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Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers.What makes a character an anti-hero? Generally, they resist traditional heroism, have a lovable gruffness, and maybe even have a villainous past. All this makes it hard for them to be seen as a hero.
The MCU draws some pretty clear lines when it comes to heroes and villains, but they have plenty of characters that operate in a gray area. Fans want to see heroes that are relatable, so characters who aren’t perfect paragons of virtue or the embodiment of evil draw people in.
Updated on July 09, 2025, by Hannah Saab:
LokiSeason 2 is in full swing, and it’s a series full of complex storylines and even more complicated characters. As fans eagerly wait to see what happens next, it’s the perfect time to revisit some of the MCU’s best anti-heroes.
12King M’Baku
King M’Baku (Winston Duke) is the former leader of the Jabari Tribe, a group of Wakandans who choose to live in isolation in the mountains. InBlack Panther,He opposes T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) to become King of Wakanda and almost wins but is eventually defeated. M’Baku doesn’t want T’Challa to be King, but that doesn’t mean he’s a villain. The events ofWakanda Foreveralso end with M’Baku as the current King of the kingdom, further emphasizing his character’s heroic traits.
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T’Challa approaches M’Baku to help defeat Killmonger, and he reluctantly agrees to help save Wakanda. M’Baku could have sided with Killmonger and teamed up to defeat T’Challa and rule Wakanda himself, but he wants what is best for his tribe. He also fights alongside The Avengers inInfinity War,andEndgame, proving that he’s more hero than villain.
11Sylvie Laufeydottir
A female variant of Loki introduced in the Disney+ series, it seemed as if Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) was turning into apowerful sidekick in the MCU show. However, as one would expect from any version of Loki, Sylvie turns around and betrays the protagonist in a dramatic way, potentially unleashing a huge villain onto the multiverse and endangering everyone in the Time Variance Authority (including her male counterpart).
While she could still redeem herself and eventually become a hero, right now she leans more towards villainous than heroic, making her one of the newest anti-heroes from the franchise. Only time will tell which path Sylvie will choose, especially when there are so many diverging ones in the series.
10Yondu Udonta
Yondu (Michael Rooker) is introduced inGuardians of the Galaxyas Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) adoptive father. He was supposed to deliver Peter to his birth father but saw him as a useful member of their team, so he kept him around. At first, it may seem like Yondu was just using Peter, but he does think of him as his son and proves that by sacrificing himself to save Peter inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Yondu ends up being a somewhat reluctant hero in the firstGuardiansfilm but earns his anti-hero status in the second installment. He begins to redeem himself when the other Ravagers turn on him, and he has to work with Rocket and Groot to escape. His death is an ultimate hero’s sacrifice.
9Hulk (Bruce Banner)
Bruce Banner (Edward Nortonin 2008,Mark Ruffaloonwards) never wants to be bad, but the green guy is a different story. Hulk first shows up in his solo movie in 2008 but makes his MCU debut inThe Avengersfilm years later. He is a reluctant hero in this film, scared of what he’s capable of. InAge of Ultron,Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is the only one who can calm him down when the green guy has taken over.
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Bruce Banner himself is a good guy; he looks out for others and always tries to save the day. He tries to do the same as Hulk, but sometimes it’s out of his control, and he causes more harm than good. Bruce eventually learns to come to terms with the darkness inside him, and he can even live as Hulk without being angry all the time.
Nebula (Karen Gillan) is an adopted daughter of Thanos who was always pitted against her sister Gamora (Zoe Saldaña). She eventually realizes that she actually loves her sister, which fuels her to change for the better.
Once Nebula comes to terms with the fact that Thanos was manipulating her to hate Gamora, sheteams up with the powerful Avengersto stop him. Nebula is an unlikely hero, but that makes her all the more lovable in the eyes of the viewers. She remains straightforward and tactical, but that doesn’t stop her from being just as heroic as the other Avengers.
Venom was introduced outside the MCU when he debuted as a villain in 2007’sSpider-Man 3.Venom is an alien symbiote that needs a host body, usually human, to survive. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is the first body he attaches himself to. When Parker eventually discards him, he bonds to Eddie Brock (Topher Grace).
Venom is a hero or a villain depending on who bonds with the symbiote. He wants to be good, but the alien often has selfish intentions and won’t always do what his host body wants. In Sony’sVenomfilms, Eddie and Venom (both played byTom Hardy) together create the perfect anti-hero. Eddie is a lost soul who needs guidance, and Venom is a childish alien who doesn’t want to be evil but also wants to feast on human flesh. They both desire to do better but are driven by their selfish desires.
6Rocket Raccoon
Rocket (voiced byBradley Cooper) is a scrappy, gun-toting member of the Guardians. He starts as a criminal picking up bounties with the help of his friend and sidekick, Groot (voiced byVin Diesel). They originally met Peter Quill while trying to capture him, and they only team up with him to share in the profit they could get for selling Quill’s orb. When they find out that the orb is an infinity stone that could destroy the planet, Rocket proves he’s among the smartest MCU heroes and reluctantly helps save the day.
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Rocket never really wanted to be a hero, and even while slaying a beast, he steals some batteries to sell. He also loves to mess with others, like when he got Peter to take someone’s leg during their jailbreak. Overall, Rocket has good intentions and does what’s right, but he doesn’t care how he does it, as long as he’s having fun.
5Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) made his debut inCaptain America: The First Avengeras Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) kind and brave best friend. He would always stand up for Steve and try to keep him out of trouble. In Steve’s eyes, Bucky was a true hero when he went off to fight in WWII. The movie ended with what appeared to be Bucky falling to his death.
He wasn’t the same when he was revealed to be alive inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier. He had been brainwashed by Hydra and turned into The Winter Soldier, a killing machine. Eventually, he was able to escape, be free of his conditioning, and fight alongside The Avengers. Bucky was undoubtedly a good guy, but he never really shook his anti-hero status. He is still a trained assassin and struggles with his dark past. This is further emphasized in the MCU show,The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which shows Bucky delving into his issues through government-mandated therapy.
4Loki Laufeyson
Loki (Tom Hiddleston) was introduced inThoras the jealous younger brother of the titular hero, making moves to steal Asgard’s throne. He made his next appearance inThe Avengersas the main villain. It’s hard to argue if Loki is completely redeemable after the attack in New York, but his redemption arc proves he at least is making an effort.
Loki changed significantly duringThor: The Dark World,especially after losing his mother. He teamed up with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) to save Asgard, and the movie ended with Thor thinking his brother had died. He came back inThor: Ragnarokas an unpredictable ally. He proved that he does love his brother and has good intentions, although he was sometimes selfish. His journey came to a heroic end at the beginning ofAvengers: Infinity Warwhen he tried to trick Thanos (Josh Brolin) and was killed. Through the series,Loki, fans get a look at the anti-hero’s wild multiversal experiences, which will likely have some explosive consequences for the rest of the MCU films.
3The Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)
While Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) has always been a morally ambiguous figure in the MCU, it’s her transformation into the Scarlet Witch that truly showcased her villainous side, solidifying her as an anti-hero. The Disney+ seriesWandaVisiondepicted just how far she’s willing to go, which apparently includes trapping people and trying to kidnap kids, to build her perfect world.
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It’s hard not to feel sorry for her, especially afterDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where fans learn the true extent of her pain. Moments of redemption in her character arc further add to the complexity of the anti-hero, making her one of the most well-written ones in the franchise so far.
