Marvel Cinematic Universe/Characters

Tony Stark / Iron Man
""I've successfully privatized world peace. What more do you want?""

"Portrayed By: Robert Downey, Jr. Film Appearances: Iron Man / The Incredible Hulk / Iron Man 2 / The Avengers"

A brilliant engineer with Powered Armor and CEO of Stark Industries. After being held hostage by terrorists, and escaping, his world view and philosophy changes, shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of his company, and becoming the hero Iron Man.

"Stern: Mr. Stark? Mr. Stark! Tony: (turns around) Hmm, yes dear?"
 * Adult Child
 * The Alcoholic: Definitely has the tendencies, especially in Iron Man 2.
 * Always Someone Better: In the second film, it seems Tony thinks his father was his Always Someone Better. Quite aside from Howard Stark's apparent lack of parenting skills, he's been "dead for almost twenty years...still takin' [Tony] to school".
 * It's not given a lot of screentime, but Tony seems to think of Steve this way. Not hard to imagine why, since he grew up hearing stories about how great Captain America is from his father.
 * Anti-Hero: Type III. Stark has such a large ego he's willing to use himself as a human guinea pig in his experiments, often with hilariously humiliating results—but the fact that he's doing it for the cause of justice means you can't help but root for him. His comic counterpart's alcoholism comes up in the sequel, where he became an even bigger jerk due to international recognition as Iron Man and the prospect of.
 * The Atoner: Initially, he really didn't give much of a shit who was blowing up what with his toys, but after being held hostage by terrorists, and subsequently having his life saved by Yinsen, he became this.
 * Attention Deficit Ooh Shiny: Tony's eccentric nature and constantly active brain makes him prone to zoning out of what he's supposed to be doing.

"Tony: It's a terrible... privilege."
 * Badass Normal: Aside from his Powered Armor, he's just an ordinary man. Well, a genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist, to be more specific.
 * Badass Mustache: He's notably one of the few mainstream heroes in comics or movies that regularly sports a mustache.
 * Bash Brothers: With War Machine.
 * Berserk Button: Tony's get pushed whenever someone he thinks is a better person makes a sacrifice in order to save him. After the deaths of, he stops screwing around and immediately starts furiously kicking some ass.
 * After Tony's shift from arms dealer to Technological Pacifist: Don't try to use his shiny tech toys to build bigger, deadlier weapons.
 * Blood Brothers:
 * Brilliant but Lazy
 * Bunny Ears Lawyer
 * The Cameo: Has one at the end of The Incredible Hulk.
 * The Casanova: Implied to pretty much be this way though the first Iron Man movie, although as he matures over the films, he begins to develop into a more steady relationship with Pepper. By the time of The Avengers, they're officially a couple.
 * Cloudcuckoolander: He certainly has some rather... eccentric behavior.
 * Comes Great Responsibility: After his switch to The Atoner, Tony is perfectly willing to wield the power of his money, fame, and genius for the greater good.
 * Cursed with Awesome: By The Avengers, this is how Tony Stark has come to view the electromagnet and the miniature arc reactor that are plugged into his chest 24/7 and are the only things keeping him alive. He spends a good deal of the film trying to convince Bruce Banner that the Hulk is a similarly awesome curse.

"Tony: Finally, somebody who speaks English!"
 * This is proven true later in the The Avengers when it's shown that the reactor basically makes Tony
 * The Cynic: Which is why he finds Steve Rogers' "outdated and irrelevant" idealism to be annoying.
 * He is so cynical he made cold mockery of 's Heroic Sacrifice against Loki rather than show any respect or grief for him, jeeringly dismissing him as an idiot for not waiting for backup. It's also pretty clear that he's far more upset about it than he lets on and is trying to play it off with his usual cynicism.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Disability Superpower: The arc reactor that powers Tony's Powered Armor is installed in Tony's chest in the first place as (roughly) a very fancy pacemaker. Remove the arc reactor and Tony's heart will very quickly give out.
 * Fiction 500: Oh, yes. Forget the private jet that turns into a nightclub with flight attendants who double as exotic dancers. He has the personal resources and completely automated production facility to build a fully functional Iron Man suit in five hours in his garage.
 * As of the end of Iron Man 2, that garage now also contains a miniature, personal Hadron Collider.
 * The Avengers has him kicking it up a notch, having bought the MetLife building and given it some drastic upgrades: he completely cut it off from the city's electrical grid, equipped it with 10 storeys of R&D, gave it the capability to both manufacture the Iron Man armor and remove it from Tony while he enters his apartment, and chopped the top off to rebuild it as what can only be described as a fantastic display of ego.
 * Foil: To Steve Rogers, playing the selfish cynic to Steve's old-fashioned idealist. For example, while both are shown to be dolls of the public (featured at big show events complete with dancing girls), Steve is made visibly uncomfortable with the spotlight and would rather be on the front lines, while Tony eats up the attention.
 * Gadgeteer Genius
 * Good Is Not Nice: Yes, Tony Stark works hard to keep the world safe, and his heart is in the right place. But he's also still a playboy, a glory hound, a drunkard, and an irresponsible jackass a lot of the time.
 * He also has no problem blowing up people who are trying to kill him, notably in the middle section of Iron Man.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: With Rhodey.
 * Also with Bruce Banner/Hulk in The Avengers movie.
 * Honest Corporate Executive: At least after he gets back from Afghanistan.
 * Insufferable Genius
 * It's All About Me
 * Jerkass: He starts out as one, but after realizing what his company has been dealing under the table while he wasn't paying attention, he decides to atone and become a hero by hunting down and destroying the stockpiles of villains.
 * Jerk with a Heart of Gold: However, while Tony may be a definite good guy now, he can still act like an arrogant and irresponsible drunkard at times.
 * Jet Pack: On his Mark VII armor in The Avengers, to allow him to use both of his repulsors without having to use one to stay aloft in flight.
 * Jumped At the Call: Tony may be living proof that becoming a hero can still be a lot of fun.
 * Knight in Sour Armor: Tony marinates daily in cynicism and sarcasm before setting forth to bring world peace, protect the innocent, and mock the stupid.
 * The Last Dance: In Iron Man 2 until
 * The Lancer: Plays this role in The Avengers to Captain America, similar to the comics.
 * Let's Get Dangerous: Many people, both foes and allies, have assumed that Tony's Cloudcuckoolander irreverence and Obfuscating Stupidity mean he's a Rich Idiot With No Day Job who can't take anything seriously, let alone pose a threat. These people were very wrong.
 * Locking MacGyver in the Store Cupboard: How he built the Mark I Iron Man armor.
 * Lonely Rich Kid: Who grew up to be a...
 * Millionaire Playboy
 * Men Don't Cry / Sand in My Eyes: The blue light reactor that keeps Tony Stark alive ALWAYS shines through whatever shirt he is wearing at the time. The ONE time it does not glow through his shirt is when is struck silent with grief by the death of . There may be no tears, but a mighty heart has been broken.
 * The Nicknamer: Captain America is "Old Man". Thor is "Point Break". Hawkeye is "Legolas". Loki is "Reindeer Games" (due to the helmet). Loki's staff is "the Glowstick of Destiny".
 * Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: He is, in his own words, a "genius billionaire playboy philanthropist". With a suit of Powered Armor.
 * Obfuscating Stupidity: He often acts dimwitted, but is shown to be incredibly on the ball, delivering Deadpan Snarker putdowns to people who irritate him and managing to build incredible machines out of whatever he has on hand. After one night of study he also becomes enough of an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics to discuss the specifics of the tesseract with Bruce Banner.
 * Odd Friendship: With Bruce Banner in The Avengers, due to them being the resident science geeks.

"Tony at a press conference: "...I am Iron Man.""
 * Omnidisciplinary Scientist: He seems to be an expert at high-energy physics, materials science, and aerospace engineering all at the same time. Granted, he does have an AI to help him.
 * He's a quick study. After spending a night reading S.H.I.E.L.D.'s briefing packet, he can converse fluently with Nick Fury, Bruce Banner and the rest of the Avengers about the technical details of the Tesseract.
 * Parental Abandonment: Tony complains that his dad was cold, never around for him, and he seriously doubted that his father even loved him at all.
 * Poor Communication Kills: Tony's not very good at talking to other people about his problems, which leaves everyone around him confused and irritated by his strange behavior while he does things like build a suit of Powered Armor in his basement or slowly die of palladium poisoning.
 * Playful Hacker: Among other things, he enjoys hacking other people's sound systems to play appropriate music for his dramatic entrances.
 * The Pornomancer: He's the page image for a reason.
 * Powered Armor
 * Power Palms: Repulsors, his main weapons, are fired from the palms of his armor's gauntlets.
 * Science Hero
 * "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Gets a pretty devastating one from Captain America, which he admittedly brought on himself.
 * Relationship Upgrade: To Official Couple with Pepper as of the end of Iron Man 2. Heroes Want Redheads after all.
 * Tall, Dark and Snarky
 * Technological Pacifist: Tony gradually becomes one through the first movie and is firmly seated in this trope by the end of it. He really does not want the government or military to get a hold of his technology by Iron Man 2, specifically because he believes far more lives will be saved if his suits are never mass-manufactured or used in wars.
 * This continues in Avengers, where he is livid that SHIELD wants to create.
 * Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Tony doesn't like Steve. At all.
 * Troll: Tony has an unfortunate habit of using sarcastic humor as an ice-breaker in interpersonal relationships, most tellingly in his tendency to give everybody goofy nicknames and being absolutely fine about humorously discussing personal traumas, such as with Captain Rogers' 70 year freeze and how he is a fan of how Banner "turns into an enormous green rage-monster."
 * Him "jokingly" taunting Banner with a cattle prod stands out as a fine example of how immature he can be, and how far he's willing to go for a joke.
 * Weaponized Exhaust: His primary weapon, the repulsor, wasn't designed to be a weapon, but rather a flight stabilizer. When he realized it worked as a weapon at full power, he incorporated it.
 * "Well Done, Son" Guy: Tony's relationship with his father was strained, at best.
 * Wham! Line


 * The Wonka: In addition to creating the Iron Man suits, he has also built AI's that snark back at him.
 * Workaholic: If it wasn't for Pepper, Jarvis, and Rhodey, Tony would've starved or overdosed on caffeine down in his workshop years ago.

James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine
""The future of air combat... Is it manned, or unmanned? I'll tell you in my experience, no unmanned aerial vehicle will ever trump a pilot's instinct.""

"Portrayed By: Terrence Howard, Don Cheadle (pictured left) Film Appearances: Iron Man (Portrayed by Terrence Howard) / Iron Man 2 (Portrayed by Don Cheadle)"

Tony Stark's best friend, and military liaison to Stark Industries. Uses a modified version of Iron Man's Powered Armor as War Machine.

"Rhodey: Get a roof!"
 * Badass Normal: Until he gets his Powered Armor.
 * Colonel Badass: Lieutenant-Colonel, to be precise.
 * Bald of Awesome: Though only the Don Cheadle version.
 * Bash Brothers: With Iron Man.
 * Black Best Friend
 * Can't Hold His Liquor: Sucks at avoiding temptation, and gets drunk much faster than Tony.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: With Tony. Aside from Pepper, Rhodey is one of the very few people Tony truly trusts and he's always trying his hardest to keep Tony from hurting himself.
 * Military Superhero
 * Moment Killer:

"Tony: I didn't expect to see you here. Rhodes: It's me, I'm here, deal with it, let's move on. Drop it."
 * Not So Above It All: He tries very hard to be the responsible adult around Tony. Not as easy as one might think.
 * Only Sane Man
 * The Other Darrin: Terrence Howard was replaced by Don Cheadle for the second film. His first scene is framed in such a way that his face isn't visible until after Tony greets him, so that the audience is clear on who he is.


