The Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered countless twists over the years, but few are as shocking as where some of its characters ended up. Heroes and villains in often begin their journeys in clear-cut roles – good vs. evil, selfless vs. selfish – but the MCU timeline thrives on flipping expectations. Whether it’s a redemption arc, a tragic death, or a bizarre transformation, the best Marvel movies have routinely taken characters far beyond what anyone could’ve predicted in their debut scenes.
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From 2008’s Iron Man to the Multiverse Saga, the MCU has rewritten the rulebook on superhero storytelling. Characters grow, shift allegiances, or completely transform – sometimes due to deep emotional arcs, and sometimes due to universe-shattering events like the Snap or multiversal tampering. What makes the MCU especially unpredictable is its long-form storytelling across films and Disney+ series. A villain introduced in one film may not reappear for years, and when they do, they could be an entirely different person – literally or figuratively.
You are watching: 10 MCU Hero & Villain Endings You Couldn’t Have Possibly Predicted When They First Debuted
10
Darren Cross Becoming MODOK Was Literally Impossible To Predict
Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania
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When Darren Cross debuted in Ant-Man (2015), he was a classic corporate villain – ambitious, ruthless, and ultimately doomed by his own tech. His apparent death after shrinking into nothingness felt like the standard MCU bad guy exit. So when he re-emerged nearly a decade later in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as the grotesque Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing (MODOK), jaws dropped.
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Nothing in his first Ant-Man remotely hinted that he’d become a giant floating head with baby limbs in the Quantum Realm. Even comic readers wouldn’t have seen this coming, since MODOK is traditionally a separate character entirely. His transformation was bizarre, hilarious, and oddly tragic – especially as he tried to redeem himself at the end. Cross went from standard villain to one of the MCU’s weirdest characters, making his journey easily one of the least predictable arcs in the franchise.
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Red Skull Becoming The Keeper Of An Infinity Stone Was A Big MCU Twist
Ant-Man: Infinity War
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In Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Red Skull was the Nazi-aligned Hydra leader obsessed with harnessing the Tesseract’s power. After touching it, he appeared to be vaporized, presumably killed by the artifact he couldn’t control. No one expected him to return – let alone in Avengers: Infinity War as the ghostly guardian of the Soul Stone. His reappearance was certainly shocking, especially since he was now more of a mystical figure than a warlord.
Red Skull’s transformation from power-hungry villain to cosmic gatekeeper was completely unforeseen. Not only did he lose his physical ambition, but he also gained an eerie, otherworldly wisdom. Replacing his vengeance with solemn duty made him unrecognizable from the Red Skull audiences once knew. The twist retroactively gave his “death” a whole new meaning – and connected The First Avenger to the cosmic storyline in a way no one could have guessed.
8
Quicksilver Dying Not Long After His MCU Debut Was A True Surprise
Avengers: Age Of Ultron
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Quicksilver’s heroic death in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) was truly a shocking and unexpected development. Pietro Maximoff, portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, had barely been introduced before sacrificing himself to save Hawkeye and a civilian boy. His sudden death stood in stark contrast to the bullet-dodging, slow-motion antics of Fox’s Quicksilver, who seemed impossible to hit and able to move others swiftly out of harm’s way.
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Many expected Pietro to grow as a character alongside his sister Wanda, especially with their rich comic history as members of the Avengers. However, he instead became one of the MCU’s shortest-lived heroes. The shock wasn’t just that he died – it was how early it happened and how final it seemed. While some still speculate about alternate versions or multiverse returns, nothing about his debut suggested such a brief, selfless, and permanent exit.
7
Loki Becoming The Protector Of The Multiverse Was A Far Cry From His Origins
Loki Season 2
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When Loki first appeared in Thor (2011), he was a trickster with daddy issues, power-hungry ambitions, and a taste for betrayal. In The Avengers (2012), he cemented his role as a full-on villain, leading an alien invasion and becoming the MCU’s first major big bad. Fast-forward to Loki Season 2, and he’s literally holding the timelines together – sacrificing everything to keep the multiverse from collapsing.
Loki’s arc has been a masterclass in long-form character development. The God of Mischief became the God of Stories, evolving into a solemn, selfless guardian of reality itself. No one watching his earlier appearances could’ve imagined he’d go from stabbing friends in the back to giving up freedom to save all existence. Loki’s shift from scheming villain to tragic cosmic protector is arguably the most stunning transformation in the entire MCU.
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Nebula Changing From A Tortured Henchwoman To A Heroic Protector Of Children Was A Satisfying Arc
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
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When Nebula debuted in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), she was little more than Thanos’s bitter, battle-hardened daughter – a secondary antagonist with a grudge against her sister Gamora. Few could have imagined she’d one day become a full-fledged hero. Over multiple films, Nebula’s layers were revealed: pain, longing for family, and ultimately, a desire for redemption.
By Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Nebula had transformed into a leader and protector, even overseeing the rebuilding of Knowhere and helping rescue children from the High Evolutionary. It’s a stark contrast to her violent, ruthless origins. Her growth wasn’t sudden—it was painstaking and well-earned, and by the end of her arc, Nebula had become one of the MCU’s most emotionally resonant characters. She went from weapon to guardian, and no one could’ve predicted this back in her first cold, sneering appearance.
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Gamora Returning But Not Falling In Love With Star-Lord Was A Surprise
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
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Gamora’s story seemed over after Avengers: Infinity War when Thanos sacrificed her for the Soul Stone. Her unexpected return via time-travel in Endgame brought back a past version of Gamora who hadn’t yet formed bonds with the Guardians – or fallen for Peter Quill. It was widely presumed a reunion with Star-Lord would inevitably reignite their romance, mirroring the original timeline.
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However, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 defied expectations. Instead of picking up where things left off, the “new” Gamora charted her own path, showing little interest in rekindling what she never actually had. This fresh take honored her individuality and agency, reminding viewers that love can’t be forced by destiny or familiarity – as she had been for so long by Thanos. It was a bold swerve from a presumed romance arc, and it gave her character a new, satisfying, and independent direction.
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Iron Man’s Sacrifice Was A Departure From His Playboy Roots
Avengers: Endgame
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When Tony Stark first swaggered onto screens in Iron Man (2008), he was a self-absorbed genius-billionaire-playboy-turned-weapons-manufacturer. Few would’ve pegged him as the one to lay down his life to save the universe. Stark’s journey from narcissist to selfless savior was gradual, filled with loss, mentorship, and reckoning. By Avengers: Endgame, he had settled down, had a daughter, and seemingly moved past heroics—until he realized he couldn’t ignore the stakes.
Iron Man’s snap to defeat Thanos wasn’t just shocking – it was heartbreaking and powerful. That moment wasn’t just the end of his arc; it was a culmination of all his growth. From reckless to responsible, his decision to die, so others could live felt both earned and unexpected. No one in 2008 would have guessed the MCU’s most arrogant hero would become its ultimate martyr.
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T’Challa’s Surprise Death Was A Result Of Real-Life Tragedy
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
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T’Challa’s first appearance in Captain America: Civil War hinted at a long, mighty legacy for the Black Panther. Chadwick Boseman’s regal performance and the success of Black Panther (2018) solidified T’Challa as one of the MCU’s central and most beloved figures. Tragically, Boseman’s real-life passing in 2020 shocked fans and the industry alike.
Rather than recast the role, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever chose to reflect that loss within the story. T’Challa’s off-screen death from illness was a somber, deeply emotional moment that honored the actor and the character. No one could have predicted such an abrupt end for a king who was poised to lead the MCU into its next chapter. The film became a moving tribute, transforming grief into a narrative about legacy, resilience, and mourning—an ending shaped not by fiction, but by real-world heartbreak.
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Agatha Harkness’s Return From The Dead Was Very Unexpected
Agatha All Along
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Agatha Harkness was a very minor Marvel character in the comics, serving primarily as an aged advisor to Wanda Maximoff and nanny to the Fantastic Four’s children. The MCU breathed new life into the character when it gave her a decidedly more villainous role in WandaVision, which, when combined with Katherine Hahn’s iconic performance, soon created one of the MCU’s most compelling characters. The result was a solo series, Agatha All Along, which seemed enough like a surprise.
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The climax of Agatha All Along saw Agatha fight her villainous urges to keep Wiccan safe. Further, she voluntarily went with Death to keep protecting him and then, in the biggest shock of all, returned as a ghost. While this meant the end of Agatha’s mortal journey, she seems to be ready to assume her traditional role as advisor to Wiccan as he seeks his brother.
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Peggy Carter Fostered A Legacy That Surprised Many
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
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Peggy Carter began as Steve Rogers’ love interest in Captain America: The First Avenger, a capable yet supporting figure within the larger heroic narrative. Yet over time, Peggy’s role expanded dramatically. She became a founding agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., starred in her own series (Agent Carter), and even appeared in alternate universes – most notably as Captain Carter in What If…? and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Her character’s evolution from wartime love interest to a multiversal hero with a shield wasn’t something anyone could have foreseen in her original role. The MCU didn’t just keep her memory alive – they kept expanding it, eventually influencing the comics themselves. Peggy Carter went from a vital but minor Marvel character to one of the most iconic feminist heroes, earning her own solo title based on the MCU’s radical reinterpretation.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
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Kevin Feige
First Film
Iron Man
Upcoming Films
Deadpool & Wolverine, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Blade (2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday (2026), Avengers: Secret Wars
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Upcoming TV Shows
Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Ironheart, Daredevil: Born Again, Wakanda, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Marvel Zombies, Wonder Man, Vision Quest
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Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Simu Liu, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Barry Keoghan, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Jonathan Majors
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Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day
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July 31, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
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May 7, 2027
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