Line #24 AdaptationalHeroism/MarvelCinematicUniverse


1	AdaptationalHeroism in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse.
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3	[[folder: Marvel Studios]]
4	* Tony Stark aka Film/IronMan himself, compared to his [[BrokenAce flawed and often antagonistic comic book counterpart]] who even Creator/StanLee admitted was intentionally written to be unlikeable. Notably, all Tony's worst qualities (i.e alcoholism, egotism, arrogance, paranoia, and self-hatred) are either toned down or removed completely. At worst, he's a JerkWithAHeartOfGold which is a damn slight better than the pseudo-fascist he [[Flanderization/ComicBooks readily becomes in the comics]]. Hell, MCU Tony astoundingly is more of a MessianicArchetype than even ''Captain America'' (TheParagon) at times, which is really saying something. ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' is the one time where Tony verges on his comic book-WellIntentionedExtremist ways, though it took ComicBook/ScarletWitch [[MindRape screwing with his brain]], and some fans actually feel it was an OutOfCharacterMoment for Tony. It's most clear in ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'' as in the comic, Tony ruthlessly chucked his best friends in prison if they didn't agree with the SuperHumanRegistrationAct while in the movie version, Tony is genuinely horrified to see his friends imprisoned by [[GeneralRipper Thaddeus Ross]]. Also in the film, Tony's arguments and motivations are portrayed [[BothSidesHaveAPoint as equally justified]] as Steve's are.
5	** [[spoiler: MCU Tony also has pulled off two [[HeroicSacrifice Heroic Sacrifices]] to save Earth and the universe in general, the first time by throwing a nuclear missile into space to stop the Chitauri and nearly dying from it, the second time channeling the power of the Infinity Stones to defeat Thanos and his armies for good, which ultimately kills him. In the comics, Tony has endangered Earth and has brought humanity close to destruction multiple times.]]
6	** ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' puts the final nail in with the introduction of the morally dubious ComicBook/TheIlluminati, as unlike the comics where Tony is a prominent member (helping carry out things like shooting Hulk into space and brainwashing Cap for him opposing destroying other universes to save 616), here Iron Man [[NotHisSled isn’t part of it]]. While not shown, it is hinted another version of Tony Stark was at least a close ally of the group, but it certainly wasn’t the same Iron Man the audience got to know and love.
7	* While the MCU version of ComicBook/NickFury is no stranger to keeping secrets and manipulating events to fit a desired outcome, he doesn't go nearly as far with it as the character he's based on ([[ComicBook/UltimateMarvel Ultimate Nick Fury]]), who's an outright VillainProtagonist at times.
8	* The same goes for Maria Hill, who is more overtly heroic and lacks most of her comic counterpart's more morally dubious qualities.
9	* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'': In one scene of [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Steve]] trying to join the army, he claimed his parents both served until they died. In the comics, Steve's dad was an unemployed and [[AbusiveParents abusive]] drunkard. Then again, [[UnreliableNarrator Steve was already lying about his home town to have another chance to join the army]]. In the sequel ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', there's a flashback to pre-serum Steve after his mother's funeral where Bucky tries to console him and Steve says it's alright since she's "now with Dad", implying a healthier family life compared to the comics.
10	* ''Film/IronMan3'': The Iron Patriot armor gets adapted into the new suit that [[ComicBook/WarMachine Lt. Col. James Rhodes]] gets to use. In the comics, the armor is best known as the one used by ComicBook/NormanOsborn during the ComicBook/DarkReign storyline, in the film, the suit is eventually stolen and misused for the criminal actions of The Mandarin [[spoiler:or rather Aldrich Killian]], meaning its worst crimes are committed against the wishes of its actual owner.
