4. Alexander Pierce (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
The Comic Version: A high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Pierces most notable exploit was personally helping Nick Fury on subterfuge missions against a robotic force called the Deltites. Beyond that, Pierce was a very minor character in recent years and certainly never a villain. The Better Movie Version: Pierce bears little resemblance to the comics and seems to have been appropriated in name only. Of course, his nondescript comic identity was key to keeping his double-identity a secret before the movie released. Once you get over the disappointment of realizing he was not the Red Skull in disguise, Pierce was actually one of the more compelling villains in the entire MCU. In fact, him being American makes his cause all the more interesting, hes not some anti-freedom nut, he just firmly believes his cause is right and will help people in the long run. To have an icon like Robert Redford take on this role only furthered the transformation from an unremarkable SHIELD agent into the mastermind of a HYDRA terror cell. His calm demeanor yet fierce dedication stood out, as did the scope of his plans, especially considering he was both a unpowered, old man and a complete non-entity in the comics.
Connor loves movies, comics, and TV, and is trying to write for people who feel the same way. When he's not sitting on the couch with his laptop, you might find him lying in his bed with his laptop.
