Ranking Every Major MCU Netflix Villain From Worst To Best
6. Black Mariah (Luke Cage)
One of the single best character arcs in Luke Cage season one was had by Mariah Dillard, aka Black Mariah. Early on, she was shown to be involved in her cousin, Cottonmouth's, illegal dealings as a means to make Harlem a better pace through her position of political power.
Like her cousin, she is haunted by her upbringing in crime lord Mama Mabel's household, and while even Mama Mabel herself tried to steer Mariah away from following in her footsteps, the damage was done. She initially seemed eager to leave that lifestyle behind, but it soon became clear that she was in too deep, and Mariah came into her own as a proper villain.
As an adult, Mariah displays sheer force of personality. She is a master of conning and manipulation, not to mention the fact that she has an incredible amount of influence and can talk herself out of even the tightest of situations. And seeing her facade of an upstanding citizen be slowly peeled away to reveal a ruthless, opportunistic crime lord is exceptionally compelling.
Sure, she was a bit overshadowed by Shades, but the fact that she is so unabashedly cunning makes her a true force to be reckoned with.