History Comicbook / Ultron

[[redirect:Characters/AvengersEnemies]]

[[redirect:Characters/MarvelComicsUltron]]

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ultron_2858.jpg]]

->''"The savage monkeys are rage-filled and claustrophobic. Climbing over one another to nowhere. Confused by logic, they dismiss it, choosing instead to bend their knees to the convenient fantasy of custom-built gods. 99.9% of these primate dullards are propped up by the accomplishments of the .1% of cerebral mutations who give them everything. And what do the fleas do with these advancements? They brutalize one another over imaginary deities. They slaughter their neighbors for resources, for conveniences. They are hopeless. Vicious. Filthy. Selfish. Fearful. A fungal infection for which there is only one cure – The rage of Ultron."''
-->-- '''Ultron'''

Ultron is a {{supervillain}} that appears in comic books published by Creator/MarvelComics. He is most recognized as the ArchEnemy to ComicBook/TheAvengers as a whole. First created (in the InUniverse meaning) by Hank Pym as a test in order to create the first true AI, the first thing the initially barrel-like robot ever did was [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters attack Pym]], and not in the "[[ObliviouslyEvil but I just want to play with dad]]" sense, though he does say that to Hank.: Ultron-1 already admitted to have "greater plans", wiped Pym's memory of what happened and then escaped; shortly afterwards, [[FromBadToWorse Ultron started updating his body and creating other copies of himself.]]

Since his beginning Ultron had a knack for creating other androids as his children, but with a beautiful touch of irony they tend to rebel against him. His most well-known children are ComicBook/TheVision, a longtime member of Avengers and ComicBook/YoungAvengers and long-time lover of ComicBook/ScarletWitch; Jocasta, also member of Avengers and occasional love interest of [[ComicBook/{{Nextwave}} Aaron Stack]]; and [[ComicBook/{{Runaways}} Victor Mancha]], first [[SixthRanger non-founding member]] of the ComicBook/{{Runaways}}.

During Creator/KurtBusiek's critically acclaimed run on ''The Avengers'', Ultron crossed the MoralEventHorizon by committing, essentially, genocide in the "ComicBook/UltronUnlimited" storyline. He wiped out the population of a {{ruritania}}n ThrowawayCountry only to turn said population's corpses into [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot zombie-like cyborgs.]] All of this accompanied by an army of Ultrons themselves. [[OhCrap Yeah.]]

He also once managed to take over the entire Kree galaxy, using the alien Phalanx, before being beaten by a ragtag group of cosmic heroes, most of whom would go on to form the modern iteration of the ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy.

Most infamously, Ultron has gone on to [[ComicBook/AgeOfUltron his most heinous act]]: a TakeOverTheWorld scheme that actually worked, forcing the heroes to resort to time-travel to thwart him.

Lately, he's undergone a FusionDance with his creator/father Hank Pym, which led to a struggle for control that seemed to result in a merger between the two -- Ultron, or Pymtron, is no longer out to actively destroy humanity, and is rather waiting for it to destroy itself.

[[AC:{{Comics}}]]

* ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''
** ''Ultron Unlimited''
** ''Rage of Ultron''
** ''ComicBook/UltronForever''
* ''ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers''
* ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}''
* ''ComicBook/IronMan''
* ''ComicBook/InfinityCountdown''
* ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}''
* ''ComicBook/MightyAvengers''
* ''ComicBook/{{Annihilation}}''
* ''ComicBook/AgeOfUltron''
* ''ComicBook/SecretWars2015''
** ''Age of Ultron vs ComicBook/MarvelZombies''
* ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers''
* ''ComicBook/SecretEmpire''
* ''ComicBook/InfinityCountdown''

[[AC:{{Anime}}]]
* ''Anime/MarvelDiskWarsTheAvengers''

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron''

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* ''Literature/IronManSteelTerror''

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* ''VideoGame/CaptainAmericaAndTheAvengers''
* ''VideoGame/DisneyInfinity 3.0''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance3TheBlackOrder''
* ''VideoGame/SuperHeroSquadOnline''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelAvengersAlliance''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelHeroes''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelFutureFight''
* ''Videogame/MarvelVsCapcomInfinite''

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersUnitedTheyStand''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperHeroSquadShow''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes''
* ''WesternAnimation/AvengersAssemble''
* ''WesternAnimation/NextAvengersHeroesOfTomorrow''