11	* Comicbook/{{Loki}} gets this quite a bit in the movies, as in the comics (at least before his {{Reincarnation}}) he was a ManipulativeBastard whose schemes brought Earth and the universe to the brink of destruction multiple times, and while Loki has a few [[PetTheDog redeeming qualities]] overall he's a ChaoticEvil JerkAss. But in the films Loki from the [[Film/{{Thor}} get-go]] is more of a TragicVillain, whose villainous actions were born out of jealousy of getting constantly shadowed by his brother and desire to prove himself to Odin. Unfortunately Loki falls under Thanos's wing in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' but even then he somewhat regrets the chaos he's causing during the FinalBattle (to the point of ManlyTears). ''[[Film/ThorTheDarkWorld The Dark World]]'' and ''[[Film/ThorRagnarok Ragnarok]]'' furthers this, as Loki actually aids Thor against the villains as well as becoming [[TookALevelInKindness more and more selfless and caring]]. [[spoiler: ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' tops it off with Loki performing a HeroicSacrifice to protect Thor from being killed by Thanos]].
12	** Once Loki got his own [[Series/Loki2021 series]], he was reset to his characterization in ''The Avengers'', making him a VillainProtagonist [[spoiler:due to being a variant from the timeframe of ''The Avengers'' that escaped during the time heist from ''Film/AvengersEndgame'']], but gradually re-developed his heroics from the later MCU films to once again become more selfless.
13	* ''Film/AntMan1'':
14	** [[ComicBook/AntMan Henry Pym]], much like Tony, has all of his shortcomings, flaws, and villainous actions AdaptedOut in the movies. Instead of being a mentally unblanced FallenHero, MCU Hank is a passionate FamilyMan whose cynicism and grouchiness come from losing his wife and having S.H.I.E.L.D. try and seize his technology. In addition, Hank's decisive and troubled relationship with his wife Janet from the comics is changed to a sincere and loving one. It's also helps this Hank didn't create ComicBook/{{Ultron}} in this universe, leaving him pretty mentally and morally positive.
15	** While Scott Lang is still an ex-con, it's because he was a [[JustLikeRobinHood Robin Hood-like thief]] who hacked a company that was intentionally overcharging its customers. This is in contrast to the comics, where Lang was a burglar who used to rob people [[ItAmusedMe for the sheer thrill]].
16	** Hope Van Dyne helps the heroes in their plan to save the world. In the [[ComicBook/MarvelComics2 MC2]] comics, Hope is a villainess known as the Red Queen. This is because movie Hope is a CompositeCharacter of her comics version and the original comics Wasp, who was her mother Janet Van Dyne.
17	* ''Film/{{Guardians of the Galaxy\|2014}}'':
18	** The film sees [[Characters/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyModern Gamora]] as the most moral of the group, and the first to stand by Peter, as opposed to the comics where she has a well-earned nickname of [[RedBaron "The Most Dangerous Woman in the Galaxy"]] and is on the side of the good guys out of a combination of boredom, spite, and self-preservation.
19	** Secondary character Nova Corps Dennerian Garthaan Saal is a cynical jerk, but heroic for the most part. In the comics, he became insane and went on to oppose Nova and the Avengers as the villain Supernova.
20	** [[Characters/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyModern Nebula]] also gets this in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'', ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' and especially ''Film/AvengersEndgame''. In the comics, Nebula is a vicious villainess who destroyed Xandar and after being tortured by Thanos, claims the Infinity Gauntlet herself, and tried to kill the remaining heroes before [[ComicBook/Warlock1967 Adam Warlock]] stopped her. In movies, she's more of an AntiHero whose attitude and actions are justified thanks to years of abuse under Thanos's hand but thanks to some sisterly bonding with Gamora, [[TookALevelInKindness she becomes nicer]]. In ''Endgame'', Nebula takes it even further as she's ''completely selfless'' and does her best to aid the Avengers and restore the universe, demonstrated when [[spoiler:she kills a past incarnation of herself that had yet to develop any more heroic traits]].
21	* Downplayed in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''. Helmut Zemo is still a villain, but his motives are much more sympathetic than his comic counterpart. In the comics, he was the son of a literal Nazi and [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain displayed racist attitudes]] (though he eventually grew out of this). In the film, [[spoiler: he wants to tear the Avengers apart as revenge for his family being accidentally killed in one of their battles. He also demonstrates that he lacks his Neo-Nazi values by killing a HYDRA agent earlier in the film]]. Not too surprising since in the same film, [[GreyAndGrayMorality Iron Man and his pro-Registration side have much more sympathetic and logical motives]] than in the comics where they are StrawmanPolitical. Zemo even returns in ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' as a somewhat ally of Falcon and Winter Soldier, more along the lines of a TokenEvilTeammate, and vocally expresses his opposition to the Nazis and HYDRA at multiple points.
