MCU Heroes Who May Become Villains in Phase 4 and Beyond
When life throws unexpected curveballs — forcing people to sacrifice morality or decency for some “higher” cause — heroism and virtue can be lost in the shuffle. In allowing the ends to justify the means, heroes can become villains, and those who swore to protect can become those who swear to uphold balance. The Marvel Cinematic Universe may soon become a franchise that turns it heroes into villains, bringing new saviors into the light to replace them. So, who in the MCU may take a turn to the dark side?
Based on insider information, the soon-to-be narratives to define Phase 4 will likely lead a few heroes to become bad guys. So, let’s break down the narrative reports to explain why certain heroes may lose their way.
1. Scarlet Witch: the unintentional destroyer
It has already been confirmed that WandaVision will directly impact Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. And, rumors suggest that the Disney+ series will loosely emulate the House of M comics, in which Wanda fractures reality, creating a new world in which Vision (and her loving children) exist by her side. The problem: changing history has its consequences — reaching far beyond Wanda’s I Love Lucy-inspired dream.
Reports suggest that Wanda’s depression will catalyze a surge in her power (turning her full-on Scarlet Witch). Such a transformation winds up impacting the world at large; she places the balance of space and time at risk. Thus, though not necessarily intentionally, she could become a foe — a foe that Doctor Strange is best suited to combat.
2. Doctor Strange: allowing the ends to justify the means
Rumor has it that Doctor Strange will form The Illuminati to combat extraterrestrial threats that the Avengers are not suited to handle. Why? Scarlet Witch will reportedly create a crack in the space-time continuum, allowing alien life to threaten earth and other planets. And, The Illuminati will fight against them…in Illuminati fashion. Meaning, this group of highly-intelligent and all-powerful individuals decide that they know what’s best, often putting lives at risk, or sacrificing their decency to answer a higher, less tangible, less humanly-resonant call.
In short, if the movies follow the comics, Doctor Strange and The Illimunati could end up banishing the Hulk as a result of his destruction. They would then continue to take actions designed to save and protect no matter the consequences. Simply put, they will not handle problems the Captain America way.
3. Hulk: broken down, banished, then enraged
Multiple theories surrounding the Hulk’s possible transformation in the MCU are currently circulating the internet. Some theories suggest that his guilt surrounding Black Widow, compounded with his loss of glory in Endgame, will lead to a fractured version of Hulk/Banner. A fractured version who— with one more “bad day” — could turn into World War Hulk from the comics, as Inverse suggests.
If that one more “bad day” is his banishment from the earth via Doctor Strange, which could be in the pipeline, Banner could become the MCU’s next “big bad.” He could come to fight against the people who decided his presence was more of a threat than an asset. While such a narrative would be dark, the MCU must define a new landscape moving forward. The studio must raise the bar. Allowing good guys to become evil would be the unexpected change of events the franchise needs to start anew — to bring life into the landscape with Cap and Tony no longer present.
