MCU’s New Powerhouse Villains: Top 10 Threats Since 2020 Ranked by Danger Level

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has unleashed a terrifying new generation of antagonists since 2020 that make Thanos look like minor league competition. These universe-shattering villains have redefined power scales in the MCU, from multiverse-conquering warlords to cosmic entities older than time itself. As Phase Four and Five introduced bold new storylines, these villains emerged not just as obstacles for heroes, but as existential threats rewriting Marvel’s danger hierarchy.

The Rising Hierarchy of Villainous Power

Wenwu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) wields mystical rings granting immortality and devastating energy projection. His millennia of combat experience make him a martial arts nightmare, though he’s ultimately overshadowed by the Dweller-in-Darkness – a soul-consuming entity imprisoned in Ta Lo that manipulates emotions across dimensions. Both pale before Kang the Conqueror (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), whose time-manipulating tech and multiversal variants threatened all existence until his surprising defeat.

The cosmic scale escalates dramatically with Cassandra Nova (Deadpool & Wolverine), Professor X’s twin who casually killed major heroes like Magneto and Human Torch with psychic brutality. Meanwhile, Mephisto (Ironheart) establishes himself as the MCU’s true devil – mocking Dormammu as insignificant while manipulating souls across realities. These threats culminate in the god-like Celestial Arishem (Eternals), a planet-creating entity whose mere emergence from Earth’s core would have destroyed our world.

Universe-Ending Entities

The Watcher Tribunal (What If…?) demonstrates terrifying cosmic authority, effortlessly destroying Infinity Ultron and his stones. Yet they’re dwarfed by Galactus (The Fantastic Four: First Steps) – an elemental force consuming worlds to maintain cosmic balance who represents nature’s uncompromising brutality. More psychologically terrifying is The Void (Thunderbolts*), the Sentry’s dark persona whose reality-warping madness nearly consumed New York.

The ultimate power resides with Death (Agatha All Along) – not merely a villain but the fundamental force awaiting all beings. As the inescapable end of every story, Death’s appearance confirms she’s been the true power behind every MCU conflict, reducing even cosmic entities to temporary players in existence’s grand cycle.

The MCU’s new villains have fundamentally rewritten power dynamics, introducing threats that operate on multiversal, conceptual, and cosmic levels unimaginable during the Infinity Saga. From emotion-manipulating demons to universe-consuming forces, these antagonists have set terrifying new benchmarks for superhero storytelling. As the Multiverse Saga accelerates toward Avengers: Secret Wars, fans should prepare for even more reality-shattering villains emerging from Marvel’s darkest corners.

Must Know

Who is the strongest MCU villain since Endgame?
Death, as depicted in Agatha All Along, stands above all as the fundamental force of existence. Unlike physical threats, Death represents an inevitable universal constant that even entities like Galactus and Celestials cannot escape. Her power isn’t destructive capability but absolute inevitability.

Is Kang really defeated?
While the Kang variant from Quantumania was defeated, the existence of the Council of Kangs suggests the multiversal threat remains. However, Marvel’s pivot toward Doctor Doom as the new Multiverse Saga focus indicates Kang’s immediate danger has been mitigated.

How does Galactus compare to Thanos?
Galactus operates on a completely different scale – where Thanos sought to balance life through destruction, Galactus consumes worlds as a natural function. Without personal malice or the need for weapons, he’s more force of nature than traditional villain.

Will we see more of The Void?
Given The Sentry’s comic history and the Void’s psychological complexity, this entity will likely resurface. His internal conflict with Robert Reynolds creates unique storytelling opportunities beyond standard villain narratives.

Are the Eternals villains?
The Eternals served the villainous Celestial Arishem unknowingly. Their conflict stems from realizing they’d been complicit in planetary destruction for millennia, making them morally gray rather than purely villainous.

Why is Death considered a villain?
In Agatha All Along, Death actively manipulates events and claims lives, moving beyond passive inevitability into active malevolence. Her portrayal as a conscious entity with agency qualifies her as antagonistic.