A common villain trend regarding Phase 4 of the MCU has retroactively improved the Infinity Saga and will hopefully continue into Phases 5 and 6.
A Phase 4 Marvel Cinematic Universe trend centered on the franchise’s villains retroactively improved the Infinity Saga. One of the more common complaints of the MCU throughout Phases 1-3 was the lack of depth presented to many of its villains. Aside from Loki, Thanos, Killmonger, Zemo, and Vulture – to name but a few examples – many MCU villains were disappointing, to say the least.
However, Phase 4 allowed for a greater look at many Infinity Saga aspects, including formerly wasted MCU villains. The more wide-scoped films and inclusion of longer-form storytelling through Disney+ allowed in-depth looks at the blip, the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame, and retrospective context for plenty of the Infinity Saga’s characters. While this was the case for many of Marvel Studios’ iconic heroes, the same can be said for the villains of Phases 1-3, which means the Infinity Saga has been profoundly improved as a result.
MCU Phase Four Added Depth And Nuance To Infinity Saga Villains
Through Phase 4 of the MCU, many of the Infinity Saga’s biggest villains were given depth, nuance, and emotional storytelling that only improved their characters. While the like of Killmonger, for example, was already a beloved MCU villain due to the depth he possessed in Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever only made his case more important by linking it to Shuri’s arc. Killmonger’s cameo scene allowed for a deeper exploration of the character’s psyche, in a way that was not expected after his death in Black Panther.
Similarly, the character of Loki received this treatment. While Loki had been redeemed before in the MCU, the version centered on in the Loki series was taken straight out of The Avengers, therefore still villainous in nature. That show then delved deeper into his character in ways film would not allow, adding much more nuance to the character that will only continue into Phase 5 and Loki season 2. Likewise, Wanda went from a villain to a hero in the Infinity Saga. Phase 4 then reverted her to a villain, only this time with a much more fleshed-out exploration of her backstory, and an incredibly sympathetic arc.
Some other examples of this trend in Phase 4 are Zemo and Abomination. Zemo was already one of the MCU’s best villains prior to Phase 4, yet his appearance in Falcon and the Winter Solder all but turned him into an antihero. Abomination, on the other hand, was offered full-blown redemption. Turning from the angry, power-crazed supersoldier seen in The Incredible Hulk to the zen and good-natured guru-like character he was in She-Hulk added a new dimension to the character, and improved a Marvel Comics villain that has long been forgotten in the MCU.
MCU Phase Four Makes Older Movies Better
One thing this trend does is retroactively improve the movies of the Infinity Saga. The Incredible Hulk, for example, now has much more of a complete arc with its characters than before, despite not having a true sequel of its own. Likewise, rewatching The Avengers and Avengers: Endgame now has different meaning, with the context that Loki will go on to have such a complete redemption. Black Panther and Civil War are now better with the added nuance to both Killmonger and Zemo’s stories, something that Phase 4 was responsible for due to its exploration of the darker MCU characters.
MCU Phase 5 Can Continue Improving Previous Villains
One of the best outcomes from this Phase 4 trend is that Phase 5 will likely only continue this. As mentioned, Loki season 2 releases in 2023 and will only continue the story many loved about the first season, including the character’s further redemption. Captain America: New World Order looks to be a pseudo-sequel to The Incredible Hulk, bringing back characters like Thunderbolt Ross and the Leader from the latter film. This will undoubtedly add plenty of depth to both characters, with Ross only appearing a handful of times since then and the Leader making his first MCU appearance since 2008.
Another of Phase 5’s projects includes Thunderbolts, which is a story centered on the titular team made up of former villains and antiheroes. Characters like Ghost, Taskmaster, John Walker, and even Bucky Barnes have all had antagonistic roles in the MCU’s past, something Thunderbolts is likely to change by pitting them together as a superhero team. On top of further exploring the titular character, Loki season 2 will likely flesh out more variants of Kang, as hinted by Ant-Man 3. Finally, Agatha: Coven of Chaos will add more to the villain from WandaVision, truly proving the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s recent dedication to reforming villains.
