Not even the most heroic of the Avengers are safe from falling into villainy. Marvel’s Avengers are known as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes not only because of their incredible powers, but because they consistently rise above temptation to protect the world. Every Avenger constantly faces personal trials that test their strength of character.
With decades of stories across countless timelines and universes, however, even Marvel’s most virtuous heroes have occasionally fallen from grace. Whether through manipulation, uncontrollable rage, or the allure of absolute power, corruption has touched nearly every Avenger at some point. These temporary downfalls serve as reminders that even the greatest heroes are human.
Hank Pym Fuses With UItron
Avengers: Rage of Ultron
Ultron Pym smiles showing his merged face in front of a bright salmon background
Hank Pym has struggled to shake off his guilt over Ultron’s creation, but his nightmares take a horrific turn when he merges with his mechanical offspring in 2015’s Avengers: Rage of Ultron. During a climactic battle against Ultron’s forces on Titan, Pym attempts to reason with his creation, but instead, Ultron assimilates him. The result is a hybrid of man and machine that embodies both Pym’s intellect and Ultron’s ruthlessness.
As “Pymtron,” Hank Pym’s worst human qualities come to the surface and render him a full-fledged villain after years of questionable decisions. At first, it seems as though Ultron only reawakens Hank Pym’s twisted side. However, Iron Man later learns that Ultron only uses Pym’s body as a husk. Pym manages to survive the ordeal against all odds, though he’s yet to fully recover from this traumatic experience.
Thor Conquers The Earth And Rules As God-King
The Reigning
Thor holding his hammer in “The Mighty Thor: The Reigning”
In 2003’s Thor: The Reigning, the God of Thunder establishes himself as the ruler of both Asgard and Earth. Believing he could bring peace and order, Thor merges the two realms under his iron rule, guided by a sincere yet misguided sense of duty. It’s only until Thor’s son Magni confronts his father centuries later that Thor realizes his utopia has decayed into tyranny, as mortals and gods alike live under divine oppression.
Thor’s idealistic vision of a Midgardian utopia collapses into a theocratic nightmare right in front of his eyes. Despite his honorable intentions, Thor soon ends up limiting all freedom and silencing all opposition. The Reigning is a lesson about absolutist philosophies and serves as a key stepping stone in Thor’s journey as a selfless god hero.
Hulk Returns To Earth With A Vengeance Aganinst His Fellow Heroes
World War Hulk
Hulk screams toward the sky in front of all major Avengers in space
When Hulk returns consumed by rage and loss after being exiled by the Illuminati in 2007’s World War Hulk, the Green Goliath declares war on Earth’s heroes, conquers Manhattan, and forces his former allies to fight gladiatorial battles for the world to see. Although Hulk’s vengeance feels justified, Hulk revels in their humiliation and nearly destroys New York City in the process.
Hulk deserves justice for his unfair treatment by the Illuminati, but his time as the ruthless Green Scar has made him particularly cruel and cunning. After his calculated revenge plan, Hulk surrenders and chooses imprisonment, but nobody can be declared the victor in the whole ordeal. Both Hulk and Earth’s heroes are to blame for all the unnecessary destruction.
Captain America Becomes A Hydra Dictator
Secret Empire
An evil Captain America waves a Hydra flag in a rally followed by soldiers
In 2017’s Secret Empire, Captain America reveals himself as a Hydra agent and seizes control of the United States, turning it into a fascist regime under his command. This “Captain Hydra” isn’t the real Steve Rogers but a version rewritten by the Cosmic Cube’s sentient fragment, Kobik. Still, Captain Hydra is a dark era in Captain America history, as an evil Steve Rogers dismantles democracy, betrays the Avengers, and fights for Hydra’s authoritarian ideals.
Secret Empire forces Marvel’s most moral figure to see how easily patriotism can be corrupted. While highly controversial, this storyline challenges readers to separate the man from the myth and reexamine the dangers of blind faith in icons. Even after the original name was cleared, Hydra Cap’s infamy has lingered.
Iron Man
The Crossing
An evil Iron Man with bright red eyes stands in front of Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Vision under a fucsia light
Tony Stark has always had a dark side, most notably showcased during his stint as the unapologetically self-serving Superior Iron Man. However, Iron Man’s most infamous heel turn takes place in The Crossing, where he’s revealed to be a sleeper agent for Kang the Conqueror, murders several people, and turns against his teammates. The Crosssing culminates with the Avengers recruiting a teenage version of Tony from an alternate timeline to stop his older self.
The Crossing is now widely considered one of Marvel’s worst retcons. The idea that Tony Stark had always been Kang’s pawn completely undermined decades of character development and moral conflict. Fans and writers rejected the storyline, and it was later quietly retconned out of continuity. Still, The Crossing marked one of the darkest, most confusing moments in Iron Man’s history.
Scarlet Witch Kills Avengers And Rewrites Reality
Avengers Disassembled & House of M
Scarlet Witch breaks down into pieces in Marvel’s House of M comic event
Wanda Maximoff’s “No More Mutants” moment is probably one of the most important events in Scarlet Witch’s comic history. While she performs her spell under immense pressure and without support from her fellow heroes, she makes little effort to contain the disaster. Wanda creates a world where her family lives happily while all other characters’ lives are rewritten and their minds are wiped.
Though her emotional instability and external manipulation mitigate her culpability, Scarlet Witch still bears moral responsibility for erasing nearly all mutant powers and reshaping reality on a whim. Wanda’s later redemption arcs, including The Trial of Magneto and 2023’s Scarlet Witch, center on her acceptance and effort to atone for her sin. Still, Scarlet Witch’s heroic legacy remains tainted by it.
Quicksilver Pulls The Strings Of Wanda Maximoff’s Evil Turn
House of M
Marvel Comics House of M event Quicksilver running in formal wear
Also in 2005’s House of M, it’s revealed that Quicksilver is the true catalyst behind Scarlet Witch’s world-altering actions. Desperate to protect his sister from being executed by the Avengers and X-Men, Pietro instills the idea of a new reality where the Maximoffs are happy, regardless of the cost. Wanda complies and materializes Quicksilver’s dream: a utopia ruled by their father, Magneto.
Though motivated by love and fear, Quicksilver’s manipulation leads to the Decimation, which strips millions of mutants of their powers. Pietro’s actions are so twisted that Magneto goes for the kill when confronting his own son. House of M transforms Quicksilver from an often overlooked hero into a full-fledged supervillain.
All The Avengers Temporarily Become Supervillains
AXIS
Superior Iron Man assembles the Axis Avengers in Marvel Comics
When Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom’s spell to stop the Red Onslaught goes wrong in 2014’s AXIS, it inverts the moral compass of heroes and villains alike. The Avengers who are affected by it become ruthless and self-righteous versions of themselves. Instead of protecting the world, they feel a sudden urge to control it.
AXIS’ evil Avengers have their subtle visages of arrogance taken to their extreme. Superior Iron Man resists the attempts to revert the spell, supported by the inverted versions of other heroes like Thor, Scarlet Witch, and Wasp. Once the spell is reversed, most Avengers return to normal, but AXIS still exposes how thin the line between hero and villain can be, even for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.