Death has become an overused trope in comic books which more often than not leaves fans rolling their eyes. Ms. Marvel, for example, died earlier this year and is already returning with a slightly modified status quo.
The point is, it doesn't really mean much on the page. In contrast, the vast majority of deaths in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have stuck and that's not a bad thing when it comes to ensuring these stories have stakes. Still, there are some characters we really wish hadn't met their respective makers so soon.
In this feature, we're looking back at 10 MCU heroes and villains we said goodbye to far too soon. In some cases, we even share our thoughts on how each of them could be resurrected (and no, those don't all revolve around Multiversal Variants).
Take a look through this feature by clicking on the "Next" button below!
10. Ulysses Klaue
While Erik Killmonger mercilessly gunning down Ulysses Klaue established him as a no-nonsense baddie, it came at the cost of a character who had a tonne of potential in the MCU. We'd also argue that Marvel Studios wasted Andy Serkis.
After Klaue lost his arm in Avengers: Age of Ultron, the stage had been set for him to eventually make use of a superpowered replacement similar to that of his comic book counterpart, Ulysses Klaw. Black Panther even teased that by showing off the smuggler's new upgrades, but those did little to save him when it mattered.
Unfortunately, this death was too definitive for us to even attempt to figure out a way he could return!
9. The Warriors Three
Talking of wasted potential, both Thor and Thor: The Dark World failed to do The Warriors Three justice. Like Sif, they just felt superfluous to the story being told, leading us to wonder what the point was of ever including them.
This apparent lack of interest in the trio was cemented by Taika Waititi when had Hela kill the God of Thunder's pals in a matter of seconds. Due to their lack of screentime, those deaths ultimately meant little and were quickly forgotten.
Asgardians frequently return from the dead on the page, so perhaps The Warriors Three can escape Valhalla in order to fight another day?
8. Ikaris
Eternals was a much better movie than the Rotten Tomatoes score would have you believe, and while there were definitely too many characters, Richard Madden's Ikaris remains a highlight.
The reveal that he was a villain delivered a genuine surprise, while the fact his actions were rooted in duty and love only served to muddy the waters of whether he should truly be considered a bad guy. After doing the right thing, though, it seems he flew into the sun to finally end his long life.
There are a number of ways to undo that, including having Arishem introduce a new Ikaris (who probably wouldn't have his predecessor's memories).
7. Malekith
While we wouldn't necessarily welcome Christopher Eccleston back given how much he clearly hates both this role and Thor: The Dark World, Malekith is a character who should absolutely return in some way, shape, or form.
Anyone who has read Jason Aaron's Thor run will know how great he could be in a future Thor movie, particularly with an actor who will play him a little less seriously and really lean into the Dark Elf's sinister madness. It made sense when the MCU version met his maker, but returning to this well might not be a bad thing.
If not in Thor 5 (there are plenty of other villains we still need to see), why not pit Malekith against Loki?
6. Odin
Anthony Hopkins was well-cast as Odin, but at the same time, the actor didn't really understand what was going on (which he's admitted on numerous occasions). Ultimately, it seems like the job was just an easy payday for the legendary Oscar-winner.
We won't begrudge him that, of course, but if Odin eventually returns - which has happened more times than we can count in the comics - then we'd probably enlist a different actor.
They can get a little more physical as the Asgardian King, and it would be fun for Marvel Studios to better explore the antagonistic side of Odin and Thor's father/son relationship. Heck, we'd go as far as to say Odin is at his best as an antagonist...
5. Mysterio
Spider-Man: No Way Home was a phenomenal movie but if Marvel Studios dropped the ball in one way, it was by not having Mysterio return. At the end of Far From Home, he'd outed the wall-crawler's secret identity to the world and scored the ultimate victory over Peter Parker.
The fact he claimed to be from the Multiverse - only to be revealed as a liar - set the stage for No Way Home to cleverly retcon Quentin Beck into actually being a dimension-hopping baddie. From there, he could have been revealed as the one pulling the strings of all those villains.
The ship has sailed on that front but, assuming we're still in the Multiverse Saga when Spider-Man 4 is released, it's time for Mysterio to make his grand return.
4. Quicksilver
Joss Whedon is known for killing beloved characters in his movies, TV shows, and comic books, so Quicksilver meeting his maker in Avengers: Age of Ultron shouldn't have come as a surprise in some respects. Still, it felt like a disservice to the speedster.
His sacrifice was a heroic one and, at this point, we don't see Aaron Taylor-Johnson ever reprising the role. However, WandaVision was the perfect chance to have Evan Peters play a Variant plucked from the Multiverse by Agatha Harkness. Instead, he was a failed actor called Ralph Bohner.
Perhaps a future movie or TV show can reveal that Ralph retained Pietro's memories and powers, thereby making him a new Quicksilver for the MCU.
3. Crossbones
While Crossbones' explosive demise in Captain America: Civil War was important to the movie's plot, the character himself most certainly was not.
After The Winter Soldier set the stage for Brock Rumlow to take on this persona, we were thrilled to see him in set photos squaring off with Steve Rogers. From there, he could and should have become a recurring threat, later targeting Sam Wilson now he's Captain America.
Alas, given the way he died and the fact actor Frank Grillo is currently part of the DCU in James Gunn's Creature Commandos, we don't anticipate Crossbones ever showing up to battle any star-spangled superhero.
2. Ultron
Ultron's death at The Vision's hands was undeniably impactful but it may have also been a misstep on Marvel Studios' part. For proof of that, look no further than the villain's cosmic misadventures in the comics and the Infinity Ultron we met in What If...? a couple of years ago.
There have long been rumblings that the last remaining sliver of Ultron's consciousness will eventually be revived and we're hoping he'll emerge as a threat to a major superhero team like The Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy. Making him a one-off baddie on Disney+, for example, would be a shame.
Still, with Ultron relegated to theme park rides and animated TV shows, we're not sure his return is a priority.
1. T'Challa/Black Panther
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was a beautiful and emotional tribute to Chadwick Boseman and T'Challa. With that in mind, we fully understand why Marvel Studios chose not to recast the role and look forward to seeing what Letitia Wright brings to the table as Shuri.
However, it's hard to shake the feeling this decision does a disservice to the character. We wouldn't dare speak for Boseman, but it's possible he'd have wanted Black Panther to live on after his tragic death, continuing to serve as the inspiration he once was. There was more of T'Challa's story left to tell, anyway.
If rumours Avengers: Secret Wars will reboot the MCU are correct, then introducing a new version of Black Panther might not be the worst idea. It would also do nothing to tarnish Boseman's incredible legacy as this superhero.