Death in the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t always permanent, with some characters finding themselves returning from the grave more than once. Whether through time travel, magic, or alternate realities, these repeated deaths serve to heighten emotional stakes while allowing beloved characters to remain in the MCU timeline longer than expected. The MCU has frequently played with resurrection, offering unique ways for characters to meet their end, only to return in some form or another. Whether through divine intervention, cosmic resets, or multiversal trickery, these characters have experienced multiple tragic demises.
Death in Marvel Comics is a notoriously temporary state, but for many years the MCU presented a far more permeant end for some characters. Quicksilver met an untimely end without any sign of revival, while villains like Obadiah Stane would appear once and be defeated for good by the end of the movie. However, as the MCU continued with new storytelling mechanics like time travel, multiversal crossovers, and magic became prominent, death is becoming far less final.
11
Loki Has Died Many Times
Thor, Avengers: Endgame, Loki
Loki, the God of Mischief, has perhaps the most extensive death record in the MCU. His first major “death” came in Thor (2011) when he seemingly fell into the abyss of space after battling his brother. However, he returned in The Avengers (2012), only to be killed by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War (2018). While that version of Loki remained ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, an alternate Loki from 2012 escaped during Avengers: Endgame (2019), leading to his adventures in Loki (2021).
Within that series, Loki experienced multiple deaths. These included being pruned in the TVA, vaporized by Alioth, and erased from existence entirely in Loki season 2 before ultimately evolving into the god-like protector of the timeline. Loki’s many deaths solidify him as one of the MCU’s most enduring and resurrected characters.
10
Vision Has Died 3 Times
Avengers: Infinity War, WandaVision
Vision has the unfortunate distinction of dying three times in the MCU. His first death occurred in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) when Scarlet Witch was forced to destroy the Mind Stone in his head to keep it from Thanos. However, Thanos simply reversed time using the Time Stone, resurrecting Vision momentarily before killing him again by tearing the Mind Stone from his forehead.
Vision’s second resurrection came in WandaVision (2021), where Wanda unknowingly recreated him through her grief-fueled magic in Westview. But even that version of Vision ultimately died when the Hex collapsed. Although a white, memory-less version of Vision remains active, the original Vision died twice in Infinity War and once in WandaVision, making him one of the few MCU characters to suffer multiple definitive deaths.
9
Elektra Has Died Twice
Daredevil, The Defenders
Daredevil and its related Netflix series were originally intended as part of the MCU timeline but were briefly removed. However, the return of Charlie Cox as Daredevil in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), She-Hulk (2022), and Daredevil: Born Again (2025) has retroactively pulled those stories into the MCU’s ecosystem. This means Elektra, played by Élodie Yung, is now an official part of the timeline – and she has died twice.
Elektra’s first death came in Daredevil season 2 when she was killed by Nobu. However, The Hand later resurrected her, turning her into the Black Sky. Her second death occurred in The Defenders (2017), when she and Matt Murdock were buried beneath the collapsing Midland Circle. While Matt survived, Elektra’s fate remained ambiguous, though the ᴀssumption was that she died once more. Though with Daredevil: Born Again, there’s always a chance she could return yet again.
8
Ultron Killed His Outdated Models
Avengers: Age Of Ultron
Ultron may have only lasted for one movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but his legacy of destruction was vast. A self-replicating artificial intelligence, Ultron constantly upgraded his body, discarding outdated versions of himself along the way. Throughout Avengers: Age of Ultron, the villain created numerous drones and alternate bodies, only to destroy or abandon them as he sought perfection.
Some of these models were taken down by the Avengers, but many were eliminated by Ultron himself once he deemed them obsolete. His final form was ultimately destroyed by Vision, but before that, he had essentially “died” several times as he transitioned between different bodies. While Ultron never returned in the main MCU timeline, a version of him did make an appearance in What If…?, proving that his consciousness could persist across the multiverse.
7
The Black Order Were Killed Twice
Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame
Thanos’ elite enforcers, the Black Order, met their demise more than once in the MCU. Comprised of Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight, Cull Obsidian, and Corvus Glaive, this ᴅᴇᴀᴅly quartet first appeared in Avengers: Infinity War as they hunted down the Infinity Stones. Each member was methodically eliminated by Earth’s mightiest heroes during battles, from Ebony Maw being cast into space by Iron Man and Spider-Man to the brutal final fight in Wakanda.
However, due to time-traveling shenanigans in Avengers: Endgame, a past version of the Black Order was brought forward from 2014. These alternate versions participated in the climactic battle but were once again eradicated, this time by the combined might of the Avengers and the snap performed by Tony Stark. Their double demise cemented them as formidable yet ultimately doomed warriors.
6
Thanos Has Died 4 Times
Avengers: Endgame, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, What If…?
Thanos, the Mad тιтan, has met his end multiple times across different realities. His first major death occurred early in Avengers: Endgame when Thor decapitated him after discovering he had destroyed the Infinity Stones. However, another version of Thanos from 2014 was brought into the present during the movie’s climactic battle, where he was dusted by Iron Man’s Infinity Gauntlet snap.
