What must a character do to be a villain?

[The Ray]

According to multiple users, killing innocent civilians for petty reasons, torturing children or bashing women doesn't exactly make a character a villain. A character can do all those things and still be a hero.

So, if those things aren't enough to make one a villain in today's Marvel, what is? What must a character do to be a villain?

[Jabare]

genocide, planetary annihilation, rape, deals with the devil, creating tsunami's and/or earthquakes killing hundreds

[The Ray]

genocide, planetary annihilation, rape, deals with the devil, creating tsunami's and/or earthquakes killing hundreds

Scarlet Witch, Bishop, Victor von Doom, Absorbing Man, Spider-Man, Dr Strange and Namor have all done at least one of those things and are considered heroes nowadays, so no.

We must go deeper.

[Jabare]

Scarlet Witch, Bishop, Victor von Doom, Absorbing Man, Spider-Man, Dr Strange and Namor have all done at least one of those things and are considered heroes nowadays, so no.

We must go deeper.

okay deal with the devil is kind of tricky because people can have good intentions but they should know better

when did Dr. Stange do any of these outside of deal with the devil?

what did Scarlet Witch do?

Bishops doesn't count that was an alternate timeline his actions never actually occurred. Those people never existed.


the rest aren't heroes.

[DragonsChi]

It really depends.

For example in some form a villain could be a person who continues to make threads or post for the sake of getting a rise out of people. Or to degrade other peoples favortie characters without really being concerned about the facts or having intrest in opposing opinions.

Context as in all things matters.

[The Ray]

It really depends.

For example in some form a villain could be a person who continues to make threads or post for the sake of getting a rise out of people. Or to degrade other peoples favortie characters without really being concerned about the facts or having intrest in opposing opinions.

Context as in all things matters.

Can you name a villain that does this? Why is this considered worse than torturing kids or killing civilians?

[The Ray]

okay deal with the devil is kind of tricky because people can have good intentions but they should know better

when did Dr. Stange do any of these outside of deal with the devil?

what did Scarlet Witch do?

Bishops doesn't count that was an alternate timeline his actions never actually occurred. Those people never existed.

the rest aren't heroes.

Dr. Strange made a deal with the devil and destroyed planets. Two of the things you listed.

Scarlet Witch committed genocide. When the blame was shifted to Doom, she tried her hardest to marry the guy that forced her to commit genocide, so she is at least very cool with the idea.

Absorbing Man is a hero since "Black Bolt". This board swears that Namor and Doom are heroes.

[Michael Watkins]

Beat up their spouse.

[Kirby Krackle]

Steal cakes or fruit pies.

[ETMike1988]

Having a name that starts with: Superior!

[Thor-Ul]

According to multiple users, killing innocent civilians for petty reasons, torturing children or bashing women doesn't exactly make a character a villain. A character can do all those things and still be a hero.

So, if those things aren't enough to make one a villain in today's Marvel, what is? What must a character do to be a villain?

Can you give some examples of these cases?
Who has
-killed innocent civilians for petty reasons
-tortured children
-bashed women
and had been still be called hero?

In which context also? We cannot jugde something wrote in the 60s under the same requirements from modern standars.
But any of these cases has passed or not through somekind of redemption? That is also an common element in this stories.
I can agree than there are characters who don't deserve be called "hero", beyond the narrative definition of the word, but I would like to read your explanations.

[Carabas]

Scarlet Witch, Bishop, Victor von Doom, Absorbing Man, Spider-Man, Dr Strange and Namor have all done at least one of those things and are considered heroes nowadays, so no.

At Marvel, popular villains eventually become heroes. It is a thing they do that annoys me.

[CaptCleghorn]

Steal cakes or fruit pies.

A) What they said
B) This
C) QFT
D) All of the above

[The Ray]

Can you give some examples of these cases?
Who has
-killed innocent civilians for petty reasons
-tortured children
-bashed women
and had been still be called hero?

In which context also? We cannot jugde something wrote in the 60s under the same requirements from modern standars.
But any of these cases has passed or not through somekind of redemption? That is also an common element in this stories.
I can agree than there are characters who don't deserve be called "hero", beyond the narrative definition of the word, but I would like to read your explanations.

Namor and the Infamous Iron Man have killed civilians for petty reasons.

The Infamous Iron Man has tortured children.

The Infamous Iron Man has bashed women.

Both are considered heroes, aren't they?

[Jabare]

Dr. Strange made a deal with the devil and destroyed planets. Two of the things you listed.

Scarlet Witch committed genocide. When the blame was shifted to Doom, she tried her hardest to marry the guy that forced her to commit genocide, so she is at least very cool with the idea.

Absorbing Man is a hero since "Black Bolt". This board swears that Namor and Doom are heroes.

Dr. strange destroying planets? Are you talking about the Illuminati? Didn't Secret Wars change that? none of those events actually happened or are you referring to that old Nightmare story arc?

Scarlet Witch didn't commit genocide.To my knowledge, Scarlet Witches depowering of mutants on M day did not directly cause the death of any character. You could argue that there is a level of culpability with some deaths (if any) but genocide? Like Genosha or the Morlocks? If you interpret a mutants abilities as having an extra limb, this is mass maiming at most.

Absorbing Mn is not a hero. Doom is nowhere near heroic. Namor while at times depicted as noble has had enough showings where I don't think you can call him a superhero. He is just charming and usually straightforward and that is why people find him appealing.