in *New Avengers* #7 in 2005. The original lineup included powerhouses like Iron Man, Namor, Reed Richards, Doctor Strange, Charles Xavier, and Black Bolt. Interestingly, Black Panther was there at the beginning, but he smartly refused to join, predicting their massive egos would lead to disaster. And he was absolutely right! Their actions directly led to huge events like *Secret Invasion* and *World War Hulk*, and they nearly wiped out an entire alternate reality – Earth-1610. It’s a cautionary tale about power and good intentions gone wrong, and it makes for some compelling storytelling.

This rundown details the most damaging actions of each member of the Illuminati, from near-global catastrophe to betraying those closest to them.

10) Reed Richards

Reed Richards has made some truly awful decisions, and it’s easy to see why people would dislike him. He’s incredibly arrogant, always needing to be in charge and convinced he knows best. This has led him to do questionable things in the name of science, sometimes putting the entire world at risk. Many of his biggest mistakes involved the inventions he created.

Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic, is responsible for several major events with devastating consequences. He opened a gateway to the Negative Zone, releasing dangerous creatures like Annihilus, and his creation of the Multiversal Bridge nearly ended all of existence. During the *Civil War*, he participated in constructing a prison for super-powered individuals within the Negative Zone. However, his most damaging act was using a device to erase his son Franklin’s memories and induce a coma, driven by fear of Franklin’s immense power. This led to the end of his marriage with Susan Storm and nearly ruined his life.

9) Iron Man

Iron Man isn’t always a hero. He’s made serious mistakes, even becoming a full-fledged villain during a period known as *The Crossing*. He initiated the *Armor Wars*, directly confronting and attacking U.S. soldiers to recover any armor technology based on his designs – even targeting heroes who hadn’t stolen from him. Later, as part of the Illuminati, he manipulated Captain America’s memories and considered destroying entire planets to protect Earth.

Perhaps the most damaging thing Iron Man ever did happened during the first *Civil War* storyline. While declaring heroes who refused to register with the government as criminals was problematic enough, Tony Stark also played a part in creating a clone of Thor. This clone tragically killed Bill Foster. Additionally, Stark collaborated with Reed Richards to build a prison in the Negative Zone specifically for heroes who didn’t want to comply with the government’s demands. These actions made Iron Man one of the most disliked heroes in the Marvel Universe during that time.

8) Professor X

Professor X, while intending to foster peace between humans and mutants, has arguably acted as much like a villain as a teacher. He formed the X-Men with the goal of uniting the two groups, but human prejudice prevented this. Ultimately, Xavier trained young mutants to fight, frequently putting them in dangerous and deadly situations.

Professor X’s most damaging act was likely shutting down Magneto’s mind. Though Xavier believed it was necessary to prevent further harm, it was a serious breach of trust and an overstep of his abilities. This action didn’t just affect Magneto; it ultimately led to the creation of Onslaught, a powerful villain born from their combined minds, who nearly caused global destruction.

7) Beast

Beast’s appearance and personality have changed a lot over time. He began as a very strong mutant, but a scientific attempt to remove his mutant traits accidentally turned his skin blue and covered him in fur. Despite this, he was generally a cheerful hero, fighting alongside both the X-Men and the Avengers and using humor to lighten the mood. Like Reed Richards, his intelligence sometimes led him to make questionable ethical choices.

Following Professor Xavier’s death, he unexpectedly resurrected his original X-Men team, bringing them to the present to cause trouble for Cyclops, and he was unable to return them to their own time. However, his most damaging act occurred on Krakoa, where, as leader of X-Force, he abused his authority. He publicly shamed respected heroes like Colossus and transformed his team into ruthless assassins. Ultimately, they rebelled against him and were instrumental in his downfall. Beast’s actions were truly reprehensible.

6) Black Bolt

Black Bolt rules Attilan and leads the Inhuman Royal Family. But he’s made some serious mistakes, even losing his throne because of them. Currently, in the *Imperial* storyline, he appears to be working with his villainous brother, Maximus, on something even more damaging. However, before all of that, Black Bolt committed a truly awful act.

Black Bolt and the Royal Family were frustrated with years of mistreatment, and understanding their origins lay with the Kree Empire, they launched a full-scale offensive. This attack decimated the remaining Skrull forces, crippled the Shi’ar fleet, and resulted in the Inhumans conquering the Kree Empire, igniting a galactic war. Considering this history, his behavior in *Imperial* becomes more understandable.

5) Namor

Namor isn’t a typical hero. He’s primarily focused on protecting the oceans, and that’s his only real concern. He’s also incredibly arrogant and often fights for his own interests, with little regard for people on land. While he has few allies, he does respect Captain America. Throughout his history, Namor has attacked the surface world, blurring the line between hero and villain.

But Captain America’s most damaging act happened when he was part of the Illuminati. While the group was trying to prevent interdimensional incursions, Captain America briefly stopped one using the Infinity Gauntlet, though it broke in the process. Without that intervention, Namor took matters into his own hands and destroyed an approaching Earth, killing billions. This led to his expulsion from the Illuminati.

4) Black Panther

Black Panther initially didn’t want anything to do with the Illuminati, strongly resisting their formation and staying away for a long time. But after seeing the devastating consequences of an Incursion, he understood the need for the team and agreed to join, hoping they could save their world. Unfortunately, this led him to participate in a terrible decision: building a machine capable of destroying alternate Earths.

Black Panther is generally a noble hero, and he doesn’t often make mistakes. However, during the *Avengers Vs. X-Men* event, he had a particularly low moment. When Namor attacked Wakanda and nearly destroyed it, Panther sided with the Avengers. Storm, his wife, defended the X-Men instead. In a cruel move, Panther abruptly ended their marriage without even speaking to her. This decision demonstrated a harsh and unforgiving side of the Wakandan King.

3) Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange is a master of magic, dedicated to defending our world against supernatural threats. But his commitment to protection has led him to make questionable choices, and even harm innocent people. For example, the story in *Strange Academy* reveals he once gathered young magic users with the plan to control them, a decision that nearly unleashed a devastating apocalypse involving Dormammu.

His most damaging act occurred while he was part of the Illuminati. At Iron Man’s command, Doctor Strange erased Captain America’s memories of the group and the impending Incursions. This was a severe abuse of power, ultimately leading to a fatal fight between Iron Man and Captain America as the world faced destruction.

2) Captain America

Captain America is generally considered a hero, but he made a serious mistake. He participated in the *Civil War*, a conflict with Iron Man that tragically divided the superhero community.

Captain America was largely proven correct in the end, especially considering Iron Man himself faced government scrutiny when he disagreed with them. Captain America understood the government would ultimately control all heroes and tried to prevent that. Though his fight led to tragic losses like Bill Foster’s, Captain America ultimately surrendered. However, his prolonged resistance extended the conflict unnecessarily.

1) Hank Pym

Hank Pym is a long-standing and complex figure in Marvel Comics. He was among the very first heroes, initially known as Ant-Man, and notably one of the first characters to explore themes of mental health. He experienced a serious breakdown, leading to struggles with control and, tragically, a moment of violence against his wife. Later in his history, he even participated in constructing a prison in the Negative Zone, a decision that involved incarcerating some of his closest allies.

Hank Pym’s biggest mistake happened around the time he began struggling with his mental health. He built a robot, Ultron, hoping it would safeguard the world and spare the Avengers from constant danger. Unfortunately, Ultron became one of the most powerful and dangerous villains on Earth, a direct result of Pym’s creation.

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2025-10-17 23:45