Marvel is home to one of the most successful superhero universes in the world; it contains hundreds of different characters of various types, races, origins, and backgrounds. The heroes and villains that fill up Marvel Comics take readers on a ride of connection that allows them to relate to characters on a personal level that is rarely found anywhere else.
There are so many heroes in Marvel Comics that there are sure to be some odd-balls among the ranks, characters that do their best but always seem to come up a little short or add fuel to the fire. Here are some Marvel heroes that have a history of making things worse.
9 Ironman/Tony Stark
Ironman is a flagship character for Marvel both in and outside the comics; more often than not, the marvel universe relies on the brains of Tony Stark as one of the most intelligent characters in the world. Captain America, Thor, and even Black Widow breathe a little easier knowing Ironman is standing next to them with a plan.
Unfortunately, the armored avenger isn't always on the right side of things; more often than not, Tony is the weak link in the Avengers team. Tony Starks volatile personality makes him a hard fit for any team as he doesn't work well with others. Stark’s ambition to always find a better solution sometimes leads to life-threatening scenarios like cloning Thor and unleashing him on a group of fugitive heroes in Civil War.
8 Professor X/Charles Xavier
As the founder of The X-Men, Charles Xavier is highly praised as the protector of mutant-kind. Founding the School for Gifted Youngsters, Professor X has guided countless youths into their own and saved countless lives with his elite group of heroes, The X-Men.
While Professor X has the accomplishments of a saint, he is not without his faults; His deep-seated need for control as well as his overly secret ways has led his team to turmoil on more than one occasion. The ability to see into an endless sea of minds and access an infinite amount of information sometimes makes him short-sided and oblivious of other people's needs and emotions.
7 Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff
The Scarlet Witch is perhaps one of the most volatile characters in the Marvel universe, capable of altering all of reality with just a few words. Once a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants, aiding her father Magneto in his efforts, Wanda walked away from the villain life and joined the X-men after learning of Magneto’s nefarious ways.
Wanda Maximoff has been a valued asset to many but not as much as a menace to the world. Due to her fragile mental state, The Scarlet Witch has wiped out the existence of an entire race on multiple occasions with a simple phrase. As a result, the Scarlet With is deemed one of if not the most dangerous Mutant on Earth that could end everything and start it anew if she wanted.
6 The Hulk/Bruce Banner
Bruce Banner serves as the alter ego of the Incredible Hulk, forever changed after a science experiment exposed him to a lethal dose of gamma radiation, gifting him the ability to transform into a mass of rage and strength.
Bruce Banner's transformation is triggered when in pain or angered; as a member of the Avengers, he tries to aim the Hulk to do the right thing, but this usually backfires, and Hulk ends up doing what he wants in the long run. Many catastrophes occur as the Hulk acts on his own accord and smashes everything that gets in his way.
5 Spider-man/Peter Parker
Spider-Man is a heroic juggernaut in the marvel universe; the webhead is known for his spectacular feats of heroism, from standing his ground against Colossus wearing the helmet of Cain Marko to Holding his own against Earth's mightiest Avenger, Ironman. Spider-Man is among the greatest of heroes, but even he has a history of bad luck.
Many times over, Spider-Man’s problems are of his own making. Peter's urge to protect his secret identity and keep those closest to him in the dark has come back to bite him more than once in the past. Perhaps Spider-Man's most significant mistake that shaped what he would become is when he inadvertently caused the death of his uncle Ben.
4 Speedball/Robbie Baldwin
Speedball started out as a young hero that premiered on the New Warriors team alongside other fledgling heroes trying to make a name for themselves. Unfortunately, Speedball and his comrades would be responsible for one of the most catastrophic events in the Marvel Comics universe.
Speedball would be scarred for life and even change his name and persona to atone for his past misdeeds, but unfortunately, his past returns to haunt him in every endeavor.
3 The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes
Bucky has always been a character that means well in the marvel universe, fighting evil from the shadows to ensure that the heroes in the light prevail. Unfortunately, in more than one instance, his actions lead to the detriment of those close to him.
Bucky Barnes has spent a lot of time controlled by others, which has made his own mental state weak, which sometimes causes him to make poor decisions. As hard as he tries to measure up to his mentor and best friend, Steeve Rodgers, he comes up a few steps short.
2 Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards
The Fantastic Four is composed of some of the most powerful people on the planet; the brain of the operation is Reed Richards, dubbed the Smartest man alive. Unfortunately, all the intelligence in the world can't make up for some of the blunders Mr. Fantastic has created; a constant issue Richards battles with is when his intellect clouds his judgment.
Reed’s most famous mess-ups have him constantly on the wrong side of history, which causes heavy friction in his family life. In his unyielding logician state of mind, he used the Negative Zone to “restrain” fugitive heroes during Civil War. Richards also sits as a member of the Illuminati, which was a direct cause to send Hulk into space for the greater good, which sparked the World War Hulk event.
1 Star-Lord/Peter Quill
Star-Lord has a long history of making things as bad as possible; while Peter Quill is a talented warrior and always tries to do the right thing, his choices usually lead to a poorer outcome for everyone around him. For example, Star Lord’s first blunder takes place with the Kree super alien race; while brokering a deal with a third party to aid the Kree in their defense system, the Kree were betrayed, and Quill was left holding the bag.
As a member of the Guardian of the Galaxy, Quill's habit of keeping his team in the dark caused constant in-fighting and led to the team's disbandment after they discovered that he allowed Thanos to escape the "cancerverse" at the cost of Nova’s life.