Marvel's villains are a diverse lot, running the gamut from two bit criminals to universe shaking titans. Marvel characters have always had multiple layers and even the villains benefited from this. Some of the worst villains have proven to be more than just simplistic evil doers and have since reformed, joining the ranks of those they once fought. Some of these reformed villains have taken lofty positions in the Marvel Universe.
Marvel's reformed villains have done amazing things, many becoming A-list heroes in the process. Some of the most popular characters in the Marvel Universe were reformed villains, playing huge roles in the biggest events.
10 Kwannon Went From Assassin To Krakoan Bigwig
Kwannon began her life as a Hand assassin. Her body was forcibly switched with X-Man Psylocke and eventually found her way to the team before dying of the Legacy Virus. The Marvel Universe is a strange place and eventually, Psylocke and Kwannon found their way back into their original bodies. Kwannon took over as Psylocke and has become a Captain on Krakoa.
Kwannon killed many people as a member of the Hand but has since renounced her evil ways. She uses her ninja skills and telepathic powers to battle the enemies of mutantkind, acting as an exemplary member of the new mutant society.
9 Mach-X Left Behind Being The Beetle For A Life Of Heroism
As the Beetle, Abner Jenkins was a C-list villain. He eventually joined the Masters of Evil, bringing himself into Baron Zemo's orbit. This led him to becoming Mach-1 of the Thunderbolts. As Mach-1, Abner loved being a hero and was one of the members of the team who fought against Zemo's plan to take over the world.
Jenkins kept making his armor better, with the current Mach-X armor his most powerful yet. He's been a hero in good standing for years and is one of the few Thunderbolts who stayed on the straight and narrow.
8 Winter Soldier Found Redemption Thanks To Captain America
Bucky Barnes fought alongside Captain America during World War II before being presumed dead. He was retrieved by the Soviets, his lost arm replaced with a cybernetic one. Given the Infinity Formula and brainwashed, he became the Soviets' greatest assassin, the Winter Soldier. Eventually used by General Lukin against Captain America, his return spurred the Star-Spangled Avenger to reform his former partner.
Bucky took over as Captain America after Steve Rogers's assassination and since then has been a great hero. He's worked with the Avengers and other groups, fighting the good fight and making up for his past as a brainwashed assassin.
7 Elektra Went From Hired Gun To Daredevil
Elektra has had a complicated career in the superhero world. After witnessing the killing of her Greek ambassador father, she trained with Daredevil's teacher Stick and became an assassin, which put her up against her former beau Matt Murdock. Eventually, she'd fight alongside him and was killed by Bullseye.
After her resurrection, she went back to being a hero, working with S.H.I.E.L.D. and heroes like Wolverine. Recently, she took over as Daredevil for an incarcerated Murdock and showed just how ready for the big leagues she is.
6 Quicksilver Became An Avenger And Member Of X-Factor
Quicksilver began his race as a member of Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. He and his twin sister Scarlet Witch left that group and joined the Avengers, becoming stalwart members of the group. Quicksilver's time as an Avenger saw him becoming a clutch member of the team. Eventually, he'd team up with X-Factor as well.
Since then, he's fallen off the superhero wagon because of their treatment of his sister Scarlet Witch but he rejoined the Avengers and has been on the straight and narrow ever since. Quicksilver's life has always been complicated, but he's done his best to do the right thing since becoming a hero.
5 Scarlet Witch Has Become One Of The Most Iconic Avengers
Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver have been on the same road their entire lives. As an Avenger, she found love and become one of the foremost members of the hero community. Her burgeoning powers and fragile mental state led to her going and back forth between heroism and villainy but with the help of her friends, the Avengers, has always come back from the brink.
Scarlet Witch has had a hard go of things but she's easily one of the most iconic Avengers. While it's impossible to say she's made up for all of the terrible things she's done, she never stops trying to live up to the heroic ideals she's embraced.
4 Black Widow Made Up For Her Years Of Black Ops Sins
Black Widow has always been one of Marvel's top spies. For years, she worked for the Russians, the Infinity Formula keeping her young and her Red Room training making her a formidable assassin. She clashed with Iron Man, using Hawkeye as a cat's paw, before reforming and joining the Avengers and the Champions.
Since defecting, she's worked with S.H.I.E.L.D., something no one would have predicted. She's led the Avengers and worked with the greatest heroes on the planet. Black Widow is an icon, a great example of a villain making good.
3 Hawkeye Learned To Be A Hero From The Best
Hawkeye worked with Black Widow against Iron Man before joining the Avengers alongside Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. He proved to be a better Avenger than a villain, his archery skills making a huge difference with the team. He's one of the Avengers' bravest members, fighting against supervillains, aliens, and gods.
Hawkeye has put his body on the line to save the innocent. He's led the West Coast Avengers and the Thunderbolts. He has a heroic protege in Kate Bishop and has also worked as Goliath and Ronin after his return to life.
2 Rogue Is One Of The X-Men's Most Important Members
Rogue was raised as the foster daughter of Mystique and Destiny. She joined up with Mystique's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and singlehandedly defeated the Avengers with her power siphoning abilities. This backfired when she drained all of Ms. Marvel's powers and part of the hero's personality.
Rogue left the Brotherhood and joined the X-Men, having many epic adventures with the team. As a member of the team, she'd lead the group and learned how to control her powers. She became an Avenger as well, eventually becoming leader of the Avengers Unity Division. Rogue has since become a member of the X-Men again and has long been one of the most important mutant heroes.
1 Magneto Has Joined The X-Men And Become A World Leader
Magneto is one of most powerful people on the planet and was the X-Men's first foe. He battled the team for years, influenced by his time in Auschwitz. He fought humans because he believed they would destroy mutants given a chance and more often than not was proved right. Over the years, he's joined the X-Men several times but his most recent stint has seen him finally embrace heroism.
Magneto still fights for mutants but he does it alongside his old friend Charles Xavier. The two worked together in secret to build the mutant nation of Krakoa for years, giving their people a home and power they've never had before. He's now a world leader, and while he and Xavier have made questionable decisions to keep the island safe, he's stopped trying to kill humans.