The secret is out: Marvel Studios has officially introduced Mephisto, a character fans have been demanding to see since WandaVision's release in 2021 (and to Kevin Feige's credit, Sacha Baron Cohen was cast and shot his scenes for Ironheart in 2022).
The villain gets a decent amount of screentime in the Ironheart finale and is quickly established as a terrifyingly powerful threat. He now has Riri Williams' soul in his grasp, and no doubt has more sinister plans for the MCU's best and brightest.
While Mephisto's name often comes up in conversation, he's not the most well-known villain, and many of you might not be familiar with his origins, powers, and most noteworthy relationships—with heroes and villains—on the page. Well, now you have a full breakdown.
Click the "Next"/"View List" buttons below to learn everything you need to know about Mephisto...
5. Mephisto's Origin Story
Mephisto doesn't have a definitive origin story as such, no great surprise when honesty isn't exactly one of his defining features. One version claims that, four billion years ago, Mephisto was little more than a maggot-laying fly which witnessed the fall of a Celestial.
There's also an account suggesting that after Atum/the Demogorge attacked Earth's demons, humanity inadvertently created a new line of demons, formed by their darkest desires. It was then that Mephisto was born as the most evil of them all.
Yet another story claims that when the primordial entity known as Nemesis tried to create life, it inadvertently made evil creatures (one of which became Mephisto). Horrified by what it had brought into existence, Nemesis died by suicide, and its remains became the Infinity Stones.
4. Who Are His Allies?
Mephisto has few friends, but frequently allies with those he believes he can manipulate in his quest for more power. Typically, he can be found teaming up with fellow hell-dwellers Hela, Hades, Asmodeus, Satannish, and Satana.
These Hell-Lords each rule over their own domains, meaning they all desire souls. They rarely stay on the same side for long, and Mephisto's most noteworthy "team-up" has to be with Thanos.
They've teamed up a couple of times, but only because Mephisto wanted to safeguard existence due to the role it plays in his power (if all ceases to exist, then there will be no souls for him to be empowered by). The villain has a son, Blackheart, but there's no love lost there.
3. The Importance Of Souls
In terms of powers, Mephisto has all the traits you'd expect a demon to have. He's an Avengers-level threat and draws his immense power from the souls he collects. The more corrupt they become—The Hood in Ironheart, for example—the more this villain gains from them.
With these immense abilities, Mephisto has become a master manipulator who is immortal, damn-near invulnerable, and has the power over life and death. Time means little to him, and humanity's habit of committing evil acts means he has an endless supply of souls heading his way.
However, Mephisto isn't all-powerful, and his place in the cosmos as the "devil" seems to be what stops him from taking over the entire universe. Perhaps that's why he's clashed with (and been bested by) so many superheroes over the years...
2. His Ties To Some Key Superheroes
Mephisto has tormented and attempted to corrupt many superheroes, including Thor, Silver Surfer, and Spider-Man. In the latter's case, when Aunt May was dying, he saved her in exchange for something even more valuable than a soul: Peter Parker's marriage to Mary Jane Watson.
He created the first Ghost Rider and made the deal that transformed Johnny Blaze into the Spirit of Vengeance. The devil also tormented the Scarlet Witch, playing a key role in the breakdown, which ultimately led to Avengers Disassembled and House of M.
Part of the reason Victor Von Doom fell to evil is because Mephisto trapped his mother's soul in hell. The villain has courted Death and is even credited with making a deal with Norman Osborn that ultimately led to the scientist becoming the evil Green Goblin. So, yeah, he's a twisted SOB.
1. What's The Plan For Mephisto In The MCU?
Ironheart establishes that "The Hood" belongs to Mephisto (a change from the comics, where it's tied to Dormammu). He took Parker Robbins' soul in exchange for the artefact, and later made a deal with Riri Williams to take hers in exchange for resurrecting the real Natalie.
The MCU's take on this character is every bit as powerful as his comic book counterpart, and the devil's true face is shown briefly in the reflection from the spoon he's holding. So, what's next for Sacha Baron Cohen's supernatural big bad?
We'd imagine he'll be part of Midnight Sons, Ghost Rider, and perhaps even that eventual Scarlet Witch movie we've heard so much about. Then, there's the possibility of him even factoring into movies like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday.