Family and an attitude of volunteer heroism are major themes in Zack Snyder's three DCEU movies — Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League — lending themselves to moments in which the action moves to the wayside and wholesome feelings are allowed to breathe. This gives the characters a chance to show their softer, more vulnerable sides.Whether these moments show loved ones interacting with each other, heroes helping strangers in gentle ways, or personal moments of introspection, there is no shortage of warmth in this series. These scenes pull at the heartstrings of fans who cherish these characters and their journeys.Few things are more wholesome than a character-building moment between a father and son. In Man of Steel, when Jonathan Kent takes a young Clark into their cellar to reveal the truth of the boy's otherworldly origins, Clark is overwhelmed and doesn't take it well. Jonathan acknowledges his adopted son's terrible burden, and though he gives words of encouragement, Clark asks, "Can't I just keep pretending I'm your son?"What does the trick is a hug and the affectionate response, "You are my son." The line references a moment from Superman: Secret Origin (2009) by Geoff Johns. The scene can resonate with many parents and their adopted kids.After exploring the world for presumably as much as a decade searching to find his place in life, Clark finally returns home to Smallville to reunite with his mother, a welcome moment for the two of them. Overjoyed, he reveals he had discovered the true nature of his birth parents and why he was sent to Earth, though Martha is fearful that this foreshadows her son being taken from her."I'm not going anywhere, Mom," Clark says with a comforting hug to quell her tears. "I promise." This sentiment would later prove tragically false in Batman v Superman when humanity manufactures a monster to kill Martha's beloved son. Still, this remains one of the sweetest moments between mother and son in the three films.Following the intense battle in Smallville during which Clark saved Martha from General Zod, he returns to the damaged farmhouse to reunite with his mother, finding her recovering cherished items from the debris. "I’m sorry," Clark says, sad for the damage sustained by their old family home. "It's only stuff, Clark. It can always be replaced," Martha says, knowing where her priorities are.Clark replies, "But you can't be," expressing his relief after Zod's recent attack that his mother, who raised and understands him like no one else, is still alive. It's a warm moment when the two can relax after recent events by reminding themselves what matters most.In Batman v Superman, while Lois dwells on the recent tragedy in Nairomi from the apartment she shares with Clark, he arrives home to find her in the bath. He had bought flowers and offers to cook a meal to surprise her. The atmosphere turns somber when Lois brings up the consequences of the Nairomi incident that had been weighing on her mind, leaving Clark feeling bummed.Almost like a child, he hands Lois one of the roses he brought. After a few moments, the troubled atmosphere transforms when a smile crosses Lois' face. A job well done, Clark then excitedly steps into the bath, shoes and all, to enjoy an intimate moment with the woman he loves. Flawlessly melding sexuality with romance, it is a cute peek at the life Lois and Clark share.After watching the world discuss Superman's impact on humanity, Clark finds himself troubled by how his existence has been taken by the world. So he phones his beloved mother in the middle of the night. Martha asks him what's wrong, to which he replies only, "No, nothing, I just... Hi." Smiling warmly, Martha returns the greeting.In this moment, Superman is looking for comfort and simply needs to hear his mother's voice. There is a deeply endearing quality to this scene which reminds viewers that even Superman needs his mother sometimes.In one of the best fight scenes of Zack Snyder's trilogy, Batman unleashes hell to save Martha Kent from Lex Luthor's henchman Anatoli Knyazev and his thugs, plowing through a horde of bad guys before confronting the Russian mercenary holding a flamethrower to the gentle Kansas mother's head. A gunshot and an ignited gas tank later, Martha is safe beneath the Dark Knight's fireproof cape."Don't worry, I'm a friend of your son's," he reassures her, to which she gestures to Batman's back and replies, "I figured. The cape." To Batman, this was like saving his own mother of the same name who died all those years ago. It is a moment of levity filled with intense relief that emphasises Martha Kent's innocence.Zack Snyder described Wonder Woman as "a warrior for love," destroying villains to protect the innocent. In Zack Snyder's Justice League, taking down a group of terrorists at London's Old Bailey to defend a bunch of children on a school trip exemplifies this depiction of the character. This reaches its high point when a little girl asked Wonder Woman in the aftermath, "Can I be like you someday?""You can be anything you want to me," replies the Amazonian demigoddess. It is an especially poignant and meaningful message considering Barry Allen, once a perfectly normal human being, became a literal god of speed and time. In this world especially, anything is possible.During a dark period in his life, struggling with depression resulting from losing what he believed was his humanity, the cybernetic Victor Stone unearths his new power to manipulate the world's technology however he wishes. One of the first things he does is explore CCTV footage to observe a struggling single mother working as a waitress.Victor uses his mastery of technology to transfer $100,000 to her bank account. The moment she reacts with awe and hugs her children at the ATM, knowing things will be so much better from then on, is tear-jerking. Victor smiles as he watches, a good Samaritan whose humanity re-emerges. In this moment, he becomes a hero to a woman who needed something other than laser beams.When Clark finally restores his memories following his resurrection and a trip down memory lane through the Kent farm, he spends a beautiful moment with the two people most important to him: Lois Lane and Martha Kent. As he expresses his gratitude to be alive again by playing with a butterfly, the scene is almost surreal in its warmth.This is the first time Clark and Martha were reunited since he came looking for her advice one quiet Smallville evening before the Capitol hearing in Batman v Superman. The scene takes its time, allowing the moment to settle. These kinds of scenes, especially Clark's connection with nature, are part of what makes Henry Cavill so accurate to Superman's source material.Henry Allen fears that his son's drive to liberate him from prison is holding him back in life, working multiple jobs to pay for a law degree instead of finding his own way. He believes Barry has potential that deserves better than for Barry to waste it on a potentially fruitless effort to undo a conviction.Following the climactic final battle, Barry returns to his father to reveal he got a job in a crime lab, a real job for his own sake, with the potential of building a successful career. While a small step, it is huge for Henry Allen, who despaired that his son was wasting his life. He is utterly ecstatic and filled with pride that his son is now moving ahead, coinciding with Flash's character development in the DCEU.

