9. The Mandarin - Iron Man 3
It is the defining part of Iron Man 3. How much you enjoy what is objectively the most interesting solo outing for Tony Stark really hinges on how easily you swallow the reveal than Ben Kingsleys Mandarin is actually just a front played by a drunk actor named Trevor. Having never had any interest in Iron Man before Robert Downey Jr. promoted him to Marvels A-list the twist didn't bother me. But it was still a shame to see what was such a promising character discarded. The voice and message fit our popular expectations of terrorists, but the deconstruction of American culture and on screen murder pushed it further, creating something relatably chilling. At least until we found out it was an act. The Mandarin, in this iteration or the comics, has a lot of potential as a genuine character. Theres speculation Trevor could develop in prison into the actual villain, but it seems like were done with Iron Mans key villains (and given the way the Iron Man 3 ended, his individual adventures). I dont have as strong an objection to this character as the twist towards the real enemies being homeward based gave the film even more relevance, but theres still the disappointment the character wasn't mined more.