(More Filmspotting back episode catching up, although not so far back in time now. Post theme music: Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes).
Josh and Adam did this as a draft, and I can’t really do that since I don’t know how my choices would have impacted their choices – although I would have got first pick, guessing Killmonger had 1000 kills (low but much closer than they guessed). So, just a regular top 5.
Similar criteria as they used: this isn’t the most powerful villain – it’s the ones that are the most interesting, and that make their film(s) more enjoyable and compelling.
5. Quentin Beck (from Spider-Man: Far From Home) – it’s done regularly in other films, but generally it feels like the MCU doesn’t do films where the villain starts out (appearing) as a hero and then that turns around (although they did it very poorly with Wanda). Good backstory and no real super-powers (although crazy good tech).
4. Ultron – not my favourite Avengers film, but Ultron as a character is really interesting. More humour than a lot of the villains, reasonable backstory.
3. Loki – a tricky choice, since he’s not really a villain any more, but certainly was originally. So much fun, compelling motivation, great dynamics with everyone else. It’s obvious why he kept coming back.
2. Killmonger – for all the reasons that Adam and Josh outlined. Pretty compelling backstory, really flawed.
1. Helmut Zemo (from Captain America Civil War) – compelling motivation, and achieves so much without having any kind of super powers or vast wealth.
Honourable mentions: like Filmspotting, I only included films, but if the TV series were included, then Kilgrave (from Jessica Jones) would definitely be in my top 2 (Salinger and Trish are also great). Fisk (from Daredevil) would probably make my list as well. Ward (from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) would be in the running as well, especially from the earlier seasons. Arthur Harrow (from Moon Knight) would be one I’d have to consider too.
TonyAndrewMeyer 