The threat of Thanos looms large over the Infinity Saga, with the Avengers finally facing him in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame — but with Thanos stealing the show, the films’ minor villains often go overlooked. That’s to be expected, as the two-part fight against Thanos already has many moving parts. All the heroes’ storylines come crashing together, and it results in a super-sized movie event that could become overcomplicated by focusing on more villains. Yet it’s still disappointing that the members of the Black Order don’t get more screen time, as they’re powerful and intriguing characters in their own right.
This includes Ebony Maw, one of the few MCU villains who could have beat Thanos pre-Infinity Gauntlet. That raises questions about why he worked for Thanos instead, setting up a story that, tragically, we’ll probably never see on-screen. It also includes another villain wasted by the MCU, despite the fact that she almost defeated some of the franchise’s most powerful heroes. She could have been a more daunting threat, but with Thanos center stage, we barely got to see what she’s capable of.
Avengers: Infinity War & Endgame Wasted Proxima Midnight as a Villain
Image via Marvel Studios
Thanos’ entourage is present as he collects the Infinity Stones in Infinity War and Endgame, but the Black Order plays a smaller role in both films. They have several key fights with the Avengers, but they’re over as quickly as they begin. That’s a shame, since the Black Order is comprised of deadly foes. Ebony Maw gets the most attention in the MCU, but Proxima Midnight also shows an impressive display of power in Avengers: Infinity War. It’s enough to feel that her character is wasted. Her strength demands more action sequences, and her ruthless and vengeful personality lends itself to a strong villain arc.
Unfortunately, we only get to know her briefly, during two of Avengers: Infinity War‘s fight sequences. She’s a promising enemy as she attacks Wanda and Vision in Edinburgh, but the movies don’t pay off her introduction. Yes, she gets a rematch with Wanda and the Avengers later on, but it’s during a battle that offers little time to focus on individual characters. Her end is also underwhelming, and none of the Black Order stand out much in Avengers: Endgame. This leaves Proxima Midnight underutilized, despite her holding her own against the strongest members of the Avengers team.
Proxima Midnight Almost Beat the Most Powerful MCU Heroes
Image via Marvel Studios
Part of the reason Proxima Midnight feels wasted in the MCU is because she nearly defeats some of the MCU’s strongest heroes during her time on-screen. Wanda Maximoff and Vision struggle to escape, much less defeat, Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War. And it’s only because the latter is injured that Proxima Midnight backs off, leaving questions about the damage she’d have done otherwise. Her later fight with Wanda, Black Widow, and Okoye reaffirms her power; they also struggle against her, and it’s only because Wanda turns the Black Order’s weapons against her that she’s defeated.
Proxima Midnight and the rest of Thanos’ followers are more powerful in Marvel Comics, too, adding further frustration to their Infinity War and Endgame appearances. Although the films don’t have time to expand on them, one can’t help but wonder why the MCU doesn’t place a greater focus on the Black Order beforehand. This would have made the looming threat of Thanos more serious, and it would have benefited the Infinity Saga — and its climax — significantly.
A Greater Focus on the Black Order Would Have Made the Infinity Saga Even Better
Image via Marvel Studios
The MCU features many great villains in the lead-up to Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, but perhaps the franchise should have spent some time on the Black Order before these films. At the very least, Ebony Maw and Proxima Midnight have strong solo movie potential. Being adopted children of Thanos, their backstories alone raise interesting discussions for the MCU to tackle. Their power would also raise the stakes of any film they were in, and that build-up could have made Thanos’ arrival even more satisfying. Unfortunately, it looks like fans of the MCU will be left with crumbs when it comes to these characters.
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