The A.V. Club’s countdown of the top 100 Marvel characters continues today with a look at the heroes, sidekicks and villains who were placed from 80-61. Read on to see where the likes of War Machine, Ms. Marvel, Hawkeye, and Drax the Destroyer land on this portion of our list.
And to check out the previous installment of the countdown, which covered characters in the 100-81 group, click on that big Marvel-red button directly below:
James Rhodes, a.k.a War Machine, is a welcome addition to any “Assemble!” moment because every superhero group needs a wiseass who keeps things grounded. Played in the MCU by Terence Howard in Iron Man and then by Don Cheadle in all subsequent installments, Rhodey is a U.S. Air Force officer who shares Tony Stark’s sense of humor. And while he’s been a supporting character since his first appearance in the Iron Man comics, don’t be surprised if Cheadle—Emmy-nominated for his appearance on The Falcon And The Winter Soldier—gets his own property to spread his wings, er, flying suit. Actors like him can do a lot with a little, injecting dry humor into both one-liners and fast-paced action; War Machine’s movements can offer comedy in the most dizzying shoot-’em-up moments. [Jack Smart]
The lean into more overt comedy in the MCU meant more standout supporting performances for great actors with honed comic instincts, and of all of those particular actors in the universe so far, Michal Pena might stand as the most prolific scene-stealer. As Scott Lang’s motor-mouthed best friend and partner in crime Luis, he turned diversions from the actual plot into a laugh-inducing art form in Ant-Man, then kept right on going (as if you could stop him) in Ant-Man And The Wasp. Whether he’s actually saying something important or just rambling about Morrissey, he’s always a welcome presence. Now let him do a video recapping the entire Infinity Saga in character, already. [Matthew Jackson]
This founding member of the Runaways will act as our stand-in for the short-lived but underrated Hulu/Freeform Marvel universe (which also includes Cloak & Dagger). But Nico (Lyrica Okano) also stands out as a unique character in her own right. She became a self-styled witch after losing her sister, and later became one in earnest after stealing the Staff of One from her mother and using her growing magical abilities to lead and protect her friends from their villainous parents (aka PRIDE). She was also one-half of one of Marvel’s first queer couples, alongside her girlfriend Karolina Dean (Virginia Gardner). Though the series falls somewhere in MCU canon limbo, Nico proved how compelling a teen Marvel hero could be. [Mary Kate Carr]
Don’t be fooled by his place on this list: The ’90s cartoon version of Wolverine is arguably one of the most iconic versions of any superhero ever. Hugh Jackman’s performance might’ve made for a more “interesting” interpretation of Wolverine, whatever that means to you, but the cartoon Wolverine is a far more comics-accurate take that actually puts him in his old costume and lets him say “bub” all the time. Then there’s the meme of Wolverine laying in bed while pining for Jean Grey, which has been immortalized as a toy and repurposed by Disney itself. [Sam Barsanti]
In casting the senior-age screen icon Michael Douglas, the MCU incarnation delivered a seemingly radical but shrewd and quite welcome shift for the venerable Marvel hero: rather than leading with yet another brilliant-scientist-turned-superhero, aging Hank up allowed for a more seamless entry point for the arguably fresher take of ex-con Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), and provided both the legacy hero aspect and fun bickering between mentor and apprentice—further spiced up by the fact that he’s also the father of Scott’s love interest, Hope (Evangeline Lily). Retaining Hank’s history as the first Ant-Man opened up a tantalizing, previously unexplored ’80s-era corner of the MCU, and provided a backstory that hinted at his interpersonal issues (but not nearly as problematic as the comics version’s daunting pile-up of mental and emotional troubles), including his complicated relationship with his daughter. That Hank is played with both charm and crotchetiness by the always-welcome Douglas is the cherry on top. [Scott Huver]
It’s hard to pinpoint the moment when Happy Hogan went from being an excuse to give Iron Man director Jon Favreau a cameo to being one of the main characters in a Spider-Man movie, but it probably comes from Iron Man 3’s decision to not only put Happy’s life on the line after he’s caught in a super-powered terrorist attack but to also give him a good running joke in the form of his obsessive dedication to his job as Tony Stark’s head of security. The joke brought his personality into focus: He’s not a hero like Tony and he’s not a regular person like Pepper, he’s the perfect midpoint. He can’t get involved in superhero stuff, but if you need someone on the ground to point up at some weird portal opening up the sky, Happy Hogan is your man. [Sam Barsanti]
