Every Marvel Cinematic Universe Villain Ranked Worst To Best

8. Yondu - Guardians Of The Galaxy

Plan: To retrieve and sell the Orb, and (in the sequel) to bring the Guardians Of The Galaxy in.

Status: Deceased (but redeemed).

Like General Ross, Yondu straddles the line between morality and evil, but even in the morally grey world of the Guardians Of The Galaxy universe he definitely initially identifies as a villain. The context of his actions might change in hindsight, but he is still the space pirate who kidnapped Ego's children, breaking the Ravager code in the process, and he's still the guy who stole Peter Quill from his family on Earth and turned him into a space Oliver Twist.

His success lies most in his complexity and his depths: on one hand he's a fearsome Ravager of huge repute who built a reputation doing things other factions wouldn't touch. He's defined by gaining more riches and more infamy and though he's incredibly charming, he's definitely a bad guy.

By the end of Vol 2, he has redeemed himself and he's the heart of the film's most emotional scenes, but there's still a delightful gruffness about Michael Rooker's performance that suggests - had he survived - that he would have deferred to type pretty quickly.