 * Powered Armor: Taken from Tony and upgraded by Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2.
 * Superhero Packing Heat: He likes his armor less "bleeding-edge" and more "big, big guns".
 * BFG: Tony seems to think he's compensating for something. Rhodey's reply is "It's called being a badass."
 * Gatling Good: Shoulder-mounted and auto-targeting.
 * More Dakka
 * Shoulder Cannon
 * The Stoic
 * Not So Stoic: Less stoic when he gets angry with Tony or dons the War Machine armor, especially during the final battles and the finale of Iron Man 2.

Nick Fury
""I've got my eye on you.""

"Portrayed By: Samuel L. Jackson Film Appearances: Iron Man / Iron Man 2 / Thor / Captain America the First Avenger / The Avengers"

The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. He comes to each of the heroes individually, one by one, urging them to take part in the Avengers Initiative, to protect the world from an unknown threat.

"Tony Stark: He is the spy. His secrets have secrets."
 * Badass: He finally gets to show some of it in The Avengers.
 * Badass Normal
 * Badass Beard
 * Badass in Charge: Of the Avengers Initiative.
 * Badass Longcoat
 * Bald of Awesome
 * Bald Black Leader Guy
 * Big Good: Of The Avengers.
 * The Cameo: His appearances in most of the MCU films have largely been this, save for Iron Man 2 and The Avengers.
 * The Chessmaster: As with Phil Coulson, this seems to be a mandatory skill for upper-level SHIELD agents.
 * Da Chief
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Death Glare
 * Eyepatch of Power
 * Manipulative Bastard: Much like his comic counterpart.

"World Security Council: Director Fury, the council has made a decision. Nick Fury: I understand that the council has made a decision, but being as it's a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it."
 * Military Maverick: Goes on his gut instinct instead of going along with the World Security Council, which is why he trusted the Avengers to defeat Loki.
 * Movie Superheroes Wear Black
 * Nerves of Steel: Norse God with an alien army? Doesn't scare him.
 * Only Sane Man: Much like his comics counterpart, he generally comes across as the only person with his mind together in most of his scenes. Interestingly for this trope, instead of (or in addition to) being a constant annoyance to him, he uses his perspective and bluntness to help people and/or situations reach their potentials. The Avengers shows that he even plays this role.
 * The Consultant reveals that in a world full of political power games he and SHIELD are the only ones who are generally trying to handle the situation well.
 * Real Men Get Shot: In "The Avengers'', by.
 * Samuel L. Jackson: This Nick Fury is based on the Ultimate Marvel Universe's Nick Fury, who was specifically modeled after Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson being a big comic book fan, especially of Fury himself, he agreed for them to use his likeness, so long as he could play Ultimate Nick Fury if they ever made a movie with him. And sure enough...
 * Scary Black Man
 * Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right: He's more than willing to openly defy the World Security Council when they make harsh calls.


 * Sharp-Dressed Man
 * Superhero Packing Heat

Bruce Banner / The Hulk
""That's my secret, Cap. I'm always angry.""

"Portrayed By: Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo (pictured left), Lou Ferrigno (voice) Film Appearances: The Incredible Hulk (Portrayed by Edward Norton) / The Avengers (Portrayed by Mark Ruffalo)"

A nuclear physicist who believed that he was trying to make soldiers immune to radiation, but was actually working on a new super soldier for General Thunderbolt Ross. He was so sure he was on to something that he experimented on himself, which turned him into the Hulk. He's been on the run, and in hiding ever since.

"Hulk: Puny god."
 * Adorkable
 * Badass Normal
 * Badass Abnormal: When pissed off.
 * Submissive Badass: As Banner, he'll do almost anything to avoid getting pissed off.
 * Badass Boast: After

""I got low. I didn't see an end. So I put a bullet in my mouth, and the other guy spit it back out.""
 * The Berserker
 * The Big Guy: When Hulked out, as a Type 1. Coulson actually explicitly calls him this at one point.
 * Brainy Brunette: As Banner.
 * Character Development: The Incredible Hulk implies that he went from repressing his anxieties that lead to his Hulking out, similarly to the 2003 film, to using meditation techniques to manage them. The end of that movie ominously showed him purposefully inducing a Hulk episode.
 * Composite Character: Surprisingly, The Avengers film version brings in elements of the controversial 2003 film as well as the 2008 reboot. It's a bit of a list:
 * Banner's situation at the start of the movie mirrors that of Banner at the end of the 2003 film, where both of them are trying to help the local downtrodden populace while dealing with the Hulk.
 * Banner's relationship with the Hulk is slightly more nuanced in The Avengers film than in The Incredible Hulk, much like the 2003 version.
 * Bruce in the Avengers film is more uptight like the 2003 version, and calmer and more self assured like in The Incredible Hulk.
 * The Hulk's appearance in The Avengers resemble's his 2003 appearance in build and his 2008 appearance in behavior.
 * Bruce in the Avengers film
 * The Hulk's transformation is more closely tied to anger, as in the 2003 and most comic versions, but general excitement can also bring him out, as was the case in The Incredible Hulk.
 * In most other cases, Ruffalo's Hulk resembles the comic version, as did the 2008 movie version.
 * Curb Stomp Battle: Except for his fights against Abomination and, almost every fight he's in qualifies.
 * The Dreaded: In The Avengers, he makes quite a few people very nervous just by being there, even the otherwise flawlessly confident Black Widow.
 * Driven to Suicide: He tried it at one point prior to The Avengers. He has since moved on.

"Hulk: Leave me alone.
 * Dumb Muscle: Banner's intellect is drastically diminished when hulked out.
 * Friendly Rivalry: Seems to have one with Thor, unlike their usual Headbutting Heroes behavior in the comics.
 * Heroic Neutral: Banner just wants to be left alone by the military and S.H.I.E.L.D., and maybe use his skills to do some good. This attitude extends to the Hulk as well, who rarely fights anyone or anything that didn't try to kill him first. This changes in The Avengers.
 * Homeless Hero: He's forced to stay on the run because of the government forces chasing him. Following his transformations, Bruce is often left with nothing but the pants he is wearing. At one point, he has to beg in order to survive.
 * Horrifying Hero: Until, Bruce Banner was at best tolerated by other heroes, at worst feared. His tendency toward collateral damage does not help.
 * Hulking Out: The Trope Namer, after all. It should be noted that this happens less in each movie between the two he has been in (The Avengers just had 2), and we never see him "Hulk back" ie. revert to Bruce.
 * Hulk Speak: A Hulk of few words, as per usual. Only says a few words in each movie where he appears.

Hulk: Hulk...smash!

Hulk: Puny god."

"Ross: He’s a scientist. He is NOT one of us."
 * Immune to Bullets: Funnily, at one point in The Avengers, someone opens up on him with a jet-mounted vulcan cannon, and he doesn't seem to even realize he's being shot until he hears the bullets bouncing off him.
 * Jekyll and Hyde: Subverted. Banner's Character Development over The Incredible Hulk and The Avengers is about realising that the Hulk isn't a villain or a mindless beast: he's part of Banner, driven by Banner's simplest and most uncomplicated instincts, and he needs to be accepted rather than constantly restrained.
 * Lightning Bruiser: Not only is the Hulk impossibly strong, he's also so fast it's scary.
 * Made of Iron
 * No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Pretty much anyone in arm's reach when he turns into the Hulk, but the most spectacular one has to be, when he tries to shout down the Hulk and ends up slammed into the floor.
 * Odd Friendship: With Tony Stark, of all people, as they bond over science geekery in The Avengers.
 * The Other Darrin: Edward Norton was replaced by Mark Ruffalo for The Avengers.
 * One Hulk Army: Tony Stark even lampshades it to Loki in The Avengers by comparing him to his army.
 * True to form, the only real challenges that the Hulk has had in terms of strength in the MCU as of The Avengers have been Emil "The Abomination" Blonsky from The Incredible Hulk and Thor as per their comic rivalry.
 * Person of Mass Destruction
 * Primal Stance: In The Avengers the Hulk behaves more like a gorilla than in previous movies, complete with chest pounding. At one point he's even hunched forward and leaning on his knuckles.
 * Psycho Party Member: Is this to the Avengers,
 * Science Hero
 * The Smart Guy: He's the world's foremost expert in gamma radiation, and in The Avengers, once he gets curious enough to drop the heroic neutrality, he picks up on a tiny clue and gets halfway to unravelling S.H.I.E.L.D.'s scheming without trying before the rest of the Avengers realize there's even a puzzle to solve.
 * Super Strength: Increasing with increased rage.
 * Technological Pacifist: Stated to be this by Ross, who argues that "scientists" are not to be trusted with military matters in any way, shape, or form.

"Banner: I'm sorry, that was mean, I just wanted to see what you'd do."
 * They Would Cut You Up
 * Tranquil Fury: His ultimate goal in the films.
 * Troll: He's not above using the threat of Hulking Out to scare Black Widow, just to see what she'll do.

"Banner: That's my secret, Captain."
 * Unstoppable Rage
 * Wham! Line: In The Avengers.

""You wouldn't like me when I'm... hungry... Wait, that doesn't sound right.""
 * You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry: He's pretty much the Trope Namer. And it's rather cleverly inserted too, as Banner messes up the line while speaking Portuguese.

Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow
""This is monsters and magic and nothing we were ever trained for.""

"Portrayed By: Scarlett Johansson Film Appearances: Iron Man 2 / The Avengers"

A key agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the only female Avenger. Her initial assignment was to keep an eye on Tony Stark.

"Romanoff: I'm Russian. Well, I used to be."
 * Action Girl
 * The Atoner: Wants to make up for her past as an assassin ("wipe the red from my ledger", as she puts it) by first working for S.H.I.E.L.D., then becoming an Avenger.
 * Badass Normal
 * Birds of a Feather: With Clint Barton.
 * The Chick: As part of the Avengers. Next to Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner (most of the time), she's probably the most levelheaded and put together of the team, and is constantly trying to encourage them to work together.
 * Child Soldier: Claims to have stated working as a spy from a very young age.
 * Combat Pragmatist: When her fight with  starts getting rough, she resorts to biting  hand.
 * Cunning Linguist: Fluent in English, Russian, French, German, Chinese, Italian, Latin, and various other languages, according to Iron Man 2 and The Avengers.
 * Dark and Troubled Past
 * Fake American: In-Universe, as explained in The Avengers.


 * Guile Hero: Her primary interrogation method is manipulating the egos of her targets to make them think they have her in a state of weakness, so they are more free while gloating.
 * Guys Smash, Girls Shoot: An inversion, at least when compared with fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agent (and partner) Hawkeye. Natasha is a crack shot, but she's an even better martial artist.
 * Heel Face Turn: More or less explicitly stated to be in her past before Hawkeye decided not to kill her when on a mission to do so.
 * Made of Iron: Takes a backhanded blow to the abs by the Hulk and gets up once her fear and shock wears off, none the worse for wear. Then again, this could easily be pure determination at work.
 * Movie Superheroines Wear Black: Even her tank top when interrogating.
 * Ms. Fanservice
 * Redheaded Heroine
 * The Smurfette Principle: The only female Avenger, though not the only Action Girl.
 * Sensual Slavs
 * Sexy Secretary: As part of her Stark Industries cover.
 * Spy Catsuit
 * The Stoic
 * Not So Stoic: Her run-in with the Hulk makes her lapse into a brief state of terror.
 * Superheroine Packing Heat: Has a handgun on her, but tends toward using close combat instead.
 * Unresolved Sexual Tension: It's hard to tell if her relationship with Hawkeye is this or Platonic Life Partners.
 * Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: The Hulk. But who can blame her?

Thor Odinson / Donald Blake
""You people are so petty... and tiny.""

