Despite the MCU’s massive success and cultural impact, not every character received the development or justice they deserved. Some were rushed, some reduced to jokes, and others strayed far from their comic roots.
While this can be arguably applied to any character who strayed away from their comic counterpart, here are 10 Marvel characters who deserved much better treatment in the MCU.
10. John Walker AKA U.S. Agent
John Walker’s portrayal in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ sparked widespread controversy among fans. A decorated war hero and government-appointed Captain America, he was judged. Unlike Steve Rogers, Walker was thrown into a hostile environment with minimal support and immense pressure. When he killed a Flag Smasher in a fit of rage, it was shocking, but also a clear result of trauma, frustration, and being set up to fail.
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His comic counterpart, U.S. Agent, eventually led Avengers teams and became a morally complex, respected figure. In the MCU, instead of exploring this complexity, Walker is sidelined after a redemption moment and hastily turned into a mysterious government asset. However, now with his return to the MCU, ’Thunderbolts*’ fans have started giving him the love he deserves.
9. Thanos In ‘What If…?’
Thanos was built up across multiple films as the ultimate threat, culminating in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’. He was strategic, philosophical, and terrifying. To beat him it required the combined force of all Avengers and the use of all six Infinity Stones.
Then came ‘What If…?’, Marvel’s animated alternate-reality anthology. In Episode 8, Ultron (in Vision’s body) encounters Thanos, who already has all the Infinity Stones except the Mind Stone. Instead of a climactic battle, Ultron immediately slices him in half with a laser. This moment may have been played for shock, but it dramatically undercut Thanos’ stature. If a single AI-driven being could end him in seconds, then what was the point of the entire Infinity Saga?
8. Malekith
Malekith the Accursed had the potential to be a haunting, mythological villain. As leader of the Dark Elves and wielder of the Aether (the Reality Stone), he threatened to plunge the universe into darkness. In the comics, Malekith is intelligent, sadistic, and a master manipulator. The MCU version, however, was forgettable and hollow.
Despite being played by the talented Christopher Eccleston, Malekith was barely given any dialogue or motivation. His goal was poorly explored, and he was ultimately reduced to an uninteresting obstacle for Thor. This wasted potential turned him into a running joke about bland MCU villains.
7. Whiplash
‘Iron Man 2’ introduced Ivan Vanko (Whiplash), a vengeful physicist who blames the Stark family for his father’s downfall. Though Mickey Rourke gave the character a gritty edge, Whiplash’s motivation was muddled, and his potential as a major villain was squandered. In the comics, Vanko’s father dies due to an Iron Man imposter framing Tony Stark.
That backstory adds personal stakes and tragedy to Whiplash’s hatred. Instead, the MCU chose to tie it to business betrayal and generational resentment, but never fully developed the concept.
6. Drax
When Drax the Destroyer was first introduced, his motivations were clear: avenge his family, destroyed by Ronan and Thanos. Played by Dave Bautista, Drax quickly became a fan favorite for his deadpan humor and literal interpretations. However, as the Guardians franchise progressed, Drax’s serious nature was overshadowed by constant jokes.
His trauma and vendetta were virtually abandoned, and his fighting abilities were downplayed in favor of comedy. In the comics, Drax is a warrior genetically engineered to kill Thanos. He’s intense, intelligent, and brutal, very different from who he is in the MCU.
5. Hank Pym
Hank Pym is one of the most influential scientists in Marvel Comics. He’s the original Ant-Man, a founding member of the Avengers, and the creator of Ultron. Yet the MCU reduces him to a side mentor role and erases key elements of his legacy. Played by Michael Douglas, Hank is introduced as a retired genius who mistrusts the Avengers and passes on his tech to Scott Lang.
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While Douglas does a fine job, Pym’s importance is significantly downplayed, especially since Ultron’s creation is attributed to Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. Fans missed out on seeing Hank as a field hero and as a brilliant but morally ambiguous inventor.
4. Abomination
Emil Blonsky, a decorated soldier turned into a gamma-powered monster, was once one of the Hulk’s deadliest enemies. His transformation into Abomination in The Incredible Hulk was a key moment in the MCU’s early days. However, after one major fight, Abomination disappeared for over a decade.
He reappears in ‘Shang-Chi’ in a cage match, and again in ‘She-Hulk’ as a reformed guru. Instead of exploring his grudge against Hulk or his evolution into a more dangerous villain, the MCU reduced him to a punchline and plot device. That’s a huge missed opportunity.
3. Ronan
Ronan the Accuser was introduced as a radical Kree zealot with a deep hatred for Xandarians. With Lee Pace in the role, Ronan had a terrifying presence, until the end. Just as he’s about to destroy Xandar, Peter Quill distracts him with… a dance-off. While funny and fitting with the film’s tone, the scene completely undercuts Ronan’s character.
He’s supposed to be a Thanos-level threat but gets outsmarted by ’80s music. To make things worse, his appearance in ‘Captain Marvel’ doesn’t flesh him out either.
2. Corvus Glaive
Corvus Glaive is one of Thanos’ most dangerous generals in the comics. He’s immortal as long as his glaive is intact and capable of slicing through virtually anything. In the MCU, however, Corvus is barely a threat. He gets a few fight scenes but is quickly dispatched by Vision and later by Black Widow and Okoye.
His glaive isn’t portrayed as special, and his strategic mind is never explored. Instead of the cunning tactician from the comics, he’s treated like a disposable minion. The Black Order as a whole deserved more attention. However, Corvus’ fate in particular was a major letdown for comic fans.
1. Dormammu
Dormammu, ruler of the Dark Dimension, is one of the most powerful magical entities in the Marvel Universe. In ‘Doctor Strange’, he appears as a giant, nebulous force who threatens Earth’s reality itself. While Strange’s strategy to trap him in a time loop is clever, Dormammu is portrayed as surprisingly weak-willed.
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Instead of adapting or breaking the loop, he surrenders and agrees never to return. In the comics, Dormammu has endless magical knowledge and is not bound by time the way mortals are. The fact that he couldn’t outthink Strange (who was still new to magic) makes him seem less like a cosmic threat and more like a one-time villain.
