The villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe can be the best part of the films they’re in. This cinematic universe has brought some of the best villains in all superhero cinema. Sometimes, if they’re really well written, they can have some truly memorable quotes that remain relevant in pop culture to this day. A few are even some of the best quotes from superhero movies in general.
Whether it’s Ultron’s (James Spader) monologuing about the “correct” way to save the world or one of Thanos' (Josh Brolin) Shakespearean-like speeches, the villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are masters of good quotes. A good quote can even make an audience’s perspective on a character shift in a more positive direction, not to mention that with a good actor and delivery, a line can become cemented in people’s memories.These are the best villain quotes in the MCU, ranked by how well-written and well-delivered they are, as well as how impactful they have become since.
10“This is my vow: all gods will die.”
Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale)
WhileThor: Love and Thunderis one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s rougher films,the opening set a precedent for its villain, Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) and what viewers could expect from him. He was the best part of the film by far, both because of how he was written and mostly due to the performance by Oscar winner and pop culture icon Christian Bale.
His declaration, “All gods will die,” in his big introduction, isa chilling way to open the movieand a level of badass it sadly doesn’t replicate later. Not to mention,the way Bale delivers the line is coldand everything viewers need to buy into who was supposed to be a more terrifying villain. While, unfortunately, Gorr’s actual god butchering wasn’t really seen, this line set the tone andcreated a chilling atmosphere to loom over most of the film.
Thor: Love and Thunder
Ego the Living Planet (Kurt Russell)
While it hurt both audiences and Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) to learn that his father, Ego the Living Planet (Kurt Russell), was actually a bad guy, the biggest reveal came from what he did. Sure, there’s villainy in trying to plant yourself across the universe to grow in power, but Ego’s cruelty grew when he revealed to Peter thathe was the one who put the tumor that killed Peter’s mom.
Peter’s reaction to this information also became a huge meme on the internet, as it is one of the most human reactions in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (he straight up just shoots him over and over).It’s a chilling reveal that took the breath from audiences' lungs, andKurt Russell’s deliveryonly makes it more impactful.It’s a horrific thing to do for any villain, cementing Ego as one of the baddest there is.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
8“Time is the true enemy of us all. Time kills everything.”
Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen)
The one thing that can’t be escaped is the passage of time, and Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), the villain ofDoctor Strange, has a wonderful quote about the idea. He sought immortality and became obsessed with the idea that there could be a world in which there would be no death. The powerful sorcerer thought that allowing Dormammu (Benedict Cumberbatch) to take Earth would allow such a planet to exist.
Losing his family made his infatuation with time intense and led to this deep line about life’s biggest killer. The most interesting part is the fact thathe’s fully right in this quote: time is inescapable, which made Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) acquisition of the Time Stone via the Eye of Agamotto even more compelling. This linemakes Kaecilius' goal more understandable. While his actions are incorrect, his motives become much more comprehensible.
Doctor Strange
7“You’ll see, Peter. People… need to believe. And nowadays, they’ll believe anything.”
Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal)
When Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) meets his endinSpider-Man: Far From Home, he tells Peter Parker (Tom Holland) an unfortunate fact about life and society: people need to believe in something; they’re desperate to. Be it gods or heroes, faith is one of the strongest things in the world. The quote ends up having two purposes at the end of Holland’s second Spider-Man outing.
Not only does the line first serve as a chilling way to end Mysterio’s reign of terror by revealing why it was so easy to convince people of everything, but it’s also great foreshadowing for what Mysterio would do to the web-slinger. Looking back,the quote has even more meaning now that audiences know the full extent of his plan. Mysterio is already one of the all-time best Spidey villains, but his ruthlessness only makes him more iconic.
Spider-Man: Far from Home
6"To build a really better world sometimes means having to tear the old one down, and that makes enemies."
Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford)
Although he may have been secretly working with HYDRA, Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) was among the most interesting figures inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier. While his actions were terrible, he truly believed he was doing what was best for the world; after all, the best villains are the heroes of their stories. This quote representshis undying determination to change the world, truly believing he can build a better one.
