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With Thanos now out of the picture, it feels like the MCU introduces another god-tier villain every few months. Ikaris and his boss, Arishem, nearly destroy Earth, while Kang gives Scott Lang a run for his money as he works to conquer the Quantum Realm. Despite tossing out powerful villains like they’re candy, Marvel Studios still has a few tricks up its sleeve for the future. Here are seven god-tier villains the MCU hasn’t used.
7) Ares
The Greek gods are starting to make a name for themselves in the MCU. In Thor: Love and Thunder, the titular Asgardian picks a fight with Zeus and wins, stealing the deity’s lightning bolt. Losing doesn’t sit right with Zeus, so he orders his son, Hercules, to track down Thor.
While it’s easy to understand why Zeus would call upon his most heroic child, Hercules’ half-brother, Ares, is also a great candidate for the job. In the comics, Ares often picks fights with Thor and other powerful heroes. He even joins the Dark Avengers for a time, acting as the team’s enforcer.
6) Onslaught
Magneto and Professor X are locked in an eternal struggle about the fate of mutantkind. The Master of Magnetism believes mutants need to be more aggressive to prevent humans from getting a leg up on them, while the leader of the X-Men wants to help humanity learn about what it doesn’t understand.
At one point, Professor X has had enough of Magneto’s games and messes with his mind. All of Magneto’s negative emotions flood into the telepath, creating a new persona known as Onslaught. Once unleashed, the being tries to wipe out both humans and mutants, believing they’re unworthy of the gifts they possess.
5) Annihilus
Pocket universes are all the rage in the MCU. Ant-Man and Co. often travel to the Quantum Realm, where they meet countless interesting characters, and Shang-Chi spends some time in Ta-Lo, the mysterious location his mother was born in that houses a giant dragon and other mystical creatures.
Not every pocket universe is full of whimsy and charm, though. The Negative Zone is home to Annihilus, a dangerous being from the planet Arthros that uses the Cosmic Control Rod to get his enemies to submit. The Fantastic Four have their fair share of run-ins with the villain, and very few of them end well.
4) Gladiator
As Thanos and his army make very clear, space in the MCU isn’t full of sunshine and rainbows. Another powerful force likely lurking in the stars is the Shi’ar Empire, which conquers planets with ease thanks to its formidable Imperial Guard.
The leader of the Imperial Guard is Gladiator, a Strontian who possesses super strength, among other abilities. While typically a foe for teams like the X-Men and the Avengers, he has been known to turn over a new leaf now and again, even spending time with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
