Top Ten #1 - Top Ten Marvel Movie Villains

Top Ten #1 - Top Ten Marvel Movie Villains

It's safe to say that Marvel has put out a lot of quality films - however, the number of quality villains that they have brought to the table has been less so. Let's take a look at the top ten villains from Marvel. Keep in mind - these are from ANY Marvel move, not just the Disney MCU; this is my personal, subjective list and is not definitive by any means. (Spoiler alert from any Marvel movie released before May 30th, 2017).

10. Ultron: For all the hype that was built up for the Avenger's sequel, a lot was put on James Spader's Ultron. And while not perfect, Ultron brings about a complexity that is essential for a good villain. His motivations are clear-cut, and while his methodology is not the best, he brings about the right mixture of menace and humanity in an Artificial Intelligence to make it on the list. 

9. Ego the Living Planet: This villain is truly raised up by the performance given by Kurt Russell. Managing to remain jovial and happy-go-lucky near the beginning of the film, he transitions quickly into the typical maniacal villain. Some of these scenes do not work, including the blue skeleton form, but some of them do work very well. HIs motivations are relatively clear, and his seduction of his son, Peter Quill, works well. 

8. Bolivar Trask: Played by Peter Dinklage, this villain is the true embodiment of "believes what he's doing is right". He truly believes that mutants are dangerous, which, in X-Men: Days of Future Past, is understandable from his post of view, and he truly believes that his Sentinels are the answer. 

7. Alexander Pierce: While not a villain in terms of physicality, Pierce, played by the brilliant Robert Redford, brings a menace and a calm calculation that is completely portrayed through his performance. It's very nuanced and understated, and Pierce isn't given as much credit as he deserves. 

6. Helmut Zemo: Another villain that delivers on the mental aspects of a villain, Zemo is what you could call "a brilliant" villain. Although he relies on coincidences for the latter part of his plan, his ingenuity, and understated performance by Daniel Bruhl, make Zemo a memorable, albeit not flashy villain. 

5. William Stryker: A villain fleshed out over many films in the X-Men franchise, both good and bad, his full motivations and characterizations come in X-2: X-Men United. Here it is revealed he has a mutant son, which has caused him to become bitter towards mutant kind. His character is also given depth through the Weapon X programs and the bonding of adamantium to Wolverine. 

4. Winter Soldier: Though an anti-hero/hero now, in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, he was the villain. Silent, deadly, but in the end giving an emotional punch, he brings the deadly assassin to the screen, being more than a match to Steve Rogers in combat. 

3. Doctor Octopus: The only Spider-Man villain on this list, Doc Octopus comes from one of the best superhero films, Spider-Man 2. His motivations, performance, and delivery by Alfred Molina shows that even in the early 2000's, a villain can be just as menacing as any villain now. 

2. Loki: Clearly and very obviously the best villain of the MCU, Tom Hiddleston's God of Mischief is definitely the most human, and yet the most motivated villain of the MCU thus far. His feud with his brother and his wish for power and approval from his father drives him as he teamed with Thanos at one point, and now sits on the throne of Asgard. 

1. Magneto: Narrowly passing Loki, Erik Lensherr is the most developed, yet most powerful Marvel villain. A holocaust victim whose powers were drawn out of him by Sebastian Shaw in brutal fashion, his vendetta against normal humans is clear, and he believes that he is one hundred percent right. What makes this villain even more brilliant is that both Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender bring the same, almost equal level of brilliant performance to their respective films.