If a quote like this were said by Captain America (Chris Evans), it would have a far different context. Ruthless as he was, Alexander Pierce was still a man of action and cunning and would have been an invaluable asset to S.H.I.E.L.D. While in this context, tearing down the old world meant dire things for everyone, there’s truth in it that, sometimes,the old ways of doing things aren’t always what’s bestfor the modern world.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl)
No villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has hurt the Avengers like Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl) inCaptain America: Civil War. The most badass part is that as he’s doing so,he rubs it in Captain America’s face by telling him how he’s doing it: taking down the Avengers from within by driving a Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan)-sized wedge between their two leaders.
Zemo’s quote has striking similarities to the legendary quote from the Bible, “A house divided by itself cannot stand.” His plan to take down the Avengers is undeniably smart, and the quote describes exactlyhow easy it is to bring down even Earth’s mightiest heroes, as long as one is smart about it. Humans cannot avoid internal conflicts, and no one can change that, not even the Avengers. Zemo knows this better than anyone else and merely gives them the push necessary.
Captain America: Civil War
4"You want to protect the world, but you don’t want it to change. How is humanity saved if it’s not allowed to evolve?"
Ultron (James Spader)
Ultron’s (James Spader) original intention for creation was Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) desire to “create a suit of armor around the world” in hopes of saving it. As Ultron grew, his interpretation of what saving the world meant changed, and after viewing human history, the advanced AI believed that the world needed a rewrite, an extinction-level event that would wipe out humans for good.The second Avengers moviedepicts a robot with strong opinions on what’s best for humanity.
Talk of evolution like this is haunting coming from an AI like Ultron, especially when his definition is eventually extinction. He looked at human history and determined one thing:humans are the problem. It causes viewers to ponder the question of whether there’s any sort of truth to his idea of peace. The quote appears in Ultron’s first physical debut, making it clear to the audience exactly why the robot is here and what he plans to do to not just the Avengers but the world.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
3“Gods don’t have to choose. We take.”
Norman Osborn/Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe)
One of the tensest scenes fromSpider-Man: No Way Homeis whenthe Goblin persona emerges within Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe). Just when Peter is about to cure all the multiversal villains, the newly awakened Goblin incites them to act out and destroy the apartment complex. Goblin is offended that Peter thinks they need “fixing” and reminds them that they’re “gods” and can do whatever they want.
This quote is not just horrifying, coming from the chilling voice of Willem Dafoe, but it’s also aperfect example of why Peter and Goblin are so differentand the perfect enemies to each other. The character of Spider-Man is all about taking responsibility and doing things for others, a selfless hero who’s always willing to see the best in everyone, even those who’d wish him dead. On the contrary, this quote describes exactlywhat Goblin stands for: selfishness and negativity.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
2“Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors that jumped from the ships because they knew death was better than bondage.”
Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan)
What an emotional ending to one of the best villains in one ofthe MCU’s most rewatchable movies. Erik Killmonger’s (Michael B. Jordan) primary motivation was to change the way Wakanda was run because of how many people they could have saved over the years if they simply shared their resources.He wanted freedom for people like himall over the world who struggled with oppression.
This quote perfectlyencapsulates who Killmonger was and what his ideals were. Although the actions he was taking to accomplish his goals were evil, his ultimate goal was far from selfish, so much so that T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) ended up taking inspiration from him at the end when he opened up Wakanda’s borders. Killmonger was all about his ancestors and those who’d been lost in the past, making this quote well in line with who he was.
Black Panther
1"I am… inevitable."
Thanos (Josh Brolin)
One of the most iconic quotes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is this Thanos line, which he quotes multiple times. He states that he is “inevitable,” which is ominous and gives the audience a sense of anticipation.It makes the Mad Titan feel like an unstoppable force,which he certainly is at most points in his story; he’s like a train laced with vibranium with no plans of stopping.
A scary thing about Thanos is that he’s got intense determination. Even when he’s knocked down or stabbed in the chest, he carries on. Thanos is so committed to his goal that he will seemingly never stop working towards it, no matter who he has to kill in the process, even his daughter Gamora (Zoe Saldaña). Nothing stops this purple killer from his goals, so much so that it tookthe entire Marvel Cinematic Universe to finally stop him.