"Portrayed By: Chris Hemsworth, Dakota Goyo (young) Film Appearances: Thor / The Avengers"

The Norse God of Thunder, son of Odin, adoptive older brother of Loki, and the heir to the Asgardian throne. To learn humility, Odin exiled him to Earth where he met and fell in love with Jane Foster. Had an initially rocky encounter with Agent Coulson, but vowed his allegiance as an ally to S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Thor: Earth is under my protection!"
 * Adorkable: Painfully sweet, polite and considerate to women, especially Jane. And this is before we get into his irresistably charming use of Ye Olde Butchered English.
 * Adult Child: With a hair-trigger temper. At first.
 * A God Am I: Technically, he is a God. At the start of his own movie he fits the trope, as he believes he can subdue Jotunheim by barging in and taking a few thousand of them down but by the end he's humbled and a man of sincere duty and honor.
 * The Atoner: While not a straight villain-to-hero example, his film was basically his evolution from a spoiled, vain boy to a wise man through atonement and humility.
 * Badass Creed: In The Avengers, he makes it very clear to Loki why he should leave Earth immediately.

""He's constantly having to battle the greater good and what he should do, versus it's his little brother there.""
 * Badass Long Hair
 * Big Brother Instinct: Thor does not enjoy fighting against his little brother. Chris Hemsworth summed up Thor's conflicted and innate need to protect Loki with:

"Black Widow: These people come from legend. They're basically gods."
 * Big Eater: Pretty common among Asgardians, but Thor himself ate an entire plate of food and then asked for more. Darcy remarked that he had already eaten an entire box of Pop-tarts before that.
 * The Big Guy: Shares the role with Hulk in The Avengers. Lampshaded by his page quote here. A Type 2.
 * Blood Brothers: Captain America, a man of nobility, kindness and courage, is a human that Thor has come to regard as an equal; most tellingly when he offers his hand to help him up during the battle of Manhattan.
 * Boisterous Bruiser: He starts off a battle-seeking brat, but wises up and settles on this. "We drank, we fought, he made his ancestors proud!"
 * Bruiser with a Soft Center / Emotional Bruiser: For all his boisterousness, he shows plenty of emotional vulnerability - after Loki claims Odin is dead, he first simply asks "Can I come home?" When told he can't ever return to his family, he thanks Loki for coming to say goodbye. When he confronts Loki in The Avengers, the only times when his grin cracks are when he's begging his brother to come to his senses.
 * Brought Down to Normal
 * Brought Down to Badass: Stripped of his godlike power, he's still a very, very skilled and experienced combatant who's pretty much made of muscle.
 * Cain and Abel: The Abel to Loki's Cain.
 * Curb Stomp Battle: Pretty much any fight he gets into, he wins no-holds.
 * Averted with and  . In the former case it comes down to a draw, and in the latter he was winning but having to fight hard. It is also notable that of the six Avengers in the final battle, he and the Hulk are the only ones who aren't getting brutally exhausted and injured by the end.
 * Dork Knight: Especially towards women. If you can imagine a golden Labrador in the shape of a thunder god, you've more or less got him down.
 * Drop the Hammer
 * Elemental Powers: Wind and Lightning.
 * Fish Out of Water: He adapts to human ways surprisingly quick.
 * Fun Personified: Despite starting off as extremely spoiled and bratty, he's an incredibly friendly guy.
 * Flying Hammer
 * Friendly Rivalry: With the Hulk as mentioned above.
 * Hot-Blooded: Thor is incredibly exuberant about everything, wearing all of his emotions on his sleeve - this makes his Despair Event Horizon all the more noticeable, as after everything falls apart for him he closes up entirely.
 * Humanity Is Infectious: Adapts to Earth and dealing with humans rather quickly.
 * In The Avengers he categorically states that he considers Earth under his protection after Loki mocks him for begging Odin to let him return to his adopted home. Later he privately admits to believing that while his people are clearly more advanced than humanity, that doesn't make them better.
 * I Gave My Word: And he'll damn well honor it too!
 * Immortal Immaturity: Thor is in all likelihood at least 1000 years old, and yet it is only in the 3 days he spent as a mortal that he starts to emotionally mature.
 * Irony: As the first step in his Humiliation Conga, the God of Thunder gets taken down by... a taser.
 * Large Ham: As with everyone else in Asgard.
 * Mr. Fanservice: Those shirtless scenes probably were not strictly necessary, but letting his abs go un-ogled would have been a crime somewhere.
 * Perpetual Smiler: Of a sort. Thor is almost always cheerful, even in the middle of a fight to the death with an army of Frost Giants - this, alongside his vainglorious optimism, is seen by many as a symptom of his childishness. By the end of the movie, he learns to be truly serious about things and becomes more solemn as a result. While he does make jokes in The Avengers, this facet of his personality has not truly returned, as he is serious in any truly serious situation.
 * Proud Warrior Race Guy: As befitting the Crown Prince of Asgard.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: The oldest of the Avengers, though Steve Rogers is the (chronologically) oldest human.
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni: The red to Loki's blue.
 * Sibling Rivalry: With his little brother Loki, although he doesn't seem to take it anywhere near as seriously as Loki does.
 * Sibling Yin-Yang: He's the complete opposite of Loki in almost every way.
 * Sleeves Are for Wimps: Except in his latest Asgardian armor.
 * Strong as They Need to Be: Used for comedic purposes during the time he's depowered. When it's funny, he can be taken out fairly easily (by Darcy's taser, Jane ramming him with a van, getting an injection), but he's also shown curbstomping scores of highly trained SHIELD personnel who are in peak physical condition.
 * Seems to factor more into the Jerk's Heart Of Gold; he won't Get Dangerous unless he believes that they won't be killed by it or they deserve to die.
 * Sufficiently Advanced Alien: Like all Asgardians.


 * Super-Hero Gods: Even though he is a Sufficiently Advanced Alien, Tony Stark still calls him "a demigod".
 * Throwing Your Hammer Always Works: If it doesn't, he still can summon it back to his hand.
 * Warrior Prince
 * When All You Have Is a Hammer Forged At The Heart Of A Dying Star: Worth mentioning because Thor's Weapon of Choice is a hammer and partly because it's part of Thor's Character Development. Mjölnir is a fine example of a Swiss Army Weapon, able to shoot lightning, return to its wielder's hand when thrown, and grant flight, just for starters. The trick is thinking of nonviolent uses for it, which doesn't occur to Thor at the start of the movie.
 * When He Smiles: The big cheesy smile he makes when Darcy takes a picture of him.

Clint Barton / Hawkeye
""I see better from a distance.""

"Portrayed By: Jeremy Renner Film Appearances: Thor / The Avengers"

An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the greatest marksman in the world.


 * The Ace: Considered to be the best marksman in the world.
 * The Archer
 * The Atoner: Briefly.
 * Badass Normal: He has no powers but that doesn't stop him from taking the fight to Loki or aliens.
 * Birds of a Feather: With Natasha Romanoff.
 * Brainwashed and Crazy:
 * The Cameo: In Thor where he was a One-Scene Wonder.
 * Consummate Professional: There tends to be a cold professionalism about him.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * The Dragon:
 * Friendly Archer: A consummate professional, but entirely approachable when off the job; even on the job he'll toss off a dry wisecrack every so often.
 * Guys Smash, Girls Shoot: An inversion (see Black Widow's entry above). Clint is a great martial artist, but an even better marksman.
 * Improbable Aiming Skills: He basically hits every target he aims for.
 * There is chaos happening all around. Aliens are pouring out of a dimensional portal like a broken dam and there is death and explosions as far as the eye can see...and he still manages to give an Offhand Backhand with an arrow to one of the invaders (he just rips the bow back and fires without even glancing at his target). Improbable aiming is too easy for him...
 * Movie Superheroes Wear Black: Though he's justified, seeing as he's supposed to be a marksman, likely in the shadows.
 * The Sixth Ranger: He's the last to join the Avengers team
 * Sleeves Are for Wimps: Probably so they don't get in the way of the bowstring.
 * The Straight and Arrow Path: He can use guns, but he prefers his bow.
 * The Stoic: When he starts firing at Chitauri gliders and Loki's on his own. Otherwise he's rather emotive, even friendly when not upset.
 * The Southpaw
 * Trick Arrow: Many varieties, from electrocution to explosive to Grappling Hook Gun to superheating.
 * Unresolved Sexual Tension: It's hard to tell if his relationship with Black Widow is this or Platonic Life Partners.

Steve Rogers / Captain America (comics)
""I don't want to kill anybody. I don't like bullies; I don't care where they're from.""

"Portrayed By: Chris Evans Film Appearances: Captain America the First Avenger / The Avengers"

A sickly young man from Brooklyn turned into a perfect soldier by a government project. Unfortunately, the creator of the project was murdered, leaving Rogers as the only result of the project. Because of this, he was initially used as a propaganda tool to sell war bonds. He eventually earned his stripes as a soldier by rescuing an entire platoon from a HYDRA factory, where he first encountered the Red Skull. After defeating the Red Skull, Cap crashed his Valkyrie aircraft into a glacier where he went into a hibernation state and written off as KIA for nearly 70 years before being found by SHIELD in the modern day. His weapon of choice is a Vibranium shield designed by Howard Stark that can absorb all energy directed at it, making it ideal as both protection and as a projectile (as it does not lose energy when it makes contact with another surface when thrown).

