Over the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there have been many villains who can simply never achieve redemption. From the very earliest days of the franchise, the movies of the MCU have introduced compelling and believable villains. It’s a feat that often proves harder than it may seem, as making an antagonist feel organic in a world populated by the supernatural and the technologically-advanced is a difficult line to walk. However, the MCU has repeatedly made it work, with the franchise featuring many great villains since its inception.

The villains of the MCU’s movie timeline aren’t always morally gray, with some being outright evil. The plans of these villains, or the conclusion of their stories, often means that finding any redemption is completely impossible for them. While some MCU antagonists have gone on to rescue their reputations, such as Loki or the Winter Soldier, countless others can never follow suit. Here are 10 MCU villains who can never find redemption.

10

Malekith Never Showed Any Remorse For His Actions

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Malekith may have had one of the most disappointing villain introductions in the MCU, but he still played an important role within the franchise. Malekith’s pursuit of the Aether facilitated the plot of Thor: The Dark World, and it also introduced the second Infinity Stone into the MCU. Malekith’s quest saw him lay waste to multiple worlds in his attempts to secure the Aether, making him an especially dangerous villain.

The main reason Malekith can never find redemption is that he was never interested in doing so. Throughout his arc, he never showed even the slightest hint of remorse, and Thor: The Dark World’s ending sees him apparently killed by his own crashing ship. Considering his supposed death and his thorough lack of any compassion for the many lives he took, it’s clear that Malekith is never going to receive a redemption arc in the MCU.

9

Ronan Was Only Interested In Power, Not Redemption

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Ronan the Accuser isn’t likely to be considered one of the MCU’s more complex or compelling villains, but his characterization was well-rounded enough to confirm that he could never be redeemed. Ronan is introduced as the Kree warlord seeking to obtain the Power Stone on behalf of Thanos, but who later double-crosses the Mad Titan in order to take the Stone for himself. Guardians of the Galaxy may have ended with Ronan’s death, but subsequent appearances in the franchise could have shown another side to the character.

The reason Ronan can never be redeemed in any way in the MCU is mostly down to his dedication to the Kree Empire. He sought to use the Power Stone to crush the enemies of the Kree, and as such could never understand that his excessive force was not justified. As Ronan saw no issue with his actions, there’s no conceivable way that the MCU could offer him any form of redemption.

8

Ego’s Concerns Never Involved Redeeming Himself

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2018)

Ego the Living Planet’s story is different in the MCU than it is in the comics, as the powerful Celestial being was revealed to be the biological father of the MCU’s Star-Lord. His role as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’s villain saw him also reveal that he was responsible for the tumor that killed Star-Lord’s mother, prompting the hero to turn on Ego and end the being’s grandiose plans to conquer the living universe. There are a number of lines in the movie that also signify that redemption isn’t possible for Ego.

Ego explains that he considered Meredith’s death necessary, and that her life stood in the way of his plans. He sees most living beings as redundant and lesser, and simply wants to assimilate them all into himself. Ego’s plans being driven by his innate need to grow and expand across the universe make redemption an alien concept to the villain.

7

Dreykov’s Death Prevents Him From Facing Justice

Black Widow (2021)

The cast of Black Widow introduced Ray Winstone’s Dreykov, the man behind the inhumane Red Room project that made Natasha Romanoff a highly trained operative. The movie saw Romanoff face her past ahead of her death in Avengers: Endgame, and its exploration of its villain revealed Dreykov as a truly terrible human being. Unlike other villains, Dreykov was simply a man, but his heinous nature and the conclusion of his story made redemption an impossibility.

As Black Widow sees Dreykov killed and his facility destroyed, finding redemption is not at all possible for the villain. However, it’s also worth noting that his lust for power and his lack of compassion for the women he trafficked, brainwashed, and enslaved also qualify him as a man incapable of redeeming himself. His casual attitude toward his crimes made Dreykov a truly despicable villain, and there’s no way the MCU could justify offering such a character any sort of redemption.

6

Green Goblin Is Too Far Gone To Find Redemption

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

After his initial appearance in 2002’s Spider-Man, Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin returning as part of No Way Home’s cast of characters was an excellent reprise for the villain. Dafoe once again stole the show as Norman Osborn in the movie, but his MCU debut more carefully examined the fractured psyche of the villain. In doing so, No Way Home clearly communicated why the Green Goblin can’t ever find redemption.

