As an implied rule of cinema where there’s a good guy and a bad guy, the villain always loses. The MCU has strived to be unique, taking on a complex approach that blurs the lines between good and evil. There have been the occasional villains who are characterized with a goal beyond projecting pure chaos and ill-intent.
Often, the validity of their point or the success of fulfilling their objective is overlooked in the bigger picture where they were a potential danger to society. Although villains are remembered for their failures and their respective hero’s success, a few got exactly what they wanted.
Thanos
Thanos (Josh Brolin) pursued the possession of all the Infinity Stones in hopes of carrying out mass genocide in what he believed was an act of mercy. To the chagrin of the Avengers, Thanos succeeded. Although Thor was seconds away from stopping him, Thanos snapped his fingers, disintegrating half of the universe.
In the aftermath, viewers saw the consequences of mass calamity. The Avengers were, fortunately, able to use the Quantum Realm to execute a "time heist" for the Infinity Stones, undoing the repercussions of his actions.
Zemo
After losing his entire family to the Battle of Sokovia, Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) had a personal vendetta against the Avengers. Creating an internal conflict by making the matter at hand personal for both Tony and Steve, he broke up the Avengers.
Although Zemo suffered the consequences of his actions, he started a conversation about the lack of accountability with the Avengers. Setting off a cascade of events, the government began to take an interest in the Avengers' operations, which was precisely what Zemo believed could have saved his family, to begin with.
Killmonger
Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) was the resentful son of a father who was murdered at the hand of T’Chaka, the then king of Wakanda. After being abandoned as a child, he witnessed first-hand the injustices of being a person of color.
Although he eventually died, T’Challa recognized that he was, for the most part, correct in his assessments of Wakanda and the world, but he just had a different way of addressing centuries of injustice. His perspective was woven into a defining moment of Wakanda’s history when T’Challa stated they would no longer watch from the shadows.
Loki
Loki (Tom Hiddleston) was first introduced as the overlooked son who desired the throne for himself after being told he was born to be king. Loki proved that Thor, during the first film, wasn’t fit for the throne. His arrogance, pride, and vanity would have spelled trouble for all of Asgard.
After faking his death and impersonating Odin, Loki took over as the acting King of Asgard. Although no one realized it was Loki, no one in Asgard questioned his authority, and its citizens appeared happy and prospering.
Whiplash
Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) was the son of Anton Vanko, a disgraced scientist Howard Stark had deported for his wrongdoings. Ivan sought vengeance from the Stark family, specifically targeting Tony. Although he wanted to kill Tony to exact his revenge, resenting him for having everything he thought he deserved, he did succeed to some extent.
Ivan put an end to his perception of invincibility in the eyes of the public, making Tony conscious of his egoistical belief that no one could defeat him. As Ivan said, “if you make God bleed, people cease to believe in him.”
Mysterio
Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal) previously worked for Stark Industries, inventing an augmented reality technology. After being dismissed by Tony, Beck grew resentful and vengeful towards him. After Tony’s death, Beck took it upon himself to make himself the next Iron Man.
Not only did Beck succeed in incriminating Spider-Man, but he also established his alter ego Mysterio as a hero, J. Jameson from the Daily Bugle stated that Mysterio would “go down in history as the greatest superhero of all time,” a statement that in some ways overshadows Tony’s sacrifice.
Surtur
Surtur (voiced by Clancy Brown) was a fire demon prophesized to be Asgard's downfall. However, Thor defeated and killed him. Loki later resurrected Surtur as a means of containing and defeating Hela.
Staying true to the prophecy, Surtur literally destroyed Asgard, and along with it—Hela, the Goddess of Death, who would have destroyed Asgard by being their Queen. Although part of a bigger plan to save Asgard, Surtur fulfilled the prophecy of destruction.
Wanda
Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) grew lonely and desolate after losing not only Vision but her kids. Wanda refused to stop her pursuit, wanting nothing more than to be reunited with her kids and have a family again. Holding America Chavez by the throat, she relents and transfers Wanda to Earth-838, where Billy and Tommy are found.
After seeing the fear in her kids’ eyes, she decided to back off, realizing they’d never see her as the nurturing maternal role model she is. Although she failed to get her kids back, she succeeded in being reunited with them until she saw the monster she had become.
Ava
Ava (Hannah John-Kamen) was inflicted with molecular disequilibrium in an accident that claimed her parents' lives. Arguably, Ava is not a villain. She doesn’t have any purpose or finds gratification in hurting others. Instead, she is trying to survive by any means necessary.
Janet partially healed her with quantum energy as she desperately tried to evade her constant pain. Scott even took a trip down to the Quantum Realm to secure more particles to help her condition. Simplistically, Ava wanted to live, and she did survive in the end.
Sylvie
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Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) was a Loki variant arrested as a child by the Time Variance Authority as she was deemed a danger to society. Bitter towards the TVA for stealing her childhood, she sought out revenge; she believed the only way to stop them was to kill He Who Remains.
Despite being warned by Loki about the consequences, she killed Kang in a decision dictated by emotion rather than one of sound judgment. As Sylvie could not see the bigger picture—and the consequences of unleashing the multiverse—she got exactly what she wanted—vengeance.