Superhero shows are some of the biggest and most mainstream programs on television. Superhero fiction is prominent in pop culture, and it's proven almost as successful on the small screen as it has on the big. As a result, these shows find themselves with large, passionate fanbases who enjoy dissecting every moment.
This is often to the shows' benefit, as it boosts their engagement and encourages more people to watch the series. However, superhero shows are not immune to controversy. Several series have seen major backlash or debate over specific controversial moments, which can harm the series' ratings.
10 Barry Allen And Iris West's First Kiss (The Flash)
As much as they thrived on romantic drama, Arrowverse shows often had a strong couple at their core. In The Flash, Barry Allen and Iris West fulfilled this role and gave the show a stable romantic relationship. The two kissed for the first time in season 1, which set up a show's worth of romantic plots.
However, this kiss sparked drama because Barry and Iris were technically foster siblings. Iris' father Joe raised Barry from a young age. Barry openly considered Joe as his father, and thought of Iris' brother Wally as his own brother. Although the two never described each other as siblings, their romantic relationship left some fans deeply uncomfortable due to their familial bond.
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The Boys And Maeve Turning On Soldier Boy (The Boys)
The most controversial moment of The Boys' third season wasn't because of any moral lines crossed with the audience. Instead, some fans were disappointed by the decisions made in the final episode. After the season's latter half built up the Boys and Soldier Boy working together to fight Homelander, they ended up turning on him at the last minute.
Some fans considered the choice to be out-of-character and foolish, given Homelander's sheer threat and how hated he is. However, others supported the choice. Soldier Boy tried to kill Ryan, a young child with personal ties to Billy Butcher. Had the Boys let him, it probably would have been equally contentious.
8 Lena Luthor Becoming A Villain (Supergirl)
The relationship between Kara Danvers and Lena Luthor was a major part of Supergirl. Supergirl's worst enemy was Lex Luthor, and yet she still managed to form a strong friendship with his sister. Lena spent most of her time on-screen trying to be as good a person as she could be, which meant separating herself from Lex.
However, in season 5, Lena abruptly slipped into villainy. This angered many fans. Those who liked Lena as a positive role model were disappointed, and saw the turn as cliché. Those who supported the change thought that the show was trying to make Lena both a hero and a villain, which made her villainy less convincing.
7 Kingpin's Defeat Was Underwhelming (Hawkeye)
The return of Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk was a huge moment for Hawkeye. It further integrated Daredevil into the Marvel Cinematic Universe's canon, while also giving fans another chance to see D'Onofrio's beloved portrayal of Fisk. However, Hawkeye was only six episodes long, and Fisk's return was a major part of the fifth.
As such, Fisk's defeat had to happen in a single episode. In the finale, the heroes managed to demolish Kingpin's operation and beat him in a fight. Echo then confronted and shot him at the very end. Although the finale was well-liked, Daredevil fans were very disappointed by how little prowess Fisk showed.
6 Ray Palmer's Departure (Legends Of Tomorrow)
A lot of divisive moments in superhero shows revolve around in-universe actions. The biggest controversy of Legends of Tomorrow, however, came from behind-the-scenes drama. In season 5, longtime member of the team Ray Palmer left. His departure wasn't overly dramatic or tragic, as he simply decided to retire after an adventure.
However, fans still responded poorly. For many, it was the epitome of Legends of Tomorrow's issues with rotating out cast members. Many well-liked characters left for no reason and were replaced. It was especially controversial as Ray Palmer had been present from the beginning. Also, actor Brandon Routh didn't want to leave and was blindsided by the news, which angered his many fans.
5 Sylvie Kissing Loki In The Finale (Loki)
Loki and his Variant Sylvie Laufeydottir form the central emotional connection in Loki. Despite being two versions of the same person, they go from open distrust to wary friendship to outright romantic interest. This comes to a head in the final episode when Sylvie kisses Loki before she teleports him away and kills He Who Remains.
This moment split the fanbase. Some thought the romantic relationship was inappropriate due to the two being alternate versions of each other, likening it to incest. Others thought it was the natural progression of their attachment, and that the fantastical elements of the multiverse defied real-life comparisons.
4 Felicity Smoak Interrupting Barry And Iris' Wedding (Arrow)
When Felicity Smoak was first introduced in Arrow, she won over many fans. They saw her as a positive force and liked her romantic tension with Oliver Queen. When the two got together, however, fans thought that their constant romantic tension brought down the plot.
With Felicity already unpopular, the finale of Crisis on Earth-X was the final straw. Felicity interrupted Barry and Iris' wedding, a highly-anticipated moment, to demand that she and Oliver got married as well. Fans who shipped the two were pleased, but everyone else was not. The Flash even went out of its way to poke fun at the moment afterward.
3 She-Hulk And Megan Thee Stallion Twerking (She-Hulk: Attorney At Law)
She-Hulk: Attorney At Law has made waves since its first episode, as it's unapologetic in its feminist leanings. While several moments have caused their fair share of discussion, none have come close to episode 3's final scene. In the episode, Megan Thee Stallion cameos, and the post-credits scene shows both her and Jennifer Walters twerking.
The scene caused instant discussion. Some saw it as atypical for the MCU due to the divisive reputation of the dance. Others saw it as at odds with the show's previous messages about objectification. However, many simply saw it as a funny and unexpected scene that showed two women having fun.
2 Pietro Maximoff Actually Being Ralph Bohner (WandaVision)
WandaVision shocked and surprised viewers with every episode, but none of its cliffhangers were as controversial as Pietro Maximoff reappearing in Westview. Not only had the character died in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but he was suddenly played by Evan Peters from the X-Men films, rather than Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
This caused fans to speculate about the Multiverse and the X-Men finally being added to the MCU. However, the finale revealed Pietro to be an imposter and his real name was a blatant sexual joke. Most fans were deeply unhappy with the reveal, especially with Peters' casting simply being a red herring.
1 Allison Hargreeves Using Her Powers On Luther (The Umbrella Academy)
The Umbrella Academy was never reluctant to tackle dark and serious moral topics, so it saw plenty of divisive moments. One particular scene in the third season, however, sparked a lot of backlash from fans. Allison Hargreeves used her reality-controlling powers to compel Luther into a sexual situation with her, only stopping when he got too rough with her.
Given that Allison didn't get consent and assaulted Luther, the moment was incredibly controversial. Fans also took umbrage with the show's writing. Many thought that The Umbrella Academy didn't explore the ramifications of Allison's actions nearly enough, and didn't focus on Luther as a victim of a genuinely horrific crime.