22	* [[BigBad Adrain Toomes]] aka The Vulture in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming''. In the comics, he's a [[EvilOldFolks cruel and greedy old bastard]] who steals the youth away from people and has many KickTheDog moments. In the film, Toomes is an AffablyEvil FamilyMan who’s just trying to support his family, [[spoiler: especially his daughter Liz]], albeit committing grievous theft, property destruction, and accidental murder while running an underground alien weapons ring to do so. [[spoiler: At the end, despite knowing Spidey's identity, Vulture refuses to rat him out to the Scorpion, having VillainRespect for Peter by contrast in the comics, where Vulture tried to kill Spider-Man when he unmasked himself]].
23	* ''Film/DoctorStrange2016'':
24	** Dr. Stephen Strange himself gets this overall. Despite having a good amount of AdaptationalJerkass on multiple occasions, being far ruder and impatient than he is in the comics, Strange in the films never crosses line into full blown AntiHero like his comic counterpart, who has done numerous questionable actions from endangering people who called him a fraud, erasing Captain America’s memory to personally letting Doctor Doom acquire godhood. In the MCU, Strange’s worse actions like [[Film/AvengersInfinityWar giving Thanos the Time Stone]] or [[Film/SpiderManNoWayHome messing up the universe making everyone forget who Spider-Man is]], were for the greater good in the former and out of a selflessly genuine desire to help a friend in the latter. ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' reinforces this, with MCU Doctor Strange being the only version of the doctor across the infinite universes who never [[HeWhoFightsMonsters went too far]] or betrayed his allies.
25	** Baron Mordo. In the comics, he's a CardCarryingVillain with little to no redeeming qualities, while in the movie, he's one of Strange's allies and helps him take on Kaecilius, the [[spoiler:allegedly]] real BigBad of the film. Even his inevitable FaceHeelTurn has more understandable motivations, [[spoiler:a retaliation against wizards breaking the rules they had preached about, and curbing these wizards in the process]]. Kevin Feige said they do intend to have Mordo become an antagonist in future installments, but hope that introducing him as a hero early on will make him a more interesting and morally gray villain. [[spoiler: PlayedWith regarding the Mordo seen in ''The Multiverse of Madness'' as first it seems like Earth 838 Mordo is the GoodCounterpart and even his role as part of The Illuminati could be construed as GoodIsNotNice. However as Strange manages to prove when goading him into a fight, 838 Mordo deep down is just as vindictive and resentful of Strange as his MCU version.]]
26	** Doctor Nicodemus West was introduced in the comic book miniseries ''Doctor Strange: The Oath'' as the main antagonist of this story arc. In the movies, [[DemotedToExtra his role and impact are a lot smaller than in that]] and is just shown to be a fellow doctor of Strange and Christine Palmer [[ButtMonkey who Strange occasionally mocks]]. While he does call out Strange's arrogance in ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'', he never acts as a villain and [[AdaptationalWimp lacks his abilities and knowledge of the Mystic Arts from the comics]].
27	* Miek in ''Film/ThorRagnarok''. In ''ComicBook/PlanetHulk'' where the film draws influence from, Miek is an utterly despicable and vile creature, wanting Hulk to destroy Earth he is complicit in the death of Hulk's wife Caiera along with the Red King and fools Hulk into thinking the spacecraft ComicBook/TheIlluminati sent him to the planet on exploding was responsible, leading to Hulk's RoaringRampageOfRevenge in ''ComicBook/WorldWarHulk''. In ''Thor Ragnarok'' on the other hand, Miek is PluckyComicRelief who helps save the Asgardains from genocide [[spoiler: and by the time ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' is helping Earth’s heroes save the universe from Thanos.]]
28	* ''Film/BlackPanther2018'':
29	** [[TheRival M'Baku]], who in the comics is a straight villain known as Man-Ape, is an honorable WorthyOpponent to T'Challa with a DeadpanSnarker personality who takes him in and cares for him when he's defeated and near-death, and allies with him at the end against [[BigBad Erik "Killmonger" Stevens]] in a textbook ChangedMyMindKid moment. He remains heroic in his minor appearance in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', and he becomes a strong ally and counsel for Shuri throughout ''[[Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever Wakanda Forever]]''.
