History proves that it doesn't take much to turn a super-powered being into a supervillain. Comic-book characters will routinely overreact and use incredibly flimsy motivations to justify some pretty heinous acts. From Batman Returns to Avengers: Infinity War, here are nine minor disses and delusions that caused chaos.
Electro
Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Having saved Max Dillon before a taxi could smush him, you'd think the guy would be grateful. But when Spider-Man fails to remember this superfan's name on their next meeting, Max – who has become Electro – decides he's going to kill Spider-Man, steal the city's power and rule its people like a god. Too far, dude!
The Penguin
Appearance: Batman Returns
We get it, your parents were horrible to you. Your only recourse is to abduct all of Gotham's firstborn sons and kill them in revenge for your family's mistakes. Talk about daddy (and mommy) issues!
Thanos
Appearance: Avengers: Infinity War
Somebody needs to book this Titan into a seminar about sustainability. Because if you think the answer to there being too many people in the universe for too few resources is to snap your fingers and wipe half of them out, you've lost the plot. Especially if halving all life has also killed half the plants needed to feed those left behind! Muppet.
The Vulture
Appearance: Spider-Man: Homecoming
Losing your livelihood sucks, especially when you have a family to support. Deciding to switch from being a crew that cleans up the damage caused by superheroes to dealing in the deadly arms left behind by their alien foes is an overreaction to say the least.
Ego
Appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Oh Ego, you planet-sized old romantic you. Finding yourself genuinely infatuated with Meredith Quill and worried it could distract you from an "Expansion" that would consume the universe, the only option is to implant a fatal brain tumour and have her die slowly. At least your kids perished quickly and painlessly before you stockpiled their skeletal remains, you weirdo.
Aldrich Killian
Appearance: Iron Man 3
Imagine if every person Tony Stark blew off so he could spend more time with an attractive lady eventually came at him guns blazing? Iron Man would be even busier than he already is. We feel scientist Aldrich Killian's pain, as it's no fun being ditched on New Year's Eve, but let's not go nuclear!
The Riddler
Appearance: Batman Forever
Apparently, Edward Nygma is not a man you keep waiting – or turn down. The researcher at Wayne Enterprises is developing a device that can beam TV directly into a person's brain (no, it's not called Netflix) and demands an immediate answer from Bruce Wayne about whether he can continue his studies. Bruce says no so Nygma kills his supervisor and begins hounding Wayne, a man he previously idolised. Seems logical!
Eddie Brock
Appearance: Spider-Man 3
Try and forget that this third film changes Venom's origin story and includes a funky dancing Peter Parker that should have been left on the cutting room floor. It's true crimes are those of photographer Eddie Brock, who fakes a picture for the front page of The Daily Bugle. When he's exposed as a fraud by Parker, he reacts in the only rational way: kill Spider-Man!
Ultron
Appearance: Avengers: Age of Ultron
Thanos and Ultron have so much to discuss. James Spader's sassy robot is here to save the Earth. Yay! By wiping out humanity. Boo! Seriously, Ultron, can't we have a chat about recycling first?
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