"Black Widow: These people come from legend. They're basically gods.
 * Adorkable: Even after receiving the Super Soldier serum.
 * A Man Is Not a Virgin: Averted hard. Pre-Transformation Steve Rogers is terribly intimidated by women (owing to his small stature), even afraid to ask girls to dance with him. His apprehension remains after receiving the Super Soldier serum, even when women throw themselves at him. His brief macking with the secretary may very well be his first kiss.
 * Asskicking Equals Authority: Played both in Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers. It takes Steve infiltrating a HYDRA base and rescuing a whole platoon of soldiers for others to take him seriously in the former; in the latter, it takes him a brief skirmish (and a torn arm or two) with the invading aliens for the New York authorities to listen to what he's trying to tell them.
 * Badass Abnormal: No actual super powers aside from his superhuman physique, and he started out as a scrawny kid before becoming a Super Soldier.
 * Badass Adorable: A sweet-tempered, well-mannered and kind-hearted guy who just happens to also possess a body at the pinnacle of human perfection.
 * Badass Normal: In a sense. He is at the absolute peak of human potential, but doesn't possess actual powers like Thor or the Hulk.
 * Beware the Nice Ones: He's one of the nicest, sweetest guys in the world, but may God help you if you decide to hurt innocents.
 * Blessed with Suck: His metabolism is four times faster than the average human, so he can't drown his sorrows in the bottle when dies.
 * Never Gets Drunk
 * Blood Brothers: As a kind, noble and courageous man, Steve was already quick to earn Thor's respect: it's in the fires that raged through the battle of Manhattan that they truly become brothers.
 * Also with Tony Stark after earning each other's respect through fighting side by side. Stark represents the voice of reason that, while at times blunt and cruel, keeps Steve's (admittedly admirable) idealism in check.
 * Blue Eyes
 * Brooklyn Rage: While he's not bad tempered or violent, Steve still has the absolute determination and utter refusal to turn down a challenge that goes with this trope.
 * Bully Hunter
 * Butt Monkey: He's stuck doing cheesy war propaganda for a while after he turns into a Super Soldier.
 * For bonus points, he even draws himself as a performing monkey.
 * The Cape (trope)
 * Captain Geographic
 * The Chains of Commanding: Not only does Steve have to adapt to a world where everything he knows is 70 years gone or dead, but has to get a Norse god, an egotistical genius, and a scientist with... anger issues to work together as something resembling a team alongside two hard-nosed assassins, while earning all of their respect and he succeeds.
 * Chaste Hero: See A Man Is Not a Virgin above.
 * The Comically Serious
 * The Determinator: His signature trait—he doesn't give up. Ever.
 * Dork Knight: Both absolutely noble and heroic and kind of a huge puppy-dog of a man. Even post-defrosting (when he's obviously had a tough time coping with the modern day and the personal tragedies he suffered getting there), he's at all times earnest, humble, kind-hearted and devoted to defending the innocent.
 * Fire-Forged Friends: With both The Avengers and his friends from the war.
 * Foil: To Tony Stark, playing the old-fashioned idealist to Tony's selfish cynic. For example, while both are shown to be dolls of the public (featured at big show events complete with dancing girls), Steve is made visibly uncomfortable with the spotlight and would rather be on the front lines while Tony eats up the attention.
 * Folk Hero: Steve is this in the Marvel universe; he's a Living Legend with, apparently, his own merchandise and even trading cards (as Coulson can certainly attest). He seems taken aback by their existence in modern times.
 * Gentle Giant: Post lab procedure.
 * The Good Captain
 * Good Is Old-Fashioned: But not obsolete.
 * Good-Looking Privates
 * Hair of Gold: He fits this trope much better than 99% of all live-action blond-haired film protagonists.
 * Heroic Build: Yes, Chris Evans really did achieve a real-life Heroic Build.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: With Bucky Barnes. Pre-serum, Bucky used to defend Steve from bullies; post-serum, Steve breaks into Nazi strongholds to rescue him and Bucky would follow him into hell.
 * Honor Before Reason
 * Hope Bringer: Perhaps his only and greatest superpower: the ability to inspire bravery and nobility through courageous conduct.
 * Human Popsicle
 * Tony calls him a "Capsicle."
 * Ideal Hero
 * Impossibly Cool Weapon: His shield, which is made of Vibranium.
 * Made of Indestructium: Nothing seems to even put a dent in said shield.
 * Techno Babble: That's because it absorbs all vibrations.
 * Incorruptible Pure Pureness
 * Jumped At the Call: He'll always answer the call to heroism even if it initially means putting on a stupid outfit and doing a poorly done show.
 * Jumping on a Grenade: Does this when Phillips throws a dud grenade.
 * The Leader: Overlaps all Types. Was one to the Howling Commandos back in WWII. In the modern era as New York City is invaded by the alien Chitauri he gives orders to the other Avengers how to contain the attack and to the NYPD on how best to protect civilians.
 * Living Legend: By the 21st century.
 * Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: A symbolic weapon for him, since he's more about defending the innocent than punishing the guilty. He often uses it for a Shield-Bash and hurling it.
 * The McCoy
 * The Messiah
 * Mr. Fanservice: Fun fact: the pre-super-serum Steve Rogers was the CGI one. Chris Evans earned those abs.
 * Muscle Angst: Until he becomes a Super Soldier.
 * Nerves of Steel: Nobody is braver than Captain Rogers, not a man in Power Armor, nor a green humanoid tsunami who can punch through mountains, or even the literal god of thunder himself, and hence it is he, a mere mortal in comparison, who leads The Avengers to a crushing victory against an Alien Invasion.
 * Nice Guy
 * No One Gets Left Behind: When he rescues the men from HYDRA.
 * One-Man Army: He's Captain America!
 * Personality Powers: The Super Soldier Serum "...amplifies everything inside. Good becomes great. Bad becomes worse." Thus, a good-natured and doggedly determined ninety pound asthmatic from Brooklyn turns into the man all women want and all men want to be.
 * Precision-Guided Boomerang: Due to his advanced skill and split second timing, Steve can always bounce his shield so it comes back to him.
 * Preemptive "Shut Up": He does this to a SHIELD agent who tries to keep him, Hawkeye, and Black Widow from stealing a jet to pilot to New York. If he'll turn out to be anything like his comic counterpart, he'll become a lot better at employing this tactic.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: Physically he's the youngest of the Avengers, but, aside from Thor (who's an immortal god), he's technically the oldest.
 * Real Men Love Jesus

Steve: There's only one God, ma'am, and I'm pretty sure He doesn't dress like that."

"Tony: Everything special about you came out of a bottle."
 * Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right: When the situation calls for it.
 * Socially Awkward Hero: Even after he gets serum'ed. He has no idea what "fondue" is and thinks it's a sex metaphor. It gets even worse when he wakes up in the present and can't understand most pop culture references.
 * Superhero Packing Heat: Although Cap is usually seen with guns in WW 2 for obvious reasons, he is still seen with one in The Avengers trailer.
 * Super Soldier: Tony Stark is not impressed, seeing it as just Playing with Syringes.


 * Charles Atlas Superpower
 * Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: He doesn't like Tony. At all.
 * Took a Level in Badass: This was essentially what his entire film was about—going from a scrawny Brooklyn boy to the ultimate soldier and still a Nice Guy by the end of it, which was why he was chosen.
 * Unobtanium: His shield, which is composed of the only samples of Vibranium ever found by Howard Stark.
 * Wide-Eyed Idealist: Which is why he finds Stark's materialistic-cynicism twice as grating as most people would.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: Type 2 with Bucky.

Phil Coulson
""This isn't my first rodeo, Mr. Stark.""

"Portrayed By: Clark Gregg Film Appearances: Iron Man / Iron Man 2 / Thor / The Avengers / Marvel One Shots"

An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Nick Fury's right-hand-man. For some time, he was trying to debrief Stark of his captivity by the Ten Rings, until eventually he was revealed for who he really was. Some time later, he was assigned to excavating Mjolnir, and bumped heads with Thor and his new human companions.

"Coulson: You've made my men, highly trained professionals, look like a bunch of minimum-wage mall cops. That's hurtful."
 * Action Survivor
 * Adorkable: On the job, deadpan and socially awkward. Off the job, a goofy teddy bear of a man who collects superhero trading cards.
 * Affectionate Nickname: Fury calls him "my good eye".
 * Badass: Now with evidence.
 * Badass in a Nice Suit
 * Badass Normal
 * Beware the Nice Ones: On the surface, he's a pleasant man overall, but he's not called Fury's "one good eye" for no reason.
 * Breakout Character
 * Canon Immigrant: Finally made his debut on Earth-616 (Main line of comics) on the Mini-Series Battle Scars.
 * The Chessmaster: Rewatch Iron Man 2, Thor, and the shorts starring him. It becomes apparent that he knows exactly how people are going to react, but feigns ignorance to confirm it and make them think they had a choice. Nick Fury is the same, but Coulson augments it by managing to seem remarkably inoffensive to those who don't know any better.
 * The Comically Serious: He's quite snarky and sarcastic, but you'd never pick up on that from his demeanor.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Fan Boy: Of Captain America. He even has the trading cards.
 * The Heart:
 * In the Back:
 * Even Heroes Have Heroes: He is very fond of Captain America.
 * Only Sane Man: Much like Fury.
 * Original Generation: Retroactively; see "Promoted to Opening Titles" below.
 * Promoted to Opening Titles: He started off as just a standard suit in the first Iron Man, but his role was greatly expanded by Thor. Now, he's deeply entrenched into the Marvel lore, even getting his own comics and short films.
 * Reason You Suck Speech: Gives one to Loki, and then fires at him with a BFG.
 * Seen It All: Hints of Type 1, as is typical of MIB. He also has a bit of Type 2's Genre Savviness as he orders his men to let Thor try and lift his hammer, and realized just in time that Destroyer's head opening and glowing is a very bad thing. When he calls Black Widow, who's been captured but then subsequently beats the tar out of her captors, his expression is of complete boredom as he listens to the resulting scuffle as if it were hold music.
 * Sharp-Dressed Man: His suits get progressively sharper as we learn more about him.
 * The Stoic: There really isn't anything that can surprise him, be it thunder gods, men in metal suits or WWII vets who were frozen for the better part of a century.
 * That Makes Me Feel Angry: When speaking to Thor on the topic of the hero beating his men.
 * That Makes Me Feel Angry: When speaking to Thor on the topic of the hero beating his men.

Obadiah Stane / Iron Monger
""We're iron mongers; we make weapons.""

"Portrayed By: Jeff Bridges Film Appearances: Iron Man"

The CEO of Stark Industries, taking over after his friend Howard Stark died. His friendly image hides an amoral and sinister mind who seeks to use the Iron Man armor for his own ends.


 * Affably Evil: He lives and breathes this trope. He even brought Tony pizza from New York (Tony lives in Malibu). Then again, he'd also just initiated a coup against Tony with the board of directors.
 * Arch Enemy: To Tony Stark, obviously.
 * Bald of Evil
 * Black Market: His source of income. Sells weapons to...well...anyone.
 * The Chessmaster
 * Chewing the Scenery: "TONY STARK WAS ABLE TO BUILD THIS IN A CAVE! WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS!"
 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder
 * Corrupt Corporate Executive
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Drunk on the Dark Side: Normally calm and Affably Evil, Obadiah seems to lose his cool after becoming the Iron Monger, and even seems to realize it: "I have to admit, I'm deeply enjoying the suit!"
 * Evil Mentor
 * Manipulative Bastard
 * Treacherous Advisor: Already a major early villain from the comics, Obadiah was retooled as having co-founded Stark Industries with Tony's dad, who then served as a mentor to Tony and the second-in-command of his company when the elder Stark died and Tony inherited the company. Naturally, this being an adaptation, Obadiah turns out to be more villainous than he lets on.
 * Token Motivational Nemesis: It was his scheme that led Tony to become Iron Man.
 * Villainous Breakdown: The afterforementioned "Box of scraps" scene and so on. Even his final gambit is nothing more than a desperate, insane bid to drag Tony down with him.
 * Wicked Cultured

Raza
""Whoever holds the weapons manufactured by Stark Industries rules the world... and soon, it will be MY turn.""

"Portrayed By: Faran Tahir Film Appearances: Iron Man"

The leader of "The Ten Rings", an international Terrorist organization. He was hired by  to kill Tony Stark (without really knowing it was Stark to begin with). Upon finding out that they in fact had the Tony Stark in custody, Raza got greedy and ambitious. It didn't end well for him.


 * Canon Foreigner: He was created for the first film and has yet to appear in the comics.
 * Chekhov's Gunman: His organization is called the Ten Rings and he expressed admiration for Genghis Khan. Both are references to long-time Iron Man foe The Mandarin. Might just be a Mythology Gag, though, since he has not been subsequently brought up.
 * Disc One Final Boss: He is the main antagonist until a little after Tony escapes from the cave.
 * The Dragon: To, to a degree as he was hired to kill Tony. However, he mistakenly thinks they are a Big Bad Duumvirate.
 * Dragon with an Agenda: Wants to give him Iron Man suits so he can conquer vast amounts of Asia. He doesn't get his wish.
 * Out-Gambitted: By.
 * Token Motivational Nemesis: He leads Tony to creating the Mark I Iron Man Armor, but is killed within the same movie and not mentioned again in later installments.
 * Too Dumb to Live: He painfully underestimates 's treachery, and is promptly disposed off.
 * You Have Outlived Your Usefulness

Emil Blonsky / The Abomination
""It's not what you've done. It's what you're gonna do. I want what you got out of Banner. I want that.""

"Portrayed By: Tim Roth Film Appearances: The Incredible Hulk / Marvel One Shots"

A soldier assigned to a team headed by General Ross to capture the Hulk, and quickly becomes obsessed with bringing him down, to the point of being injected with a sample of the original super-soldier serum to enhance his strength. After a painful encounter with the Hulk, he becomes even more driven and has Samuel Sterns infuse him with Banner's blood, transforming him into an abomination.