30	** Nakia is a genuinely kind and empathetic person who wants to use Wakanda's wealth and power to help those in need. This is in contrast to the comics, where Nakia was a [[{{Yandere}} crazed]] and murderous StalkerWithACrush who was mostly defined by her obsession with T'Challa. Again, her heroism is only magnified in ''Wakanda Forever'' thanks to a lot of her character traits being [[CompositeCharacter fused]] with [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]][[spoiler:, right down to being T’Challa’s lover and the mother of his child.]]
31	* Of all people, ''Infinity War'' gives us a [[spoiler: Comicbook/{{Thanos}}]] who is considerably more sympathetic than his comic counterpart. In the comics, his motive was that he'd [[spoiler: fallen in love with the AnthropomorphicPersonification of Death and kills to try and win her favor, to no avail - yes, going as far as famously [[ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet killing half the universe with the Infinity Gems]].]] In the film, [[spoiler: he believes the universe doesn't have enough resources to go around, and half must be sacrificed to spare the rest the fate his own planet suffered due to an OverpopulationCrisis. He takes no pleasure in it at all, genuinely cares for his "daughter" Gamora, and one of his {{Badass Boast}}s to the heroes about the failure they will soon taste turns out to have been genuine sympathy and referencing how ''he'' felt in failing to save his people! Though it should be noted that, in ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', he loses many of these sympathetic traits when he realizes all the people post-Snap are trying, and ''succeeding'', to undo the one act of "good" he sacrificed everything to achieve; he decides [[OmnicidalManiac he's better off just pushing the Reset button and watching everything from the start instead]], hoping to kill ''100%'' of life this time. In all fairness, the Thanos that the Avengers fight at the end of the film is from an earlier point in the timeline and thus had not actually made those sacrifices yet, the Avengers having executed the present-day Thanos at the start of the movie, and traveled forward in time when the Avengers attempt to time travel and gather the Infinity Stones to undo his plan, alerting him to their actions. Said present-day Thanos leans to [[AdaptationalVillainy the opposite trope]] because the morally worse Thanos of the comics came to consider himself unworthy of having the god-like power of the Infinity Stones, but the version in the film never came to realize this in the slightest.]]
32	* ''Film/CaptainMarvel2019'': The Kree-Skrull War is tweaked a bit. [[spoiler: Specifically, the [[GoodAllAlong Skrulls, while they don't necessarily have clean hands, are victims of Kree tyranny who have been forced to do bad things to survive rather than the recurring enemies in the comics]]. In general, the Skrulls are a pretty nice bunch and actually help out Nick Fury in ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' and Monica Rambeau in ''Series/WandaVision'', with the events of ''Series/SecretInvasion2023'' being carried out explicitly by a rogue faction.]]
33	* ''Film/BlackWidow2021'':
34	** In the comics, Yelena Belova is arguably a ReplacementFlatCharacter for Natasha, displaying the cruelty, viciousness and general lack of regard for human life that Natasha had largely outgrown after becoming a hero. The film presents her as a much more likable and sympathetic character, [[spoiler: with her abandoning her role as a Red Room assassin after one of her former comrades breaks her out of the brainwashing she'd been subjected to]].
35	** Both Red Guardian and Melina Vostokoff were outright villains when first introduced in the comics. [[spoiler: Despite having been involved with the Red Room in the past, their film counterparts ultimately turn against [[BigBad Dreykov]] to protect Natasha and Yelena, whom they genuinely love and view as daughters.]]
36	* ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'':
37	** Double example of this with [[BigBad Xu Wenwu]] who is a CompositeCharacter of Zheng Zu (Shang-Chi's father) [[spoiler: and the '''Mandarin''' himself.]] [[spoiler: In the comics, both Zheng Zu and The Mandarin are unrepentant villains who abuse and neglect their families and only care about power. In the film, Xu Wenwu/the Mandarin, while still the antagonist, is a TragicVillain who genuinely loves his family and whose world ending-plot is born out of a manipulated desire to see his beloved wife again. After being defeated by his son, his final actions [[PapaWolf are pushing Shang-Chi out of the way of]] the [[GreaterScopeVillain Dweller-in-Darkness]]'s attack in a HeroicSacrifice and bestowing the Ten Rings to Shang-Chi before dying.]]
38	** Xu Xialing is an {{expy}} of Fah Lo Suee, Shang-Chi's sister in the comics who was a crime lord and supervillain in her own right. While Xialing is bitter and antagonistic toward Shang-Chi, her behavior is justified by his abandonment of her back when they were children. Also, while she runs an illegal underground fight club, there’s no indication she’s involved in her comic counterpart’s more unsavory activities, such as drug trafficking or murder of innocents.
39	* Druig in ''Film/{{Eternals}}'' is far more heroic than his comic counterpart, who was once a KGB operative who enjoyed torturing people. In the film, he uses his mind control powers to form a community of people in hiding and helps the other Eternals oppose the Deviants.
40	* Gorr the God Butcher in ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' gets a good deal of this. In ''ComicBook/ThorGodOfThunder2012'', while he starts off initially as a TragicVillain with sympathetic [[RageAgainstTheHeaven rage at the]] JerkassGods of the Marvel Universe, he soon becomes a NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist who kills happily innocent gods and in DramaticIrony becomes a GodOfEvil himself who has reduced the universe to a hellhole where he rules supreme, ultimately showing [[HeWhoFightsMonsters he is no different]] from the gods he made out to be so vile. In the film, Gorr's hatred of the gods is very well founded as Rapu, the god of his own homeworld, was TheHedonist, making his conquest much more righteous. [[spoiler:At the end of the movie, Gorr has a HeelFaceTurn after Thor proves that gods can indeed be good [[labelnote:*]] by holding Jane in his arms as she passes away[[/labelnote]], wishing for Eternity to bring his daughter back instead of wishing for all gods to die like he originally wanted. This ''not'' how Gorr's story ended in the comic: after being beaten, he learns he was using a god weapon to kill other gods and gets decapitated mid-wailing VillainousBreakdown by a young Thor.]]
41	* The Flag Smashers in ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier''. In the comics, the first Flag Smasher, Karl Morgenthau, while a WellIntentionedExtremist, was also AxCrazy and hell-bent on mass anarchy after his father was killed in a riot. His GenderLift version in the show, [[BigBad Karli Morgenthau]], is somewhat more sympathetic since her FreudianExcuse is that the GRC reinstated world borders after Hulk brought back the Snap victims, forcing her and her friends out of their new homes and indirectly leading to the death of her adoptive mother. Thus, her goal is to bring back a united world with no borders to help the displaced citizens. [[spoiler: Although Karli does end up a NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist by the end thanks to a SanitySlippage (due to taking the Super Soldier serum), becoming like her comic counterpart]]. Played straight with rest of the Flag Smashers as compared to the psychopaths [[LegacyCharacter who the bore the title]] after Karl in the comics, they have more morals and are willing to call Karli out on her increasingly tyrannical behavior.
42	* ''Series/{{Loki\|2021}}'':
43	** Sylvie Laufeydottr, Loki's DistaffCounterpart is a {{expy}} and CompositeCharacter of [[Characters/MarvelComicsTheEnchantress Amora The Enchantress]] and Loki's female form. Unlike the comic book Enchantress, however, who's an evil VainSorceress who's worked for a ComicBook/DoctorDoom and tried to take over Asgard and enslave Thor, Sylvie was victimized by the TimePolice TVA, who took her away from her life in Asgard when she was a young girl, and spent her life as a BrokenBird trying to take the organization down as revenge. This is possibly due to taking her name from another character Sylvie Lushton from ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'' who like the show's Sylvie isn't a villain, just an innocent girl bestowed with magic by Loki. [[spoiler: Then again, Sylvie does in the finale shatter the StableTimeLoop and possibly doom the Multiverse by killing He Who Remains, actions that are far more villainous than anything Amora has done in the comics.]]
44	** Played with concerning [[spoiler: He Who Remains and Immortus. In the comics, both characters are villainous (especially the latter), having caused chaos and suffering with their TimeTravel and are thwarted by the heroes. In the show, [[BigBad He Who Remains/Immortus]] are CompositeCharacter who, despite being a pompous jerk who enslaves trillions people through the sacred timeline with cosmic {{Railroading}}, is actually the GoodCounterpart who keeps his [[ComicBook/KangTheConqueror evil alternate selves]] in check and Sylvie taking him down results in one massive NiceJobBreakingItHero as the multiverse is restored, allowing his variants to take over.]]
45	* ''WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021'':
46	** One of the most extreme examples of this is in Episode 2 "What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord?" [[spoiler: where ''Thanos'' (the guy who's been completely evil in every adaptation) has been turned to good thanks to T'Challa who convinced him that his genocidal "kill half of all life in the universe" plan was extremely flawed and wouldn't work (though he does still think it has merit). Now Thanos works as TheBigGuy for the Ravagers and manages to be a PapaWolf to Nebula (whom he tortured in the comics and films) and regularly goes to father-daughter counseling with her.]]
47	** From the same episode: Korath defects from Ronan to join to T'Challa whom he idolizes unlike the film where he tried to kill the heroes. Yondu in this universe didn't abduct Peter at all, picking up T'Challa instead and letting him go home a few decades later, after apologizing for lying to him about Wakanda being destroyed. Nebula is also more heroic than her initial film appearance and comic version, albeit somewhat of a FemmeFataleSpy.
48	** [[PlayedWith Played with]] extraordinarily in Episode 4 "What If… Doctor Strange Lost his Heart instead of his Hands?" as Doctor Strange gets both this and AdaptationalVillainy. In both the film and comic, Strange before learning magic was a {{Jerkass}} who in the film treated his OldFlame Christine like crap upon getting his CareerEndingInjury, which was entirely his own fault due to getting distracted while driving. This origin is tweaked in the episode as Stephen and Christine never broke up and he completely adores her, which makes things quite tragic when she gets killed in the car accident rather than just his hands getting injured. Filled with grief, Strange learns magic and becomes a hero out of a desire to bring her back. However, upon [[TemporalMutability discovering]] that Christine's death is an [[YouCantFightFate Absolute Point, meaning no matter what he does, Christine will always die]], Strange turns to TheDarkArts and becomes a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds. [[spoiler: However, the Ancient One splits the timeline in half, as one traditionally heroic Strange was able to move on with his life and gets brought in to fight his EvilTwin.]]
49	** In Episode 6 “What If... Thor was an Only Child?”, Loki and Nebula aren’t villains or even anti-heroes, the former is a HandsomeLech and [[GentleGiant friendly Frost Giant]] who’s best friends with Thor and the latter is a HardDrinkingPartyGirl who by going by her own words at the end, has a much healthier relationship with her father Thanos. There’s also BigRedDevil Surtur who politely fixes the Statue of Liberty after mistaking her for a big green woman. Granted, this episode is intentionally LighterAndSofter in tone.
50	* ''Series/{{Hawkeye\|2021}}'': In the comics, [[spoiler:Jacques Duquesne is at best an AntiHero and often acted as a PsychoForHire. In the show, [[AdaptationNameChange Jack]] Duquesne is ultimately revealed to be GoodAllAlong (if a bit of an UpperClassTwit), and his worst actions are limited to cutting down some Tracksuit Mafia bros in self-defense.]]
51	* ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'' sees Emil Blonsky/Abomination redeeming himself after the events of ''Film/{{The Incredible Hulk\|2008}}'' - a HeelFaceTurn he lacks in the comic books.
52	** Part of Blonsky's redemption is the founding of a therapy retreat. Members of his retreat group are some minor villains from the comics, including Porcupine, Man-Bull, Wrecker and Saracen who here hope to become better people.
53	* Downplayed with Attuma in ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'': While he still belongs to the antagonists of the movie, he is way less villainous compared to the comics, where he was Namor's ArchEnemy, trying to overthrow him as the leader of Atlantis and being an evil warlord. His movie counterpart [[UndyingLoyalty stays loyal to Namor 'till the end]], cares about his kingdom's safety, and even shows some VillainRespect towards Okoye.
