The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has gained the audience's interest with iconic villains, intricate storytelling, memorable characters, and epic battles. But many times, some of Marvel’s most intriguing villains were killed in their debut movies, leaving fans in suspense about their future in the franchise.
Despite their limited screen time, some characters left an indelible mark on the MCU. Let's learn the stories of these villains and the impression they left on the Marvel Universe.
Kaecilius
Kaecilius was the former master of the mystic arts who turned towards darkness for a personal tragedy. He betrayed the Ancient One and took powers from the dark dimension. With the help of his followers, he started manipulating reality, destroyed sanctums, and brought the end of the world.
He possessed excellent magical abilities and could manipulate space, time, and energy. Kaecilius also could create portals, fight with magical constructs, and manipulate reality. In a fight with Doctor Strange he defeated and banished him into the dark dimension and made him the mindless servant of the entity he served. Kaecilius was a powerful opponent, but eventually killed him.
Ultron
Ultron was an Artificial Intelligence Robot that Tony Stark and Bruce Banner created using the Mind stone. However, it became corrupted upon its activation and viewed humanity as the greatest threat. He then went on a genocidal mission to wipe out humanity. He stole advanced technology to help him achieve this mission and created an army of Ultron Sentries.
With his vast army, he nearly succeeded, but the Avengers ultimately stopped him. The team overpowered his armies, and Vision finally destroyed him. His death was a result of his corrupted programming and marked the end of a twisted mission to protect Earth by killing all humans.
Gorr The God Butcher
Gorr (played by Christian Bale) was one of the iconic villains in the MCU. He was a peaceful man, but after his daughter's death, he became a vengeful galactic killer who wanted the extinction of all gods. This happened when the gods belittled his suffering. He acquired the All-Black Necrosword that bonded with his life force and granted him immense power and thirst for divine blood.
He then kidnaps some children of New Asgard to lure Thor into getting a hold of Stormbreaker to summon the Bifrost and reach Eternity. He was then cornered and defeated by Thor and The Mighty Thor, and they also destroyed the Necrosword. Before dying, Gorr used his final wish and brought his daughter back to life using Eternity.
Hela Odinsdottir
Hela was the Asgardian Goddess of Death and was imprisoned in hell for millennia. She could only be released after Odin’s death. So when he did die she got released and immediately went to restore her power over Asguard. She defeated Thor and Loki in their first fight and threw them to Sakkar, a garbage planet surrounded by wormholes. She then tried creating an Asgardian empire but killed people who refused to obey her.
Thor returned with his newly formed team, Revengers, including Valkyrie, Hulk, Korg, and Loki. They then got into a fight with Hela and Loki, unleashing Surter. He destroyed Asgard, making the Ragnarok prophecy accurate, and killed Hela. Thor and Loki, their team, and all Asguardians flew away safely.
Kang The Conqueror
Kang is the biggest villain in the MCU after Thanos. However, after Jonathan Majors got fired, his character may remain dead. Kang is a compelling villain who possesses 30th-century weapons and has an infinite number of doppelgängers from other universes. He was the one who discovered the multiverse and waged war across several realities to establish his order. However, due to this, he was banished to the quantum realm but returned somehow.
He was the first character killed just after a few minutes of his introduction in Loki. Kang was introduced again in Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania but here also was defeated as he got trapped with his technology.
Mysterio
Mysterio made his debut in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Quentin Beck was a former Stark Industries employee who held a grudge against Tony Stark for stealing the credit for his holographic technology. He then created a team of former Stark Industry employees seeking revenge, creating his public persona as a superhero. He tricked Peter Parker, a.k.a Spiderman, and took Tony Stark's glasses (E.D.I.T.H) from him. Mysterio then started using it to control advanced drones and create holographic illusions involving elements to gain public attention and trust.
His main goal was to gain Spiderman's and Nick Fury's trust so that they could take advantage of Stark Technology in his suit. However, his lie was caught eventually when MJ found a broken part of the drone. He and Spiderman then got into a fight, and eventually Mysterio died. Spider-Man was blamed for his death because he had a heroic image among the public.
Cassandra Nova
Cassandra Nova is the latest villain death in the MCU. She was the sister of Charles Xavier, a.k.a Professor X. In Deadpool & Wolverine, Cassandra lived and ruled the Void. When she knows that Paradox is creating a Time Ripper, she takes charge and wants to destroy all the realities except the void.
Deadpool & Wolverine fight through all Deadpool variants to stop her. Paradox then tells them the only way to destroy the Time Reaper is by making a short circuit. Deadpool and Wolverine destroy the Time Reaper, and Cassandra takes the force of the explosion and gets atomized.
These villains might have ended quickly, but their impact is undeniable. From mind-blowing special effects to shocking twists, they left a lasting impression. While their stories remain unfinished, they remind us of the unexpected turns the MCU can take.