 * The Ace: Considered to be one of the best seasoned soldiers around.
 * Arch Enemy: To the Hulk, naturally.
 * Badass
 * Badass Normal: Pre-serums. He led a platoon in close combat against the Hulk and was subsequently the only person to survive.
 * Badass Abnormal: Post-serums, he's a super soldier. After a transfusion of Banner's blood, he's nearly on Hulk's level.
 * Blood Knight: He eventually stopped giving a crap about orders, and just wanted to duke it out with the Hulk.
 * Call Forward: His descent into madness is an early hint of what Dr. Erskine explained in the Captain America movie that came three years later: with the serum, "bad becomes worse".
 * Evil Counterpart: Born of a combination of the super-soldier serum and The Hulk's blood; while Blonsky sacrifices his ability to be empowered by rage, he retains his intelligence.
 * Fragile Speedster: After taking the first imperfect Super Soldier serum, but before becoming the Abomination, he is faster than the Hulk and any normal soldier, but is taken down with one kick into a tree from the Hulk that breaks most of the bones in his body.
 * Healing Factor: The imperfect Super Soldier serum gives him one that allows him to survive (but not necessarily in good condition) full on blows from the Hulk.
 * Humanoid Abomination: After taking in Banner's blood. Dr. Sterns even lampshades this before the transformation itself.
 * Jerkass
 * Lightning Bruiser: After becoming the Abomination.
 * Personality Powers: As a result of the Call Forward, his transformation into the Abomination can be considered this, as he mixed an imperfect Super Soldier serum with the Banner's irradiated blood, and thereby turned into the as-far-as-is-known permanent monstrosity that Samuel Sterns calls "an abomination".
 * Removing the Earpiece: Before his second "fight" with the Hulk.
 * Revenge Before Reason: Disobeys orders and demands to be injected with Hulk blood, without caring about the consequences, just so he can become strong enough to beat the Hulk.
 * Super Speed: After taking the imperfect Super Soldier serum, he is able to jog far faster than any other normal soldier with him can run, and acts as though he was taking a calm stroll when he finally stops running.
 * Super Strength: Twice as strong as The Hulk. However, it's set and won't increase with rage as he does.
 * Too Dumb to Live: For future reference, aspiring villains, getting within three feet of the Incredible Hulk and stopping your fight just to taunt him is not a good idea. If it wasn't for the super serum in his system, he almost certainly would have died.
 * Villain with Good Publicity: Even after turning into The Abomination, the WSC still considers him a war hero and The Hulk at fault, and was close to getting him into The Avengers. Thankfully, saner minds prevailed.

Ivan Vanko / Whiplash
""If you could make God bleed, people would cease to believe in him. There will be blood in the water. The sharks will come.""

"Portrayed By: Mickey Rourke Film Appearances: Iron Man 2"

Son of Anton Vanko, a former partner of Howard Stark, who forced his father's exile to Siberia, and a subsequently miserable life turned him to revenge against Howard's son Tony.


 * Badass: Hell yes.
 * Badass Normal: Even when not using his Palladium Whips, he manages to be extremely badass and dangerous with his hacking skills alone. Other than that, he showed the ability to kill guards with his bare hands, walk away from getting hit by a car, and even went up against Iron Man with only his whips.
 * Composite Character: Of Whiplash (the whips) and Crimson Dynamo (the Powered Armor, being Russian, and his name).
 * The Comically Serious
 * Eloquent in My Native Tongue: He's not terribly fluent in English, and comes off as difficult to understand. Or he just does that on purpose to put people off-guard.
 * Evil Counterpart: He built a miniature arc reactor out of scraps and used it to power weapons that gave Iron Man a good run for his money.
 * Fake Russian: Rourke is American but from many reports, spoke Russian very well.
 * Faux Affably Evil
 * Flunky Boss: Hacks and the "Hammeroids", sending them against Tony before he finally takes him on personally.
 * Genius Bruiser: Considered to be even smarter than Tony Stark.
 * Good Scars, Evil Scars: Has the traditional scar down his eye.
 * Made of Iron: Happy drives a car into him, and it barely stuns him.
 * Obfuscating Stupidity: He shows that he's both fluent and eloquent in his early face-to-face confrontation with Tony Stark, but speaks to Hammer in broken, barely intelligible English just to mess with him.
 * Oral Fixation Fixation: His toothpick.
 * Pet the Dog: In his only display of kindness, he takes care of a cockatoo that isn't even his to the very end.
 * The Quiet One: Vanko is notably very quiet, especially when compared with Tony or Justin. In several of his most prominient scenes, Vanko says barely anything at all; most notably, during the climax, his only words are a simple "You lose," to Tony.
 * Renegade Russian: Tried selling Soviet nuclear fuel on the black market at one point.
 * Revenge Before Reason: Why he's not turning a huge profit on his arc reactor variant.
 * Shock and Awe: His whips.
 * Sins of Our Fathers: Tony's, specifically.
 * The Stoic: Ivan Vanko is extremely calm and collected, even when held in captivity or being scolded by his billionaire employer. When Hammer tells his guards to start taking Ivan's bird and other comforts away, you can see when he stops protesting and when he starts just going with it silently. It's like flicking a switch.
 * Tattooed Crook: Displays tattoos that are common with Russian criminals.
 * Tragic Villain: All his disdain for Tony's family is well-founded. His father was cut off from the project he helped start, was deported to a winter wasteland, and he himself got wrapped up in organized crime to make a living. Beneath his cold exterior is a genius mind that even Tony Stark is impressed by.
 * Whip It Good: And it cuts real well too.

Justin Hammer
""I wanna make Iron Man look like an antique.""

"Portrayed By: Sam Rockwell Film Appearances: Iron Man 2"

CEO of Hammer Industries, and a (self-perceived) rival of Tony Stark. He forges a temporary alliance with Ivan Vanko, but the latter just makes use of his resources - not taking him seriously at all. An all-around obnoxious loser.

"Tony: ...Hammertech? Rhodey: Yeah..."
 * Big Bad Wannabe
 * Chaotic Stupid
 * Cloudcuckoolander: For all his villainous aspirations, he's just plain weird.
 * Driven by Envy/Evil Is Petty: He has people killed just to get Vanko out, so he can make his Hammerdrones, all for the sake of showing up Tony Stark.
 * Green-Eyed Monster: Even though he's wealthy like Tony, he definitely envies Tony's talent and success. His technology throughout the film is described as a joke and a failed knock-off of Stark's. His jealousy is even shown when he's talking to Stark or mentioning him. Heck, most of his motivation in the film is to upstage Stark.
 * Laughably Evil
 * Made of Explodium: His buster-bunker "Ex-Wife" miniature rocket is supposedly extremely explosive. It doesn't work. At all.


 * More Dakka: His armors and drones are often equipped with massive ammunition.
 * Motor Mouth
 * Never My Fault: As he's being dragged to jail for attempting to kill Tony Stark and allying himself with Vanko, he accuses Pepper Potts of ruining his career and reputation.
 * Smug Snake: One of the oilyest, most dickish characters in recent memory.

Loki Odinson
""I never wanted the throne! I only ever wanted to be your equal!""

"Portrayed By: Tom Hiddleston, Ted Allpress (young) Film Appearances: Thor / The Avengers"

The Norse God of Mischief and Lies. This revelation begins his Start of Darkness. He is also Thor's younger brother.

"Tom Hiddleston: It's all of them against me. I am the supervillain. So it's Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow and Nick Fury forming a team because I've got so badass."
 * A God Am I: By The Avengers. Notable because, while he is a god in some terms, and does have high durability, the Norse gods in the Marvel Cinematic Universe opt for the Sufficiently Advanced Alien interpretation rather than truly being Physical Gods, though Heimdall and Odin seem close.
 * Amazing Technicolor Population:
 * : Much to his surprise.
 * Anti-Villain: Type II with shades of Type III in Thor. More between Type III and straight villain in The Avengers.
 * Arch Enemy: To Thor.
 * Badass: Quite so. Tom Hiddleston has stated that he cranks the badassery factor Up to Eleven in The Avengers.

"Black Widow: These people come from legend. They're basically gods."
 * Badass Bookworm
 * Badass in a Nice Suit: Dresses impeccably when hiding amongst humans.
 * Badass Longcoat: In The Avengers, though he sometimes goes back to his royal outfit.
 * Badass Long Hair: Seems to have grown his hair out in The Avengers.
 * Big Bad: Debatable for Thor, quite definite for The Avengers.
 * Blade on a Stick: While Odin is sick, he uses Gungnir as both a scepter and a weapon. In The Avengers, he seems to have picked up a smaller model. Both are Boom Sticks.
 * Break the Haughty: This combined with Bullying a Dragon is.
 * Cain and Abel: The Cain to Thor's Abel.
 * The Chessmaster: The chessmaster. Even though he was supplied by  for the invasion in The Avengers, he still did the legwork (or forced other heroes to for him) in the invasion itself. He was a more straight version in Thor, though.
 * Consummate Liar: Comes with the territory of being the God of Lies and Mischief.
 * Cool Helmet
 * Cry for the Devil: It's heartbreaking to watch his Start of Darkness.
 * Deuteragonist: In Thor, of the villainous kind.
 * Disney Villain Death: Subverted, as he survives to be the Big Bad of The Avengers.
 * Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette
 * Energy Ball: His magic/energy knife things.
 * Even Bad Men Love Their Papas: Believe it or not, he did care about Odin, as most of his plan in Thor was to prove his value to him. Notice that this only applies to Odin;
 * Evil Sorcerer
 * Gender Bender: Referenced in Thor, even if not actually seen in action. In the beginning of the film, Odin rides in on Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse, who, in Norse mythology, is Loki's son (the product of shape-shifting into a mare, having relations with a stallion, and ending up pregnant for two years). Makes this a literal Mythology Gag.
 * Go Mad from the Revelation:
 * Green-Eyed Monster: While it's not his motivation, Loki is consumed by his envy of Thor and has a hell of a time hiding it in the first act of Thor.
 * Green Eyes: Apropos for the above, but only in the marketing. In the film, he has blue eyes.
 * Hannibal Lecture
 * Hero-Killer:.
 * I Am Who?:
 * Inferiority Superiority Complex: He chooses to express his crippling self-worth issues by trying to blow up / subjugate planets.
 * I Need a Freaking Drink: Tony initially offers Loki a drink, which he rejects. After
 * Jerkass Has a Point: Sure, he ruins Thor's big day for "a bit of fun", but he also did it to reveal how unfit to rule his brother was in Thor. He may eventually become the villain, but at the time he spared Asgard a massive headache.
 * Knife Nut: Can make them out of energy and throwing them can take down a charging Frost Giant in his tracks.
 * Large Ham: Far less than Thor or Odin, but he does get his moments.
 * Love Makes You Evil: Nonromantic love for Odin, but love nonetheless.
 * Manipulative Bastard: His speciality.
 * Master of Illusion: He's fond of using illusionary copies of himself to distract his enemies.
 * Not Quite Dead: The epilogue of Thor reveals that he's alive and well within human society, and he returns in The Avengers more badass than ever.
 * Politically-Incorrect Villain: He calls Natasha a 'quim' - extremely vulgar medieval slang for a certain female body part..
 * Pretty Boy: While his appearance in the comics is very much Depending on the Artist and has ranged from withered and ugly all the way to smolderingly handsome, this is probably the most daintily good-looking Loki incarnation ever.
 * This is (completely coincidentally) in line with descriptions of Loki in Norse Mythology.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old
 * Redemption Rejection: When Thor is still willing to offer him a chance as the Chitauri tear New York apart, he seems to genuinely consider it... then shanks him with a throwing knife.
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni: The blue to Thor's red.
 * The Resenter: A seething ball of jealousy from his very first scenes onward.
 * Royal Brat: Like Thor, Loki has overtones of this. He has no problem getting guards and jotuns killed for the sake of a prank on his brother.
 * Sanity Slippage: Falling through a rift in space at the end of Thor did nothing good for his mental health.
 * Self-Made Orphan:
 * Self-Serving Memory: In Avengers, he claims that Thor threw him into the void, apparently forgetting that he chose to fall in after Odin refused to condone Loki attempting genocide in his name.
 * Sharp-Dressed Man: When he appears before the imprisoned Thor in Midgard.
 * Sibling Rivalry: In spades with Thor.
 * Sibling Yin-Yang: The fact that they're total opposites in personality doesn't really help matters either.
 * Start of Darkness: Compared to where Thor over time becomes a better man, Loki becomes more evil and menacing.
 * Sufficiently Advanced Alien: Like all Asgardians, though he is also known as a "master of magic", making things a little complicated.


 * Suicidal Cosmic Temper Tantrum: Ever since discovering his origins, Loki has essentially been subtly throwing one. That said, all bets are off in The Avengers when he clearly becomes fed up.
 * Tall, Dark and Snarky
 * Took a Level in Badass: Going through a wormhole has apparently given him one hell of a steel edge. He was initially relatively badass, being a God and all, but by The Avengers, is considered to be exponentially more dangerous.
 * Took a Level in Jerkass: In The Avengers.
 * Tragic Villain: In Thor.
 * The Unfavourite: He sees himself as such. He definitely doesn't fit the ideal of Asgard the way Thor does.
 * Used to Be a Sweet Kid: The scene with young Loki shows him and Thor being absolutely adorable as they listen to Odin telling them a story about the war with the Jotun.
 * Villainous Breakdown: Starting around the time he  and getting progressively worse throughout the rest of Thor. This does not make him less effective, however - his growing insanity coupled with his deadly cunning only makes him more dangerous.
 * He also has one at the end of The Avengers, after the Avengers start winning and he gets
 * "Well Done, Son" Guy:, his ultimate goal is still his love and approval rather than his throne.
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist: Part of the basis for his motivations in Thor.
 * Wicked Cultured: Enjoys wearing dapper clothing when blending in among humans, as well as attending classical music performances.
 * Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: In Thor. His preferred target is, to be precise.
 * Yandere: When his daddy becomes ill just thinking about warring with the Frost Giants, Loki concludes that the quickest way to please his father is to.
 * Zig Zagged Trope: Loki's entire character is a dance between Dark Is Not Evil, Obviously Evil, The Evil Prince, and "Well Done, Son" Guy. Ultimately, Thor sets him up as a bad guy

The Destroyer
"Portrayed By: N/A Film Appearances: Thor"

An extremely powerful set of armor created by Odin to defend Asgard. As one does not wear it, but project their consciousness into it, it can be misused.


 * Animated Armor: Controlled with a user's mind.
 * Badass Automaton: Technically not a robot, but still badass.
 * Breath Weapon: Sort of. The heat ray of the Destroyer is fired from the opening in the helmet.
 * Wave Motion Gun
 * The Dragon: Temporarily a non-sentient one to Loki in Thor.
 * The Juggernaut: Until Thor gets his power back and is able to fight it.
 * Magitek: One of the only real examples shown from Asgard so far.
 * Menacing Stroll
 * Playing with Fire
 * Power Glows: The opening in the face glows when it is about to fire.
 * What Happened to the Mouse?: In the film it isn't shown what happened to it after it was destroyed. The tie-in comic Fury's Big Week shows that S.H.I.E.L.D. took custody of it, and are now trying to reverse-engineer it.

Johann Schmidt / Red Skull
""You are deluded, Captain. You think of yourself as a simple soldier, but you are simply afraid to admit that we have left humanity behind! Unlike you, I embrace it proudly! Without fear!""

"Portrayed By: Hugo Weaving Film Appearances: Captain America the First Avenger"

A brilliant yet completely insane German scientist during World War II, the head of the Nazi party's deep science division HYDRA. His pursuit of power from Norse Mythology turned him into a greater threat than Adolf Hitler himself. Being a Super Soldier prototype doesn't hurt either.

"HYDRA grunt: "We fought to the last man!" Schmidt: "Evidently not..." Disintegrates the lone survivor with his Tesseract handgun."
 * A God Am I: Has one hell of a god complex. Gets deflated whenever Cap calls him out on it or acts humble despite his own commensurate super power.
 * Ax Crazy
 * Badass
 * Badass Abnormal
 * Bald of Evil: Post-procedure, though his false face still has hair.
 * Cool Car: And quite proud of it!
 * Clarke's Third Law: He came up with it before Clarke himself.
 * Evil Counterpart: Much like Cap, he also had been injected with the serum. Unlike Cap, he and is pretty much hell-bent on world domination.
 * Evil Makes You Ugly: Or at least an imperfect Super Soldier Serum does when mixed with internal evil.
 * Eviler Than Thou: To The Nazis.
 * Facial Horror: "I have already burned."
 * Large Ham
 * The Noseless: Well, skulls don't have noses.
 * Personality Powers: The Super Soldier Serum "...amplifies everything inside. Good becomes great. Bad becomes worse." Thus, a psychopathic Nazi who gave Adolf Hitler the creeps essentially becomes the Grim Reaper and even crazier than ever, with power to match his madness.
 * Reassigned to Antarctica: After Schmidt's transformation, Hitler "gives" him a secret base in the Alps. The Red Skull knows that he's really being exiled. However, it gives Schmidt enough privacy to turn HYDRA into his personal army.
 * Red Skull Face: Though he does have a fleshy mask to cover it.
 * Skull for a Head: It's in the name.
 * The Starscream: Even has his minions chanting "Heil HYDRA". Eventually is revealed to have Berlin as one of his targets for annihilation, and kills the Nazi officers who come to look through his projects.
 * Stupid Jetpack Hitler powered by Ghostapo.
 * Super Soldier
 * Charles Atlas Superpower: Due to the Super Soldier serum.
 * Psycho Prototype
 * Tear Off Your Face: Inverted. To show what he really looks like, he tears off his own face (or at least the false one) to show to Cap.
 * Villainous Breakdown: "You are failing!!!"
 * Wicked Cultured
 * With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: Though he certainly manages it well. In fact all but outright stated by Zola, who notes that the fact that his plans are insane only makes them more effective because he is more than capable of carrying them out in every psychotic detail.
 * You Have Failed Me...

Dr. Arnim Zola
""The insanity of the plan makes no difference.""

"Portrayed By: Toby Jones Film Appearances: Captain America the First Avenger"

Weapons designer for HYDRA, and right hand man to Schmitt.


 * Evil Counterpart: To Howard Stark.
 * Evil Genius: His designs were even above what Howard Stark or Schmidt could design alone.
 * Herr Doktor
 * For Science!: He just builds his awesome glowing blue machines. HYDRA and Schmidt are the ones who actually use them.
 * Four Eyes, Zero Soul
 * Mad Scientist: Though he's much saner than Schmidt.
 * Mythology Gag: His first appearance on screen is that of a distorted head in a screen, mirroring his most iconic incarnation.
 * Only Sane Man: Especially compared to Schmidt, who is unrelentingly called insane throughout the film - even by Zola himself.
 * The Starscream: Double Subverted Trope.

The Chitauri
"Film Appearances: The Avengers"

A mysterious race of cyborg aliens in the employment of Loki and. They invade Earth in The Avengers.


 * Alien Invasion: Though they don't get very far.
 * Another Dimension
 * Awesome Personnel Carrier: Their main transport is a gigantic flying serpent-like creature that carries hundreds of soldiers and can fly through skyscrapers. It takes huge amounts of explosive or electrical damage to put one down.
 * Bayonet Ya: Their infantry sport them on their rifles.
 * Cyborg: They clearly have both mechanical and organic parts, and
 * Frickin' Laser Beams: Two varieties. One is fired from a thin rifle used by Chitauri foot soldiers. The other is a powerful Arm Cannon that's mounted on Chitauri units riding hovercrafts. Both fire blue colored lasers.
 * Humanoid Aliens
 * Keystone Army:
 * Mooks
 * Mooks

Thanos
"Portrayed By: Damion Poitier Film Appearances:"


 * Amazing Technicolor Population: Has purple skin.
 * Bigger Bad:
 * Creepy Blue Eyes
 * Galactic Conqueror
 * The Man Behind the Man:
 * The Voiceless: So far, he's only gotten two shots. Neither of them have had a voice.
 * Walking Spoiler: Well, minus the walking, since he has only stood up so far.

The Other
""And the humans, what can they do, but burn...""

"Portrayed By: Alexis Denisof Film Appearances: The Avengers"

An ally of Loki and servant of


 * Canon Foreigner: Created for The Avengers.
 * Mouth of Sauron: Serves as the mouthpiece for his master. He even looks similar to the Trope Namer.
 * Nightmare Face: Though we only see some of it.
 * Smug Snake: He's certain that Earth will surrender the instant his Chitauri launch their assault (see his quote).

Virginia "Pepper" Potts
""You know, there's only 8,011 things that I really need to talk to you about.""

"Portrayed By: Gwyneth Paltrow Film Appearances: Iron Man / Iron Man 2 / The Avengers"

Tony Stark's faithful personal assistant, and eventually love interest.

"Pepper Potts: I have your clothes here; they've been dry cleaned and pressed. And there's a car waiting for you outside that will take you anywhere you'd like to go. Christine Everhart: You must be the famous Pepper Potts. Pepper Potts: Indeed I am. Christine Everhart: After all these years, Tony still has you picking up the dry cleaning. Pepper Potts: I do anything and everything Mr. Stark requires. Including, occasionally, taking out the trash. Will that be all?"
 * Action Survivor
 * Beleaguered Assistant: Best example is her first scene in Iron Man 2.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Does Not Like Shoes: At least in The Avengers.
 * Girl Friday
 * Hypercompetent Sidekick: She pretty much runs Stark Industries for Tony when he's busy. By Iron Man 2, she's Stark Industries CEO.
 * Only Sane Woman
 * Redheaded Hero
 * Relationship Upgrade: To an Official Couple with Tony as of the end of Iron Man 2.
 * The Reliable One: To Tony.
 * Servile Snarker: She's an expert at the Stealth Insult. She never loses her sweet smile or polite demeanor during the following:


 * Sexy Backless Outfit: Bought herself one as Tony's birthday gift to her. She feels distinctly uncomfortable in it when she wears it in the first Iron Man, to say nothing of the fact that she forgot to put on deodorant and is dancing with her boss in front of a lot of her co-workers, his reputation not helping.
 * Sexy Secretary

Harold "Happy" Hogan
""Anything else, boss?""

"Portrayed By: Jon Favreau Film Appearances: Iron Man / Iron Man 2"

Tony Stark's loyal bodyguard and chauffeur.


 * Badass Driver
 * Battle Butler: While not nearly badass as Black Widow, he does try.
 * Creator Cameo: He directed the first two Iron Man movies.
 * Sharp-Dressed Man

J.A.R.V.I.S.
""What was I thinking? You're usually so discreet.""

"Portrayed By: Paul Bettany (voice) Film Appearances: Iron Man / Iron Man 2 / The Avengers"

An extremely advanced AI which Tony Stark developed. He's operated by a multitude of terminals, assists him in just about everything he develops, has complete functional control of various in-house robots, and he is in a lot of ways Tony Stark's house itself. A J.A.R.V.I.S. uplink is also used as the operating system for the Iron Man suit, making him essentially one half of Iron Man, the other half obviously being Tony.


 * A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Completely averted, surprisingly for the idea that it seems more like Tony's engineering partner than a computer at times due to how competent it is.
 * AI Roulette: One of his robots (supposedly, Tony's first) is incredibly incompetent. Tony describes it as a "tragedy."
 * Deadpan Snarker: Good lord, is he ever.
 * Gadgeteer Genius: He's a computer AI, fully capable of engineering components himself and carrying out other complex tasks.
 * Master Computer: J.A.R.V.I.S. assists in just about every aspect of Tony's life. Averted in that J.A.R.V.I.S. is generally nice and compliant, albeit sarcastic as hell and prone to questioning his creator's more reckless stunts.
 * Mythology Gag: The name references Edwin Jarvis, the Avengers' butler in the comics.

Dr. Yinsen
""So you're a man who has everything, but nothing.""

"Portrayed By: Shaun Toub Film Appearances: Iron Man"

An Afghan physicist who saves Tony Stark's life, and brings out his true potential.