54	* Deadpool gets this treatment a lot compared to his comic counterpart. In ''{{Film/Deadpool\|2016}}'', he truly loves Vanessa and goes to great lengths to protect her and keep her safe. He is also shown to [[NeverHurtAnInnocent never kill anyone who didn't deserve it]] and that he has a very strong moral compass and he treats Blind Al and Weasel with a lot of respect and care amusingly. Comic Deadpool's relationship with Vanessa does not work out, he is known to be a violent sadist, and he treats Blind Al and Weasel with disdain and anger. His comic counterpart is also much more villainous, but he still has a moral code that is ([[BlueAndOrangeMorality rather warped]]).
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder: Marvel Television]]
58	* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'':
59	** In the comics, Lash and Mister Hyde are both unrepentant villains. The show turns both of them into sympathetic {{AntiVillain}}s, with Cal (Mister Hyde's TV counterpart) being noticeably ashamed of his actions, and Lash having a SplitPersonality (IE, Lash is the SuperpoweredEvilSide to Andrew Garner) that he has little control over.
60	** Donnie Gill, aka Blizzard, does not actually become a supervillain in the show, and bears no ill will towards S.H.I.E.L.D. -- in his second appearance, his worse actions are due to being BrainwashedAndCrazy.
61	** Holden Radcliffe, the BigBad of ''Comicbook/MachineTeen'' is reinvented as a more morally ambiguous character, who is initally working with the bad guys (in this case, Hive), out of cowardice, and later inadvertently creates threats out of a dangerous combination of altruism, lack of foresight and selfishness (i.e. it's fine to take shortcuts and break the rules if it helps people ... even if it helps ''him'' a bit more), [[spoiler:especially given how one of his creations, Aida, betrayed him]].
62	* ''Series/AgentCarter'':
63	** Chief Dooley, whose comic counterpart is infamous for sexually harassing ComicBook/SheHulk, is portrayed as AFatherToHisMen, though with the typical sexism of the 1940s at first.
64	** Jason Wilkes, whose sole comic appearance had him trying to sell technology to [[DirtyCommunists the Russians]], is an unambiguously good guy, although he briefly allies with [[BigBad Whitney Frost]] out of desperation.
65	* ''Series/Daredevil2015'':
66	** Melvin Potter is ForcedIntoEvil, as opposed to his career criminal comic book counterpart.
67	** [[ComicBook/ThePunisher Frank Castle]] is more noble than his comic self usually is, something that's further expanded upon in [[Series/ThePunisher2017 his own show]].
68	* ''Series/LukeCage2016'' portrays Luke himself as a genuinely heroic NiceGuy, while in his early comics, Luke was an AngryBlackManStereotype who was OnlyInItForTheMoney.
69	* ''Series/{{Inhumans}}'': Maximus actually has a good reason for wanting to take control of Attilan (to end its FantasticCasteSystem) and Earth (to give the Inhumans more living space), in contrast to his more selfish comic book counterpart. He's still a villain, but [[AntiVillain a more sympathetic and understandable one]].
70	* ''Series/MsMarvel2022'': Kamran in the comic books is a LoveInterestTraitor for Kamala. In the series, he is angry and lashes out, especially when Damage Control attacks him, but he is more sympathetic, and turns against his family, the Clandestine, to protect Kamala.
71	* ''Series/Runaways2017'':
72	** Most of PRIDE, to some degree. In the comics, the Pride all knew from the beginning that the Gibborim's endgame was to wipe out all humanity save six people, and were happy to help in exchange for wealth and power. Here, Jonah has led them to believe his goal is to find [[spoiler: a clean, renewable energy source]], allowing them to save the world ''and'' get rich in the process. Of course, this still involves human sacrifice.
73	** Molly's parents in particular; in the comic, they were a pair of [[SmugSuper Smug Supers]] who, along with the Deans, planned to betray the rest of the group out of self-interest. Here, they tried to sabotage Jonah once they learned how far he was willing to go - which [[DeathByAdaptation got them killed.]]
74	** [[spoiler: Alex]] isn't TheMole in this version.
75	[[/folder]]

Context AdaptationalHeroism / MarvelCinematicUniverse