The Avengers are Marvel’s greatest heroes, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a dark side. Having been around for over 60 years, many Avengers have made dark choices that will make fans think twice about their adoration for the characters. And we’re not talking about ‘I was mind controlled into fighting my teammates…’
Here are five Avengers with dark secrets that will change the way you see them. For this list, each entry draws on mainstream canon events that have never been retconned, and we’re avoiding obvious entries like Hank Pym striking the Wasp or Iron Man’s Negative Zone gulag during Civil War.
5
Thor Worked for the Nazis
As Seen in Invaders #32 by Roy Thomas, Alan Kupperberg, Frank Springer, Carl Gafford and Joe Rosen
In a reference to the Nazis’ real-life affection for Norse symbolism, Invaders volume 1 saw Thor essentially tricked into working for Hitler. Hitler used a device to summon Thor as a potential ally, and the God of Thunder simply didn’t do enough research to know he was working with a genocidal regime. While Thor eventually learned the truth, it wasn’t before fighting the heroic Invaders and attempting to assassinate Josef Stalin on Hitler’s behalf.
What’s worse, Thor only realizes Hitler’s evil because Doctor Doom feeds him proof, meaning Thor only ditched one dictator on the advice of another.
4
Captain Marvel Loves Killing
As Seen in Ms. Marvel #28 by Brian Reed, Adriana Melo, Mariah Benes, Chris Sotomayor and Dave Sharpe
Captain Marvel is one of Marvel’s most powerful heroes, and she isn’t afraid to use those powers to execute her enemies. During Secret Invasion, Carol Danvers (then going by Ms. Marvel) fought a number of Super-Skrulls, even taking one out into the vacuum of space. Rather than the usual approach of a superhero mourning any death, Carol sits and watches her opponent asphyxiate, admitting, “say what you will about me, I enjoy it.”
Carol’s bloodlust has been explored in more recent stories. Recently, the Enchantress turned a young girl into a monster specifically believing that Captain Marvel would kill her without a second thought. Thankfully, Carol has mellowed a little since Secret Invasion, and she looked into the situation for long enough not to make a terrible mistake.
3
Black Widow Is Actually a Clone
As Seen in Tales of Suspense #100 by Matthew Rosenberg, Travel Foreman, Rachelle Rosenberg and Clayton Cowles
Black Widow is one of the most iconic Avengers of all time… or at least she was, until she was killed in the Secret Empire event by Captain America’s evil twin. The version of Natasha Romanov who’s walking around in Marvel Comics is a clone implanted with her memories, but the original died in 2017 and has stayed dead ever since.
While fans may see this as a cheap way of bringing Black Widow ‘back,’ her clone is a whole other person created by the Red Room – a duplicate who took over Natasha’s life and is credited with all her heroic achievements and friendships. Imagine dying and being replaced by a duplicate, with none of your friends or family seeming to mind, and you’ll see why this is so creepy. Marvel has since embraced the clone and essentially ignored her origin, meaning that it’s likely the original Black Widow will simply stay dead forever.
2
Iron Man Steals His Technology
As Seen in She-Hulk #1 by Charles Soule, Javier Pulido, Muntsa Vicente and Clayton Cowles
One of the most charming heroes in the Marvel Universe, Tony Stark is still a billionaire, and he didn’t get there by being nice. When professional lawyer Jennifer Walters (aka She-Hulk) is contacted by Molly Harrow, she learns that Tony’s company ripped off the tech of her villainous husband Jonas Harrow. Struggling to support her children with her husband in prison, Molly can’t get a lawyer to take her case because no-one wants to go up against an Avenger.
While Tony eventually reveals the actual theft was carried out by a former employee, that’s only after She-Hulk fights her way up Stark Tower to see him. Before that, Tony’s legal team make it clear they plan to bury Molly in litigation and eventually set a team of security robots on She-Hulk when she tries to take it further. As She-Hulk points out, Tony might do the right thing once she explains the situation, but setting up an autonomous legal team to intimidate and run off anyone who challenges him is pretty villainous.
If that’s not enough, Tony also admitted (in Christos N. Gage and Jeremy Haun’s Iron Man/Captain America: Casualties of War) that he almost committed manslaughter when drunk. During the worst days of his alcoholism, Tony picked a fight with Machine Man and almost killed some civilians caught in the middle. It’s only because Machine Man saved them that Tony didn’t kill innocent people in a drunken rage.
1
Captain America Has Some Messed-Up Views on Women
As Seen in Avengers #77 by Chuck Austen, Olivier Coipel, Andy Lanning, Chris Sotomayor, Richard Starkings and Albert Deschesne
Born in 1918, it’s no surprise that Steve Rogers would have some retrograde ideas about gender politics, but if so, he usually keeps them to himself. That wasn’t the case in Avengers #77, in which Cap and Hawkeye debate Steve Rogers ‘chivalrous’ nature and whether he goes too easy on female supervillains. Hawkeye teases Cap that his “outdated attitude” to women is what’s stopping him making a romantic connection, with Captain America responding:
You’re saying I have to punch women to get a girlfriend? That attitude is more outdated than the one you claim I have, and only breeds women who want to be punched. Which is the last thing I want.
The larger storyline arguably goes on to disprove Steve’s point of view, exploring the experiences of fellow Avengers the Wasp and Lionheart when it comes to gendered violence and how traumatic their experiences have been. However, Captain America stating that some women “want to be punched” – and perhaps even suggesting that gender equality is the cause – is still a messed-up moment for the Sentinel of Liberty. Hawkeye also comes off badly, seeming to relish the idea of punching “bad girls,” or at least Steve Rogers’ discomfort with it.
Those are the five dark secrets that may change how you see the Avengers, from Captain Marvel’s love of executions to Black Widow being perhaps the only superhero to die and never rise again. Let us know in the comments what other moments will change how fans see A-list Avengers, and which of the moments above have changed your outlook on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
