Marvel fans came together to share their views on which characters in the film franchise are likely to induce the most severe Oedipal and Electra complexes.
Dvaderstarlord took to the r/marvelstudios subreddit to ask fans to name who they think are the worst fathers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The top spots were automatically reserved for Ego (Kurt Russell) and Thanos (Josh Brolin).
Unsurprisingly, fans recognized Odin (Anthony Hopkins) for his lousy parenting skills in Thor (2011), Thor: The Dark World (2013), and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
Redditor Wordcitect reeled off their picks for the MCU’s deadbeat dads. They felt that the nefarious General Dreykov’s (Ray Winstone) despicable behavior in The Avengers (2012) and Black Widow (2021) and Shang-Chi’s horrible father, Wenwu (Tony Leung) surpassed the horrible attitude and actions of Odin.
Another alum of the Thor franchise found their way on to the list of bad MCU dads in the shape of Zeus (Russell Crowe) who blithely placed his child in harms way by insisting that he avenge his grudge against the formidable God of Thunder.
Marvel fan mking999 nominated Bill Fisk (Domenick Lombardozzi), the cruel, substance dependent politician who heaped verbal and physical abuse on his wife and child behind closed doors in the Daredevil tv series.
Another Redditor initially picked the father of Ms. Marvel’s bff Bruno Carelli before deciding that Leo Fitz was probably a more awful parent.
It’s interesting that god complexes, self-centeredness, and cowardice in the face of accountability seem to be the common denominators among all of the characters who made the list. However, on a more positive note, their examples serve as a stark contrast to the exceptional care and commitment of dedicated fathers who relentlessly prioritize and protect the wellbeing of their families.
Watch the MCU films on Disney Plus.