 * Death by Origin Story
 * Death Seeker: Wanted to die so he can be reunited with his family, but not before helping Stark escape and become a better man.
 * Heroic Sacrifice: Sacrifices himself to buy Tony time to activate his first Iron Man suit.
 * Nice Guy
 * The Obi-Wan: To Tony.

Dr. Samuel Sterns
""I've always been more curious than cautious, and that's served me pretty well.""

"Portrayed By: Tim Blake Nelson Film Appearances: The Incredible Hulk"

A scientist who helps Bruce under the moniker "Mr. Blue". .


 * Bunny Ears Lawyer
 * Code Name: Mr. Blue.
 * Evilutionary Biologist:.
 * For Science!
 * Morally-Ambiguous Doctorate: He wants to cure Banner and find similar cures for diseases
 * My Brain Is Big:

Dr. Elizabeth "Betty" Ross
""You weren't that hard to find.""

"Portrayed By: Liv Tyler Film Appearances: The Incredible Hulk"

Daughter of General Ross, and Bruce's confidant and love interest. She was one of the leading scientists on Bruce's experiment, and feels partially responsible for his condition. Has an understandably terrible relationship with her father.


 * Action Survivor
 * Interrupted Cooldown Hug
 * Love Interest: To Banner.
 * Morality Pet: To the Hulk.
 * Nice Girl
 * There Are No Therapists: Averted. She's dating one (Dr. Samson) when she's seen in The Incredible Hulk.

General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross
""As far as I'm concerned, that man's whole body is property of the U.S. army.""

"Portrayed By: William Hurt Film Appearances: The Incredible Hulk"

A General who hunts down Bruce Banner believing him to be a threat - in truth, he's after his blood as it contains answers to perfecting the Super Soldier serum.


 * Drowning My Sorrows: In The Stinger of The Incredible Hulk because the Gamma project was a failure.
 * Enemy Mine:
 * For Career
 * General Ripper
 * Inspector Javert
 * Jerkass
 * Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Through giving Blonsky the prototype remade Super Soldier serum, he essentially created the Abomination and by proxy.
 * Overprotective Dad
 * Parents as People: He focuses so much of his time on getting the Hulk/Bruce Banner that it damages his relationship with his daughter.
 * Unwitting Pawn: Of Blonsky, and later of SHIELD.
 * What The Hell, General?: On the receiving end, repeatedly. It never takes.

Dr. Leonard Samson
""You know, it's a point of professional pride for me that I can tell when somebody's lying. And you are.""

"Portrayed By: Ty Burrell Film Appearances: The Incredible Hulk"

A psychiatrist and Betty Ross' boyfriend while she is away from Bruce Banner.


 * Brainy Brunette
 * Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: Lets General Ross know exactly how big a douche he is.
 * Living Lie Detector: Comes with being a psychiatrist, apparently.
 * Nice Guy
 * Only Sane Man: He can certainly understand how and why others think, and for his on-screen time he is not prone to overreacting.
 * Romantic Runner-Up
 * There Are No Therapists: Assumed to be averted, considering his own profession.

Allfather Odin Borson
""A wise king never seeks out war, but he must always be ready for it.""

"Portrayed By: Anthony Hopkins Film Appearances: Thor"

Lord of the Aesir and King of Asgard. After Thor starts a war with the Jotuns, he exiles him in hopes of learning humility. Upon revealing, his old body goes into the "Odinsleep." Loki promptly takes advantage of this and starts scheming.


 * Badass Beard
 * Badass Grandpa
 * Big Sleep: The Odinsleep.
 * Blade on a Stick: Gungnir, the "Spear of Heaven".
 * Cool Horse: Implied by its owner's identity to be Slepnir.
 * Determinator: Has been putting off the Odinsleep for quite a while.
 * Eyepatch of Power: He changes them depending on the occasion, but always present.
 * Eye Scream: Loses his right eye to a Frost Giant in Thor's opening.
 * Good Parents: Loves both his sons,, and gives Thor a much needed object-lesson (being made mortal) to teach him the value of kindness and compassion. His main failure is loving and being too prideful in his sons to teach them the lessons they needed to learn until it was too late, resulting in Thor becoming a boisterous warmonger and Loki in becoming a repressed ball of jealousy. Only one of them gets better.
 * Hot Dad: A well kept old gentleman.
 * Large Ham
 * Papa Wolf
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old
 * Reasonable Authority Figure: Wants to avoid war, and does a good job of handling things . Just mind the Hair-Trigger Temper.
 * Retired Badass
 * Royals Who Actually Do Something: Personally led the Asgardian charge against the jotuns to defend Midgard during the Dark Ages.
 * Sufficiently Advanced Alien: Like all Asgardians.

Queen Frigga
""He mourns for his brother. And he misses her... the mortal.""

"Portrayed By: Rene Russo Film Appearances: Thor"

The Wife of Odin, mother of Thor and Loki, and Queen of Asgard. As Odin falls into the Odinsleep, Frigga takes care of him, unaware of what Loki is doing on the throne.


 * Action Mom
 * Good Parents: Even though Loki, she loves and dotes on him as if he were.
 * Hot Mom: Very well kept for her age, just like her husband.
 * Lady of War
 * Mama Bear: She not only takes care of Odin in the Odinsleep, but guards him as well.
 * Never Mess with Granny: Is capable of taking down Frost Giants if the need arises.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old
 * Satellite Character
 * Yamato Nadeshiko

Lady Sif & The Warriors Three
"Sif Portrayed By: Jaimie Alexander Fandral the Dashing Portrayed By: Joshua Dallas Hogun the Grim Portrayed By: Tadanobu Asano Volstagg the Voluminous Portrayed By: Ray Stevenson Film Appearances: Thor"

Thor's closest and most loyal friends. Upon his exile, they plan to defy Loki and return their friend to his home.

"Volstagg: Hush! Heimdall might be watching... Guard: (enters the room) Heimdall demands your presence! Volstagg: ...We're doomed."
 * Action Girl: Sif.
 * Adorkable/Adult Child: Every inch as sweet and goofy as Thor is when they are on earth; The big-happy-grins (Hogun's included) that they wore after finding Thor on Earth are simply adorable.
 * Asian Viking: Hogun.
 * Badass Crew: Asgard's greatest warriors, other than the Odin family and Heimdall.
 * Badass Mustache: Fandral.
 * Big Eater: Do not mistake Volstagg's appetite for apathy!
 * Blood Knight: They all love battle, but Fandral seems to especially enjoy it.
 * Boisterous Bruiser: Volstagg.
 * Cool Sword: Both Sif and Fandral have them.
 * Dork Knight: Every lovable one of them.
 * Fiery Redhead: Volstagg is a heroic version.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: The Warriors Three to Thor.
 * Hot Amazon: Sif.
 * Lady of War: Sif loves battle almost as Fandral.
 * Oh Crap: Counts as a Crowning Moment of Funny and Tempting Fate.


 * Proud Warrior Race Guy: All four of them.
 * Race Lift: Hogun in the comics is vaguely Mongolian-looking and from a non-Asgardian realm. Here, he is Japanese-looking and is believed to be a native Aesir.
 * Really 700 Years Old: All four of them are assumed to be since every other named Asgardian is.
 * The Spock: Hogun.
 * The Stoic: Again, Hogun.
 * Not So Stoic: Even he gives a big grin when they find Thor on "Midgard".
 * Stout Strength: Volstagg comes off as both short and huge.
 * Swashbuckler: Fandral is practically an Errol Flynn Expy.
 * Tall, Dark and Bishoujo: Sif.
 * Unlucky Childhood Friend: Implied as of Thor with Sif to Thor. (She's Thor's main love interest in the comics and his wife in the myth.)
 * According to interviews, this was more explicit in scenes that were later cut.
 * Weapon of Choice:
 * An Axe to Grind: Volstagg uses a gigantic batle axe.
 * Carry a Big Stick: Hogun uses a spiked mace.
 * Dual-Wielding/Double Weapon: Sif has two swords that can join together at the hilts.
 * Royal Rapier: Fandral uses one.

Heimdall
""Be warned, I shall uphold my sacred oath to protect this realm as its gatekeeper.""

"Portrayed By: Idris Elba Film Appearances: Thor"

The gatekeeper of Asgard and guardian of the Bifröst. His eyes see all that takes place in the Nine Realms, and his omniscience is thought to be even greater than Odin's. The most loyal warrior of Asgard.


 * Badass: Very. He is powerful enough to threaten Odin himself - but Odin does not fear him because Heimdall is absolutely loyal.
 * Badass Baritone
 * Badass Beard: Though it's hidden mostly by his helmet.
 * Black Viking
 * Composite Character: Has some elements of Balder from the comics.
 * Cool Helmet
 * Cool Old Guy
 * Cool Sword: His sword can control the Bifröst bridge.
 * Eyes of Gold
 * Heart Is an Awesome Power: As he is The Driver and functionally an Almighty Janitor. However, his and his job's importance is played up thoroughly, and he's implied to be near or superior to Odin in power.
 * Godly Popsicle: Loki temporarily freezes Heimdall with the Casket upon his "act of treason" (trying to attack Loki for ).
 * Race Lift: He's white in the comics. This was a point of contention for some fans, applied rather inconsistently (see Hogun). The actor and producers called out the fans on how ridiculous it is to say that a human actor playing a comic book character based on a mythological concept doesn't look like how the fans wanted.
 * Pragmatic Adaptation: Kenneth Branagh has explained that he chose Idris Elba for the part, not because he needed a Token Minority, but simply because he thought Idris was a very good actor.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old
 * Scary Black Man
 * The Stoic: One imagines standing as the eternal guardian of the gateway to all the nine realms either requires or breeds a certain emotional detachment.
 * Sufficiently Advanced Alien: Like all Asgardians.
 * Super Senses: He can see into other realms and focus upon specific individuals, to the point of near-omniscience - it's of interest to him when he finds himself unable to see an event taking place.
 * Unflappable Guardian: For all of Asgard! Though he's more prone to employing silence than the typical Obfuscating Stupidity and friendliness.

King Laufey
""You've come a long way to die, Asgardian.""

"Portrayed By: Colm Feore Film Appearances: Thor"

The King of Jotunheim and a Frost Giant. Over 1,200 years ago, Laufey invaded Earth (Midgard) in an attempt to conquer it, but Odin and the Gods came to Earth's aid and pushed them back to Jotunheim and defeated them, and took the Casket of Ancient Winters, a powerful artifact, from them. Since then, Laufey desires peace first, but if possible, to get the Casket back.


 * Abusive Parents: Left his.
 * Amazing Technicolor Population: Like all Frost Giants, has blue skin.
 * An Ice Person: Though is more skilled at controlling it than other Frost Giants.
 * Artifact of Doom: The Casket of Ancient Winters, a device that can freeze entire landscapes and his old weapon.
 * Weapon of Choice: Until it was stolen, after which he seems to prefer a weaponized icicle.
 * Authority Equals Asskicking
 * Covered in Scars
 * Disc One Final Boss
 * Evil Is Deathly Cold: Frost Giants, whether openly violent toward Asgard or not, are pretty much always seen as evil when confronted, whether overtly or not.
 * Evil Sounds Deep
 * Gender Flip: In Norse Mythology, Laufey is actually mother, and a Frost Giant called Farbuti is his father, but in the comics and the film, Laufey is the father and a unidentified female (possibly Aesir) for the mother.
 * Good Scars, Evil Scars: Has many claw-shaped ones across his face.
 * Knife Nut: One of his simplest ice constructs is a weaponed icicle, which he.
 * Our Giants Are Bigger
 * Parental Abandonment: To infant . And later tells that Odin should have just left him to die instead of saving and.
 * Pragmatic Villainy: Laufey is evil, but he's not stupid. He knows that Odin's a dangerous enemy, and wants to make sure that the Asgardians fire the first shot so he can have the moral high ground when he starts the war.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old
 * Reasonable Authority Figure: He was prepared to let Thor and his buddies go after they invaded his nation and violated the truce.
 * War Is Hell: Tried to stop Thor from bringing on the fight.
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: All Frost Giants have them, but his seem to glow.
 * Glowing Eyes of Doom
 * Royals Who Actually Do Something: Personally led the invasion of Midgard during the Dark Ages, wielding the Casket of Ancient Winters.
 * Zen Survivor: Of the Asgard/Jotunheim War for Midgard.
 * Royals Who Actually Do Something: Personally led the invasion of Midgard during the Dark Ages, wielding the Casket of Ancient Winters.
 * Zen Survivor: Of the Asgard/Jotunheim War for Midgard.
 * Zen Survivor: Of the Asgard/Jotunheim War for Midgard.

