The Best Rivalries in the Marvel Universe
The key to a superhero’s success is the existence of equally difficult villains. Let’s dive into some of the best hero-villain rivalries Marvel has given us.
1. Spider-Man and the Green Goblin
Imagine being sworn enemies with your best friend’s father. Norman Osborn, Harry Osborn’s father, used himself as a test subject for the Goblin Formula and thus transformed. His rivalry with Spider-Man escalated when he killed Peter Parker’s girlfriend, Gwen Stacy. No villain knows Spider-Man more intimately than Green Goblin, even more because of his connection to Peter through his son Harry.
2. Wolverine and Sabretooth
No two characters hate each other so much. They have been fighting for over a century now. Sabretooth never let Wolverine be happy, killing the woman he loved on his birthday. They have the exact same powers and were even created by the same Weapon X program. However, one is a cold-blooded sadistic killer with no morals whatsoever.
3. Charles Xavier and Magneto
They are without a doubt the best enemies that have ever existed and have a complicated and intertwined history. These guys share a special bond despite their contrasting personalities. While working towards the same goal, their different ideologies and approaches almost always put them on opposite sides. Although their views on human-mutant relationships are very different, they trust each other and often ask for each other’s help.
4. Captain America and Red Skull
Their rivalry is one of the oldest in the Marvel Universe. With Captain America being the Allies’ last hope and Red Skull powering the 2n/a World War, their rivalry is iconic. The American hero with a stalwart moral code also admitted his hatred for Red Skull despite never being able to kill Red Skull with his bare hands. The skull also caused Cap to be frozen in ice for over seven decades.
5. Daredevil and Kingpin
The rivalry between Daredevil and Kingpin has an epic history. In Daredevil: Born Again, Kingpin discovered Daredevil’s identity by offering money in exchange for the information. Fisk then systematically destroyed Matt Murdock’s life, taking everything from his bank accounts to get him disbarred. Daredevil had to take a job as a restaurant chef because of this. Kingpin’s life was also ruined by Daredevil in return. They always go neck and neck.
6. She-Hulk and Titania
We already got a glimpse of Jameela Jamil’s Titania in She-Hulk: Attorney at law. Titania is one of She-Hulk’s oldest enemies and they had several matchups where mostly Titania lost. However, she is a determined villain who continues to attack Walters in order to prove her own worth.
7.Spiderman and Venom
It’s not just the Venom symbiote that hates Spider-Man, Eddie Brock also has a burning hatred for Peter Parker. Venom was twice rejected by Spider-Man and it made him the hateful and aggressive symbiote he is today. Also, Eddie hates Peter Parker as he blames him for all his bad luck and is jealous of him. They both want revenge and are determined to do so. In reality, Spiderman and Venom are forever linked due to their famous rivalry.
8. Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom
Despite the Fantastic Four facing villains from across the universe, Doctor Victor Von Doom is their biggest villain. Doom’s intense jealousy of Reed Richards and his insatiable lust for power has always pitted him against the Fantastic Four. Doom crushed Reed Richard and Sue Storm’s marriage and in return Johnny Storm crushed his. With the announcement of a new Fantastic Four project in the making, we can’t wait to see the MCU’s take on this back-and-forth rivalry.
9. Thor and Loki
The Asgardian brothers, the rivalry between Thor and Loki is the best sibling rivalry. In the MCU, we’ve seen them go from hate to saving their lives. Loki’s inferiority complex and Thor’s ego created a great rift between them and the gap only widened after Loki discovered his true parentage. Adding to this Thor’s story during Ragnarok about Loki disguising himself as a snake and attempting to stab him gives this rivalry a comedic tone.
10. SHIELD and HYDRA
This rivalry is not as simple as two people hating each other. They are two organizations with opposing morals and ideologies. Except there’s one thing, HYDRA exists and grows through SHIELD. That’s what makes this rivalry even more compelling..
