In the vast, ever-expanding world ofMarvel Comics, death can be a truly impactful event. Sometimes, the end of an iconic character isn’t truly the end thanks to the beauty of magic and superpowers. Some demises are met with solemn acceptance, while others spark outrage and debate that echo throughout the comic book community for years.
From beloved heroes making the ultimate sacrifice to shocking betrayals that redefine character legacies,these ten deaths stand out for their controversial nature.They challenged perceptions, subverted expectations, and, for many readers, left an unresolved emotional impact that time simply hasn’t healed.
Whether due to the character’s significance, the manner of their death, orthe ripple effects on the wider Marvel continuity, these particular exits continue to fuel discussions,proving that legacy does not die with the hero.
1Steve Rogers/Captain America
Captain AmericaVol. 5 By Ed Brubaker With Art By Steve Epting
The assassination of Steve Rogers at the culmination of theCivil Warevent sent shockwaves through the comic book world. After surrendering to federal authorities,Captain America was shot multiple times on the courthouse steps by a brainwashed Sharon Carter, manipulated by Red Skull. This wasn’t a heroic last stand, but a seemingly cowardly act of political violence, making it all the more jarring. The controversy stemmed not only from the loss of an iconic character but also the undignified and arguably anti-climactic nature of his demise.
Captain America,a symbol of hope and justice, being taken down in such a vulnerable state, was shocking and, at the time, very controversial. While Bucky Barnes eventually took up the mantle,Steve Rogers’ death left a gaping hole and ignited fierce debates about the character’s legacy and the direction of the Marvel Universe. The impact of Cap’s death lasted for years, influencing the following storylines and developments within the Captain America mythos.
2Jean Grey
New X-Men(2001) Written Grant Morrison With Art By Phil Jimenez
Jean Grey has a long history with death and resurrection, but her death inNew X-Men#150 at the hands of Xorn (who was secretly Magneto) was particularly contentious. After Xorn, disguised as a mutant healer and teacher, revealed his true identity and unleashed chaos on New York,he killed Jean by inducing a massive stroke while she was linked to the Phoenix Force. This death was controversial not just because it was yet another death for Jean, but also due to the polarizing nature of Grant Morrison’s entire run and the specific reveal of Xorn as Magneto.
The controversy only increased because of the lack of emotional weight given to such a pivotal event within the story itself, and the fact thatJean’s death was more of a stepping stone for other characters' development rather than a significant moment for her own arc.The fatigue of Jean’s constant cycle of death and rebirth made particular death a tragic sacrifice and more like a convenience. The ensuing retcons and explanations regarding Xorn’s true identity only added to the confusion and upset surroundingthis specific version of Jean Grey’s death.
3Janet Van Dyne/Wasp
Secret Invasion #8: Written By Brian Michael Bendis With Art By Leinil Francis Yu, Mark Morales, And Laura Martin
Janet van Dyne, the original Wasp, met her end during the climax of theSecret Invasionarc, seemingly destroyed by a power overload during an attempt to stop the Skrull Queen Veranke.Hank Pym, her on-again, off-again husband, was forced to amplify her powers to critical levels to defeat the Skrull threat, leading to her apparent disintegration.This death was deeply controversial due to the ambiguity surrounding it and the way her sacrifice made the character seem disposable.One of Marvel’s founding Avengerswas given an unceremonious and confusing send-off after enduring years of being sidelined.
The circumstances of her death, which involved her becoming a bomb to defeat the Skrulls, were widely criticized as being too simplistic and undermining Janet’s agency.The death served primarily as a plot device to further Hank Pym’s character arc, rather than a meaningful conclusion to her own storied history.The ensuing years of her absence and the vague nature of her exit further fueled the debate, leading to widespread relief when she was eventually revealed to be alive, albeit trapped in the Microverse.
4Wolverine
Death of Wolverine#4: Written By Charles Soule With Art By Steve McNiven
After losing his healing factor, Wolverine finally met his end when he was encased in adamantium and suffocated inDeath of Wolverine#4. While Marvel heavily promoted the event, the actual manner of his death turned out to be highly contentious. Logan, a character known for his resilience and ferocity, dying by essentially drowning in molten metal was an undignified and underwhelming end. It wasn’t the epic, explosive send-off deserved for a character who had faced down cosmic threats and countless superpowered foes.
The controversy also stemmed fromthe sheer number of Wolverine-centric titlesand appearances leading up to his death, which lessened the impact of the event. Despite the build-up, his ultimate ending was anti-climactic, and the temporary nature of his death (as he inevitably returned)further cheapened its long-term significance. The choice to make Wolverine so vulnerable only to lead to a mundane death for a character who had survived so much is a prime example of the weight and permanence of deaths in comics.
5Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man#160: Written By Brian Michael Bendis With Art By Mark Bagley
The death of Peter Parker in the Ultimate Universe, saving his loved ones from the Green Goblin, was a heartbreaking moment. InUltimate Spider-Man#160,Peter sacrifices himself to protect Aunt May, Gwen Stacy, and Mary Jane Watson from Norman Obsorn and the Green Goblin.He dies in Mary Jane’s arms, bringing a definitive end to his tenure as Spider-Man in that reality (at least for the time being). While heroic, the decision to kill off such a beloved and iconic character in a separate continuity essentially led to his replacement with Miles Morales.
The method of Peter’s exit and the idea of killing off a Spider-Man, even in an alternate universe, was a shocking and divisive move.
Fans of the Ultimate Universe had grown up with this version of Peter Parker, andhis death was a definitive end to a connection with the character.While the introduction ofMiles Morales was largely well-received, even leading to his popularity today, the method of Peter’s exit and the idea of killing off a Spider-Man, even in an alternate universe, was a shocking and divisive move. It raises a question about the necessity of his death and whether it was a forced way to introduce a new hero.
6Mar-Vell
The Death of Captain Marvel: Written And Illustrated By Jim Starlin
The original Captain Marvel, Mar-Vell, died not in a blaze of glory fighting a supervillain, but from cancer in the seminal graphic novelThe Death of Captain Marvel. This marked one of the first times a major superhero died from a non-superpowered, real-world disease. While praised for its mature and poignant handling of such a sensitive topic, a cosmic hero who had faced down Thanos and other immense threats, succumbing to something so inherently human was divisive.
The controversy over Mar-Vell’s deathis a response to what is commonly expected in superhero stories. Heroes are supposed to overcome insurmountable odds, butcancer represented an enemy that even Mar-Vell’s powers couldn’t defeat. It represented the fragility of life, even for powerful beings, and challenged the escapism often found in superhero comics. While praised by critics for its emotional depth and groundbreaking approach, Mar-Vell’s death was still unexpected and bleak, even years later.
7Cyclops
Death of X#4: Written By Jeff Lemire And Charles Soule With Art By Aaron Kuder
Scott Summers, Cyclops, met his official end inDeath of X#4, succumbing to the M-Pox, a disease caused by the Terrigen Mists that were toxic to mutants. Until this point, Cyclops had been a morally ambiguous, oftentimes villainous, character in the years leading up to his death, alienating many long-time fans before the event. The nature of his death as a lingering illness rather than a heroic sacrifice was anticlimactic, further emphasizing the character assassination leading up to Scott’s downfall.
The circumstances surrounding his death were initially unclear, with a retcon later revealing he had actually died earlier and the Scott seen inDeath of X#4 was a psychic projection. This was a questionable end fora foundational member of the X-Men, and could be interpreted as an easy way to reboot a character who had become problematicrather than a meaningful conclusion to his arc.The M-Pox storyline itself was also divisive, adding to the general dissatisfaction surrounding Cyclops' final moments and the subsequent impact on the mutant community.
8Scarlet Witch
Avengers: Disassembled: Written By Brian Michael Bendis With Art By David Finch, Olivier Coipel, And Various
While not a permanent death, the implied death and following mental breakdown of the Scarlet Witch inAvengers: Disassembledleft an undeniable mark. Wanda Maximoff, overwhelmed by her powers and grief, appears to kill several Avengers, including Vision and Hawkeye, and unleashes a reality-altering wave that dismantles the team.While she wasn’t physically killed, her sanity was shattered,effectively ending the character fans knew and loved, leading into the infamous “No More Mutants” storyline.
The following retcons and attempts to redeem Wanda took a long time to take hold and distance her descent into villainy, making the death of her agency and sanity a particularly debatable move.
Wanda’s breakdown was seen as a character assassination, transforming a complex hero into an unstable villain driven by grief. Additionally,Wanda’s demise was essentially used as a plot device to reboot the Avengers, undermining years of her development. The following retcons and attempts to redeem Wanda took a long time to take hold and distance her descent into villainy, making the death of her agency and sanity a particularly debatable move.
9Bruce Banner/Hulk
Civil War II#3: Written By Brian Michael Bendis With Art By David Marquez
Bruce Banner, the original Hulk, was killed by Hawkeye inCivil War II#3 in a pre-emptive strike based on a vision from the Inhuman Ulysses.This death ignited a firestorm of controversy, generating outrage that a founding Avenger was killed not in battle, but by a fellow hero, essentially for a thought crime he hadn’t even committed. The ethics of killing someone based on a potential future, combined with the sudden and shocking nature of the death, made it incredibly divisive.
Hawkeye’s role and the ramifications within the Marvel Universe also proved to be contentious points. Clint’s acquittal, despite committing murder, further fueled the fire.Banner’s death, in turn, became a plot device to further theCivil War IIstoryline, rather than a respectful conclusion for such a long-standing character.The event sparked intense debates about justice, pre-cognition, and the morality of Marvel’s heroes, making Hulk’s death one of the most unpopular.
10Gwen Stacy
The Amazing Spider-Man#121: Written By Gerry Conway With Art By Gil Kane
The death of Gwen Stacy at the hands of the Green Goblin inThe Amazing Spider-Man#121 remains one of the most iconic deaths in comic book history. While not controversial in the sense of being poorly written or received (it’s widely considered a classic),the controversial nature stems from its lasting impact and the unprecedented decision to kill off a main character’s love interest so abruptly and brutally.Spider-Man fails to save Gwen, and it’s his own web-slinging that ultimately breaks her neck during her fall, a detail that has haunted the character for decades.
This death fundamentally changed the landscape of comic book storytelling.Before Gwen, major characters, especially love interests, were rarely killed off permanently.Her death established a new level of realism and vulnerability for superheroes, demonstrating that even Spider-Man couldn’t save everyone.The legacy of Gwen’s deathis the enduring shock and sadness it evokes, the way it shattered the innocence of the Silver Age, and how it continues to symbolize the tragic nature of Spider-Man’s life. It set a precedent for future character deaths, making it a pivotal, yet eternally painful, moment.
