Why Zemo is the Best Villain in the MCU
I want to talk for a minute about the main villain in Captain America: Civil War. Zemo. I’ve read very little discussion about him, and what I have read has basically been that he’s the worst and weakest Marvel villain. Maybe you disagree with that. Either way I want to poke a bit of of a hole in that if I can. Spoilers ahead, of course.
How is a villain measured? They all have varying degrees of strength. They all may have different abilities and different motivations. I really don’t have an issue with Zemo being just a normal guy. He’s weak in terms of physicality and powers compared to our heroes, but he knows that. He admits as much to Black Panther at the end of the film. But all villains have one thing in common: a plan. What matters is Zemo’s plan and the execution of it. And as far as that goes I can’t think of another Marvel villain whose plan played out to such perfection. His goal was to divide the Avengers and get them fighting against one another. Success! Whether you buy Tony Stark’s inner turmoil at the revelation of his parents’ death and who killed them, this was exactly what Zemo intended in order to tear the team apart from the inside. He framed Winter Soldier, the most deadly assassin of the last 50 years, and used information he obtained from brainwashing him to place a larger wedge between Stark and Rogers. I submit that Zemo’s plan was executed to perfection, and so one can reasonably say he’s the best villain in the MCU.
I can already hear it. “But, Loki!” Okay, let’s look into that. Let’s think about what Loki’s plan was in Avengers. Was it not very similar? He allowed himself to be caught in order to get closer to them so he could play them against one another. He used Hulk as his primary way of doing that and counted on Hulk destroying the team. He never even thought it would get to a fight in New York. Loki’s problem was that he relied too heavily on his own power and the power of his army while underestimating that of his enemies. Zemo did not make that mistake. He had a proper understanding of his own limitations, and played to his own strengths of detail-laden manipulation and diversion. His plan played out to completion.
“But, Kingpin!” Yeah, Kingpin was/is great. He owns my single favorite villain monologue as he recited the parable of the Good Samaritan and likened himself to the evil along the road. But he was caught, and his great plan to transform Hell’s Kitchen was stopped. Now, in Daredevil Season 2, he must operate from a position of limitation and relative weakness in prison. He has some influence still, but he’s been neutered! His master plan failed, and he’s winging it from prison to try and regain his position. Zemo’s plan worked to completion and perfection.
Loki and Kingpin stand, in my mind, head and shoulders above other villains in the MCU. But of course there are others. Red Skull, Whiplash, Abomination, Alexander Pierce, Mandarin, Ronin, Malekith…. with them all we can ask just one question: Did their plans succeed? No? Okay, Zemo’s did. The Avengers are splintered right down the middle and no longer operate as a cohesive unit. Future Villains can thank Zemo for that.
