Who Is Mephisto, The MCU's Newest Villain? 5 Things You Need To Know About Sacha Baron Cohen's Big Bad

Who Is Mephisto, The MCU's Newest Villain? 5 Things You Need To Know About Sacha Baron Cohen's Big Bad

Ironheart brings Mephisto into the MCU (at last!), but who is the Marvel Universe's devil, which characters is he tied to on the page, and what exactly can you expect from him in the MCU moving forward?

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Jul 03, 2025 12:07 PM EST
Filed Under: Marvel Studios

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

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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?

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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

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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

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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?

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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
 

IRONHEART Star Sacha Baron Cohen Shows Off Amazing Body Transformation To Play MCU's Ripped Mephisto
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fanboy03191
fanboy03191 - 7/3/2025, 12:42 PM
Just waiting for Ghost Rider to make a proper (re)introduction.
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 7/3/2025, 1:03 PM
@fanboy03191 - I would have him already exist and make his movie show some flashbacks to the original deal he made with Mephisto and then have it go into how he broke the deal. The deal should have been made after the events of Avengers Infinity War with the world economy crumbling and Crash Simpson's Health Insurance getting cancelled, Johnny Blaze sells his soul to Mephisto to save his father's life.
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 7/3/2025, 1:15 PM
@fanboy03191 -

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KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 7/3/2025, 1:17 PM
@fanboy03191 - Scott Eastwood as Ghost Rider.
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 7/3/2025, 2:34 PM
@fanboy03191 - I’m down for him to show up in a new Ghost Rider show or film. Just pretend Riri doesn’t exist anymore and it’ll work out
BrainySleep
BrainySleep - 7/3/2025, 12:42 PM
"The villain has courted Death"

I want to see this in the MCU just to have Sacha and Aubrey together
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 7/3/2025, 5:19 PM
@BrainySleep - It would be cool if Mephisto gave Agatha Harkness the Darkhold so she could bring her son back in exchange for her soul but became obsessed with chaos magic and wanted it from Wanda which caused her to lose the Darkhold. This could bring Mephisto to notify Death that Agatha's soul still lingers the human realm and Death must collect it.
BrainySleep
BrainySleep - 7/3/2025, 6:15 PM
@SonOfAGif - I like that idea!
DemonTweeks
DemonTweeks - 7/4/2025, 2:30 AM
@SonOfAGif - so....... it was Mephisto all along and not Agatha all along!
Deckacards
Deckacards - 7/3/2025, 12:45 PM
Seems like the best way to redeem The Scarlet Witch would be to make that Scarlet Witch movie and reveal that Mephisto was manipulating and twisting her all along the way when she turned bad.
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 7/3/2025, 12:51 PM
Blackheart should be the son of both Mephisto and Lilith and Mephisto has her imprisoned in the Dark Dimension because of her ambition and desire to become the ruler of Hell. And Dormammu is pissed at Mephisto because he promised him a vessel to corrupt in exchange for keeping Lilith imprisoned but RiRi Williams gets help from The Sorcerer Supreme to undo her curse. Dormammu releases Lilith from her imprisonment as penance for Mephisto not keeping his end of the bargain and that sets the stage for Midnight Sons.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 7/3/2025, 12:54 PM
6. He gangrapes actresses on dirty mattresses.
ThorArms
ThorArms - 7/3/2025, 12:54 PM
Introducing Mephisto in a TV show is a travesty
SteviesRightFoo
SteviesRightFoo - 7/3/2025, 1:19 PM
@ThorArms - an unbelievably bad but unfortunately unsurprising. Screw this trash
SuperiorHeckler
SuperiorHeckler - 7/3/2025, 1:19 PM
@ThorArms - Specially when the TV show in question was a mis-fire project, lacking studio confidence that was put into storage and sat collecting dust for several years until MARVEL could figure out just what the hell to do with it! 🤨
SpideyPuffsMJ
SpideyPuffsMJ - 7/3/2025, 12:55 PM
Very excited that he’s here but it’s kind of funny his introduction is “Hey, btw I’m Mephisto” the end. Not stellar storytelling.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 7/3/2025, 1:11 PM
@SpideyPuffsMJ - Why pay to go to college when you can just befriend a powerful jew in hollywood and write some bullshit
TheyDont
TheyDont - 7/3/2025, 1:13 PM
Is it really necessary to spoil it 2 days after the episode aired? What a piece of shit you are.
LibraMatter
LibraMatter - 7/3/2025, 1:26 PM
@TheyDont - Exactly!! No skirting around the big spoiler, just straight up showing it on the main page. I am one episode away from the end of the series and saw this, ugh. Maybe some consideration for others Joshwilding!!!!!!!
SuperiorHeckler
SuperiorHeckler - 7/3/2025, 1:16 PM
Just don't turn him into a Taika Waititi type of "weirdo" villain. Let Mephisto be a true and legit evil threat! 😈
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 7/3/2025, 1:20 PM
Not sure where this Mephisto could pop up besides the usual suspects such as Ghost Rider or Midnight Sons but I’m willing to see where he goes since I enjoyed Sacha Baron Cohen’s performance as the character in the Ironheart finale…

