One Of The MCU’s Best Villains Is Actually Also Its Strongest Hero

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As a movie critic, I’ve noticed a recurring issue with the Marvel Cinematic Universe: the villains. For a long time, they just haven’t measured up. Early on, especially in Phase One, Marvel was so focused on establishing its heroes that the bad guys felt like an afterthought – often bland, underdeveloped, or just plain boring. While we’ve definitely seen improvements with standouts like Killmonger, Thanos, The High Evolutionary, Vulture, and Hela, for every truly compelling villain, there seem to be two that don’t quite hit the mark. It’s a pattern that’s been hard to ignore.

Many Marvel Cinematic Universe villains, like Malekith, Aldrich Killian, Dar-Benn, Ronan the Accuser, and Kro, haven’t made a lasting impression or felt particularly threatening. But one villain stands out as truly terrifying, and what makes them unique is that for a long time, they were actually a hero. Not just any hero, but Wanda Maximoff – the most powerful character in the entire MCU. This makes her one of the most compelling characters in the history of superhero storytelling.

I think Wanda Maximoff is such a fascinating character! Honestly, it’s really debatable whether she’s more compelling as a villain or a hero – she’s incredibly powerful either way, and you can make a strong case for both sides. It’s what makes her so interesting to me.

Scarlet Witch Was A Terrifying Villain

Wanda’s introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe shows her as an antagonist. As a child, she experienced a terrible tragedy: her parents were killed and she and her brother were trapped after a Stark Industries missile attack. This traumatic event led her to join Hydra’s program, where she was given powers through the Mind Stone. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, she uses these powers to easily manipulate the minds of the Avengers – Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Black Widow – turning them against each other.

Wanda Maximoff quickly established herself as a formidable and unsettling enemy. However, in her first film, Ultron was the primary villain, and Wanda and her brother ultimately chose to fight alongside the heroes when they learned the truth about his intentions. For several years, Wanda fought with the Avengers, but the loss of Vision during Thanos’ attack deeply affected her. Overcome with grief, she created the reality-bending Hex in WandaVision, where she unknowingly recreated Vision and exerted control over the people of Westview.

Though we initially sympathized with Wanda in WandaVision, it was evident she was making dangerous choices, and her incredible power was unsettling. This escalated in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where the Darkhold’s influence turned her into a truly frightening villain. She became a terrifying force, showing no mercy to Doctor Strange, slaughtering hundreds at Kamar-Taj, and even killing off major heroes like Mr. Fantastic, Captain Marvel, and Professor X in an alternate reality. Never before had a villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe seemed so completely invincible.

Wanda’s The Strongest Character In The MCU

As a huge Marvel fan, I always found Wanda, or the Scarlet Witch, so compellingly scary. It took the MCU a while to really show us just how powerful she is, but eventually, it became clear she’s arguably the strongest character they’ve got. Honestly, when we first met her, it didn’t seem that way! She was still figuring things out, learning to work with the Avengers, and taking direction from leaders like Captain America and Black Widow. It was cool to see her growth, but looking back, it was clear she had this incredible potential all along.

Throughout the story, Wanda’s incredible power becomes clear. During the battle in Wakanda, she single-handedly defeats numerous enemies. Later, in Avengers: Endgame, she faces Thanos alone and nearly wins, only stopped when he calls for reinforcements. It’s remarkable because even when Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America fought Thanos together, they struggled, but Wanda was able to overwhelm him on her own.

The villainous side of her showcased just how immensely powerful she is. When Mr. Fantastic warned her that Black Bolt could kill her with a single word, she effortlessly removed his mouth, instantly killing him – a display of power that made her seem truly invincible. She also defeated Mr. Fantastic with incredible speed, despite his own strength. It appeared that if she chose to, no one in the Marvel Cinematic Universe could stand against her.

Where Wanda Ranks Among The MCU’s Best Villains

Even though she’s proven to be incredibly powerful and frightening, it’s worth thinking about how she compares to the best villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The competition is tough, especially when you consider Thanos. He was the biggest bad guy of the series and one of the few who actually won – he managed to eliminate half of all life! He was also a well-developed character, and it took everything the Avengers had to finally defeat him in Avengers: Endgame.

Killmonger is often brought up as one of the MCU’s best villains because his motivations were understandable, which makes for a strong and engaging character. While his methods were villainous, he was still a well-developed figure. Hela was immensely powerful, the High Evolutionary was purely malicious, and Green Goblin surpassed even his performance in the 2002 Spider-Man film. However, despite the strength of these villains, Wanda Maximoff remains a tough competitor.

Wanda, as the Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, was a truly frightening villain because her actions were so unpredictable. This made her stand out from most other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) villains, and it’s a big reason why many consider her to be one of the best.

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2026-05-25 19:52