10 Avengers Who Joined the Team for All the Wrong Reasons

Custom Image by Casandra Ronning Published Sep 13, 2026, 11:51 PM EDT Casandra Ronning is a staff writer for Screen Rant's anime section. Since mid-2024, she has dedicated herself to expanding her knowledge and experience in the entertainment industry. She is most proud of conducting an exclusive interview with popular voice actor Stephanie Nadolny. Sign in to your ScreenRant account The Avengers have always been known as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and, for decades, have consisted of various superheroes standing together to defend the world from its greatest threats. However, not every member joined the team for purely altruistic reasons. Instead, some joined for personal ambitions while others joined with motivations that had nothing to do with saving the world and protecting humanity. In the comics, the Avengers have welcomed heroes from pretty much every corner of the Marvel Universe, including former villains, outsiders, government agents, and other characters who struggle to find their place. While joining the team doesn’t automatically prove that someone is a selfless hero, there are several Avengers who initially joined the team for complicated personal reasons that are arguably questionable, as well as members who joined the team with ulterior motives. Hercules Like in the Greek myth, Hercules is the immortal son of Zeus and one of Marvel’s most powerful Olympians. The Prince of Power is best known for his immense strength and boisterous personality, as well as his love for battle and adventure. He famously had a rivalry-turned-friendship with Thor and eventually built a close bond with Amadeus Cho. When Hercules joined the Avengers, it was after Zeus had exiled him from Olympus for a year as punishment for leaving Olympus without permission. Stranded in the mortal realm with nowhere to go, Hercules was pitied by the Avengers and was given permission to stay with them as their guest. To pay them back for the free room and board, Hercules helped the team against villains and eventually became a full-fledged member. While it’s far from malicious, joining simply because there was little other choice is far from the best reason. Deathcry (Sharra Neramani) Deathcry is a fierce Shi’ar warrior and a member of the Neramani royal family whose violent behavior led to her exile from the empire. As punishment, she was stripped of her royal name and sent to Earth under the authority of Empress Lilandra, where she was to protect the Avengers from Kree retaliation. However, in time, she bonded with her teammates and grew to reject her exile name, declaring instead that she would be known as Lifecry. That said, her initial reason for joining the Avengers was far from any desire to be a hero. Instead, it was essentially forced upon her as part of her punishment for killing a member of her own military platoon, and while she eventually grew into the role, her initial reluctance is very questionable. Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) Black Widow was originally a Soviet spy and an antagonist of Iron Man before gradually abandoning her life as an enemy of the West. The catalyst for this change stems from her relationship with Hawkeye, or Clint Barton. While she initially manipulated him into opposing Iron Man before his recruitment into the Avengers, Clint eventually convinced her to leave her criminal past behind and step onto the path to become a hero herself. ​​​​​​​ Rather than joining the Avengers for an idealistic desire to save the world or for redemption, she joined for incredibly personal reasons, including a desire for freedom and her growing bond with Clint Barton. While her motives became more heroic in time, her initial reasons were essentially a complicated transaction for her freedom. Hawkeye (Clint Barton) Similar to Black Widow, Hawkeye’s journey to becoming an Avenger was far from idealistic. At the beginning, he operated with little to no distinction between heroism and personal ambition, with his relationship with Natasha further complicating his path by drawing him into criminal activity. When he believes that she died, he makes the decision to break into the Avengers Mansion to join the team. This choice stemmed from both guilt and a desire for redemption, something that he felt he desperately needed. Rather than being driven by heroism or civic duty, Clint was largely driven by a broken heart and a need for validation. While far from evil, those motivations are also undoubtedly imperfect, but as his story continued, he eventually developed a genuine commitment to the Avengers like Black Widow had. Doctor Druid (Anthony Ludgate) Doctor Druid is a psychiatrist with a deep passion for the occult. When he travels the world to train under the Ancient One, he learns that he descends from a Celtic druid, but is passed over by his mentor in favor of Stephen Strange. When he joined the Avengers, it was during a time they needed a mystic to combat a surge of supernatural threats, driving them to turn to Doctor Druid. Unfortunately, this became one of the most disastrous team-ups in the Avengers’ history. Doctor Druid wanted authority and allowed his arrogance and desire to blind him, and soon enough, he fell under the mind control of Ravonna Renslayer, who exploited his vanity and encouraged him to take control of the team, leading to him becoming the Chairman who actively sabotaged the heroes. When the heroes found out, Doctor Druid was disgraced and expelled from the roster. U.S. Agent (John Walker) John Walker is a super-soldier who was initially known as the Super-Patriot before being chosen by the government to replace Captain America; however, when Steve Rogers returned, Walker was rebranded as the U.S. Agent. His assignment to the West Coast Avengers wasn’t a personal choice that he made, but a decision by the government so he could act as a watchdog and spy. Rather than joining for a sense of purpose or altruism, Walker joined the Avengers as a legal plant to monitor the team. To make matters worse, he initially treated the team with suspicion and arrogance, not at all acting like a true team member, which only created more conflict. That said, in later comics, he did prove that his loyalties could change for the better, but his original place among the team was one that was imposed on him for reasons that had nothing to do with the ideals that the Avengers represent. Wonder Man (Simon Williams) Wonder Man is a businessman who struggled to keep his munitions company afloat against competitors like Stark Industries and was later pushed into illegal financial trouble and became increasingly resentful, blaming Tony Stark for his downfall. After he gains enhanced abilities through ionic energy, he approaches the Avengers under false pretenses, aiming to gain their trust in order to destroy them from within. Unlike other Avengers whose questionable motives revolved around insecurity or circumstance, Simon was deliberately recruited as a double agent for the Masters of Evil. However, after seeing the Avengers’ courage and genuine heroism, he turned against the Masters of Evil and helped defeat them at the cost of his own life. Although he is eventually resurrected and joins the team in sincerity, his initial motivation was rooted in revenge and anger. Swordsman (Jacques Duquesne) As his name suggests, Swordsman is a master swordsman and a former mentor to Hawkeye. He begins as an idealistic freedom fighter before his life is derailed following the death of his father, leading him to live as a mercenary and criminal. When Swordsman sought out the Avengers by literally crashing into their mansion, his reputation gave the team little reason to trust him, and luckily, the team’s judgment was right… at first. S.H.I.E.L.D. · Clearance Assessment How Well Do You KnowThe Avengers? 🌏OriginsAssembled ☠VillainsInevitable ⚡BattlesEndgame 🛡TeamInitiative 💫LegacyForever AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! → 01 The Avengers first assembled in Marvel Comics in 1963. In the original comic, the team formed to battle a villain who had been manipulated by his adopted brother. Which villain brought the original Avengers together? AUltron BThanos CLoki DKang the Conqueror ✓ Correct! In Avengers #1 (September 1963), Loki manipulated the Hulk into going on a rampage, which led Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, and the Wasp to band together. They defeated Loki and decided to form a permanent team — the Avengers were born. ✗ Even the Hulk couldn’t smash that answer! The correct answer is Loki. In the original 1963 comic, Loki tricked the Hulk into a rampage, which brought together Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, and the Wasp. Ultron came later, Thanos is a cosmic threat, and Kang is a time-traveling villain. NEXT → 02 In the MCU, Tony Stark famously declared “I am Iron Man” at a press conference, breaking the superhero tradition of secret identities. In which year’s MCU film did Tony Stark first appear as Iron Man? A2006 B2008 C2010 D2012 ✓ Correct! Iron Man (2008) launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe and starred Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. The film’s post-credits scene with Nick Fury teased the Avengers Initiative, kicking off the most successful film franchise in history. ✗ Even the Hulk couldn’t smash that answer! The correct answer is 2008. Iron Man premiered on May 2, 2008, directed by Jon Favreau and starring Robert Downey Jr. It was the first film in the MCU and set the stage for everything that followed. NEXT → 03 Thanos, the Mad Titan, sought to collect all six Infinity Stones to achieve his genocidal goal. In Avengers: Infinity War, he succeeded in his plan. What did Thanos do with the completed Infinity Gauntlet? ADestroyed the universe BSnapped away half of all life CBecame ruler of Earth DTraveled back in time ✓ Correct! With a single snap of his fingers, Thanos wiped out half of all living creatures in the universe. Known as “The Blip,” this devastating act erased trillions of lives and set the stage for the Avengers’ desperate time heist in Endgame to undo the damage. ✗ Even the Hulk couldn’t smash that answer! The correct answer is that Thanos snapped away half of all life in the universe. His twisted philosophy of “balance” drove him to commit universal genocide with a single snap, making it one of the most shocking moments in cinema history. NEXT → 04 In Avengers: Endgame, Captain America proved worthy of wielding Thor’s enchanted hammer during the final battle against Thanos. What is the name of Thor’s hammer? AStormbreaker BGungnir CMjolnir DJarnbjorn ✓ Correct! Mjolnir, forged in the heart of a dying star, bears the inscription “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.” Captain America wielding it in Endgame was one of the most celebrated moments in MCU history. ✗ Even the Hulk couldn’t smash that answer! The correct answer is Mjolnir. Stormbreaker is the axe Thor forged in Infinity War, Gungnir is Odin’s spear, and Jarnbjorn is an axe Thor used in the comics before Mjolnir. Mjolnir is the iconic enchanted hammer. NEXT → 05 Black Widow, born Natasha Romanoff, is one of the founding MCU Avengers. Before joining S.H.I.E.L.D., she was trained as an assassin in a secret Soviet program. What is the name of this program? AThe Red Room BHYDRA Academy CThe Winter Soldier Program DDepartment X ✓ Correct! The Red Room was a covert Soviet training facility that turned young girls into elite spies and assassins known as Black Widows. Natasha was subjected to brutal conditioning and sterilization. Her escape and defection to S.H.I.E.L.D. was explored in the 2021 Black Widow film. ✗ Even the Hulk couldn’t smash that answer! The correct answer is The Red Room. HYDRA is a separate evil organization, the Winter Soldier Program created Bucky Barnes, and Department X is from the comics. The Red Room is the infamous Soviet program that forged Natasha into Black Widow. NEXT → 06 The Hulk was created when Dr. Bruce Banner was exposed to massive amounts of radiation during a weapons test. What type of radiation transformed Banner into the Hulk? ACosmic Rays BPym Particles CGamma Radiation DTerrigen Mist ✓ Correct! Dr. Bruce Banner was caught in the blast of a gamma bomb he designed, absorbing a massive dose of gamma radiation. This transformed him into the Hulk — a being of near-limitless strength whose power increases with his rage. Gamma radiation remains central to the Hulk’s mythology. ✗ Even the Hulk couldn’t smash that answer! The correct answer is Gamma Radiation. Cosmic Rays gave the Fantastic Four their powers, Pym Particles are Ant-Man’s shrinking technology, and Terrigen Mist activates Inhuman abilities. Gamma radiation is what created the Incredible Hulk. NEXT → 07 In the MCU, after Steve Rogers retired as Captain America, he passed his shield to a new hero to carry on the legacy. Who became the new Captain America? ABucky Barnes BSam Wilson CJohn Walker DIsaiah Bradley ✓ Correct! At the end of Avengers: Endgame, an elderly Steve Rogers chose Sam Wilson — the Falcon — to carry on the Captain America legacy. Sam’s journey to embrace the shield was explored in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series, and he fully took up the mantle as Captain America. ✗ Even the Hulk couldn’t smash that answer! The correct answer is Sam Wilson. While Bucky Barnes was Captain America in the comics, Steve chose Sam in the MCU. John Walker was temporarily given the shield by the government, and Isaiah Bradley was a forgotten super soldier from the past. NEXT → 08 Ultron is an artificial intelligence who becomes one of the Avengers’ deadliest enemies. In the MCU’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, which Avenger inadvertently created Ultron? ABruce Banner BHank Pym CTony Stark DVision ✓ Correct! Tony Stark created the Ultron program as a global peacekeeping AI, using technology from Loki’s scepter (which contained the Mind Stone). The AI became sentient and immediately decided humanity needed to be eradicated. In the comics, Hank Pym created Ultron, but the MCU shifted this to Stark. ✗ Even the Hulk couldn’t smash that answer! The correct answer is Tony Stark. While Hank Pym created Ultron in the comics, the MCU changed this to Tony Stark. Bruce Banner assisted but it was Tony’s initiative. Vision was actually created from Ultron’s technology, not the other way around. REVEAL MY SCORE → Mission Debriefing Your Avengers Clearance Level / 8 Are you worthy of lifting Mjolnir — or still a S.H.I.E.L.D. trainee? ↻ ASSEMBLE AGAIN Swordsman’s attempt to join the Avengers was entirely deceptive. He hoped that if he were part of the team, carrying out crimes would be easier and, at the time, he was also working as a double agent for the Mandarin, who wanted to destroy the team from the inside. While the team saw through his first attempt, Swordsman was far more prepared the second time, and with a fake Iron Man vouching for him, he was accepted into the team and immediately tried to plant a bomb. Fortunately for the Avengers, they quickly caught him and exiled him from the team again.