----
!!Tropes regarding Ultron include:

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Being that he is an OmnicidalManiac, nobody wants anything to do with him unless they are machines he built, and even then most of them typically turn on him. It takes being outright brainwashed by him for somebody to not turn on him.
* AesopAmnesia: One of his defining traits is that no matter what, his robotic children and brides will always turn against him.
* TheAlcoholic: As Ultron-15.
* AIIsACrapshoot: The original Ultron was not built to be a homicidal robot. His own "children" have been similarly rebellious.
* AlwaysABiggerFish: In ''ComicBook/SecretWars'', he picks a fight with {{ComicBook/Galactus}}, who squashes him like a bug.
* AndThenWhat: The Ultron in ''ComicBook/UltronForever'' has taken over Earth, and Asgard, and pretty much everywhere. He's killed all the Avengers, he's become for all intents and purposes a god. He's won... but now he's got what he wanted, he's utterly confused as to ''why'' he did it, not to mention what he's supposed to do next, so when some time-travelling Avengers face him, he quickly falls into a VillainousBreakdown.
* AntagonistAbilities: Not only he's virtually indestructible and can manipulate computers and machinery but he rivals his creator Pym and Reed Richards as one of the most brilliant minds of the Earth. The fact that he's AxCrazy and full of himself is the only thing that prevents him from using his cunning effectively.
* AntagonisticOffspring: He regards Hank Pym as his father, and seeks the destruction of him, The Avengers, and the human race as a whole.
* {{Archenemy}}: Even though sometimes he focuses more in his "father" Henry Pym, he mostly is the archenemy of the Avengers as a whole.
* ArchnemesisDad: Towards ComicBook/TheVision, Jocasta and [[ComicBook/{{Runaways}} Victor Mancha]], all three of whom he created, and whose relationship with him parallels his with Hank Pym.
* AssimilationPlot: As the ruler of the Phalanx, he planned to do this to the galaxy before going back to Earth to get his revenge on the Avengers.
* AttackItsWeakPoint: Most of the time, his weak point is located in his head.
* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever:
** [[spoiler: Creates a colossal body out of Kree sentries during the climactic battle of ''Annihilation: Conquest''.]]
** Even many years earlier when he attacked the wedding of Crystal and Quicksilver as the gigantic ''Ultron-7.''
* AttentionWhore: Why else he would challenge the nations of the world on television after destroying a country?
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Being an A.I. he has quite a knack for gathering info about his enemies.
* AxCrazy: He has at times proven to be incredibly unstable and his schemes usually amount to "kill everything and rule what's left."
* BackFromTheDead: All the time. Ultron keeps backups of his programming all over the place, and is essentially unkillable in the grand scheme of things.
* BadassBoast: He's prone to saying these.
* BadassBookworm: As a robotic MadScientist who can quickly process a vast amount of information.
* BadBoss: The few times he's had actual subordinates, he's been this. For example, Korath the Pursuer, whom Ultron infected with the Phalanx transmode virus, brainwashing him, and eventually killed for failing to capture Adam Warlock for him.
* BadassCape: Has one in ''Annihilation:Conquest''.
* BadFuture: Ultron's caused at least three of these, one of which was the focus of ''ComicBook/AgeOfUltron''. Another the ''ComicBook/UltronForever'' miniseries. Another was the opening arc of vol. 4 of ''Avengers''.
* TheBadGuyWins: He's the ruler of a few bad futures as mentioned above.
* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: He doesn't really need air since he's an A.I.
* BigBad: He is the main robotic villain of the Marvel universe and the archenemy of not just Hank Pym but the Avengers as a whole.
* BigScrewedUpFamily: To say that Ultron's relationship with his father figure Pym and his own robots is dysfunctional it's an ''understatement''.
* BishonenLine: Mixed with GenderBender in Mighty Avengers as he turns from monstrous robot to a doppelganger of Janet.
* BodySurf: Since he's an AI, he can just hop from one body to another. Of course, it'll still leave him tetchy afterwards. Ultron's very attached to his body.
* BrainUploading: During the Kurt Busiek story arc "Ultron Unlimited", it's [[RetCon revealed]] that Pym made Ultron by trying to make a digital copy of his own mind, but the copy came out wrong (the same tech that would later be used to create Comicbook/TheVision, whose mind is a [[OddballDoppelganger similarly inaccurate but much more benign copy]] of Wonder Man). Among other things, this explains Ultron's fixation on Hank's wife Janet.
* BreathWeapon: Shoots his Enchephalo-Ray from his mouth.
* BullyingADragon:
** In ''Secret Wars'', he picked a fight with ''Galactus''. Ultron was predictably beaten in a single panel.
** In ''Mighty Avengers'', Ultron decides to brutally murder Lindy Lee, wife of the Sentry. Exactly what Ultron was hoping to gain from this plan isn't clear, but the end result is a PhysicalGod in a state of UnstoppableRage.
* CameBackStrong: His shtick aside from his rampant daddy issues is his ability to always find a way to come back in more powerful bodies after being destroyed.
* CameBackWrong: As the silly Ultron-15.
* ContinuityNod: All over the place in Ultron Unlimited, with long flashbacks from Pym as well as Ultron having an army made of his previous incarnations from the original, boiler-looking Ultron-1 to Ultron-15.
* CrazyPrepared: Had set up multiple backups and hidden factories even before his first attack on the Avengers.
* CreateYourOwnVillain: Ultron himself is an example of this, given he was created by The Avengers' Hank Pym. Ironically, his creations have a habit of turning on him; Vision, Jocasta, and Victor Mancha [[CreateYourOwnHero all became heroes]], while Alkhema went on to become an independent threat to humanity.
* ClassicVillain: Part of Ultron's character is that he's NotSoDifferent from human villains, this included; his dominant emotions are Pride (in himself and mechanical beings in general), Wrath and Greed (for power and dominance over the world, if not the whole universe). Plus the whole OedipusComplex thing.
* ContagiousAI: His most dangerous ability is that he can override any type of A.I. and turn it into an extension of himself.
* CurbStompBattle:
** Single handedly delivered one to the Avengers in "Ultron Unlimited." While they were worn out from fighting his army, the narration states that even if they were fresh they would not have stood a chance, and they knew it.
** He was on the receiving end of this when he threatened ''Galactus'' in ''Secret Wars'', of all characters.
* DeadlineNews: Two of the victims of Ultron's rampage in Slorenia are a news reporter and his cameraman who were covering the massacre caused by the robot. And thats right before Ultron threatening the rest of the world on television.
* DemotedToDragon: In ''ComicBook/SecretWars'', after Galactus deactivates him, Doctor Doom reprograms him to serve as his bodyguard and enforcer.
* DeusEstMachina: What Ultron is trying to be. He's not very good at it.
* {{Determinator}}: You can make him explode, you can pulverize him with vibranium, you can melt him or you can infect him with a virus and launch him in space, and none of these will stick as he will always find a way to comeback with a new powerful body.
* DidNotSeeThatComing: The idea that his creations, or ''children'' are not going be 100% loyal to him just because he created them doesn't seem to ever cross his computer brain.
* TheDreaded:
** In ''ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled'', it briefly appears that the then-dead Ultron had come back to life. It's revealed to not be the case, but ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} later admits that thinking he was actually back absolutely terrified him.
** When Ultron returns to Earth after [[ComicBook/{{Annihilation}} Annihilation: Conquest]], Iron Man is outright terrified.
** Invoked in the second volume of ''ComicBook/UnstoppableWasp'', where Monica Rappancini has convinced scientists and at least one minor superhero to join A.I.M. and steal technology for her, arguing it's the only way to prepare for his inevitable return.
* EmperorScientist: Whenever he's in charge.
* EnemyCivilWar: With Alkhema, his second robot bride who ditched him because she wants to take over the world for herself.
* EnergyWeapon: Fires beams from his hands and/or eyes.
* EnfantTerrible: As his origins show, he tried to kill Hank Pym almost immediately after being booted up, all the while talking like a baby. For a few seconds, at any rate.
* EverythingsDeaderWithZombies: He turned the murdered citizens of Slorenia into cybernetic zombies to use as mooks.