Jane Foster
""Well, 'magic's just science we don't understand yet.' Arthur C. Clarke.""

"Portrayed By: Natalie Portman Film Appearances: Thor"

An astrophysicist who fins out that a wormhole she's been observing is really the Bifrost Bridge. Helps out Thor, and eventually falls in love with him. Is currently a S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist working under Coulson trying to find a way to reopen the Bifröst.


 * Adorkable: She's usually a level-headed scientist, but anytime Thor turns on the charm, she turns into a giggling schoolgirl.
 * Action Survivor
 * Brainy Brunette
 * Huge Guy, Tiny Girl
 * Hot Scientist
 * Only Sane Woman: Debatable. She takes his approach, but easily buys into Thor's story against all common sense.
 * Real Life Writes the Plot: Natalie Portman was pregnant when The Avengers was filming, so Jane only appears as a still photo (and Natalie wanted to come back, too).

Erik Selvig
""It's not a bad thing finding out that you don't have all the answers. You start asking the right questions.""

"Portrayed By: Stellan Skarsgård Film Appearances: Thor / The Avengers"

An astrophysicist and college professor working with Jane Foster on studying wormhole anomalies. He first begins to suspect Thor of being crazy as he recognize all of his stories from childhood, but in the end helped him out - specifically creating a fake identity for him as "Donald Blake." Is currently working under Nick Fury studying the Tesseract.

"Thor: "We drank, we fought. He made his ancestors proud!""
 * Action Survivor
 * Can't Hold His Liquor: Subverted! He can definitely hold his liquor, but binge drinking against the God of Thunder? You lose that one.
 * Can't Hold His Liquor: Subverted! He can definitely hold his liquor, but binge drinking against the God of Thunder? You lose that one.


 * Cool Old Guy: As shown by his behavior when at the bar with Thor.
 * Grumpy Old Man
 * The Mentor: To Jane, and later to Thor in Thor.
 * Only Sane Man
 * The Smart Guy
 * The Mentor: To Jane, and later to Thor in Thor.
 * Only Sane Man
 * The Smart Guy

Darcy Lewis
""Myeuh-muh? What's Myeuh-muh?""

"Portrayed By: Kat Dennings Film Appearances: Thor"

A political scientist and intern with astrophysicists Jane Foster and Erik Selvig.


 * Adorkable
 * Brainy Brunette
 * Combat Pragmatist
 * Static Stun Gun: Tases a Brought Down to Normal Thor.
 * Genius Ditz
 * Hot Scientist
 * Meganekko
 * Not That Kind of Doctor
 * Plucky Comic Relief

Peggy Carter
""You can't give me orders!""

"Portrayed By: Hayley Atwell Film Appearances: Captain America the First Avenger"

A British Army Major and member of the SSR. She inspires Rogers to become more than just a propaganda icon.


 * Action Girl
 * Badass: Does a pretty good job of Drill Sergeant Nasty to US Army recruits. Stands in front of a moving car to shoot down a Nazi spy. Goes into battle with Captain America at a time in history when women were not typically allowed in front-line combat.
 * First Love: To Steve.
 * Good-Looking Privates
 * Hot Chick in a Badass Suit
 * Hello, Nurse!
 * Improbable Aiming Skills: Is extremely accurate with just a pistol.
 * Lady of War
 * Lady in Red: When she meets Rogers at at a bar.
 * Majorly Awesome

Howard Stark
""Once you think you have figured out a dame, you, sir are... boned.""

"Portrayed By: John Slattery, Dominic Cooper (pictured left) Film Appearances: Iron Man 2 (portrayed by John Slattery) / Captain America the First Avenger (portrayed by Dominic Cooper)"

The founder and CEO of Stark Industries, and Tony Stark's father. During World War II, he was America's biggest military contractor, and one of the leading scientists behind the Super Soldier project. He occassionally assisted Rogers in several missions during his tenure before returning to Stark Industries.


 * Abusive Parents: Not abusive, but Tony's impression of him wasn't terribly positive.
 * Ace Pilot
 * Brainy Brunette
 * Chivalrous Pervert: Subverted. He plays one on stage to maintain the image, but he's actually strictly professional.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Expy: Of his son, Tony. And Walt Disney.
 * For Science!
 * Insufferable Genius: Like father, like son.
 * It Runs in The Family
 * Like Father, Like Son
 * Jerk with a Heart of Gold
 * Large Ham
 * Screw the Rules, I Have Connections: Howard develops weapons for the military, which is why he wasn't punished for helping Steve with his Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right.
 * Screw the Rules, I Have Money: Another reason.
 * Smart Guy
 * Waistcoat of Style

Colonel Chester Philips
""If you have anything to say, now would be a perfect time to keep it to yourself.""

"Portrayed By: Tommy Lee Jones Film Appearances: Captain America the First Avenger"

The US Army Colonel in charge of the Super Soldier project alongside Erskine. Upon first seeing Rogers (before the serum), he "wanted to cry" and had absolutely no faith in the young asthmatic, but quickly realized the project worked. While he went off to the battlefield, he intended for Rogers to be locked up in a lab - didn't work out quite so well as the Cap became America's greatest propaganda icon. After the Cap saved 400 Hydra prisoners, the two worked together to bring down Schmidt.

"HYDRA Soldier: Cut off one head, two more shall--! (gets shot mid sentence by Philips)
 * Badass
 * Badass Normal
 * Colonel Badass: When he goes into combat, he shows that he's very much a badass: He joins the fray in the final fight and coins the response to HYDRA agents' "cut off one head, two more will take its place" evil creed.

Colonel Philips: Let's go find two more."

"Colonel Philips: He's still skinny."
 * Colonel Kilgore
 * Commander Contrarian: An approach that leaves him with egg on his face no less than twice.
 * Cool Car: Procures Schmidt's monstrosity to help Cap stop him.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * The Neidermeyer: Subverted. He turns out to be pretty awesome.
 * Sour Supporter: His reaction to Steve Rogers Jumping on a Grenade (a dud) instead of his favored subject?


 * Veteran Instructor

James "Bucky" Barnes
""This isn't a back alley, Steve, this is war!""

"Portrayed By: Sebastian Stan Film Appearances: Captain America the First Avenger"

Rogers' best and oldest friend, and later one of his assault commandos. Before the experiment, Bucky was the one who always stuck up to Rogers and got the girl, and now that it's the other way around, he still takes it all in stride.


 * Badass Normal
 * Chick Magnet: He used to be this before Rogers got the Super Soldier serum. Then the chicks all got distracted by Steve. (Bucky is not very graceful about the switch.)
 * Friendly Sniper
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: With Steve.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: Type 2.
 * Strapped to An Operating Table: Zola's, to be precise.
 * Trapped Behind Enemy Lines: Until Steve goes in and saves him.
 * Strapped to An Operating Table: Zola's, to be precise.
 * Trapped Behind Enemy Lines: Until Steve goes in and saves him.
 * Trapped Behind Enemy Lines: Until Steve goes in and saves him.

Timothy Aloysius Cadwallader "Dum Dum" Dugan
""You know, Fritz, one of these days I'm going to have a stick of my own.""

"Portrayed By: Neal McDonough Film Appearances: Captain America the First Avenger"

A Hydra prisoner Rogers rescued, and a hand-picked member of one of his commandos.


 * Badass Normal
 * Badass Mustache
 * The Big Guy
 * Boisterous Bruiser
 * Nice Hat
 * Overly Long Name
 * Shotguns Are Just Better

J. Montgomery Falsworth
""...I beg your pardon?""

"Portrayed By: JJ Field Film Appearances: Captain America: The First Avenger"

A Second Lieutenant in the British Paras and POW who joins Captain America's elite squad.

"Falsworth: (leading a toast with the other Howling Commandos) To the Captain."
 * The Chessmaster
 * Nice Hat
 * Officer and a Gentleman
 * Royals Who Actually Do Something: Is a British Lord, though this isn't unusual - British officers were once drawn largely from the aristocracy.
 * To Absent Friends:

Dr. Abraham Erskine
""Why someone weak? Because a weak man knows the value of strength, the value of power...""

"Portrayed By: Stanley Tucci Film Appearances: Captain America the First Avenger"

A German scientist and inventor of a Super Soldier formula. He picks Rogers as the candidate out of an entire muscled platoon, believing that a weak man knew the value of strength, and knew that Rogers was a truly good man.


 * All Germans Are Nazis: Defies and averts this trope. As Erskine notes; "many people forget" the first country the Nazis invaded was, in fact, Germany.
 * The Atoner:
 * My Greatest Failure: Allowing to take the Super Soldier serum.
 * Cool Old Guy
 * Death by Origin Story
 * For Science!: Despite that, he comes off as a very cool guy.
 * Herr Doktor
 * Killed Off for Real
 * Nice Guy
 * The Obi-Wan: To Steve.
 * Token Enemy Minority: A German-born scientist working for the Allies in WWII.

Heinz Kruger
""Cut off one head, two more shall take its place!""

"Portrayed By: Richard Armitage Film Appearances: Captain America the First Avenger"

The Red Skull's top assassin. Follwing Rogers' experiment, he kills Dr. Erskine and steals a vial of the Super Soldier serum. He is caught by Rogers, and commits suicide.


 * Badass in a Nice Suit: Sort of, though it doesn't help against the newly augmented Steve Rogers.
 * Cyanide Pill: Swallows one after he gets caught by Rogers.
 * The Determinator
 * The Mole
 * Professional Killer

Maria Hill
""Who would bring those people together and not expect what happened?""

"Portrayed By: Cobie Smulders Film Appearances: The Avengers"

Nick Fury's aide, mostly present on the S.H.I.E.L.D. bases such as a research base on the ground and the Helicarrier.

"Tony Stark: (simulating an eyepatch while looking at two screens) How does Fury see these?
 * Action Girl: Though it's only shown twice so far, once being her first few minutes on screen.
 * Affirmative Action Girl: It doesn't really balance it out, but it does help to decrease Black Widow's Smurfette rating.
 * Badass Normal: Would have to be in order for Nick Fury to trust her to use a truck and a small team to.
 * Beauty Is Never Tarnished: Averted. After a grenade knocks her off her feet, she gets a cut on her forehead and cheek (as shown), and both stay there for the rest of the movie.
 * Deadpan Snarker: At times.

Maria Hill: He turns."


 * Establishing Character Moment: Not long after her introduction, after hearing Nick Fury get shot, she leaves with a small team and a truck, to chase after without even being ordered. She ends up with her truck facing the opposition head on, with them firing at each other through windshields until she is forced to move away, surviving a crash not long after.
 * Hypercompetent Sidekick: To Nick Fury.
 * Movie Superheroines Wear Black
 * Spy Catsuit
 * Superhero Packing Heat
 * The Watson: At times to Nick Fury.

The World Security Council
"Portrayed By: Powers Boothe, Arthur Darbinyan, Donald Lee, Jenny Agutter Film Appearances: The Avengers"

A secretive international group in charge of SHIELD. Nick Fury reports directly to them... but he doesn't always agree with them.


 * Cosmopolitan Council
 * Obstructive Bureaucrat: Mostly to Nick Fury.
 * The Omniscient Council of Vagueness