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Summary

• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's High Evolutionary is the MCU's most irredeemably evil villain in recent years. His lack of sympathetic qualities makes it satisfying for the audience to root against him.
• Unsympathetic villains like the High Evolutionary stand out amidst dozens of villains with tragic backstories who blur the line between villain and anti-hero.
• The presence of unapologetically malevolent villains like the High Evolutionary adds variety to each MCU project and character.

Most MCU Phases 4 & 5 movies and shows have featured a subtle villain trend, but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 broke it, to successful results. Throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe's timeline, each villain has had their own unique personality, motivation, and power level. Some MCU antagonists have made quite an impression, like Tom Hiddleston's Loki and Josh Brolin's Thanos; while others have struggled to stand out, like Christopher Eccleston's Malekith and Lee Pace's Ronan. Villains have been a highlight of Phases 4 and 5, but one MCU Phase 5 villain in particular has earned his spot in the MCU's villain hall of fame.
Performances are key to a villain's reception amongst audiences, which is a big part of the reason why MCU antagonists like Loki, Thanos, Green Goblin, and Kingpin have been so popular. Even Gorr the God Butcher's short screentime was compensated by Christian Bale's terrifying performance. The script can also improve an already strong performance, as is the case with Baron Zemo and Namor. But sometimes, a single detail in a villain's characterization can elevate them above the rest. This is in part why the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy ended on such a high note, and why Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's ending was so satisfying.
High Evolutionary Was 2023's Best MCU Villain By Being Irredeemably Evil In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Chukwudi Iwuji's High Evolutionary displays his cruelty towards all living beings, both in his brutal experiments and in his personal interactions with them. The closest he comes to showing any sense of vulnerability is when his plans break apart and he starts to showcase his deep-set insecurities. Still, the High Evolutionary has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, which allows the audience to root against him without hesitation. Unlike a villain like Thanos, the High Evolutionary's lack of sympathetic qualities makes it difficult to condone his cruel actions, and his brutal defeat becomes more satisfying as a result.
Unquestionably evil villains have become an increasingly rare sight. Just within Phases 4 and 5, over twenty MCU antagonists have had some sort of tragic backstory. Scarlet Witch's multiple tragedies, Gorr's resentment over his daughter's death, Agatha Harkness' punishment at the stake, Namor's tribe massacre, Dar-Benn's destroyed home planet Hala, and the Skrulls' exile have all provided a certain sense of justification for their actions. Even Kang the Conqueror and MODOK explain the reasons for their anger and their lust for killing, respectively, in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The line between villain and anti-hero has been blurred so much that truly evil antagonists have begun to stand out again.
Related Kang Vs Thanos Vs Doctor Doom: Which MCU Villain Would Win? Thanos and Kang the Conqueror are major MCU villains, and Doctor Doom is likely close behind, but which Marvel big bad is the more powerful foe? Why The MCU Needs More Unsympathetic Villains Given the massive number of characters in the MCU, diversity continues to be key. Diversity of backstories, motivations, and personalities helps each character establish their own identity and keeps each project from blending with each other. While it makes sense for some antagonists to have sympathetic motivations or relatable origins, others are fundamentally irredeemable. Attempting to convince the audience to relate to the latter can make the story seem forced. Besides, a higher number of unapologetically malevolent villains provides a clearer distinction from the sympathetic ones, as degenerates like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's High Evolutionary prove just how corrupt some antagonists could be if they fully let themselves go.