There's no question that there are more superhero movies and television shows available today than at any other point in history. While a lot of praise has gone to live-action projects like Loki and The Boys or movies like The Suicide Squad 2 and basically the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, animated films and TV shows are just as good.RELATED: 5 Best Animated Superhero Movies (& 5 Worst), According To IMDbSome viewers may not take them seriously because they're cartoons but all someone has to do is look at 2018's Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse to see how great these can be. The same goes for television, with some modern animated superhero shows getting tons of praise.10 M.O.D.O.K. (2021) - 6.3 - Stream On HuluAlthough he was the main antagonist of the Marvel's Avengers video game, it's pretty clear that M.O.D.O.K. is something of a goofy-looking character. A giant floating head in a chair doesn't seem very intimidating, and that's the idea that the Hulu series M.O.D.O.K. played on.The show followed the titular villain as he attempted to juggle his empire and his family life. Praise was dished out to how the world was built, some of the relationships M.O.D.O.K. had, and the stop-motion animation style. The voice cast was also a hilarious highlight, led by Patton Oswalt, Melissa Fuermo, Aimee Garcia, and Ben Schwartz.9 ULTRAMAN (2019-Present) - 6.9 - Stream On Netflix Ultraman is a hero that has kind of been around for decades at this point and has been adopted plenty of times over. His suit has become rather iconic and the character has remained popular since the 1970s. He has been part of video games, movies, miniseries, television shows, and more. Ultraman could even end up in the Monsterverse alongside Godzilla and King Kong since he's the first tokusatsu hero in historyOne of the most recent iterations of a project starring the character is Netflix's ULTRAMAN, which premiered back in 2019. The 13-episode run received widespread acclaim from those who gave the series a chance and season 2 is scheduled to arrive in early 2022.8 Avengers Assemble (2012-2019) - 7.0 - Stream On Disney+If there was ever a perfect time for a show to release about Marvel's greatest team, it was in 2012. The MCU was really taking off and The Avengers surpassed the elusive $1 billion mark at the box office. So, it makes sense that Avengers Assemble was a hit series featuring Captain America, Black Widow, and more.Part of what made the show so well-received was how it continuously expanded the universe and the lore. Later seasons went on to adapt comic arcs like Secret Wars and also brought in the likes of Black Panther and Thanos. You'd be hard-pressed to find a bigger combination of Marvel characters on one screen.7 Axe Cop (2012-2015) - 7.4 - Stream On VRVBack in late 2009, Axe Cop debuted as a webcomic and the premise is basically right in the name. The series follows a police officer who opts to use an axe when he goes into a fight. The comic was adapted into a Fox TV series in 2013 before FXX took it over in 2015.RELATED: 10 Most Powerful TV Superheroes Of All TimeAlthough it's not the most popular modern animated superhero series, it did get critical praise. One of the biggest reasons it was loved was the voice cast with Nick Offerman leading the way and guest appearances from Alison Brie, Stephanie Beatriz, Jemima Kirke, Giancarlo Esposito, and more.6 Generator Rex (2010-2013) - 7.6 - Buy On AmazonThe 1999 comic M. Rex served as the inspiration for the 2010 TV series Generator Rex. Again, this is a series that stood out immediately for its voice cast, which featured J.K. Simmons, Daryl Sabara, and Fred Savage. One of the highlights was that this Cartoon Network series crossed over with other shows.2011 saw an episode that also featured characters from Ben 10. Although the series wrapped up nearly a decade ago, it was brought back for a special titled Ben Gen 10 in 2021, proving that it still has some legs. The show was set in a future where humans were infected by bots and one young man had the special ability to control those bots.5 What If...? (2021-Present) - 7.6 - Stream On Disney+The MCU finally got in on the animated action with the What If...? series. The idea was that it took the characters audiences have fallen in love with over the past decade or so and put them into situations and stories from other universes. Fans got to see T'Challa as Star-Lord, a world where Hank Pym murdered the Avengers, and Ultron wielding the Infinity Stones.The animation style was an instant hit, though a few of the episodes somewhat missed the mark. However, many fans agreed that things all came together near the end as the show created the Guardians of the Multiverse and saw an epic clash where the likes of Gamora, Thor, and Captain Carter teamed up to face a multiverse threat.4 Kid Cosmic (2021-Present) - 7.9 - Stream On NetflixCraig McCracken is one of the most notable names in animation as he created the likes of The Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, while also having a history on 2 Stupid Dogs and Dexter's Laboratory. In 2021, he tried his hand at superheroes with Kid Cosmic.RELATED: The 10 Best Episodes Of The Powerpuff Girls, According To IMDbThe premise is simple enough, following a kid who is given superpowers he must use to fight off evil but the series shines thanks to its supporting characters and the animation style that feels like a retro comic book. Though it only just premiered in early 2021, two seasons are already out and a third and final one is on the way.3 The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (2010-2012) - 8.3 - Stream On Disney+A few years before Avengers Assemble became a series, the Marvel team was brought to the small screen in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Initially, the show was centered around the original group of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Giant-Man, and The Wasp but other heroes were brought in later on.Like the follow-up series, this dealt with Marvel characters that hadn't yet come to movies like Skrulls, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Doom, and more. Fans were pretty disappointed with the news that it had not been renewed for season 3 and would be replaced by Avengers Assemble, though that show worked out well enough.2 Harley Quinn (2019-Present) - 8.5 - Stream On HBO MaxAlthough superhero cartoons mostly seem aimed at children, it's actually the ones geared towards adults that have performed the best from a critical standpoint. DC's Harley Quinn is just that kind of series, centering on the titular villain as she leaves The Joker and looks to form her own band of baddies.The series has been praised for everything from the voice acting (Kaley Cuoco, Lake Bell, and Alan Tudyk lead the way) to the animation style but the real highlight is how iconic characters are presented in a different manner. That includes a maniacal Jim Gordon and the hilarious Kite Man. Plus, audiences adore the core romance between Harley and Poison Ivy.1 Invincible (2021-Present) - 8.7 - Stream On Amazon PrimeAmazon Prime first made gritty superhero waves with The Boys but they took it to the next level with Invincible. The animation format allowed for the show to do things that wouldn't be possible without an absurd budget in live-action, including one particular finale scene involving a train crash and hundreds of dead bodies.The show follows Mark, a teen who gains superpowers and becomes the titular superhero. As he bands with other heroes to fight villains, he also learns that his father, a beloved hero himself, is actually the most ruthless villain of them all. Things culminated in shocking manner to wrap up a debut season that people were talking about for months.NEXT: 10 Invincible Characters & Their MCU Counterpartsfrom ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/2WVkP7n https://ift.tt/3DfRFPQ

Warning! Spoilers ahead for My Hero Academia chapter 329! The top American hero in My Hero Academia, Star and Stripe, just confronted the long-awaited Tomura Shigaraki who apparently is no longer possessed by his master All For One. This is the first time that readers have seen Shigaraki since All For One took control of his body and went into hiding so his student could finish his awakening that Japan's heroes interrupted during the Paranormal Liberation War.Before the epic confrontation, All For One reveals in chapter 329 of My Hero Academia that it would be troublesome if he had to change his plans to accommodate Star and Stripe, who's All Might's former student and the world's strongest female hero. It's obvious by All For One's confession that he views Star and Stripe as a very formidable opponent. But even though her arrival would complicate his goal of obtaining One For All, the villain foresees one silver lining to her involvement; it will be that much easier for him to obtain her quirk, which is currently unknown to readers. Although he doesn't confirm it, All For One could very well covet her powers more than One For All.Related: My Hero Academia: All Might's Student Is America's New Number-One HeroAs for Shigaraki, it's puzzling that All For One is clearly not in possession of his body. Leading up to Shigaraki's meeting with Star and Stripe, there's a scene where All For One reveals his plans to League of Villains member Spinner. Readers may have assumed for a moment that it was a flashback before the Paranormal Liberation War and that All For One was able to divulge his plans to Spinner because he knew what was going to happen. It's not that far off to assume. All For One has proven himself quite capable of foreseeing the actions of others like when he implanted the self-destruct quirk in the assassin Lady Nagant before she began hunting for Deku, believing that she would most likely turn on him. And he was right. She did end up experiencing a change of heart. Yet, it's clear in chapter 329 that All For One and Spinner are in hiding, and since the villain possessed Shigaraki's body before fleeing, the two must have separated at some point during their self-exile.That said, All Might reveals in the previous chapter that All For One's quirk, like One For All, serves as a conduit between the current wielder and past users, but it was only a one-way channel, where All For One could communicate with Shigaraki, but not the other way around. It's possible that All For One assumed control of his student's body momentarily to construct a two-way channel that would stay in effect once they separated. It's also likely that this added communicative mechanism somehow grants the villain more control over Shigaraki, possibly transforming his student into a marionette that he can manipulate from afar without having to be actually inside of him. Shigaraki's comment to Star and Stripe about who he actually partially confirms this theory.Regardless, the upcoming battle in My Hero Academia between Star and Stripe and Tomura Shigaraki will undoubtedly be explosive, especially since the villain's student has now fully awakened and can unleash the true potential of his Decay quirk and, most likely, wield All For One as well. If for whatever reason Tomura Shigaraki easily overcomes Star and Stripe, she will most likely have backup, for Endeavor was already en route to meet her with Hawks and Best Jeanist following closely behind him.Next: Dragon Ball Super's Vegeta Just Stole Goku’s Most Dishonorable Attackfrom ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/2YvevE7 https://ift.tt/3AjKJiM

Marvel: Crisis Protocol currently has 18 affiliations available to players, but the Cabal has stayed relevant and competitive since its introduction as one of the two affiliations in the original core set. The Cabal also has the second-largest roster of affiliated characters (behind only the Avengers) in the Marvel board game.RELATED: 10 Best Avengers in Marvel: Crisis Protocol, RankedWhile this breadth of options is exciting, it can also make roster-building an intimidating endeavor. While the group once needed to focus on damage-dealers to take advantage of the Cabal's single leadership ability, the addition of an additional leader has given the Cabal multiple playstyles that can take advantage of both aggressive and defensive strategies.10 Bob, Agent of HydraBob, Agent of Hydra's humorous persona is represented in Marvel: Crisis Protocol with a few interesting gimmicks. First, Bob has a giant rocket launcher that rolls a massive nine dice, but it also deals enough damage to Bob to daze him and can usually be used only once. This downside may seem significant, but Bob also has the unique ability to survive any hit as long as he hasn't yet activated in the given round. His other selling point is that he's the only two-threat character in Cabal, making him an excellent roster option to round out squads in certain crises.9 CrossbonesJust like this villain's role in the MCU, Crossbones used to be considered a disappointment in Crisis Protocol. While he can hit hard and has solid staying power, his small base and short move meant that he had difficulty getting to and staying in the action. Luckily the Cabal's second leader, Sin, breathed new life into Brock Rumlow. While his short move is still less than ideal, Crossbones loves the objective-focused playstyle that Sin brings to the affiliation. He's perfect for moving to an objective token and laying hits on anyone that gets too close. The only thing that players need to be careful of is Crossbones' fragile mystic and energy defenses. While he's great at soaking physical hits, having to deal with a big attack of the wrong type can result in a stun before he can get to his desired place on the map.8 MysterioMarvel Comics fans know Mysterio is a special effects whiz, and his penchant for trickery is represented well in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. His oddly spread defenses of one physical, one energy, and five mystic may seem like a deal-breaker, but Mysterio has several ways of staying alive through a game. First, Mysterio's stealth means that nobody outside of range three can even attempt to attack him. Those who do close will trigger his Tricks and Traps, which damages enemies and moves them short. Also, Mysterio can use his mystic defense against any attack unless the opponent pays two energy. Beck synergizes well with Red Skull's leadership ability. With it, he always has the energy he needs to use Tricks and Traps.7 SabretoothSabertooth may be most famous as a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants, but his suite of attacks and abilities makes him a great fit in the Cabal as well. Victor Creed is an excellent single-target assassin capable of chasing characters down with his long move and dishing out damage with his strong basic and builder.RELATED: 9 Best Marvel Strike Force Teams For BeginnersAggressive lets Sabretooth move after he's attacked, which can get him into position to attack twice in one turn instead of having to advance. On top of his solid stats and damage, Sabertooth can make a free attack after an enemy attacks him. This extra Claw Slash lets him take double advantage of Red Skull's "energy for attack damage" leadership ability.6 Omega RedArkady Rossovich, aka Omega Red, is the only mutant currently in Marvel: Crisis Protocol who isn't a member of the X-Men, X-Force, or Brotherhood of Mutants affiliations. Omega Red is one of the best area denial tools in the game, and his kit is packed with powers and attacks that keep him alive and punish enemies for getting close.RELATED: 10 Best Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Characters To Play AsOmega Red automatically ignores one wound any time it's dealt from an enemy effect, and his Carbonadium Coils heals him if it does damage. Furthermore, any character within range two at the end of its or Omega Red's turn becomes poisoned. This effect synergizes well with his Death Factor, which damages all poisoned enemies within the same range.5 Red SkullRed Skull is one of Marvel's best villains and his reputation is honored in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. Despite being an original core box character, Johann Schmidt still sees a good amount of play. His most obvious selling point is his leadership ability, Master of Evil. If Red Skull is on the field in a Cabal-affiliated squad, every friendly character gains one power whenever they damage an enemy with an attack. Since this effect is not limited to once per turn, it allows characters with beams, area attacks, or rapid-fire to gain energy incredibly quickly. Red Skull's Master of the Cube power also helps slower Cabal members by moving them range two for three power.4 Baron ZemoHelmut Zemo was released with the Marvel: Crisis Protocol core set, and he's still a staple competitive character today. Zemo is a well-rounded villain who is effective both as an offensive threat and a supporting character for his teammates. Both his free Sword Strike and two-cost Steel Rush automatically cause bleed whether they do damage or not, and the latter increases Zemo's mobility by letting him advance medium after the attacks. Additionally, he's one of few characters with a long movement range, so he's great for quickly getting to objectives and assets on turn one. Even when he's not directly involved in combat, Helmut also grants himself and every other character within range two a free reroll on any attack or defense rolls.3 SinMany affiliations in Marvel: Crisis Protocol have received a second leader, and, in the Cabal, leadership stayed in the Schmidt family. Sin, aka Sinthea Schmidt, is the daughter of the Red Skull, and she brings a new leadership ability to her faction. Instead of her father's energy generation, Sin's Red Mayhem power lets her team push enemies away from objectives and force opponents to drop Asset Tokens between rounds.RELATED: 10 Best Marvel Legacy Villains Who Lived Up To Their PredecessorThis ability opens up an entirely new playstyle for her team that focuses on area control and denial instead of pure offense. Sin synergizes particularly well with characters like Omega Red and Crossbones that don't like to move around the board more than they have to.2 EnchantressEnchantress is expensive at four threat, but her attacks and powers offer unprecedented board control to her player. Her basic attack is a beam, which is rare, and it drains power tokens from each enemy it hits if a wild is rolled. Amora's Kiss is also incredibly powerful. It is currently the only power capable of stripping an Asset or Civilian token from an enemy, after which Enchantress gains it. It works only at range one, but Siren's Call lets Enchantress move any enemy within range three short.1 M.O.D.O.K.M.O.D.O.K. may not be as well-known as other Cabal members, but he's arguably the best five-threat character in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. M.O.D.O.K. has just about everything that players could want in a character: His basic attack drains power, he has a long throw, he can move enemies with Bow to the Will of M.O.D.O.K., he can buy dice rerolls, and he changes wilds to blanks on defense. In fact, he's so good that he'll be one of the very few characters to receive a slight nerf when Atomic Mass Games release their updated set of character cards in late 2021. Even with this nerf, he'll still be an extremely strong character that can single-handedly carry matches.NEXT: 10 MCU Board Games That Every Marvel Fan Should Playfrom ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/3oLQqUC https://ift.tt/3FsAEDZ

While Marvel Comics teams like the Avengers and the Fantastic Four are heroes to the world, saving the planet many times over, the X-Men are very different. Though they also are heroes who have saved the world more than once, humans hate and fear the them because they are mutants born with special powers and are, therefore, different.The bigotry inherent to X-Men storylines often leads to horrific events that devastate the mutant population. These events come at the hands of the U.S. government, other anti-mutant factions, and even from within the mutant community. In some cases, every mutant on the planet has almost been depowered or killed, only because so much of the world can't accept mutantkind.One of the most devastating events in Marvel mutant history occured on the island of Genosha. For years, mutants lived in fear of humans who wanted them dead just for who they were. They soon found a place of their own in the nation of Genosha. After the United Nations ceded the country to Magneto, it became a home for mutants to live in peace, and only mutants were allowed there.Sadly, this peace wouldn't last. For years, both the government and private industry used Sentinels to capture and kill mutants. In this case, the evil Cassandra Nova sent Wild Sentinels to attack the island with no warning, and more than 16 million mutants died.While the X-Men were the face of mutants all over the world and many others lived in secrecy, fearing for their lives if their secrets were learned, there was another faction living in hiding. These were the Morlocks, mutants whose appearance didn't give them a chance to live in secret among humans.Mister Sinister wanted these mutants, who lived in the tunnels under New York City, dead. He sent his Acolytes into the tunnels and had them attack the Morlocks with no warning. The X-Men, X-Factor, New Mutants, Power Pack, and Thor all arrived to help, but hundreds of Morlocks died in the attack.Not all events that devastated the X-Men were about killing mutants. This was true in the case of the Weapon X Program. Movie fans know all about this, as it was the group from X2 that attacked the X-Mansion and kidnapped the mutant children living there. In the comics, it was a similar institution that experimented on mutants.The goal of the program was to take possible mutants and put them through tests that either brought out their mutations or developed mutations in humans to use as weapons. This was the program that ran unethical experiments on Wolverine, Deadpool, and other.Long before the Superhero Registration Act started the "Civil War" between Iron Man and Captain America, there was another act that was just as controversial. This was the Mutant Registration Act. It started with a government official named Robert Kelly who felt that all mutants should have to register with the government.Some mutants ran at the chance, including former members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, which became a government task force. However, the law gave a reward to anyone who turned in unregistered mutants and put the lives of young teen mutants all over the country in danger."Onslaught" was an event in Marvel Comics that affected every hero in the world. This was the result of something Professor Charles Xavier did to Magneto that spiraled out of control. Charles wiped Magneto's mind after a battle, and in doing so, he unleashed a vessel of hate known as Onslaught.Onslaught was a being who was part Charles Xavier, part Magneto, and more powerful than any hero in the Marvel Universe. Onslaught almost destroyed the world. His attack killed the Avengers and Fantastic Four, and it turned the entire world against the mutants."Operation: Zero Tolerance" took place after "Onslaught." With the Avengers and Fantastic Four gone, mutants became public enemy No. 1. After this war, Graydon Creed ran for President of the United States on an anti-mutant platform. When something killed him, people believed it was mutants.This led a man known as Bastion to start a government program called Operation: Zero Tolerance. No one knew that Bastion was not human but was, in fact, a Sentinel. He constructed new Prime Sentinels that looked like humans and received government permission to capture or kill all mutants."Decimation" was one of the most traumatic events to ever happen to mutants. While this was not as bad as the attack on Genosha, it was in some ways even more devastating because of the lasting effects on mutants. After "House of M" ended, Scarlet Witch, in one of the worst things she ever did, stripped 91.4% of the world's mutants of their powers.This caused many mutants to end up unable to continue living after their powers disappeared. It also made Scarlet Witch the most hated person in the world for almost all mutants. Almost a million mutants lost their powers during this devastating event.After Scarlet Witch stripped almost a million mutants of their powers, it gave anti-mutant haters a chance to attack defenseless people, many of them teenagers and children. One of these groups of X-Men villains was called the Purifiers, which was led by the evil William Stryker, who wanted to rid the world of all mutants.Even though "Decimation" depowered mutants, making them mostly human, that wasn't enough for Stryker who wanted them all dead. The depowered mutant children who went to school at the Xavier Institute were leaving by bus when the Purifiers bombed it, killing almost a quarter of the children from the school.Some of the most devastating events in X-Men history occurred in alternate timelines. The first of these was "Days of Future Past," which was the first major X-Men alternate timeline story to appear in comics. In this world, Sentinels were sent to capture all mutants but ended up killing regular heroes and taking over the world.Most of the X-Men were dead when the story started, and it wasn't until the they sent someone back in time to stop an assassination that the timeline was averted. Sadly, in this specific event, almost every major X-Men member died, including Wolverine, Colossus, Storm, and more."Age of Apocalypse" was arguably the biggest alternate timeline event that devastated the X-Men. In this world, Professor X never existed because Legion went back in time to kill Magneto and accidentally caused his father's death instead. Without Xavier, Apocalypse showed up and took over the world.This devastated the X-Men, who were unable to defeat Apocalypse and had to watch him conquer Earth. Even when the surviving X-Men beat him, Wolverine eventually turned evil and continued to rule over the world, killing any mutant who resisted him.

Charles Xavier created the X-Men for two reasons. One was to teach young mutants how to use their powers safely. The second was to create a team that could act as heroes to ease the relationship between mutants and the humans who fear them. However, there are several X-Men who have been anything but heroic in their lives. The X-Men have always had to battle with anti-mutant bigotry, and this has caused some of them to act like the villains they usually fight. The mutants have cheated, stolen, killed, and broken all kinds of laws, things they could usually set out to bring down villainous mutants for doing. At the end of the day, they are still heroes, but many X-Men members have been one step away from turning to the dark side.Beast was, at one time, a loveable and enthusiastic founding member of the X-Men. However, he grew darker as time went on. There was even an alternate world's version of Beast, known as Dark Beast, who conducted disturbing and unethical experiments, having turned completely evil.The main timeline Beast is getting close to that in Krakoa. He has committed many crimes and simply told Professor X not to ask questions he doesn't want answers for. Beast has also become ruthless, sending mutants to their deaths and explaining his actions by saying they can be resurrected, ignoring the pain he is putting them through. There might not be a more immoral X-Men member in Krakoa right now.Magneto started out as the X-Men's archenemy along with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, so it is no surprise that he has done a lot of terrible things over his career. However, he has also joined the X-Men and served as their leader on several occasions. In the 1980s, he took over as the leader when Charles Xavier left Earth, but then reverted to a villain after that.Currently, Magneto is a hero once again, serving on the Quiet Council in Krakoa. He is one of the only people other than Charles Xavier to know the secret behind the new mutant society. However, Magneto is also not above turning back the clock. He has betrayed almost every other mutant on the X-Men team and, in his most villainous moment, ripped the adamantium from Wolverine's skeleton.Professor X is supposed to be the man who set the template for how all mutants should act. The problem is that Xavier has not always practiced what he preached. As the X-Men's main leader, Charles Xavier has done more villainous things over his life than most of the X-Men combined.He manipulates the mind of anyone he wants, even completely rearranging the memories of Wolverine to force him to join the X-Men in the first place. He joined the Illuminati, which was responsible for pulling strings behind the backs of all Earth's heroes. He shut down Magneto's brain once, which unleashed the monster Onslaught into the world. Even now, as the main man in Krakoa, he has manipulated the world to bow to his country's whims.Emma Frost was another villain who later became a member of the X-Men. When she joined, it was because she realized that Charles Xavier's ideals were the right ones, and she soon became a trusted ally. She even romanced Cyclops at one point, and the two led the X-Men to great heights.However, while leading the X-Men, she did something unforgivable. She faked Cyclops' death to send the mutants into a war with the Inhumans. Her actions caused many mutants and Inhumans to almost lose their lives, and she went on the run when both sides learned the truth.When Wolverine joined the X-Men, he was fresh from working for a secret government agency in Canada, and before that, he was part of the Weapon X program in the United States. After Wolverine joined the X-Men, he did everything he could to transition into a hero and curb his violent streak.However, Wolverine has crossed the line more than once. He killed his own son Daken when he learned that Daken was fated to do terrible things in the future. In "Age of Apocalypse," one of the most destructive alternate X-Men timelines, Wolverine became the ultimate evil dictator. In the "Old Man Logan" storyline, he killed every member of the X-Men.Cyclops committed the ultimate sin when he was a leader in the X-Men. He murdered his mentor and father figure, Professor Xavier. This happened in Avengers vs. X-Men and it happened because Cyclops and his teammates wanted to allow the Phoenix Force to return to Earth, with him and several teammates possessed by it.When Professor X tried to end the war between the two teams, Cyclops murdered him in cold blood. Cyclops then lost the Phoenix Force and went to prison, where he ended up as a martyr to disenfranchised mutants all over the world.Out of all the members of the X-Men, the one who committed the most heinous atrocity was Jean Grey, the former Marvel Girl. Jean was a founding member of the team and was its heart and soul for many years. However, after a mission in space went wrong, she returned to Earth with the Phoenix Force controlling her.This is when Jean committed the ultimate sin. With the Dark Phoenix rising inside her and the Hellfire Club pushing her to the brink, Jean set out and destroyed an entire galaxy. Billions died in the attack, and Jean ended up giving her own life to atone for this villainous act.Angel was the one X-Men member that seemed to seem the least likely to ever become a villain. Not only was he an "angel" with big, white wings allowing him flight, but he could hide the wings under a shirt and go on as if he was a non-mutant human. This changed after Angel was attacked and lost his wings.In what readers thought was Angel taking his own life, his close friend Cameron Hodge betrayed him and blew up a helicopter he was on. Apocalypse brought him back as Archangel, and Angel had a change of heart. More than once, Archangel murdered anti-mutant terrorists in cold blood, stepping over a line that the X-Men swore never to approach.Rogue started out her career as a villain. Rased by Mystique and Destiny, she was a villain who battled the Avengers. She actually used her mutant abilities to strip Carol Danvers of her Captain Marvel powers and much of her memory, destroying the superhero's life for many years.After becoming a hero, Rogue changed and atoned for those sins. However, there was a point when she stepped over the line. On a new team of X-Men and Avengers members, Rogue found herself teaming with Scarlet Witch, who has previously stripped most mutants of their powers. At one point, Rogue mistakenly thought Scarlet Witch betrayed them, and with no evidence to back it up, she murdered Wanda in cold blood.Gambit did one of the most villainous things in X-Men history, and he didn't even know he was doing it. Mister Sinister had built up a group called the Acolytes and forced Gambit to help him. Without knowing the reason for it, Gambit helped lead Sinister's team into the tunnels under New York City.This is the event that led to the Morlock Massacre. Gambit realized what he did and hid it from his teammates, even his lover, Rogue. When the X-Men learned he was responsible, they banished him from the team.

Every late-night talk show host has, at one point or another, made a cameo in a television show or movie as themselves. They are often seen interviewing guests as if their characters were real and not the actors who play them. In one recent small screen instance, for example, Jimmy Fallon appeared in the Peacock series Girls5eva, interviewing the women from the fictional former girl group.But many of the most popular late-night talk show hosts have also dabbled in acting, appearing in projects as characters, not themselves. James Corden, for example, was a sitcom star in the U.K. before he began hosting his late show in America. And Stephen Colbert was also in Girls5eva, but playing a character, a record producer named Alf Musik. But there have been movie appearances, too.10 Jimmy Fallon - Fever Pitch (2005)Fallon has made mention of his failed movie career many times on both The Tonight Show and his previous talk show, often in reference to the fact that it was through the 2005 movie Fever Pitch that he met his now wife.Fallon starred alongside Drew Barrymore in the romantic comedy, which was produced by the company Barrymore owns alongside Nancy Juvonen. She introduced the two and the rest is history. The movie itself was a remake of the 1997 British film of the same name, which itself was based on a 1992 book, with a focus on baseball instead of soccer. 9 James Corden - Cats (2019)Some fans don't realize that while Corden is best known in North America as host of The Late Late Show with James Corden, he was actually known in the U.K. for his acting and writing. He is most notable for the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey, but James Corden has also had plenty of other great roles.He has continued to act alongside hosting, including voicing the title character in the Peter Rabbit movie in 2018 and its 2021 sequel. He also starred in the 2019 musical fantasy film Cats, based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber stage musical. He played Bustopher Jones and was in good company with a star-studded cast that also included Dame Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Rebel Wilson, Taylor Swift, and others.8 Jimmy Kimmel (PAW Patrol: The Movie)Kimmel has joked many times on his long-running late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! how even his voice acting role in PAW Patrol: The Movie didn't impress his young children. Indeed, Kimmel, who rose to fame as co-host of The Man Show, fittingly voiced the character of Marty Muckraker, a news anchor at the fictional Adventure City News Network.This isn't the extent of his voice acting: often known for voicing dog characters, Kimmel also lent his voice acting talents to Garfield: The Movie, and was the voice of Death's Dog in an episode of Family Guy.7 Jimmy Fallon (Taxi)While Fallon truly rose to fame once he was cast on Saturday Night Live, he also tried his hands at movies while he was working on the sketch comedy series. Once such film was the buddy cop movie alongside Queen Latifah called Taxi.A remake of the French film, Taxi wasn't received well by critics, but Fallon still went forward with Fever Pitch, his second major role. The movie flops were a hit to his self-esteem, but Fallon finally found his stride as a late-night talk show host and eventually got the opportunity to take over the illustrious The Tonight Show.6 John Oliver (The Lion King)John Oliver has done some acting in his time before taking over the political late-night talk show circuit with Last Week Tonight, which is the top-ranked late night talk show, according to IMDb. Most recently, he voiced the character of Zazu in The Lion King in 2019. The computer animated musical drama by Jon Favreau had a star-studded voice cast that also included the likes of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Zazu was a hornbill, majordomo and King of the Pride Lands.Oliver has had a few other voice acting roles in movies, including as Vanity Smurf in The Smurfs, The Smurfs 2, and The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow, and as Steve in Wonder Park. He also played a character named Dick Pants in 2008's The Love Guru.5 Jon Stewart (Big Daddy)Stewart, of course, is known for his long-time award-winning tenure on Comedy Central satirical news show The Daily Show. But he had been acting long before that.One of his most memorable early roles was in the Adam Sandler movie Big Daddy, where he played Kevin Garrity, the roommate of Sandler's lead character Sonny and the biological father of the young boy who Sonny ends up caring for to prove to his ex-girlfriend that he can be responsible.4 Chelsea Handler (This Means War)Handler is a veteran within the stand-up comedy circuit, and hosted her own late-night talk show, Chelsea Lately, for many years, from 2007-2015. She then went on to create her own documentaries for Netflix.Within her busy schedule, however, Handler has also made time to appear in a handful of movies. One such role was a small one in the movie This Means War, which starred Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, and Tom Hardy. She had a small role as Trish, Witherspoon's character's best friend.3 Arsenio Hall (Coming To America)While Hall's successful career as a late-night talk show host back in the '90s, The Arsenio Hall Show, had people chattering that he could be the successor to Johnny Carson for The Tonight Show, Hall is almost as well-known for his supporting role in the 1988 movie Coming to America, in which he starred with comedic icon Eddie Murphy.Hall and Murphy reunited to star in the sequel movie Coming to America 2, which was released in 2021. It remains one of the best movies in which actors play multiple characters.2 Jay Leno (Cars)It's no surprise given his distinctive voice that Leno has done many voice acting roles in animated films. But one of the most notable ones is from the massive hit movie Cars from 2006. He didn't play himself, but he did play a talking car named Jay Limo in a cameo role. He has also voiced many other characters, including Fast Tony in Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), Jack O'Lantern in Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King (2008), and King Malbert in Igor (2008).Leno, of course, is one of the most successful and well-known late-night talk show hosts, having headed up The Jay Leno Show for many years, as well as original (and returning) successor to The Tonight Show before and after Conan O'Brien until Fallon officially took over.1 Seth Meyers (Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist) Meyers was cast member on Saturday Night Live, but most notably co-host of the Weekend Update segment. He was also one of the best SNL cast members who debuted in the 2000s, and was also a writer for the show. But fans might not realize that he had done acting beyond his sketch comedy roles on that series.While Meyers mostly had minor roles beyond cameos as himself in movies like The Interview, he did play a small character in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. His character didn't even have a name, though: he was simply credited as "drunk guy in Yugo." He also had small roles in Journey to the Center of the Earth and Spring Breakdown. Meyers, of course, currently hosts Late Night with Seth Meyers.