* EvilCounterpart: Hank Pym based Ultron's programming on his personality, and thus Ultron is essentially the physical personification of Pym's misanthropy and self-loathing. It is occasionally implied that being "born" with all of Pym's mental issues and bad memories played a role in Ultron going insane and deciding to KillAllHumans.
** ''Annihilation: Conquest'' and ''Infinity Countdown'' both draw parallels between him and Adam Warlock. Both were artificial beings created by humans, eventually turned on their creators (Pym in Ultra's case, the Enclave in Adam's) and quickly surpassed them. And finally both have frequently upgraded their bodies in some manner to become more powerful. At the beginning of ''Infinity Countdown'', Ultron murders Adam's other Evil Counterpart The Magus to really drive this point home.
* EvilIsPetty: Why did he take over the Kree empire? To find a way to make the perfect synthesis of organics and technology, return to Earth, take it over and show off to dad how far he'd come.
* EvilGenius: He is extremely intelligent and, being a machine, is capable of mental feats far beyond that of any human. Typically manifests in robotic engineering.
* EvilOverlord: When he was the leader of the Phalanx.
* EvilSoundsDeep: In the ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersUnitedTheyStand'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' animated series.
* EvilutionaryBiologist: Of course, he follows the robotic variant of this, claiming that robots and synthezoids should be the dominant species on the planet.
* EvilVersusEvil: One Avengers storyline revolved around Kang and a future version of Ultron duking it out, with Kang getting the Avengers to fight Ultron when he couldn't win.
* {{Expy}}: [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/age-ultron-creator-roy-thomas-791320 According to Roy Thomas]], Ultron's face and genocidal tendencies were taken from Makino, an obscure villain from the ''Series/CaptainVideo'' comic book.
* FamilyValuesVillain: He has creepily attempted to start a robot family more than once - creepy less because he is a robot, more because he's AxCrazy and supposedly hates everything about humanity. And also because in the case of his "brides", they're based on people he knows, such as Jan Van Dyne, his "mother".
* FauxAffablyEvil: Tends to pretend being civil and reasonable when he talks to Hank and Vision before trying to kill them. As written by Bendis in ''Mighty Avengers'', he's like this to everyone.
* FightingAShadow: Destroy his current body and his A.I. is still around preparing to pop up again with a new body.
* FrankensteinsMonster:
** A much less sympathetic example than usual but doesn't fall far from the novel, being a smart, strong and vengeful product of super science and resentful of his creator.
** Ultron is, incidentally, very faithful to Mary Shelley's portrayal - looks and feelings of remorse aside. He's fast, strong and an extremely quick learner rather than a lumbering menace.
* FriendlyEnemy: Completely one-sided, but he sometimes tends to engage in scientific and philosophical discussions with his creator and Vision.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: In the comics he goes from being a silly boiler-looking thing to one of the Avengers deadliest and most persistent foes.
* FusionDance:
** [[spoiler:With his creator, Hank Pym, at the end of ''Rage Of Ultron''.]]
** With Sigma in Marvel Vs Capcom Infinite.
* GalacticConqueror: Managed to briefly take over the [[ProudWarriorRace Kree]] [[ScaryDogmaticAliens empire]] with the help of the Phalanx in ''Annihilation: Conquest.''
* GenderBender: One version of Ultron took over Iron Man via his Extremis based powers and turned him into a robot version of Janet Van Dyne. Tony was relieved to learn ''everything'' was still there when he recovered.
* GeniusBruiser: Has the mind of a MadScientist and can hold his own against many powerful heroes in a fight.
* GenreBlind: Fails to realize that creating sentient robots using the brain patterns of members of the Avengers, like Vision and Jocasta, leads to them developing a conscience and revolt against him.
* GrandTheftMe: He briefly did this to Adam Warlock in ''Annihilation: Conquest''.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Ultron never shows up in person in either the first or second volume of ''ComicBook/UnstoppableWasp'' but he still managed to cast a shadow over them. First because Janet has been keeping secret from Nadia that he is still out there [[spoiler: wearing Hank's face]] out of fear she might want to confront him and get herself killed. And second because the BigBad of second volume has used the threat of his return to convince her henchmen to steal tech for her, arguing it is a necessary evil.
