Superheroes and supervillains are natural opposites. Heroes are endlessly selfless, while villains put their own thoughts and desires above everything else. Every clash is an ideological battle as much as it is physical, and while there’s occasionally an upset, the heroes tend to win the day. More than that, some heroes even try to help their enemies become better people. As evil as some villains are, after being saved time and again by the most inspiring people in the universe, the heroes’ goodness affects plenty of them. It might be rare, and it’s usually temporary, but plenty of villains take the leap to become heroes.
Today, we’re calling attention to some villains who could benefit from taking that leap themselves. We’re going to look at seven Marvel villains who deserve the chance to save the world instead of endangering it. To clear up any misconceptions, let’s define what we classify as “deserve.” We’ll be taking that in two directions. One is villains who have a kind heart deep down or who have fought alongside heroes, showing they can be better than their past. The second is villains who could be very, very interesting in a heroic role, even if it doesn’t fit their normal character. With all that cleared up, let’s mull over some Marvel villains.
7) Ultron
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Ultron is one of the Avengers’ deadliest foes, a robot that is determined to subjugate everything organic. He was created by Hank Pym during a psychotic break, but bears a strong connection to his father and creator. Once, the two even fused into a single being. Just as Hank had the capacity to return from his stint of villainy and insanity, Ultron must have that same potential. He was made by a hero on his worst day, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t grow from that. What’s more heroic than redemption, after all? Ultron could unlock that heroic side that he’s always kept buried using those parts of Hank Pym still inside, and fight for justice, for a change.
6) Typhoid Mary
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Typhoid Mary has always been a tragic character. She’s a mutant with low-level psychic abilities, but they come with a fractured mind and intense Dissociative Identity Disorder. Some alters want to be a good person, some want to burn the world, but all want to be a single entity. They were eventually integrated as her relationship with the Kingpin developed, giving Mary the unique chance to be herself, flaws and virtues combined. She’s finally ready to be her real self, and while that obviously won’t be entirely heroic, she’s not pure evil, either. Typhoid Mary could fight to be a hero, or at least prove she can be one, and I’m sure that story would be heartbreaking as it is entertaining.
5) Absorbing Man
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Carl Creel was always a rough character, regularly fighting the world’s strongest heroes like Thor and the Hulk. However, during the Immortal Hulk run, he left crime beyond to join Gamma Flight and earn a legitimate living. Creel is the classic trope of a bruiser with a heart of gold buried somewhere deep, and those types of characters are always a joy to see take the right path. He might have technically been a hero while on Alpha Flight, but after it fell apart, there’s no telling where his morality fell before his death. If he ever returns, he could dedicate himself to helping others live better lives so they don’t wind up like him, which is always a fantastic arc for characters like Creel.
4) Rabble
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Raneem Rashad became a villain because she blamed Spider-Man, Miles Morales, for ruining her life. Her obsession only grew as their battles continued, with Rabble pushed on by a loneliness that was only kept at bay by her hatred. Despite everything, Miles never gave up on trying to save her. He kept pushing and pushing until he got through to her, making her see that even though her life was in shambles, it could get better. Their last confrontation ended with him finally getting through to her, and Rabble escaping. She’s at the perfect time in her life to finally take Spider-Man’s words to heart and become a hero who can change the world.
3) Stilt-Man
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Stilt-Man is a joke villain. I mean, he uses giant metal stilts to wreck the town and commit crimes. That’s objectively kind of funny. Yet, he has the potential to be so much more. He was a downright menace during Chip Zdarsky’s new-age classic Daredevil run, and was among the villains that Matt recruited to be a hero under his tutelage. Stilt-Man was inspired to be better, but he disappeared after Matt’s organization fell apart. During his brief time with Daredevil, he showed true heart, saving a little kid’s life with a comforting smile. He deserves to show that his heart has been changed for the better. Even if he’s still a joke, at least he’d be a joke that can make people happy.
2) The Leader
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
The Leader has longsince been the Hulk’s most vile villain. During Immortal Hulk, the Leader helped the One Below All nearly wipe out reality just so he could be the last one standing, but despite everything, the Hulk forgave him. Immortal Hulk was all about learning to forgive yourself, and the Leader being depowered and shown mercy is the perfect way to advance his character. When he inevitably gets his intelligence back, he could choose to be a hero. He could show unmatched intellect being used for good instead of evil, just like the Hulk uses his rage for good. It’d be a great parallel that pays respect to the best Hulk story of the century’s ending.
1) Thanos
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
Thanos is the closest thing to pure evil there can be in Marvel. He’s a monster who revels in destruction and literally is in love with Death. Yet, deep down, he longs for a simple farming life. Or he did, before he redoubled his commitment to death and evil. He’s longsince faced his buried desire to be a hero and cast it aside, but it would be interesting to actually see it take center stage. Thanos longs to be loved and stand beside his greatest enemies, even if he never lets himself admit it.
If Thanos actually spent a brief time as a hero, it could make his evil actions all the more insane and all the more dramatic. It’d be the perfect chance to explore this aspect of his character that has been there since the beginning, but never out in the open. At the very least, it would be a brand new story, and that kind of reinvention is the type of story that classics are built on. Thanos has killed half the universe, but it would be a brand new experience to see him save it.
Which Marvel villain do you think would be a fantastic hero? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!