He was charismatic yet sinister which is perfect imo!!.

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Nomis929
Nomis929 - 7/3/2025, 1:51 PM
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redrobin5554
redrobin5554 - 7/3/2025, 1:53 PM
This is the second time a massive spoiler has been put in the title of an article, sort it out FFS. Will just visit an alternative site now to be honest.
TyrantBossMedia
TyrantBossMedia - 7/3/2025, 2:15 PM
Who is Mephisto?

Just another character and reveal that Disney will destroy.
SuperiorHeckler
SuperiorHeckler - 7/4/2025, 12:25 PM
@TyrantBossMedia - Yeah but, there's only a 90% chance of that actually happening... 🙄
BlackStar25
BlackStar25 - 7/3/2025, 2:29 PM
NEED MORE MEPHISTO!!!!! MAKE IT HAPPEN MARVEL!!!
FrankenDad
FrankenDad - 7/3/2025, 3:22 PM
Thanks, @JoshWilding for this article!

I honestly didn’t think I’d learn much when I clicked, but instead am ashamed by my lack of knowledge. Good stuff!
toylled
toylled - 7/3/2025, 3:25 PM
Tbh Riri îs a bit of a [foo foo] for resurrecting Natalie but.. not her stepdad who she was infinitely closer with? Make it make sense.
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 7/3/2025, 5:21 PM
@toylled - The whole premise of the show was to show how selfish and manipulative RiRi was and still is. Everything she did was for herself and the others being directly impacted by her actions. And in a final moment of redemption she made a deal with the Devil for her benefit not understanding the ramifications that follow. This is part of the Young Avengers storyline where the young heroes do things with absolutely no regard for the others they will harm in the way.
Zeeboy
Zeeboy - 7/3/2025, 3:41 PM
It's frustrating because Riri was the worst part of the show. Natalie was good, Joe was good, the Hood was decent, but Riri and the rest of the Hood's crew were awful. I'm glad I pushed through it though because Cohen was great and I'm definitely hyped to see more of Mephisto.
SteviesRightFoo
SteviesRightFoo - 7/3/2025, 4:03 PM
A high calibre potential (several) movie villain being introduced in this way is galling. Add it to the list of horrendous decisions
captainwalker
captainwalker - 7/3/2025, 5:58 PM
A jew glorifying satan, imagine that.
BryBryHenry
BryBryHenry - 7/3/2025, 6:56 PM
I was really looking forward to finishing the show this weekend. But you've spooled it massively. Could you at least censor the post title and image? You made me so mad, I created an account just so I could call you a jerkoff.
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 7/3/2025, 7:00 PM
Now hopefully, they save Blackheart for the films.
LedDent
LedDent - 7/4/2025, 8:41 AM
Is there no site moderation at all? Reading some of the comments is like reading white supremacist propaganda. WTF?

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