14 Times Comic Book Movies Completely F*cked Iconic Villains

11. Baron Von Strucker (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)

In The Comics

Though he definitely plays second fiddle to the almighty Red Skull, in the comics, Baron Von Strucker is one of the leaders of HYDRA who has presented basically as immortal despite being defeated multiple times.

He is a great warrior, a huge intellect and the real leader of HYDRA, which almost falls apart without him and he was elevated to legitimate supervillain status by bonding with the Death Spore, which allows him to rise from the dead and which will infect the Earth if released. He is no henchman.

On Film

First established in a cameo at the end of The Winter Soldier, Von Strucker was introduced as the big deal boss behind HYDRA's empowerment experiment programme that created Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. He appeared to have an inside man still at SHIELD and promised to evade the Avengers by feeding them other less valuable targets. In other words, he started really well.

Only then Joss Whedon decided he wasn't all that necessary and used the opening sequence of Age Of Ultron to undo his establishing work and waste Thomas Kretschmann's performance entirely). He was presented as an easy target, and barely put up a fight before he's then unceremoniously killed off by Ultron off screen.

It's hardly fitting for HYDRA's second best character, who is no more than a secondary glorified henchman in the MCU.