WARNING: The following contains spoilers for King in Black: Thunderbolts #2 by Matthew Rosenberg, Juan Ferreyra and VC's Joe Sabino, on sale now.
The Thunderbolts are comprised of some of Marvel's deadliest villains. Some seem a lot more dangerous than others, yet a few of the Thunderbolts are often underestimated.
For example, the recent "King In Black" event just demonstrated how truly formidable Batroc the Leaper can be.
In King In Black: Thunderbolts #2, Mister Fear, Batroc's teammate, attempts to break his old friend, Figment, out of his cell. Batroc, however, wouldn't allow it, leading the two villains into conflict. At first, Fear isn't fazed when Batroc says that he's figuring out how best to kill his teammate.
Suddenly, Batroc kicks his leg up high, pinning Fear's throat down against the wall. This move is very impressive, considering Batroc's speed and flexibility. Moreover, Batroc boasts that he could collapse Fear's trachea and let him drown in his own blood, a very believable threat. The gruesome detail that Batroc goes into, along with the deadly move he unleashes on Fear, illustrates how deceptively dangerous he really is.
Typically, Batroc is seen as a fairly goofy villain. Given Batroc's exaggerated French accent, cartoonish mustache and a costume that hasn't changed much since the 1960s, it's understandable that the mercenary might be seen as more of a joke than a threat.
Still, this particular moment with Mister Fear demonstrates that Batroc is truly one of the most formidable fighters in the Marvel Universe. Batroc's quick and efficient takedown of his fellow Thunderbolt emphasizes his extensive training and experience as a mercenary. Later in the issue, when the Thunderbolts are fighting Knull's forces, Batroc puts up quite a fight, flipping around and delivering swift punishment to his enemies.
Ever since Batroc's introduction in Tales of Suspense #75 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, he's been a dangerous opponent. Captain America has been challenged by Batroc many times over the years, as the villain's speed and acrobatics have made him extremely dangerous. This says a lot about Batroc's skills, considering Captain America is one of the best fighters in the Marvel Universe.
Batroc has taken on many of Marvel's best martial artists as well, including Iron Fist. Danny Rand fought Batroc in Marvel Premiere #20 by Tony Isabella and Arvell Jones. The villain gave Iron Fist quite a challenge, although he didn't win the fight. Even so, it's quite the feat for Batroc to confront Iron Fist, one of Marvel's most notorious martial artists, and hold his own.
Batroc even gave Wolverine a serious fight in Wolverine #9 by Paul Cornell and Alan Davis. When Logan lost his healing factor, Batroc went after the X-Man, surprising him with his skills. Batroc's speed and agility allowed him to pull plenty of clever moves against Wolverine, another of Marvel's most formidable fighters. Of course, Logan had lost a step since losing his healing factor, but he still retained his fighting skills, which barely saved him against Batroc.
In the MCU, Batroc's skills are on full display as well. The beginning of Captain America: The Winter Soldier saw Batroc fighting Steve Rogers, just like in the comics. Batroc challenged Steve with his usual kicks and flips. Steve won, but, much like the comics, Batroc gave Captain America a pretty good fight. Batroc also escaped afterwards, indicating how sneaky the villain can be.
Overall, Batroc The Leaper is one of the most dangerously underestimated villains in Marvel Comics.