The MCU reached a new level of storytelling in Phase 3. Along with introducing new heroes and saying goodbye to some old favorites, the cinematic universe also delivered some of its best villains to date. These bad guys ranged from funny to terrifying, sympathetic to sadistic.
Phase 3 also saw some of the most powerful villains in the MCU, some of which would deliver devastating defeats to the heroes. However, not all these villains were all-powerful. Some managed to be captivating without being able to destroy the universe with a snap of their fingers. Take a look back at the powerful and not-so-powerful villains of Phase 3 of the MCU.
Zemo
While he might show more of his power when he returns to the MCU in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Helmut Zemo was not an intimidating force in Captain America: Civil War.
The fact that Zemo sort of achieves his goal with limited resources and no super strength is proof of his intelligence. That really is the only way he could beat the Avengers as he himself its that more powerful men have tried and failed.
Adrian Toomes / The Vulture
Adrian Toomes is sort of the MCU's first blue-collar criminal. He is a family man and working man who feels ripped off by those in power and turns to a life of crime to get what he feels he is owed. In doing so, he designs the Vulture suit.
The suit is a very impressive piece of equipment that comes in handy for carrying out heists. However, it does not make him that formidable of a fighter. Toomes uses the suit to give Spider-Man a good fight, but he still loses to a kid in the end.
Quentin Beck / Mysterio
Another classic Spider-Man villain introduced in the MCU was Mysterio. Playing around with the character's backstory, this version of the villain is a former Stark Industries employee who uses his B.A.R.F. tech to create illusions.
Though Quentin Beck wouldn't last a minute in a fight with Spider-Man, his illusions make him surprisingly powerful. He is able to trick Spider-Man over and over, making him question what is real and what is not. But once Spider-Man regains his "Spider-sense", Beck's tricks are useless.
Ghost
Ghost is another sympathetic villain who only becomes a criminal in an effort to escape her life of pain. She is used as an assassin and a thief thanks to her powers to phase through matter. This makes her a pretty tricky adversary in a fight.
While these powers are pretty remarkable and she is able to give Ant-Man and The Wasp a difficult time, Ghost wouldn't be as formidable against one of the top tier heroes.
Erik Killmonger
Killmonger was regarded as one of the best villains the MCU delivered. He is a complex antagonist whose motivations are sympathetic and even understandable. He also proves himself to be a real threat to T'Challa.
After training his whole life as a soldier, Killmonger makes it his mission to overthrow the new king of Wakanda and reshape the nation as he sees fit. Whether they are fighting as regular men or with the powers of the Black Panther, Killmonger proves himself to be as skilled and strong as T'Challa.
Yon-Rogg
The Kree are a very powerful race of cosmic beings and Yon-Rogg is one of their top warriors. He is the leader of the Starforce team and a skilled fighter. We see early in the film as he battles "Vers" that he can handle himself in a fight.
Of course, once Captain Marvel gains her full power, she makes Yon-Rogg look like a weakling. Still, he puts up something of a fight and could take on most of the Avengers heroes quite effectively.
Kaecilius
As Doctor Strange is just beginning his teachings in the world of the mystic arts, he is forced to face off with a very experienced sorcerer named Kaecilius. He was one of the top students of the Ancient One making him an incredibly powerful individual.
After drawing power from the Dark Dimension, Kaecilius is a strong contender for the most powerful sorcerer of all, perhaps even suring the Ancient One. It is only with the Time Stone that Strange is able to defeat him.
Hela
The Goddess of Death is not a title one achieves without great power. Hela is Odin's firstborn and the weapon he used to conquer the Nine Realms. In fact, Hela grows even more powerful than Odin himself as she draws her strength from Asgard.
She immediately establishes herself by smashing Mjolnir like it was nothing. When she returns from exile and takes over Asgard, she is a being of nearly limitless power. At the height of his strength, Thor can barely even slow her down. However, Hela does have one major weakness in that once Asgard is destroyed, so is she.
Ego
Ego the Living Planet is the first real Celestial being we meet in the MCU. The Celestials are like gods in this universe and Ego proves that it is not an unfair comparison. After coming into consciousness, Ego is able to grow an entire planet with his powers and produce life.
When he finds himself disappointed by the rest of the universe, Ego concocts a plan to grow himself across the entire universe and take over everything. It is an amazing feat of power so it's a bit strange that he can be killed with a simple bomb.
Thanos
Thanos is certainly the most important villain in the MCU. The entire Infinity Saga was leading up to the Avengers' face-off with him. And even though he pretty much had to take on all the heroes on his own, Thanos still managed to win.
While it is the Infinity Stones that grant him the power to wipe out half the universe, Thanos' own determination is powerful on its own. He fought through all of his enemies to achieve his own villainous goal.