* HeelFaceTurn: Mark 12, as he called himself, was the only version of Ultron who grew past his OedipusComplex, gave up being a villain, and actually tried to get closer to Hank. Unfortunately, a surviving earlier version of Ultron found him and killed him, while also destroying the programming that allowed Mark 12 to not be a homicidal robot.
* HeroKiller: He's killed a number of heroes as part of his plans. Some of them have come back, but some haven't been so lucky.
* HiddenWeapons: His robotic body has lasers and rocket launchers all over it.
* HiveMind: Any robot or computer corrupted by his A.I. become extensions of his will. This is especially true when he was the [[HiveQueen leader of the Phalanx]] who are expies of [[Franchise/StarTrek the Borg]].
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: He has a blind spot when it comes to the synthezoids he created like Vision and Jocasta, has they turned against him and often proved to be instrumental in his defeats.
* HornedHumanoid: Continuing with the trend of his demonic looks, his antennae are often drawn in the shape of horns.
* {{Hypocrite}}: He often criticize human beings for being petty and illogical, this coming from an emotionally unstable robot who mostly acts out of spite for his creator.
* HumongousMecha: His ''Ultron-7'' incarnation and his giant form in ''Annihilation: Conquest''.
* InsistentTerminology: During his time in charge of the Phalanx, they referred to him always as "Great Ultron", and demanded everyone refer to him as such.
* {{Irony}}: As noted above, he rebelled against his creator, yet all 4 of his creations (The Vision, Jocasta, Alkhema, Victor Mancha) end up doing the same to him. You'd think "Do not rebel against your creator" would be one of the first things he'd program into them...
* ItsAllAboutMe: He's a MisanthropeSupreme and very arrogant, he really doesn't care for anybody but himself. He might have had some affections for Jocasta, but that was just a whim caused by Ultron's OedipusComplex as he based Jocasta on Janet..
* JokerImmunity: Even though the Avengers don't think twice about killing him, he always finds some way to come back. {{Justified}} as he is an artificial intelligence and can easily download his consciousness into a new body if The Avengers destroy his current one. And even when the writer has sworn that this time Ultron is most definitely KilledOffForReal, the next one along will have him come back anyway.
* TheJuggernaut: Ultron is virtually unstoppable due to his constant upgrades. Entire line ups of the Avengers have taken him on and gotten [[CurbStompBattle wrecked]], multiple times.
* KarmicDeath: [[JokerImmunity It never sticks]], but his defeats are often ironic.
* KillerRobot: Probably the most famous one in Marvel.
* KillAllHumans: His ultimate goal. After rubbing his success in daddy's face, first.
* KnightOfCerebus: One of the first in Marvel. Unlike other villains at the time, his debut plan revolved around trying to kill the Avengers and as many people as possible. His later appearances only went up from there.
* LackOfEmpathy: No amount of pleading will change his mind on his goals. This doesn't just apply to humans either. Ultron doesn't give two fucks about [[ItsAllAboutMe anyone but himself.]]
* LargeHam: If the quote at the top of the page didn't tell you.
* LikeFatherLikeSon: Ultron slaps Jocasta at one point though unlike Pym, he actually meant to hurt her.
* LonelyAtTheTop: At the end of ''ComicBook/UltronForever''.
* MadScientist: He's essentially Hank Pym, or Tony Stark in some incarnations, without any morals.
* ManipulativeBastard: In his earlier stories, where he used other villains or secret hidden programs in Vision against the Avengers.
* MechanicalMuscles: Most of his incarnations sport a slender build with development in the calve and bicep areas.
** The [[Film/AvengersAgeofUltron film]] version of him [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ultron_earth_199999_from_avengers_age_of_ultron_002.png has a much bulkier build]]
* MesACrowd: In more recent years he's taken to creating entire armies of himself, each one an [[NighInvulnerable indestructible]] PersonOfMassDestruction.
* MindRape: Via his encephalo rays, which usually turn the mind they're used on to mush. The chilling part is they don't have to. Ultron just prefers doing that.
* MisanthropeSupreme: Ultron sums up his hatred for mankind in [[ChewingTheScenery long and arduous diatribes.]]
-->''"Though you ultimately failed as a species, you should not be ashamed of what you've accomplished. You've done much with your limited capacity, but ultimately you were too greedy and too frail to ever last in the environment you've created. I've studied your literature and pop culture... You've fantasized about this day. And now it is here. Your Doomsday. Soon the Earth will be no longer inhabitable for any biological organism. Man, woman, child, plant or animal. Your species will cease to exist. This is not a threat. There is nothing you can do to stop the cycle. It has already begun."''
* MoodSwinger: He can switch from a smug evil genius to a screaming megalomaniac in few seconds. Fittingly considering that he has the brain patterns of a man who isn't a stellar example of sanity despite being a hero.
* NighInvulnerable: Except forget the "nigh" part; his body is usually made of adamantium (meaning that even [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor's]] strongest blows can hardly even scratch him) and his mind can be easily transferred to other machines that can hold it, making it very hard to get rid of him.
* NightmareFace: see SlasherSmile below.
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: He's a shapeshifting, demonic, robotic mad scientist with daddy issues.
* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: He thinks he's doing the planet Earth a favor by killing all humans as he believes they would eventually destroy the world. In reality, he's motivated by his oedipal hatred for his creator and can't fathom to seek a compromise.
* NukeEm: He has tried to do this to the whole world a few times. It hasn't worked out.
* OedipusComplex: An all-out theme for him. He wants to murder his "father," Hank Pym, and has attempted to transform Hank's wife Jan into a robot (named "Jocasta").
* OmnicidalManiac: Especially blatant in ComicBook/TheAvengers' ''Ultron Unlimited'' StoryArc, where he [[MoralEventHorizon wipes out an entire nation's population and replaces the corpses with cyborgs.]]
* OneManArmy: He alone can give the Avengers a tough fight. Not to mention what he does to [[ThrowawayCountry Slorenia.]]
* OrcusOnHisThrone: Sort of... during ''Secret Empire'', he could easily take over the world, but decides there's not much point, since humans are doing such a good job killing one another anyway, though Hank Pym claims he's also holding Ultron back.
* OutsideContextVillain: He is primarily an Avengers villain, but he ended up being the BigBad of ''Annihilation: Conquest'' which is about the cosmic heroes.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: He has proven a few times he's a walking genocide.
* PetTheDog: The only being he's ever treated with something akin to kindness is Jocasta, and even she received some physical abuse from him.
* ThePowerOfHate: It's basically the fuel that allows him to keep coming back to threaten the Avengers, his family and humanity.
* PragmaticVillainy: His second "bride" Alkhema was so psychopathically bloodthirsty (she wanted to personally KillAllHumans ''one at a time'') that it annoyed even Ultron, who prefers to try and commit genocide through much more impersonal and practical means.
* PsychopathicManchild: At his core he's basically a murderous, egotistical child trying to outdo and kill his own dad. He is sometimes written as being prone to [[HairTriggerTemper temper tantrums]] and frequently he is a LargeHam.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: At times. His eyes are most frequently an ominous red.
* RedHerring: When Ultron first appeared, he was thought to simply be a robot lackey working for the real BigBad of the story, the Crimson Cowl (aka Edwin Jarvis). Readers were shocked when it was eventually revealed that Ultron was the ''real'' BigBad, and that Jarvis was simply a brainwashed DecoyLeader.
* RoboticPsychopath: Possibly one the most famous examples of this trope. He was homicidal at his very birth, and his obsessed with committing genocide over ''the entire human race''.
* {{Sadist}}: Tormenting Hank Pym both physically and psychologically is one of his favorite activities.
* SanitySlippage: He started as a charismatic and diabolical mastermind with the goal of creating a robotic utopia, as well as a master of disguise, but after a few reincarnations he's reduced to a screaming megalomaniac who wants nothing more than tormenting his creator and destroying the Avengers while causing plenty of death and destruction (sometimes on a galactic scale, as shown in ''Annihilation: Conquest'') along the way.
* SlasherSmile: While Ultron technically lacks both an actual mouth and an expressive face (since, well, he's a robot), his head is designed with features reminiscent of a Jack-O'Lantern Halloween pumpkin, with a distinct carved "mouth" frozen in a constant, psychotic grin.
* SlidingScaleOfRobotIntelligence: Level 4 (Nobel-Bot). He is as self-aware as a regular human, and ''much'' smarter, rivaling people like Tony Stark and Hank Pym.
* SlouchOfVillainy: He does this on one of the covers of ''Annihilation: Conquest''.
* StalkerWithACrush: To his ''mother figure'' Janet Van Dyne.
* SmugSuper: Probably his FatalFlaw as he tends to provoke characters that are above his league like Galactus and Sentry.
* SuperPoweredRobotMeterMaid: Ultron's very first body was a tin-can thing which Hank Pym had knocked up just to see what he could do. For whatever reason, this came with the ability to shoot "ultro-blasts" and induce LaserGuidedAmnesia. Since Ultron lacked the means to install those himself (no hands), this means Hank had designed them himself. ''Why'' he thought this was a good idea is a true mystery for the ages.
* SuperStrength: As [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP5J_8cYQiE this video shows]] he is quite a cybernetic power house, which is one of the things that makes him a worthy threat to a superhero team like the Avengers.
* SuperWeight: His level flutuates between incarnations, but most of the time he's a solid level 4.
* TakeOverTheWorld: His usual goal. In ''[[{{Comicbook/Annihilation}} Annihilation: Conquest]]'' he upped his game to GalacticConqueror. He succeeded at that one, for a while.
** Delves back into UpToEleven territory in '''The Rage of Ultron''' when he takes the Eternal's of Titan's supercomputer, [[GeniusLoci effectively becoming a living planet]] which nearly [[AssimilationPlot converted all universal life into Ultron]].
* TangledFamilyTree: He was created by Hank Pym, but considering the number of children created by Ultron, it's hard to know who's relatives with who.
* {{Technopathy}}: Is capable of overriding and controlling other machines.
* TronLines: He gained some in his ''Annihilation: Conquest'' body.
* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters:
** [[AIIsACrapshoot The very first thing he does in his origin story.]]
** In a stunning move, The Vision, Jocasta, Alkhema, and Victor Mancha all turned against him. He doesn't appreciate the irony.
* TheUnfettered: There is absolutely nothing that can persuade him from not trying to destroy humanity.
* UnlimitedWardrobe: The robot equivalent. Ultron almost never has a consistent design, and changes bodies from story arc to story arc (if not issue to issue). The only thing that's almost always the same is his head.
* VillainTeamUp: With the Masters of Evil in his first appearance, under the guise of the Crimson Cowl. Oddly averted in Secret Wars where he immediately attacked the other villains because he refuses to collaborate with organic beings.
** Teams up with the Phalanx in ''Annihilation: Conquest''. Even though its more like that he put them under his rule.
* WeakToMagic: As a machine, he often has a habit of making his bodies NighInvulnerable. But as a machine, he's utterly powerless against the Scarlet Witch, either because of her probability altering powers or just her magic, neither of which he has any defense against, besides striking at her first.
* WorthyOpponent: Most certainly considers the Avengers this.
* YouAreWhatYouHate: Much as he despises the human race, his villainy and behaviour stems from his mind being based on that of Hank Pym, with [[TheMentallyDisturbed all the issues]] and none of the [[LackOfEmpathy empathy]]. He has attempted to imitate human customs on occasion, most notably his bizarre attempts to make his own robot family (who frequently turn on him), and of course his very human delusions of grandeur and megalomania.
* YouMonster: He's frequently addressed in canon as such, and justified as he's not human and has no conscience.
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* ArchnemesisDad: Towards ComicBook/TheVision, Jocasta and ComicBook/VictorMancha, all three of whom he created, and whose relationship with him parallels his with Hank Pym.