No Way Home perfectly depicted the extent of the schism between Norman Osborn and his Goblin persona. The fact that the villainous side of him could kill Aunt May with such little remorse in spite of the genuine desire for redemption displayed by Osborn sadly shows that the villain is simply too dangerous to be trusted. Although Norman Osborn himself might be capable of redemption, the Goblin part of him is not something that could ever make up for his worst actions.

5

Ultron’s Only Pursuit Was The Extinction Of Humanity

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Ultron is one of the MCU’s most underrated villains, as the franchise did very little to establish his true level of power. Even so, the rogue AI created by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner to protect humanity turned out to be a villain of such dangerous proportions that he came close to wiping out the entire human race. Despite the horrific intent of his actions, it’s actually Ultron’s nature that makes him irredeemable.

As an AI tasked with protecting the Earth, Ultron has come to the conclusion that humanity must be exterminated for its own good. The fact that he’s simply an incredibly advanced computer means that Ultron is essentially unstoppable, and that he’s not realistically capable of changing his mind. Ultron’s ultimate goal will always be to wipe out humanity, meaning that he can never achieve redemption for his crimes.

4

The High Evolutionary Truly Believes His Evil Is Justified

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

The High Evolutionary joined Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s cast as the movie’s antagonist, with the film’s story exploring the villain’s role in the creation of Rocket. The High Evolutionary puts his brilliant scientific mind to use experimenting with genetics, creating societies and new species using incredibly questionable methods. His worst actions can be boiled down to his disregard for what he considers lesser life forms, and therein lies the reason he cannot be redeemed.

It’s clear from listening to the High Evolutionary’s own explanation of his actions and motivations that he has no respect for most forms of life. His inhuman pursuit of total genetic perfection is what makes him a villain, and it also makes him irredeemable. His treatment of Rocket in particular was so emotionally scarring that no MCU fan could ever buy into a redemption arc for the character, making him a clear lost cause.

3

Hela Was Driven By Death, And Didn’t Want To Be Redeemed

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Hela is a uniquely refreshing villain in many ways, as she has no issue with declaring herself exactly what she is. The Goddess of Death, as introduced in Thor: Ragnarok, simply wants to cause destruction and claim what she considers her birthright. She doesn’t attempt to justify herself, she simply sweeps into Asgard, bringing death and subjugation with her.

There’s no way that the MCU can redeem Hela, as she was responsible for far too much tragedy. Not only did she kill the Warriors Three, but she was indirectly responsible for the total destruction of Asgard, putting her at the center of devastating MCU developments. Finally, considering her apparent death at the hands of Surtur, it’s all but impossible that the MCU could ever seek to redeem Hela, as she’s both too villainous and too dead to ever find redemption, and a revival from the afterlife would only raise questions regarding with Asgard’s other deceased characters can’t also return.

2

Red Skull Allied Himself With History’s Greatest Monsters

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

The Red Skull is widely considered one of the MCU’s worst-adapted villains, simply because he was sidelined far too early and never got the chance to live up to his comic book reputation. Even taking into account that he was only a villain in a single movie, Captain America’s nemesis is still another Marvel movie villain that can never be redeemed. The Red Skull’s place in history is simply too dark to ever facilitate a redemption arc.

The Red Skull is introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger as a Nazi officer heading up Hitler’s supernatural science division, known as HYDRA. Considering he was first allied with one of history’s most notorious monsters before setting out to establish his own evil cabal clearly shows that the Red Skull had no humanity whatsoever. A man capable of working with the Nazis and founding HYDRA simply isn’t one that the MCU could ever hope to redeem in any way.

1

Thanos Inflicted Irreparable Damage To The Universe

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Thanos’ motivations in the MCU are often the cause of much debate, as even the franchise itself has considered the possibility that the villain may have had a point. Even so, the Mad Titan’s solution to overpopulation – to wipe out half of all life in the universe – is every bit as callous and inhumane as his reputation would suggest. Thanos being able to execute that plan in Avengers: Infinity War sees him succeed in reducing half of the universe’s population to dust, marking perhaps the darkest moment in MCU history.

Thanos’ actions may have later been reversed, but the irreparable damage he causes to countless societies across the universe cannot be understated. His willingness to embrace genocidal views in order to achieve mass murder on a universal scale makes him perhaps the most dangerous villain of all, and as such, he cannot ever find true redemption. Justified though he may consider himself, Thanos cannot ever be redeemed within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.