10 Saddest Villain Backstories In The MCU So Far

The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t short on villains, and many of the franchise’s antagonists actually have incredibly sad backstories explaining their motivations. Every good hero needs a good villain, but the best antagonists are often those who aren’t pure evil. The TV shows and movies of the MCU have introduced many villains, often with complex motivations or stories that paint them as decidedly tragic figures. In fact, many of the best superhero stories see the heroes facing off against enemies who aren’t inherently bad but instead tied to a contrasting moral code or attempting to reconcile a difficult past.

Throughout the MCU’s movie timeline, the franchise’s most memorable villains all inspired at least a modicum of sympathy for the way their story has played out. Many are established or revealed to have especially tragic histories, shaping them into the morally dubious but not entirely unjustifiable villains they appear to be. Though all villains believe themselves to be fighting for a worthy cause, only a select few have genuine reasons to feel aggrieved – either with the heroes or the cruel twists of fate that shaped them. With that in mind, here are the 10 saddest villain backstories in the MCU so far.

10 He Who Remains Has To Make The Difficult Choices

Loki (2021)

The first variant of Kang the Conqueror introduced to the MCU was He Who Remains, the mastermind behind the Time Variance Authority who sought to preserve the Sacred Timeline. The ending of Loki season 1 reveals that He Who Remains is actually the sole survivor of the Multiverse War, a colossal conflict between the many variants of Kang. In order to maintain peace across the Multiverse, He Who Remains created the TVA to repeatedly prune timelines in which these variants would be created, culling countless lives as collateral damage in the process.

9 Dar-Benn Watches Her Planet Crumble

The Marvels (2023)

One of the most interesting additions to the cast of The Marvels was Dar-Benn, a Kree revolutionary who finds herself at odds with the films’ heroes. Despite acting as the film’s villain, she actually has something of a tragic backstory: after Carol Danvers destroys the Supreme Intelligence following Captain Marvel, the Kree Empire falls into civil war. This has a knock-on effect on Dar-Benn’s homeworld of Hala, which quite literally begins to fall apart before her eyes. Spurred on by the impending annihilation of her people, Dar-Benn descends into hard-headed villainy, albeit in pursuit of a relatively noble end.

8 Hela Is Betrayed By Odin (Who Made Her In His Image)

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

As MCU villains go, Hela is one of the few who is not written to be morally ambiguous. She’s a dangerous conqueror who revels in death and destruction, but ultimately, she’s fueled by revenge. After creating her in his image and raising her to be one of the most bloodthirsty beings in existence, Odin then decided he wanted peace, and his daughter didn’t fit his plans. He discards her, then replaces her with his sons Thor and Loki. The All-Father’s death finally allows her to return and reclaim her rightful place on the throne of the father who callously shunned her.

7 Killmonger Is Banished From Wakanda

Black Panther (2018)

Of the many MCU villains who seemed to have a point, Killmonger often ranks highest. Exiled as a child for the actions of his father, young Killmonger is forced to grow up in poverty despite being a part of the Wakandan royal family. This causes him to resent his Wakandan heritage, particularly as he intends to hold the nation accountable for its inaction and unwillingness to support minorities throughout the rest of the world in times of need. Though his murderous approach isn’t admirable, Killmonger’s tragic upbringing makes him one of the most justified villains in the MCU.

6 Ghost Is An Orphan Who Was Manipulated Into Villainy

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

As a child, Ava Starr lost her parents in the same quantum explosion that gave her the power to render herself intangible. Orphaned and unable to control her power, Ava was taken in by SHIELD prior to the Hydra Uprising. There, she was used for her abilities and trained as a stealth operative despite the fact that her constant need for quantum energy was slowly killing her. It’s only out of her drive for survival that Ghost acts as a villain, attempting to cure her affliction by tapping into the quantum energy of Hank Pym’s experiments. Ultimately, Ghost was manipulated into her villainous ways after a childhood filled with tragedy.

5 Thanos Watches His Planet Die

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Born into the royal family of Titan, Thanos initially enjoyed a life of relative privilege. However, when overpopulation began threatening his planet’s continued existence, Thanos’ radical idea to kill off half its population was considered extreme. Then Thanos watched as his worst fears came to pass: Titan was devastated just as he’d predicted, and his race was driven to the brink of extinction. This galvanized the already radical ideas of the villain, prompting him to embark upon a crusade to balance the universe by wiping out half of all life. Though he’s undeniably one of the MCU’s most dangerous villains, the trauma in his past is incredibly sad.

4 Taskmaster Is Almost Killed Before Being Mind-Controlled

Black Widow (2021)

The MCU’s Taskmaster is somewhat different from the character in the comics, but the movie franchise’s iteration of the villain has an especially tragic story. The child of Dreykov, the former Soviet officer and overseer of the Black Widows’ training, Taskmaster’s real name is Antonia Dreykov. When Natasha Romanoff attempts to assassinate her former master, she inadvertently targets his young daughter instead, scarring her and allowing Dreykov to implant a mind control chip into her brain. Through her father’s experiments and relentless control, she becomes the villain Taskmaster, although only as the product of others’ misdeeds rather than any sort of autonomous choice.

3 Gorr The God Butcher’s Daughter Dies In His Arms

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Thor: Love and Thunder introduced Gorr, a being intent on killing all gods. His bloodthirsty nature stems from his sad backstory: after praying to his god to save his daughter’s life, he watches the young girl die of thirst. Shortly after, he stumbles across the god, who laughs in indifference at his plight. Influenced by the Necrosword, Gorr then begins to wage war on the gods, also seeking Eternity to realize his greatest wish. However, despite his crusade against the gods, Gorr only wants his daughter back, proving that he’s one of the MCU’s most tragic villains.

2 Wanda Becomes The Scarlet Witch After Losing Everything

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

There are very few arcs in the entire MCU that are as sad and unfortunate as Wanda Maximoff’s. As a child, Wanda was orphaned when her parents were killed in Sokovia. Later, she’s introduced as one of the MCU’s most powerful magic users, only to lose her twin brother in an act of heroic sacrifice. Then she falls in love with Vision, only for Thanos to kill him. In her grief, she magically creates a family with her late lover, only to lose them too. It’s only after losing everything that Wanda finally turns into a villain, and even then, it’s only to recover some of the people she lost.

1 Loki Just Wanted His Family

Thor (2011)

Though Loki started out as an MCU villain, the franchise later saw him redeemed into one of its most popular heroes. His first appearance in 2011’s Thor gives him an appropriately sad backstory, though: a young Frost Giant whose parents are killed in a war against Asgard, Loki is adopted by Odin and raised as Asgardian royalty. However, he’s always overlooked in favor of his brother, Thor, and grows jealous as a result. It’s only through his yearning for Odin’s love and respect that Loki allows himself to become a villain, giving him one of the saddest backstories in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.