These 10 Marvel Villains Actually Won Their Battles

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While good usually triumphs over evil in the Marvel universe, some villains have managed to defeat heroes like the Avengers and X-Men. Even though these villains were ultimately stopped, they temporarily achieved their goals.

Villains like Kingpin, Kang, and Ultron have all had their moments of triumph, whether it meant defeating a powerful hero or even dominating the world. They’ve proven their strength by creating periods of fear and control, showing they’re truly skilled at achieving their goals. It’s easy to see why they continue to pursue even greater power.

J.M. DeMatteis’ Kraven’s Last Hunt tells the story of Kraven defeating Spider-Man and then burying him. For the next two weeks, Kraven impersonated Spider-Man, attempting to prove he could be a more effective hero than Peter Parker. During this time, he stopped numerous villains, often using excessive force throughout New York City.

From the start, Kraven’s goal was to defeat Spider-Man, and he considered Kraven’s Last Hunt a complete triumph. Ironically, the story ends with Kraven taking his own life, believing he’d achieved the ultimate victory. While a bizarre way to celebrate, it’s undeniable that Kraven did manage to overcome Spider-Man in this storyline.

Okay, so The Age of Apocalypse storyline is seriously messed up. Basically, the bad guy won. Professor X is gone – his own son, Legion, accidentally killed him – and that just opened the door for Apocalypse to take over America. He launched a surprise attack with a crew of super-powerful, but totally evil, mutants all hoping to get a piece of his power. It’s a really bleak alternate reality!

Despite the X-Men’s best efforts under Magneto’s leadership, Apocalypse’s forces overwhelmed them and took control of the entire continent. With Europe and Asia struggling to withstand his attacks, it seemed inevitable that Apocalypse would conquer the world if given enough time.

In Jason Aaron’s Thor comics, the hero faced Mangog, a creature fueled by pure hatred, who sought to destroy Asgard. After initially banishing Mangog, the monster returned. The battle raged on until Thor finally defeated Mangog by trapping it in chains originally made to bind the wolf Fenrir, and then cast it into the sun.

In the end, Mangog was destroyed by a star, but he pulled Thor down with him. This meant Jane Foster, who had been wielding Thor’s hammer, lost her powers and tragically died, as she was already weakened by cancer treatment. It was a devastating loss for Asgard, as they lost their bravest defender.

Ultron almost succeeded in wiping out all life on Earth. Age of Ultron depicts the Avengers’ fight against his control after he’s taken over the world, forcing them to go into hiding amongst the city’s ruins to plan their next move.

During the Age of Ultron storyline, the Marvel heroes faced a truly desperate situation. They were ultimately forced to use a special algorithm designed to defeat Ultron. This event remains memorable as one of the closest calls Earth-616 has ever had with total destruction.

Frank Miller’s “Born Again” is a famous Marvel story that dramatically changes Daredevil. It shows Matt Murdock at his lowest point, after Kingpin discovers his secret identity. Kingpin then dedicates all his power and wealth to destroying Murdock’s life, stripping him of everything – his friends, home, relationships, and career – ultimately leading to the emergence of the Daredevil that fans recognize today.

Losing everything actually made Daredevil more resilient, reinforcing his belief that courage comes from letting go of hope. He’s defeated Kingpin repeatedly, but it wasn’t always this way. Kingpin once pushed Matt Murdock to his breaking point – something no other villain has ever managed to do, and hasn’t been replicated since.

After the disastrous events of Secret Invasion, Norman Osborn was appointed the new head of S.H.I.E.L.D. because he killed the Skrull Queen, Veranke. He then broke up S.H.I.E.L.D. and started a new organization called H.A.M.M.E.R., teaming up with other villains in a group known as the Cabal. Osborn also created the Dark Avengers, a team of criminals posing as heroes who took the law into their own hands. This period became known as Marvel’s Dark Reign.

While he’s been a major player in stories like “The Night Gwen Stacy Died,” the Dark Reign storyline truly marks Norman Osborn’s peak. During this period, he essentially ruled New York City, had connections in high places within the government, and commanded a loyal army of superpowered individuals to maintain his control. He’s never held more power.

Loki is now a popular character thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he originally started as a villain constantly plotting to rule Asgard. In a storyline written by J. Michael Straczynski for the Thor comics, Loki actually achieved this goal for a time. He manipulated his brother Thor and cleverly convinced Balder, who was temporarily king, to let him take control.

Loki didn’t become king of Asgard openly. He preferred to manipulate events from behind the scenes, ensuring no one would suspect his involvement. This culminated in Thor being forced into exile after unknowingly killing his grandfather, Bor. Loki had been carefully planning this for years, and it ultimately succeeded.

As a huge fan, I was blown away by Kurt Busiek’s Kang Dynasty storyline! It’s where Kang the Conqueror finally achieved his dream of taking over Earth. What made it so cool was that he didn’t rely on tricks like mind control – it was a straight-up, old-fashioned war! He basically took over the planet and forced all the governments to submit by threatening us with this massive ship he had, called the Damocles Base. It was a really intense and epic story!

The Avengers quickly regained control of Earth, though for a while, the situation looked hopeless. Kang’s advanced technology was overwhelming, and the events of Kang Dynasty prove he remains one of Marvel’s most formidable and dangerous enemies.

In the final moments of “Time Runs Out,” Doctor Doom takes the Beyonders’ power from Molecule Man, instantly becoming all-powerful and able to reshape reality itself. With this newfound ability, he rebuilt everything using the shattered pieces of the multiverse, transforming himself into God Emperor Doom.

As God Emperor, Doctor Doom created Battleworld and ruled it absolutely. It was everything he ever wanted: a powerful army of Thor clones, the strategic guidance of Doctor Strange, and even a loving family with Sue Storm. Though his reign didn’t last, it remains his greatest achievement.

Many people who only casually follow Marvel might think Thanos’ biggest win was getting the Infinity Gauntlet, thanks to the movies. But in the comic storyline “Thanos Wins,” he actually achieved an even greater victory. He traveled to the future and eliminated every hero who could possibly challenge him, even taking out powerful characters like Silver Surfer, who was wielding Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir.

Of course, The Infinity Gauntlet and Thanos Quest were also fantastic stories. But this incredible three-part victory really highlights Thanos as Marvel’s most effective villain. He consistently achieves his goals, and even when the Avengers try to undo his actions, no other villain has had so much success.

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2026-02-16 00:41