Outside of the main MCU timeline, What If…? introduced another demise for Thanos when he was swiftly bisected by Ultron, who had obtained the Infinity Stones. The Mad тιтan faced yet another death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where a variant of the Illuminati universe showed his lifeless body after being defeated by the group. Thanos’ multiple deaths reinforce his role as one of the MCU’s most enduring and feared villains.
5
Agent Phil Coulson Has Faced Numerous Deaths
The Avengers, Agents Of SHIELD
Phil Coulson’s death in The Avengers was a turning point for the team, uniting them against Loki. However, he didn’t stay ᴅᴇᴀᴅ for long, as Agents of SHIELD revealed that Nick Fury had resurrected him using Kree-based technology. This, however, was only the beginning of Coulson’s repeated deaths.
Over the course of Agents of SHIELD, he was killed or presumed ᴅᴇᴀᴅ multiple times, only to return through different means. He succumbed to his Kree-induced health deterioration at the end of season 5, but a Life Model Decoy version of him resurfaced in later seasons. Eventually, even this version met his end before being revived once again in a new synthetic body. Coulson’s numerous deaths and resurrections make him one of the MCU’s most persistent characters, constantly straddling the line between life and death.
4
Doctor Stephen Strange Died Infinite Times
Doctor Strange, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Doctor Strange has arguably experienced more deaths than any other MCU character. In Doctor Strange (2016), he devised a clever plan to defeat Dormammu by trapping him in a time loop where he was repeatedly killed, only to reset the loop indefinitely. This effectively meant Strange died an uncountable number of times until Dormammu relented.
However, this wasn’t the only time Strange faced death. In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it was revealed that an alternate version of him had been executed by the Illuminati after they deemed him too dangerous due to his use of the Darkhold. Moreover, two further Strange variants are depicted dying in Multiverse of Madness, plus Strange was dusted during the Blip. With his frequent run-ins with reality-altering magic and the multiverse, it wouldn’t be surprising if Doctor Strange continues to face multiple deaths in the MCU’s future.
3
Maria Rambeau Has Died Twice
WandaVision, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Maria Rambeau is best known as Captain Marvel’s best friend and Monica Rambeau’s mother. She has had two confirmed deaths in the MCU. Her first death was revealed in WandaVision, where it was stated that she had succumbed to cancer during the five-year Blip, pᴀssing away in a hospital while her daughter Monica was dusted.
However, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness introduced a powerful variant of Maria who had become Captain Marvel in another reality. Unfortunately, this version of Maria met her end at the hands of the Scarlet Witch during the Illuminati battle, as Wanda used her immense chaos magic to crush her beneath a statue. Despite her heroic strength, Maria Rambeau’s multiple deaths across different timelines underscore her importance in the MCU’s expanding multiverse narrative.
2
Peggy Carter Has Died Twice
Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Peggy Carter, one of the most beloved characters in the MCU, has experienced two notable deaths. Her first came in Captain America: Civil War, where it was revealed that she had pᴀssed away from old age after a long and heroic life. This moment was an emotional one for Steve Rogers, who had long cherished his memories with her.
However, Peggy met a much more violent fate in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness when her Captain Carter variant became a member of the Illuminati. During the battle against Wanda Maximoff, Captain Carter boldly declared, “I can do this all day,” only to be gruesomely bisected by Scarlet Witch with her own shield. Peggy’s multiple deaths highlight both the natural pᴀssage of time and the brutal consequences of meddling in the multiverse.
1
Kang The Conqueror And His Variants Have Died Many Times
Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania, Loki
Kang the Conqueror and his variants are defined by their cyclical existence of conquest and destruction, making multiple deaths inevitable. In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the primary Kang was seemingly defeated when Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne trapped him in the Multiversal Engine Core. However, given Kang’s time-manipulating abilities, his actual fate remains uncertain
More significantly, Loki revealed that He Who Remains, another Kang variant, was killed by Sylvie. In Loki season 2, He who Remains, and a further variant, Victor Timely, both faced numerous deaths that were sequentially undone through Time Slipping. This puts Kang’s death total at around 27 deaths in total. While the MCU’s Kang story has been temporarily shelved, there will surely be more deaths in Kang’s future when and if he returns.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
- Created by
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Kevin Feige
- First Film
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Iron Man
- Upcoming Films
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ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Blade (2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday (2026), Avengers: Secret Wars
- First TV Show
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Upcoming TV Shows
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Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Ironheart, Daredevil: Born Again, Wakanda, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Marvel Zombies, Wonder Man, Vision Quest
- Cast
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Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Simu Liu, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Barry Keoghan, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Jonathan Majors
- TV Show(s)
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, Inhumans, WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, What If…?, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Secret Invasion, Marvel’s Echo
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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MCU Spider-Man 4
- Release Date
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July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027
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