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become quite adept at building up the stardom of those who play its most famous superheroes, elevating the likes of Chris Evans and Chris Pratt to action hero superstardom. However, many superheroes of the MCU are also portrayed by actors and actresses with lengthy and prestigious resumes. This includes several who have actually managed to obtain the holy grail of film awards: an Oscar. This being the case, it’s no surprise that the characters they play end up being some of the most fascinating in this shared universe.Tilda Swinton has earned a reputation as one of her generation’s finest living actresses, playing a wide variety of characters, from evil sorceresses to gender-bending time travelers. She earned an Oscar for her role of Karen Crowder in Michael Clayton, and in the MCU she is famous for playing the Ancient One in Doctor Strange.The Ancient One is a being of immense power and mystery. Swinton brings her signature strangeness to this part, somehow making the Ancient One both compelling and more than a little frightening.Like Swinton, Natalie Portman has earned herself quite a reputation as an actress, appearing in a wide range of cinematic genres, including science-fiction, space opera, drama, and biopic. Unsurprisingly, she has also been nominated for numerous awards for her acting ability.She ultimately took home the statuette for best actress for her astonishing performance in Darren Aronovsky’s Black Swan. In the MCU, she has made the most out of the character Jane Foster, and she is slated to take on more importance as the Mighty Thor in next year's Thor: Love and Thunder.There are few actresses who have achieved quite the level of superstardom as Angelia Jolie. She has repeatedly proven her versatility as a star, and she has been in numerous types of roles, earning an Academy Award for Girl, Interrupted.Her role as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, however, may be the role that has most defined her stardom, and it helps to explain why she was chosen to play the character Thena in the upcoming Eternals. Fans will once again get to see Jolie step in front of the camera as an action star.The various movies centered on Thor tend to have a bit of a lighter touch than the other parts of the MCU, but there is also a bit of a sinister strain underneath the humor. For instance, Matt Damon is slated to reprise his role as an actor portraying Loki in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder.It's a bit of a stretch - he's only an actor playing Loki, who is more of an anti-hero than a hero -  but he is a well-respected actor and has many nominations and awards under his belt, including an Oscar for screenwriting for Good Will Hunting.Gwyneth Paltrow is a bit of Hollywood royalty, being the daughter of director Bruce Paltrow and actress Blythe Danner. However, she is also a formidable acting talent in her own right, as evidenced by her lengthy resume and the critical praise that her performances often receive.Among her many accolades, she won an Academy Award for best actress for Shakespeare in Love. Fans of the MCU, however, know her best as Pepper Potts, the longtime love interest of Iron Man.Despite her relative youth, Lupita Nyong’o has still managed to build up quite a list of acting credits, and she often receives critical acclaim for the powerful intensity that she brings to almost every role that she creates.She received the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in 12 Years a Slave, and she has become similarly acclaimed for her role as Nakia in Black Panther, one of that film’s most popular characters.Brie Larson has a well-deserved reputation for bringing out the humanity and empathy of her often-troubled characters, as can be seen in her role in Room, the film for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress.She brought that considerable talent to her role as Captain Marvel, one of the later additions to the MCU and one that proved to be crucial to the Avengers as they sought to defeat Thanos and restore the lives of half of the universe.There are few actors who have quite the reputation and resume of Michael Douglas who, like Gwyneth Paltrow, is a bit of Hollywood royalty (his father was the famous screen legend Kirk Douglas).In the MCU, he is most famous for playing the character of Hank Pym, the man who invented the Ant-Man suit and would eventually become a mentor to the man who succeeded him as the wearer of the suit, Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang.Taika Waititi has established himself as a versatile person in Hollywood, earning him acclaim for his roles both behind and in front of the camera and in both film and television.He won an Academy Award for his screenplay for Jojo Rabbit, and he has received several other nominations for both his work. In the MCU, he’s best known for portraying the character Korg, who joins the Avengers as they attempt to defeat Thanos.Daniel Kaluuya has earned quite a lot of respect as an actor, both for his haunting performance in the horror film Get Out, as well as his more recent role as Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah, becoming one of the youngest people to win the prestigious acting award.Among fans of the MCU, he has earned a lot of popularity for playing the character of W’Kabi, one of the movie’s more interesting characters. Though he initially supports T’Challa, he betrays him before finally surrendering during the final battle.Russell Crowe has a formidable reputation in Hollywood, having acted in several high-budget blockbuster epics. In one of those, Gladiator, he played the title character Maximus, the man who rebels against an emperor before perishing in the arena.It was the role that earned him an Oscar, and he has gone on to perform in several more high-profile epic films, and he is slated to portray the character of Zeus in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder.