As the Multiverse Saga progresses, certain villains can get their redemption arcs and eventually become heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
There are several Marvel Cinematic Universe villains that can get their redemption arc in the near future and become heroes in the Multiverse Saga. Marvel Studios has officially kicked off Phase 5 of its storytelling with Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. The film not only brings back Team Ant-Man but also properly introduces Kang the Conqueror. Set to be the next big bad in the MCU after Thanos, the villain will fight the Avengers in Destin Cretton’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes may get some assistance from familiar faces that some of them have battled in the past.
Marvel Studios wasn’t always known for great bad guys, although Phase 4 somehow solved MCU’s villain problem by introducing compelling ones such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ Wenwu and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s Namor. The Infinity Saga had some great antagonists with Erik Killmonger and Thanos, but both had limited time in the MCU. Only Loki has been given the chance to redeem himself by continuously developing his arc. Given how popular the God of Mischief has become, it isn’t outside the realm of possibility that they will be keener in vindicating some of their newer villains.
7. Namor
Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introduced Namor the Sub-Mariner to the MCU. Marvel Studios had long teased his existence, but they also made the wait worth it with the debut of an instant fan-favorite. In the sequel, Namor and the Talokanils engaged in conflict against Wakanda. While both parties agreed on a truce, the Sub-Mariner still refuses to team up with the rest of the world. Namor is more of an anti-hero, however, rather than a straight-up villain, and his redemption has somewhat already been confirmed after it was revealed that he will be one of the Avengers members involved in the fight against Kang in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
6. Kang (As A Variant)
Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania officially debuted Kang the Conqueror after his variant, He Who Remains, made a brief but impactful appearance in Loki season 1 finale. The villain has countless variants that can factor into MCU’s storytelling as established in the game-changing Ant-Man 3 post-credits scene. While most of them will likely also be up to no good, Marvel Studios can debut someone like Iron Lad, a variant of Kang who tries to prevent becoming the villainous Kang. Perhaps he, and other variants of the antagonist, can flip on themselves and work side-by-side with the Avengers in the Multiverse Saga instead.
5. Adam Warlock
Writer and Director James Gunn will wrap up his Marvel Studios sub-franchise with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in May 2023. The much-anticipated trilogy capper will mark the end of the era for the original Guardians of the Galaxy roster, but aside from that, it will also debut a new character in Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock. Based on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 trailers, it seems like Warlock will find himself fighting for the villain of the threequel, the High Evolutionary, and against the Guardians of the Galaxy. However, it’s highly likely that he will eventually become an ally of the heroes at the end of the movie.
4. John Walker
On the heels of Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios tackled Captain America’s legacy via The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Despite Sam Wilson being Steve Rogers’ chosen successor, the government awarded the superhero mantle and the iconic Captain America shield to John Walker. Despite his good intentions, he made some wrong choices that not only stripped him of the title but also humiliated him and cast him as a villain. With a stint with the Thunderbolts, however, a redemption arc is on the horizon for Walker. He may not be Captain America again, but he can be a proper hero.
3. Agatha Harkness
Kathryn Hahn’s MCU character, Agatha Harkness, debuted in WandaVision as Wanda and Vision’s nosy neighbor in Westview. Eventually, it was revealed that she was the primary villain of the narrative, trying to get Scarlet Witch’s powers because she doesn’t deem her worthy of them. In the end, she was trapped in Westview and left powerless by Wanda. As she stars in her own Disney+ show, Agatha: Coven Chaos, Marvel Studios has a chance to rehabilitate the character and make her a powerful ally not just for Scarlet Witch and all the magic wielders in the MCU but to the Avengers as well.
2. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
MCU Phase 4 stunt casting started The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Played by Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, the character has appeared in a few more projects since then such as Black Widow and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In both instances, she was there to make things more complicated by motivating Yelena Belova to kill Hawkeye and then by keeping an eye on Everett Ross for his ties to Wakanda. Not much has been revealed about Val, but instead of being a straight-up villain, she may very well just be a morally-gray character. Spearheading the Thunderbolts could ultimately make her one of the MCU’s good guys.
1. Scarlet Witch (Becomes A Hero Again)
The post-Infinity Saga MCU started with WandaVision, which put Scarlet Witch at the center of the franchise’s storytelling. After years of being a side character, it seemed like Marvel Studios was finally giving Elizabeth Olsen’s player her due. After facing her trauma in Westview, she re-emerged in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but instead of being better adjusted, the Sam Raimi-directed sequel brought back a full villainous Scarlet Witch corrupted by the Darkhold. Admittedly, Wanda was always meant to turn bad in Marvel Studios’ Multiverse Saga plans; originally Scarlet Witch was Avengers 5‘s villain. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness just fast-tracked it.
As proven by her sacrifice at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wanda isn’t bad, She is just traumatized and misguided. Given this, it’s expected that when she re-emerges in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she will finally begin her redemption arc. Since she’s one of the most powerful characters in the franchise, not to mention being a Nexus being, she will be instrumental in the Avengers’ fight against Kang the Conqueror. Given the Council of Kang’s debut in Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are up for a really tough mission, and having Wanda by their side could spell the difference between winning and losing.
source: screenrant.com
