10 Comic Book Movie Villains Who Deserved Much Better Endings

Throughout the comic book films UCM and the UDCthere were several antagonists who deserved much better endings than the ones they were given. Even before the MCU films cemented comic book movies as one of the most successful genres at the box office, heroes and villains from the pages of Marvel, DC and other comics were being adapted for the big screen. No good superhero story is complete without a proper villain, making the antagonists in these films just as important as the heroes.

Unfortunately, the DCEU and MCU timelines have seen many villains wasted in their respective endings. Some disappear with a whimper, while others are spectacularly wasted, contributing to endings that are utterly disappointing on many levels. With that in mind, here are 10 comic book movie villains who simply deserved much better endings.

10

Venom shouldn’t have died the way he did

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Of all Sam Raimi’s villains Spider-Man trilogy, none received the same level of criticism as Topher Grace’s Venom. While the iteration of the iconic Marvel villain was controversial, Spider-Man 3the handling of the character was even worse. The film introduced Venom as a villain alongside Sandman and New Goblin, making Spider-Man face three separate antagonists in a single film arc. It also gave Venom a definitive ending, although the villain deserved much better.

Spider-Man 3 ended with Eddie Brock and Venom disintegrated by one of the New Goblin’s pumpkin bombs. However, considering how popular a character Venom is and how resilient the symbiote typically is in the comics, there was no reason to kill the symbiote and the host after a single appearance. Having Venom survive to find a new host would make a lot more sense in regards to the villain’s symbiotic nature, but Spider-Man 3 it didn’t give the alien antagonist or its host the ending they deserved.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Christopher Nolan Dark Knight The trilogy is widely considered a near-perfect adaptation of the Batman mythos, but that’s not to say it didn’t handle some of its characters’ respective endings poorly. 2008 The Dark Knight sees Harvey Dent become the true hero of Gotham City, only to be transformed into the villain Two-Face by the Joker’s schemes. The film ends with Two-Face’s death, although it simply wasn’t an ending that did the character justice.

After Two-Face’s revenge crusade sees him threatening Commissioner Gordon’s family, Batman intervenes, and the ensuing fight causes Two-Face to fall to his death. The villain’s ending is as anticlimactic as it is disappointing, not least because he was compelling enough as both hero and villain to warrant further exploration. The end of Two-Face’s story was very abrupt and forgettableespecially considering the complex character arc he encompasses.

8

Apocalypse’s death was an insult to the character

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

While not always considered the worst of Fox’s X-Men film franchise, 2016 X-Men: Apocalypse still has a reputation for being one of the most disappointing X-Men adaptations. The film’s eponymous villain, Apocalypse, is presented as the first mutant, an extremely powerful and dangerous being who wants to wipe out almost all life on Earth. X-Men: Apocalypse it also gives its antagonist an ending that a villain of his stature should never have endured.

Considering that Apocalypse is one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe, the way the film handled his story was poor. The film’s ending sees him killed by Jean Grey, releasing the full extent of his power, erasing him from existence. For a villain as substantial as Apocalypse to be killed off in this way after a single appearance felt cheap and undeserved.although X-Men: Apocalypse didn’t adapt the character very well in the first place.

7

Ares’ ending was the worst part of Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman (2017)

The DCEU films introduced many villains into the franchise, although many had their respective issues that sparked controversy or criticism. 2017 Wonder Woman has gained a reputation as one of the best films in the franchise, with Gal Gadot’s hero facing the front lines of World War I in an attempt to find and defeat Ares. The film doesn’t reveal Ares’ true identity until its final act, which shows the hero fighting the God of War.

Considering the quality of the rest Wonder Woman, the hero’s final battle with Ares is painfully anticlimactic. The notion that the DCEU introduced a literal god only to kill him off after a brief appearance was off-putting, especially since it did no service to an interesting antagonist. With the great mystery surrounding Ares’ identity, ending his story so quickly after the reveal was more than a little disappointing.

6

Hela’s story in the MCU ended on a technicality

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

After launch, Thor: Ragnarok was one of the most exciting entries in the MCU. It considerably advanced the franchise’s narrative, explored the characterization of two main Avengers and killed off an important supporting character. Ragnarok it also introduced Hela to the MCU, the immensely powerful Asgardian God of Death and Thor’s long-lost older sister. However, despite all of Hela’s promise, Ragnarok ended his story in a decidedly unsatisfactory manner.

