The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always had a tendency to offer a light-hearted form of entertainment, with flashy battles and hilarious banter from mighty heroes. But underneath that façade, there are stronger messages, and recent releases have delved deeper into the human psyche and the consequences of the superhero lifestyle.
In the next Disney+ series moon knight, the MCU will introduce an intriguing form of dark hero. The show stars Steven Grant, a gift shop clerk who discovers that he has dissociative identity disorder and shares his body with Marc Spector. While Moon Knight’s story largely revolves around his mental health issues, there are plenty of other characters in the MCU who suffer from similar issues.
10 Moon Knight is a case of dissociative identity disorder
the trailer of moon knight It already promises an intriguing exploration of the Moon Knight character, but comic fans may be at least partially aware of what could be to come. Moon Knight is canonically connected to the mysterious god Khonshu. The mercenary Marc Spector is brought back to life by Khonshu and subsequently becomes the avatar of Khonshu.
However, Marc suffers from very serious mental health problems. It seems that some of the conversations he has with Khonshu in the comics may not have happened at all and are in fact delusions, perhaps the product of schizophrenia. There is also some speculation about the exact extent to which Moon Knight already experienced this problem, or if he was induced by the god of him.
9 Tony Stark’s childhood trauma is made worse by his severe post-traumatic stress disorder
Tony Stark has a painful history marked by tragedy. He loses his parents at a very young age. and he only really makes amends with his father by traveling back in time to the past. His efforts to address his problems using BARF technology are thwarted when she learns that Howard and Maria were actually killed by the Winter Soldier. But his childhood trauma may well pale in comparison to what he experiences as an adult.
His abduction in Afghanistan leaves scars that go far beyond the arc reactor on his chest. After the Battle of New York, he is haunted by visions of what he sees in the portals, and Wanda Maximoff exploits his worst fears. Tony’s PTSD is explored in depth during iron Man 3 but it becomes even more pronounced after the snap.
8 Wanda Maximoff seems to show psychotic episodes
Wanda, one of the most tragic characters in the MCU, watches her parents die as a child, after which her fledgling magic saves her and her brother Pietro. They later join HYDRA seeking revenge against Tony Stark and undergo painful experiments. Wanda’s decision to attack Tony’s mind costs her dearly, as Ultron ultimately kills her brother. She later finds refuge in Vision, but the android is killed by thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.
After his return in avengers endgameWanda is left distraught and alone. Her outburst in Westview seems to suggest a form of psychotic episode, an illusion that she brings to life through the power of her chaos magic. During the Wanda Vision series, she also seems to succumb to depression, refusing to act or leave her bed.
7 Bucky Barnes’ time as the Winter Soldier is an incredibly traumatic experience.
Captured by HYDRA after falling from a train in the Alps, Bucky Barnes turns himself into a weapon. His mind is repeatedly erased, and as the Winter Soldier he goes on numerous assassination missions, including Howard and Maria Stark. When he finally breaks free of his programming, he is still filled with guilt over his own actions.
His post-traumatic stress disorder gives him nightmares and he is haunted by the memory of the innocents he killed. Some fans have speculated that the Winter Soldier may also have been a manifestation of dissociative identity disorder. In his previous state, Bucky was only identified as “the asset” due to his brainwashing. While no longer responds to your trigger wordsA fraction of the Winter Soldier remains, and Bucky will most likely never be free of him.
6 Thor becomes a classic case of depression
Along the Avengers: Infinity War, Thor is on a quest for revenge. He wants to make Thanos pay for massacring his people and killing his brother. His anger makes him reckless and he doesn’t aim for Thanos’s head, giving the Mad Titan the opportunity to use the Infinity Gauntlet. As a consequence and after Thanos’ death, Thor retreats to New Asgard and becomes a shell of himself.
He mostly refuses to interact with people, with the sole exception of Korg and Miek. He succumbs to alcoholism and spends his days gambling as a form of escapism. His visible depression is compounded by her anxiety and his doubts, and he is embarrassed to face his mother when he returns to Asgard to retrieve the Aether.
5 Hulk is born from Bruce Banner’s dissociative identity disorder
If there is a poster child for DID, it is undoubtedly the Hulk. The green rage monster is, in fact, a manifestation of Bruce Banner’s pre-existing mental health issues. On one occasion, Banner confesses that he is always angry but that his problems go much further. His abusive childhood is the root cause of his dissociative identity disorder.
This can also be the reason why Banner is displayed more than one form of hulkboth in the comics and in the movies. while in avengers endgameappears as ‘Professor Hulk’, for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringshas returned to Bruce Banner.
4 Loki is a victim of emotional abuse and suffers from self-hatred
The god of mischief Loki has a list of mental health issues as complicated as his character arc. He has always been perceived as an outsider in Asgard, dismissed for magical abilities that Asgardians see as “tricks”. His father Odin promises him a throne, but heavily favors his brother Thor. Much later, Loki discovers that he is adopted and that he is actually a Frost Giant, belonging to a species that he has been taught to hate.
His internalized racism and desperate desire to fit in cause him to try to blow up his own home planet, Jotunheim. He displays a strange mix of inferiority complex and narcissism, always feeling like he’s in Thor’s shadow but perceiving mortals below him. He eventually begins to recover from the family’s emotional abuse of him and makes amends with Thor, only to be killed shortly after.
3 The eternal Thena suffers from dementia as Mahd Wy’ry
eternal It may not be the most popular MCU title, but it deals with some very interesting themes. In the film, the Eternal Thena struggles with a mental health condition known as Mahd Wy’ry. Similar to insanity, it is originally described as being caused by her numerous memories overloading his brain.
It is actually the result of Thena’s imperfect memory wipe after the Eternals’ last mission. As a result of his Mahd Wy’ry, he loses track of his surroundings, experiences delusions, freezes in battle, and can often attack his own loved ones.
two Thanos is a megalomaniac and genocidal psychopath
The main villain in the first major arc of the MCU, Thanos sees himself as a savior of the universe. Having witnessed his planet die due to overpopulation, he claims that he is saving other races by slaughtering them. Actually, he more than earns his ‘Mad Titan’ name.
He is a megalomaniacal psychopath, and his goal of wiping out half the universe is evidence of his lack of real empathy. If there’s anything really amazing about his character arc, it’s that he really seems to love his daughter Gamora. He certainly does not love anything else, since he is unable to do so.
one Norman Osborn constantly struggles with his inner dark self
A more recent addition to the MCU’s pantheon of villains, norman osborne is another case of dissociative identity disorder. your bow in spider man 3 it really highlights the depths and consequences of mental health issues, helping the viewer to empathize with the character, even if he is a villain.
The Green Goblin first springs into action with an evil laugh, but Norman rejects his dark side and seeks help, taking refuge with May Parker’s NGO, FEAST. He even embraces the possibility of being healed. Unfortunately, the Green Goblin is not so happy about that idea. As Peter prepares the cure, the villain takes over Norman’s body, leading to May’s death.
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