When it comes to long-form fiction storytelling, everyone loves a good redemption story. In comic books, it is no different. Many readers rebelled when the story of Doctor Octopus in the body of Spider-Man began, but soon fell in love with the concept. The Superior Spider-Man eventually, reluctantly, became a hero. It didn't last, but it was still cool to see.
Likewise, villains like Venom, Emma Frost, and Sabretooth have switched sides to become heroes. Going back to the start of time, even Hawkeye, Black Widow, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Rogue all got their starts as villains before finding redemption. However, some villains have simply gone too far. These ten Marvel villains are completely beyond redemption, for a whole variety of different reasons.
10 THANOS
The Mad Titan has helped superheroes before. However, when he fought alongside the heroes, he never did it for a sense of redemption. Thanos did it for his gains and desires. Make no mistake, any good deeds that Thanos has ever done occurred only because he wanted something in return.
That is the big difference between the Avengers movies and comic books. In the films, Thanos saw himself as the hero saving the universe from destruction. However, in the comics, he was doing it for Lady Death. Thanos has killed countless beings and is far beyond any hope of redemption.
9 CARNAGE
Venom started as a bad guy. However, Eddie Brock was someone who thought Peter Parker wronged him, and the Symbiote believed Spider-Man abandoned him. They were considered villains because they hated and wanted to kill Spider-Man. Other than that, he was an antihero. However, when it comes to Carnage, he was evil from the start.
Cletus Kasady was in prison for multiple murders before the Symbiote attached itself to him. When he got it, Carnage became one of the most deranged murderers in the Marvel Universe. He is beyond redemption, and nothing he does could ever make up for the evil he caused.
8 NORMAN OSBORN
Norman Osborn looked like he deserved redemption at one time. When he started, the Green Goblin was almost like a split personality for Osborn, and it almost seemed Norman needed help. However, over time, Osborn gained control and became worse. He killed Gwen Stacy, and that damned him in many fans' eyes.
Here is the real dealbreaker, though: Norman saved the world in Secret Invasion. This act was his chance for redemption, and he responded by creating the Dark Avengers, hunting down superheroes, and becoming worse than ever. He had his shot and blew it.
7 RED SKULL
If there is one villain in the Marvel Universe that is way beyond hope, it is the Red Skull (and Hatemonger). His Hydra associations, the deeds he has gleefully overseen and personally committed... all of these things make the Red Skull someone who can never receive redemption.
Red Skull is the personification of evil and has done more to harm the world than almost anyone that followed him. There is no redemption for this fiend, considering his legacy of evil.
6 ULTRON
Ultron had one directive. He was to protect the world. However, when Hank Pym installed that rule into the robot, he never expected the AI to develop to the point where it warped that entire philosophy to a murderous extreme.
Ultron believes that humans are the one real danger to the world, and unless all humans are destroyed, they will cause the end of the world. Once he reached that level, there was no turning back for Ultron. He stands no chance for redemption because he believes he is the hero.
5 MEPHISTO
Mephisto is one of the closest things Marvel has to Satan in their comic books. The fact alone makes him irredeemable. To prove that Mephisto never deserves redemption, look at the lives he destroyed throughout history. Nothing he does will ever even it out.
He made a deal with Johhny Blaze to save his father from cancer, and then allowed the man to perish in a motorcycle accident. He struck a deal with Mary Jane Parker that ended her marriage to Spider-Man by erasing all memories of it. He is perhaps the most untrustworthy and powerful being in the Marvel Universe, which is a formidable combination.
4 APOCALYPSE
Apocalypse is similar to Thanos, in that he is a world conqueror who does what he does for his own selfish goals. Known as the First Mutant, En Sabah Nur was born 5,000 years ago and has since arrived at various points in time to attack and try to conquer Earth.
He even succeeded in one alternate future, as the Age of Apocalypse showed him as the ruler over all. He was a vicious and vindictive villain who, with his Horsemen, reigns supreme and rains terror down on anyone who dares cross his path.
3 DORMAMMU
For much the same reason that Mephisto is beyond redemption, so is Dormammu. The fact is that Dormammu is a demon born millions of years ago, quickly rising to become its dimension's greatest sorcerer.
Dormammu and sibling Umar wanted more power and chose to set out on a conquest of other realms, where they found the Dark Dimension. The domain had been at peace for over 28,000 years. However, when they arrived, the ruler there sought their knowledge for further conquests. Soon, Dormammu discovered the Mindless Ones, freed them, murdered most of the heroes of the Dark Dimension and set himself up as the new ruler. His only desire is to conquer other worlds.
2 BULLSEYE
Bullseye is a mass murderer and rarely misses his targets. It all started as a young man, when he earned a baseball contract and murdered a batter with a well-placed pitch. Instead of going to prison, he started working for the government and, over time, came to believe himself above the law.
He is untrustworthy. He even accepted a contract to murder The Kingpin, who was his most reliable boss, and only stopped because Kingpin offered more money. Villains don't trust him, as was proven with Norman Osborn's Thunderbolts. He murdered both Elektra and Karen Page and watched them die in Daredevil's arms. He is way beyond redemption, especially since his fate is to one day kill Daredevil as well.
1 PURPLE MAN
When it comes to the Purple Man, he committed a crime that may not have taken a life (although he took many lives), but almost ruined one. Killgrave has the power to make anyone do what he tells them by just saying it. The power is impressive, and he used it to his full advantage.
He has 'ordered' numerous killings, without an ounce of remorse. He also captured and humiliated Jessica Jones for a long time with his powers, not allowing her to escape, and almost breaking her psychologically. It was the worst kind of crime, and for that, he will never find redemption.