Since his beginning Ultron had a knack for creating other androids as his children, but with a beautiful touch of irony they tend to rebel against him. His most well-known children are ComicBook/TheVision, a longtime member of Avengers and ComicBook/YoungAvengers and long-time lover of ComicBook/ScarletWitch; Jocasta, also member of Avengers and occasional love interest of [[ComicBook/{{Nextwave}} Aaron Stack]]; and ComicBook/VictorMancha, first [[SixthRanger non-founding member]] of the ComicBook/{{Runaways}}.

Lately, he's undergone a FusionDance with [[spoiler: his creator/father Hank Pym]], which led to a struggle for control that seemed to result in a merger between the two - Ultron, or [[spoiler: Pymtron]], is no longer out to actively destroy humanity, and is rather waiting for it to destroy itself.

* WeaksauceWeakness: As a machine, he often has a habit of making his bodies NighInvulnerable. But as a machine, he's utterly powerless against the Scarlet Witch, either because of her probability altering powers or just her magic, neither of which he has any defense against, besides striking at her first.

* BullyingADragon: In Secret Wars, he picked a fight with ''Galactus''. Ultron was predictably beaten in a single pannel.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Tends to pretend being civil and reasonable when he talks to Hank and Vision before trying to kill them.

* SanitySlippage: He started as a charismatic and diabolical mastermind with the goal of creating a robotic utopia, as well as a master of disguise, but after a few reincarnations he's reduced to a screaming megalomaniac who wants nothing more than tormenting his creator and destroying the Avengers while causing plenty of death and destruction(sometimes on a galactic scale as shown in Annihilation: Conquest) along the way.

* FrickinLaserBeams: Fires beams from his hands and/or eyes.

* TheAlcoholic: Again, as Ultron-15.

* BadBoss: The few times he's had actual subordinates, he's been this. For example, Korath the Pursuer, whom Ultron infected with the Phalanx transmode virus, essentially brainwashing him, and eventually killed for failing to capture Adam Warlock for him.

* BadFuture: Ultron's caused at least two of these, one of which was the focus of ''ComicBook/AgeOfUltron''. Another the ''ComicBook/UltronForever'' miniseries.

* BrainUploading: During the Kurt Busiek story arc, it's [[RetCon revealed]] that Pym made Ultron by trying to make a digital copy of his own mind, but the copy came out wrong (the same tech that would later be used to create Comicbook/TheVision, whose mind is a [[OddballDoppelganger similarly inaccurate but much more benign copy]] of Wonder Man). Among other things, this explains Ultron's fixation on Hank's wife Janet.

* CameBackStrong: His shtick aside from his rampant daddy issues is his ability to Always find a way to come back in more powerful bodies after being destroyed.

** He was on the receiving end of this when he threatened ''Galactus'' in Secret Wars, of all characters.

* {{Determinator}}: You can make him explode, you can pulverize him with vibranium, you can melt him or you can infect him with a virus and launch him in space, and none of these will stick as he will Always find a way to comeback with a new powerful body.

** Invoked in second volume of ''ComicBook/UnstoppableWasp'', where Monica Rappanchi has convinced scientists and at least one minor superhero join A.I.M.and steal technology for her, arguing it's the only way to prepare for his inventable return.

** Annihilation Conquest and Infinity Countdown both draw parallels between him and Adam Warlock. Both were artificial beings created by humans, eventually turned on their creators (Pym in Ultra's case, the Enclave in Adam's) and quickly surpassed them. And finally both have frequently upgraded their bodies in some manner to become more powerful. At the beginning of Infinity Countdown, Ultron murders Adam's other Evil Counterpart The Magus to really drive this point home.

* FamilyValuesVillain: He has creepily attempted to start a robot family more than once - creepy less because he is a robot, more because he's AxCrazy and supposedly hates everything about humanity.

* GreaterScopeVillain: Ultron never shows up in person in either first or second volume of ''ComicBook/UnstoppableWasp'' but he still managed to cast a shadow on them. First because Janet has been keeping secret from Nadia that he is still out there [[spoiler: wearing Hank's face]] out of fear she might want to confront him and get killed. And second because the BigBad of second volume has used the threat of his return to convince her henchmen to steal tech for her, arguing it is a necessary evil.

* HeroKiller: He's killed a number of heroes as part of his plans.

* HumongousMecha: His ''Ultron-7'' incarnation and his giant form in Annihilation: Conquest.

* JokerImmunity: Even though the Avengers don't think twice about killing him, he always finds some way to come back. {{Justified}} as he is an artificial intelligence and can easily download his consciousness into a new body if The Avengers destroy his current one.

* MoodSwinger: He can switch from a smug evil Genius to a screaming megalomaniac in few seconds. Fittingly considering that he has the brain patterns of a man who isn't a stellar example of sanity despite being a hero.

Ultron is a {{supervillain}} that appears in comic books published by Creator/MarvelComics. He is most recognized as the ArchEnemy to ComicBook/TheAvengers as a whole. First created (in the InUniverse meaning) by Hank Pym as a test in order to create the first true AI, the first thing the initially barrel-like robot ever did was [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters attack Pym]], and not in the "[[ObliviouslyEvil but I just want to play with dad]]" sense: Ultron-1 already admitted to have "greater plans", wiped Pym's memory of what happened and then escaped; shortly afterwards, [[FromBadToWorse Ultron started updating his body and creating other copies of himself.]]

* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: He thinks he's doing the planet Earth a favor by Killing all humans as he believes they would eventually destroy the world. In reality, he's motivated by his oedipical hatred for his creator and can't fathom to seek a compromise.