A great power can beget a great villain, and everything you need to know about Zebediah Kilgrave (eschewing his very literal Marvel Comics nickname, The Purple Man, for his appearance in Netflix’s Jessica Jones) comes from this: He can make anyone do anything, anything, that he tells them to do. David Tennant takes that idea and runs with it, crafting one of the sleaziest performances of his career—while also evoking just the tiniest bit of sympathy from the realization that the kid probably never had a chance to be anything but the monster he became. [William Hughes]
Constantly struggling to emerge as more than a cult favorite, the comics version of Moon Knight tried on nearly as many different moods and vibes as the DID-plagued hero did alter-ego(s). The MCU deftly split him into two distinct personas, the hapless fop Steven Grant and the tortured mercenary Marc Spector, and doing so created a brilliantly intriguing, Hitchcockian kickoff to Moon Knight’s adventure and offered up an actor’s holiday for the adroit Oscar Isaac, who delivered entertaining takes on each incarnation. Viewers also got to take in both Marc’s classic, caped Fist of Khonshu-style hero and Steven’s nattily suited Mr. Knight version—the two looks debuted decades apart from each other—and instantly debate which looked cooler. Whenever the supernatural Egyptian goings-on get a little heady, Isaac’s performance keeps everything emotionally grounded—and (spoiler alert) the show offered a tremendous cliffhanger hook with a glimpse of a surprise third persona, Jake Lockley. [Scott Huver]
As in the comics, as in real-life: Scott Summers was never going to top his old frenemy Wolverine on this list. Even so, there’s a certain squarish charm to James Marsden’s portrayal of the optic-beam blasting mutant, successfully portraying a guy who’s clearly playing at being the badass leader of a super team (black leather and all) while also still being, well, kind of a dork. R.I.P. Scott: You deserved better than dying to a lover’s quarrel gone wrong … and the fallout of Marsden getting cast in Superman Returns. [William Hughes]
Lots of movie superheroes only get one great scene to show off their powers, if that; Evan Peters’ Quicksilver gets two absolute bangers, in X-Men: Days Of Future Past, and then its follow-up, Apocalypse. The Apocalypse scene, especially, is a masterclass of a character showcase, with Peters exuding effortless chill as he races through a mid-explosion X-Mansion, saving the entire school without breaking a sweat. (All that and we got his “return” in the MCU’s WandaVision five years later, a hilariously dickish misdirect from the streaming series.) [William Hughes]
It was evident that Ming-Na Wen’s turn as Melinda May, a.k.a. The Cavalry, was going to leave a mark as soon as she uttered her first word on ABC’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: “No.” A badass fighter, an independent observer, and even then, a crucial team player, Agent May is a force to reckon with. No one really wants to get on her bad side. Over the course of seven seasons, her sublime character evolution focuses on how she supports Coulson and Co. while coming to terms with her own dreary past. Despite the ups and downs, Wen brings pulsating energy to Agent May, finding ways to balance her dry dialogue delivery with genuine sentimentality. Hopefully, she’s still out there somewhere teaching at S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Coulson Academy, just waiting for the right way to integrate back into the field. [Saloni Gajjar]
In comic book movies, the recasting of Magneto and Professor X was probably the most significant since Val Kilmer took over for Batman. These actors are canon, integral to the acceptance of superhero fiction in the mainstream. Sir Ian McKellan and Sir Patrick Stewart lent credibility to these movies, and their efforts were not undermined by their replacements, particularly Michael Fassbender’s Magneto. In X-Men: First Class, Fassbender leans into his Inglorious Basterds training by hunting down and killing Nazis. Is there a better plot for a movie? McKellan may have nailed the world-wearniess of Erik Lensherr, but Fassbender’s fascist terminator actually made him scary, taking out bootlickers with nothing more than a little pocket change. [Matt Schimkowitz]
