The best anti-heroes in the MCU

We fans love a complicated antihero that’s all about being in the gray. Luckily, Marvel has provided us with plenty of that through Disney+ movies or shows. Today, we’re going to go over the 7 best anti-heroes in the MCU in no particular order.

1.Loki

There’s no one better to start with than the Asgardian god of mischief and prince of Jotunheim, Loki. We saw his arrogant, selfish, and cold nature in Thor where he served as the main antagonist. His cruelty and sadism took over as he unleashed the wrath of the Chitauri on New York. Finally, we got to see a broken man who knows how to love and sacrifice himself. Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki has won hearts and brought him back from the dead many times and even earned him his own show.

2. Winter Soldier

Bucky Barnes started out as a kind-hearted soldier who would do anything for the little guy from Brooklyn. Shortly after being experimented on by Zola, he became HYDRA’s puppet. A brainwashed killer with a prosthetic arm, he became a world-renowned assassin who lived in the shadows. That was until he found Steve. Eventually, he overcame the brainwashing and sided with the heroes.

3. Deadpool

The Merc with a Mouth had to be on the list. Otherwise known as Regeneratin’ Degenerate, this man has absolutely no respect for life. However, his rude mouth and irresponsible tactics don’t stop him from saving the day. Depiction of Ryan Reynolds of this character made him even more iconic than he was before. He’s mentally unstable, unbalanced, morally compromised and we love him, implied and all.

4. Nebula

She’s an anti-heroine through and through. starting like Thanos’ faithful daughter and Ronan’s right hand, she was no hero at all. She took every opportunity to kill Gamora and was willing to let the entirety of Xandar die for it. However, she turned out to be a cyborg with emotions. After reconciling with Gamora, she sided with the heroes and became essential in defeating Thanos, especially in Endgame.

5. The Punisher

The Punisher aka Frank Castle is waging a war against crime and the underworld. Sounds more like a hero, right? Except he uses murder, extortion, threats, torture, and kidnapping as tools. He’s the classic anti-hero, avenging his family’s death and becoming a feared vigilante. His brutality and his skewed sense of justice landed him on our list.

6. Scarlet Witch

She begins as a prominent anti-hero with her troubled childhood, the death of her parents, and her allegiance to Ultron. After learning of Ultron’s true intent to wipe out humanity from the planet, she and her brother joined the Avengers. She redeemed herself by saving Sokovia, battling Thanos, and making the ultimate sacrifice by killing the love of her life, Vision to save the world. However, after the events of Wanda Vision and especially Multiverse of Madness, she crossed the line between dark and light. After her gruesome deeds in the multiverse and the murder of several wizards, she might even be considered a villain. Nevertheless, her emotional motivations and the huge losses she suffered mean that she an antihero in our books.

7. Magneto

X-Men movies may or may not be canon in the MCU and have been a point of contention for some time now. But we had to include Magneto in the list, a man who played both hero and nasty. With his tragic WWII past held captive and tortured in Auschwitz by Shaw who also killed his mother right in front of him, his story began. He also lost his wife and daughter later. All of this fueled his rage against humanity. Nonetheless, he’s saved the day several times and loves the mutant genre like no other. His friendship with Charles Xavier also explores the good in him.

Special Mentions

Now is the time for some special mentions to those not listed above. Yelena Belova, is a ruthless Russian spy trained by the Red Room. She’s not on the hero side yet, and worked for The Contessa while pursuing Hawkeye. However, she has a gentle nature and a good heart. She’s also absolutely hilarious on screen. Namor, The Sub-Mariner who is to appear in Wakanda Forever will also establish himself as an anti-hero. M’Baku, Wolverine, and the Guardians of the Galaxy are a few other anti-heroes that might actually be too heroic.