Thanos, The Joker and the 25 greatest superhero movie villains of all-time

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: A Joker costume from the 2008 film The Dark Knight worn by actor Heath Ledger and designed by Lindy Hemming is on display at the DC Comics Exhibition: Dawn Of Super Heroes at the O2 Arena on February 22, 2018 in London, England. The exhibition, which opens on February 23rd, features 45 original costumes, models and props used in DC Comics productions including the Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman films. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) /

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Marvel Studios’ AVENGERS: INFINITY WARThanos (Josh Brolin)Photo: Film Frame©Marvel Studios 2018 /

7. Thanos

Film: Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame

If somebody had told Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes when they enlisted to fight during the war that their journey would eventually lead them to an intergalactic war with a purple space monster decades in the future, they probably wouldn’t have believed them. Heck, if somebody had told you that when you first watched Captain America: The First Avenger, you probably wouldn’t have believed them. And yet, if you watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe chronologically, it’s totally plausible.

But the epic storytelling within the MCU’s 23 films is only part of what makes Thanos such a great Big Bad, as it is his characterization that ultimately makes him stand out from the rest. We’ve already discussed how limited many of the MCU’s villains have been in the past, but Thanos couldn’t have been further removed from those stereotypes if he tried.

Sure, he was big and terrifying, but his desire to eradicate half of mankind didn’t stem from any one-dimensional attempt at supremacy or even any deep-rooted revenge arc. He just saw himself as the purification that the world needed, as he sought to give humanity the chance to start again – a chance he could take if he snapped half of the human race out of existence.

That’s some damn fine storytelling for a purple alien.

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