Admittedly, we’ve only just met the MCU’s version of Kamala Khan, effervescently brought to life by newcomer Iman Vellani in Disney+’s recent Ms. Marvel. Yet it only takes about five seconds into the show to fall in love with her. The 16-year-old Pakistani American discovers her inherent powers (thanks to wearing an ancestor’s bangle) while at an AvengerCon no less. She’s a walking-talking superhero fangirl whose coming-of-age now includes battling villains and, soon enough, fighting alongside her idol, Captain Marvel (Brie Larson). Kamala’s success is honestly a win for nerds all over. Series creator Bisha K. Ali, Vellani, and the rest of the team ensure that neither Kamala nor her culture become caricatures in any way. Her introduction is just the start of Marvel’s next phase, and even though her full transformation will probably occur during next year’s The Marvels, Kamala Khan has left an unforgettable first impression. [Saloni Gajjar]
It sure feels like the MCU’s version of Drax the Destroyer could be easily written off purely as comic relief despite his tragic past. However, in both the Guardians movies as well as Infinity War and Endgame, Dave Bautista infuses Drax with humor (the taking metaphors literally bit will never, ever get old). But he also brings a certain warmth to him, whether it’s through eventual friendships with his team, especially Mantis, or helping them in all their cosmic adventures. Drax is more than just muscle and tattoos thanks to James Gunn’s vision of the character. [Saloni Gajjar]
It’s a shame Natalie Portman’s Jane sat out Thor: Ragnarok, but she more than made up ground in the franchise’s subsequent installment—and as the title character, no less. Taika Waititi’s new film gives the character an opportunity to participate in all of the typical day-saving and hero-posturing, but with exactly the right kind of science-nerd awkwardness that made this STEM woman a wonderful counterpart to Thor’s hunky confidence. Love And Thunder juxtaposes Jane’s transformation into Mighty Thor with a decidedly mortal source of vulnerability, detailed in Jason Aaron’s comics run that inspired the film, which lets the riveting-as-always Portman flex more than just her physical muscles. (But yes, her biceps make her more than worthy of inclusion on this list.) [Jack Smart]
God, but what a gift Sam Raimi found in J.K. Simmons. It’s so impossible to imagine anyone else embodying Spider-Man’s cigar-chomping, screwball energy’d, endlessly bloviating boss/nemesis J. Jonah Jameson, in fact, that Marvel Studios didn’t even bother to try—instead just bringing Simmons back for an updated take on the character for Spider-Man: Far From Home. And why not? Hilarious when he’s happy, riotously funny when he’s mad; who could possibly beat J.K. as JJJ? [William Hughes]
X-Men: First Class rejuvenated the X-Men franchise, and it wouldn’t have been possible without McAvoy at the center as the brilliant, idealistic young Charles Xavier. What he lacks in Patrick Stewart’s patriarchal wisdom he makes up for in charisma and enthusiasm. This version of Professor X makes a lot of mistakes, but it’s easy to see why his team gives him their trust and loyalty. Over the course of the films, McAvoy does a great job of tempering Xavier’s initial optimism with the difficult decisions he has to make to protect his fellow mutants. Not to mention his friends-to-enemies-to-reluctant-allies chemistry with Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is the stuff of fandom legend. [Mary Kate Carr]
There’s an element of hangdog failure that runs through any great version of Peter Parker, and nobody does hangdog failure better than Jake Johnson. But even if Johnson’s Peter B. Parker (from 2018’s deliriously good Into The Spider-verse) has taken some hits—busted marriage, broken back, bankrupt Spider-Man-themed restaurant—he’s still, well, Spider-Man. And his mentorship of student Miles Morales, and his subsequent rise to heroism, proves it: Even when a Spider-Person is down, you can never count them out. [William Hughes]
The appeal of Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique was, well, mystique, which is not Jennifer Lawrence’s strength as an actor. Where her predecessor was cool, Lawrence brings her characteristic fire to the younger version. It works because of her backbone of steel, with shoulders means tested to carry a franchise. She can hold her own when caught between two very different and formidable idealogues. She’s at turns a team player, a rogue agent, and a leader in her own right. Whereas in the original trilogy, Mystique was more of a supporting character, Lawrence’s version is a star, and acknowledged within her altered timeline as an advocate for mutantkind. [Mary Kate Carr]
The most “human” Avenger is at his best when connected to those human elements—whether chilling at his idyllic farmhouse with wife Laura (Linda Cardellini), or trading quips with unwanted protege Kate Bishop. The MCU Hawkeye is, admittedly, way too given to brooding, in ways that do star Jeremy Renner no favors. But when he’s allowed that lighter, funnier touch, he’s a cornerstone of the more human side of these vast and cosmic conflicts. [William Hughes]