After Hela kills all of Thor’s friends and claims the throne of Asgard, he realizes he is not strong enough to defeat her. He then summons Surtur to destroy his homeworld, killing Hela in the process. Having such a powerful villain killed in this way was disappointing, as a figure as great as Hela deserved a much better ending than being abruptly killed by another villain while the hero escapes.

5

Bane’s ending didn’t reflect his potential

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The Dark Knight Rises finished the work of Christopher Nolan Dark Knight trilogy in epic form, weaving a narrative that saw Gotham City come close to complete destruction. The film’s main antagonist, Bane, proves to be Batman’s match on virtually every level, as he is able to physically overpower the Dark Knight as well as surpass him from a tactical perspective. However, this is what makes Bane’s ending feel so bad.

Despite being perhaps the most dangerous and difficult to overcome villain in the Dark Knight trilogy, Bane is defeated with relative ease. After being beaten by Batman, Bane is shot and killed by Catwoman in a moment that doesn’t do the character any justice. Bane’s connection to the League of Shadows, as well as his keen intellect and physical strength, should have combined to make him as difficult to kill as Batman himself, although The Dark Knight Rises chose to give him a worse ending than he deserved.

4

Green Goblin’s death was completely pointless

Spider-Man (2002)

2002 Spider-Man helped cement the superhero genre as a cinematic giant in the modern era, thanks in part to an incredible performance from Willem Dafoe. Dafoe’s turn as Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin continues to stand out as one of the best performances in any superhero film, as he was able to capture the character’s inherent duality. Unfortunately, his cinematic arc in the Raimi trilogy came to an abrupt end when he died during the film’s climactic battle.

The Green Goblin being killed by his own glider is the result of a moment of unnecessary hubris, making his ending feel frustrating. Dafoe had a lot more to give in the role, but his story was decidedly interrupted by an unusual moment of stupidity. Being killed in this way was not the end he deserved, and although he was later redeemed in Spider-Man: No Way Homeit already served as the definitive ending of the film.

3

Ra’s Al Ghul’s death was a wasted opportunity

Batman Begins (2005)

THE Dark Knight The trilogy put a decidedly grounded spin on characters from the Batman mythos, including Batman’s main villain. Batman beginsthe typically mystical figure of Ra’s al Ghul. The film saw the antagonist employ theatrical misdirection tactics as he mentored Bruce Wayne and fought Batman to destroy Gotham. His death at the end of the film marked a significant missed opportunity for the trilogy on several levels.

Ra’s al Ghul’s death could have caused the trilogy to somehow address his immortality in the comics, although that wasn’t the case. What is more, his ending came about as a result of Batman using a loophole in his “no killing” rule seemed much cheaper than clever. Ultimately, this made for an ending for the villain that was significantly less substantial than he deserved, especially considering his longtime role as an immortal villain in the source material.

2

Killmonger’s death wasted the MCU’s best villain

Black Panther (2018)

Acting as the main antagonist of 2018 Black PantherMichael B. Jordan made his MCU debut as Erik Killmonger, quickly earning the title of the franchise’s most relatable villain. Killmonger’s motivations were considered reasonable at their core by many, adding a complex moral layer to Black Panthernarrative and further contributing to the success of the film. However, his death during the film’s finale proved to be one of the MCU’s most hated deaths because Killmonger simply deserved so much better.

Killmonger wanting to take control of Wakanda to share its power with the world was a noble goal, even if his methods were unnecessarily violent. The film’s final battle saw him and T’Challa face off, both possessing Black Panther’s enhanced abilities. The CGI showdown was a disappointing finale in a visual sense, with Killmonger’s unceremonious death proving to be far less than the villain deserved..

1

Jack Nicholson’s Joker Deserved to Be Batman’s True Enemy

Batman (1989)

It’s no secret that Tim Burton’s Batman franchise had a short criminal lifespan, but his handling of villains didn’t lend itself well to longevity in the first place. The director’s first foray into Gotham took place in 1989 Batmanfeaturing Michael Keaton’s Dark Knight alongside Jack Nicholson’s Joker. The iconic hero facing off against his equally iconic foe was a triumphant moment for superhero cinema, though Joker’s ending was nothing like what he deserved.

The film ended with the Joker’s death after the villain fell from the top of Gotham Cathedral. As Batman’s most infamous foe, the Joker should never have been killed off so quickly and unremarkably, especially since Nicholson’s performance in the role delivered an impressive amount of chilling comedic precision. As such, the end of Joker in 1989 Batman stands out as one of the most disappointing villain endings in UCMthe UDCand beyond.

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