9 Marvel Villains Who Made a Triumphant Return

1. Thanos Became an Iconic Villain

Thanos' first appearance in the MCU was in The Avengers, which was markedly underwhelming compared to his subsequent appearances. The Mad Titan wasn't originally portrayed by Josh Brolin, who, when he first assumed the role in Guardians of the Galaxy, delivered such a deft performance that the role was written to be more prominent. It's truly a testament to Brolin's acting ability, which, through motion capture, proffered a complex and compelling character arc with far greater emotion than was previously intended. Thanos was truly reinvented through his return, becoming the iconic villain who carried the entire Infinity Saga.

Ronan and Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy

2. Loki Evolved Substantially After his Death

Loki has cheated death in the MCU on numerous occasions. He often returned with similar motivations, but his final incarnation in the Loki Disney+ series proved the most compelling. The God of Mischief's return became a captivating exploration of identity, time, and destiny, fully evolving the character to far greater depths than his cinematic portrayals. While Loki previously aligned himself with the forces for good, each was typically driven by self-preservation, and his subsequent behavior quickly undermined these examples. Loki breathed new life into the character, elevating him to heroic status and offering a mesmerizing journey through the mischievous and enigmatic facets of one of the franchise's most enduring characters.

Loki in his final green costume in Loki season 2's finale

3. Hela Takes Center Stage in What If...?

Hela was a brilliant villain in Thor: Ragnarok, but her appearance was far too brief. Thankfully, the multiverse-exploring animated series, What If...? speculates on Hela's potential, depicting the monstrous villain becoming even more powerful. The episode featured substantial soul-searching regarding Hela and Odin's relationship, and his treatment of her. While this Hela is considered a variant, the episode elucidates some of her motivations from Ragnorok, rounding out her character effectively.

Hela becoming a hero in What If...? season 2 episode 7

4. Kingpin Has Officially Joined The MCU

Vincent D'Onofrio proved so successful in Netflix's Daredevil, that the actor was brought back, entering the MCU as the infamous crime lord. Kingpin returns briefly in Hawkeye, revealed as the criminal mastermind behind the narrative's criminal events. However, it is his subsequent appearance in the series Echo that has expanded the character's story to far greater heights. Kingpin has provided a thought-provoking and nuanced portrayal, contrasting D'Onofrio's subtle emotion against his enormous stature. Indeed, the character's return has proven so triumphant that he will serve as the villain in at least one upcoming MCU project.

Kingpin in Hawkeye's finale

5. Yellowjacket Returned As An Iconic Villain

Yellowjacket was a fine villain for the first Ant-Man movie, filling the MCU's formula for evil counterparts to their heroes. After his dramatic death in the movie's climax, the hero was seemingly finished. At least until Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, when Cross reemerged as the notorious villain MODOK. While this interpretation of MODOK was largely derided by audiences, bringing Cross back proved a success, proffering a proper conclusion to the character's narrative, and allowing a far deeper emotional resolution as the character reassessed his villainous past.

Corey Stoll as MODOK smiling in front of flames in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

6. Helmut Zemo Became More Vital

Helmut Zemo (the MCU's Baron Zemo) was introduced into the MCU during Captain America: Civil War, as a wealthy baron whose family died in Sokovia during the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron. This changed when the villain appeared in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, where he became a central villain and garnered the narrative the iconic villain deserved. One of the best developments was giving Zemo his distinctive purple mask from Marvel Comics, which previously did not appear in Civil War.

Baron Zemo in his comic-accurate mask in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

7. Justin Hammer Is Featured More Prominently In What If...?

Justin Hammer served as the primary antagonist in Iron Man 2. However, the rival weapons manufacturer was overshadowed somewhat by the more visually striking Whiplash. What If...? season 2 countered this, by placing Hammer in a fully-developed Iron Man suit and developing him into a full-fledged supervillain worthy of fighting an Avenger. Rather than Iron Man himself, this variant of Hammer faced a Hulk-infused Happy Hogan, allowing both characters to assume far greater roles than their previous MCU appearances allowed.

Justin Hammer smiling in What If season 2

8. Echo Assumed Her Heroic Status

Echo has a complicated history in Marvel Comics and was bestowed an equally complicated backstory in the MCU. She mostly served as a villain in the Disney+ series Hawkeye, working for the notorious crime lord Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin. However, upon discovering that Kingpin had orchestrated her father's death, Echo reconsidered her allegiance and began her transition into the famed comic book hero. This sets up the premise of Echo, wherein the eponymous hero faces her redemption and attempts to change for the good. The miniseries has allowed the character to be explored more fully, revealing more about her motivations and characterization than were previously depicted.

Maya with her ancestors in Echo

9. Arnim Zola Finally Assumed His Comic Book Appearance

Arim Zola is a famed comic book character, who seemed like he would never assume his iconic appearance in the MCU. Appearing in Captain America: The First Avenger, a human Zola appeared throughout as a sinister HYDRA scientist. After dying of cancer sometime after Captain America was frozen, he placed his consciousness into a computer. This rendition of the character is the most famous from Marvel Comics, which finally appeared in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Though a far cry from his comic book counterpart, seeing the villain appear on a computer screen completed the character's arc, and delighted fans.

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow at the HYDRA base with Arnim Zola in Captain America: The Winter Soldier