Placing MCU Characters On The D&D Morality Alignment Chart

Marvel

Feb 11

Drizzt fights hoards of orcs — Image Source: Todd Lockwood

Wizards of the Coast is in hot water at the moment. Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) fans are upset due to proposed updated licensing agreements that would give the company more rights over user-created content. They believe the company seeks to profit from fans' creativity and limit open-ended gameplay. Recently, Wizards of the Coast reversed course due to backlash, although it is unclear how long the Open Game License will remain untouched.

In this issue, Wizards of the Coast has become Lawful Evil. Lawful Evil characters are usually tyrants who use well-ordered legal systems to advance their professional interests at the expense of others. While Wizards of the Coast takes an unfortunate turn, one must still recognize D&D for its cultural relevance, specifically its famous alignment system. The D&D alignment system sets up nine categories on two axes. The first axis measures a character's morality on a scale from good to evil, and the second axis measures a character's views on order from lawful to chaotic.

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Fans will enjoy applying the D&D alignment system to fandoms such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Listed below are nine MCU characters with their selected alignment. These alignments are subjective and are not limited to members of the Avengers or a particular MCU phase.

T'Challa/Black Panther

T'Challa sought nothing more than to create order and harmony within Wakanda. He only took up the mantle to enhance the kingdom, not to pursue power for himself. When Erik Killmonger sought to dominate the globe, T'Challa fought back and insisted that Wakanda spread its influence peacefully. Noble to the end, T'Challa inspired a legacy that carried over into Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and will likely live on in future Black Panther installments.

Alignment: Lawful Good

Steve Rogers/Captain America

No Avenger could beat Steve Rogers in terms of sheer goodness. This self-sacrificial fellow once threw himself on a grenade to save his fellow soldiers. Rogers' loyalty and nobility allowed him to wield Mjolnir.

To a certain extent, Rogers' squeaky clean, patriotic persona lined up with the stereotypical law-abiding citizen. Yet Rogers occasionally demonstrated his willingness to fight back against what he viewed as unjust laws. In Captain America: Civil War, Rogers led the opposition against the Sokovia Accords and argued that superheroes should retain their independence. He also stood by his friend Bucky despite all the evidence of his wrongdoings.

Alignment: Neutral Good

Thor

Thor, the once uptight, arrogant warrior, has let his hair down in every appearance since Thor: Ragnorak. This fun-loving goofball who once wished to rule Asgard now cares most about protecting his loved ones and following his heart. Let the good times roll.

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Tony Stark/Iron Man

After meeting his demise in Avengers: Endgame, Tony Stark left behind a complicated legacy. Stark saved the world as Iron Man and mentored Peter Parker. However, Stark was also an egomaniac whose arrogance made the rise of villains like Ultron possible.

Although Stark used a snarky, irreverent tone toward authority figures, he tended to act within institutions. Stark ran a multinational company, Stark Industries, that sold weapons to defend against global terrorism. In Captain America: Civil War, Stark argued that the Avengers should abide by the Sokovia Accords, which placed the superhero team under the supervision of the United Nations. Ultimately, Stark sought global order enforced by influential organizations.

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Clint Barton/Hawkeye/Ronin

Clint Barton has always been the odd man in the Avengers roster. Barton's only super ability as Hawkeye is having great aim with a bow and arrow, and he cares more about being left alone with his family than being a superhero. Barton's vengeful side emerges through the Ronin persona, a vigilante who takes the law into his own hands and hunts down criminals. This morally ambiguous streak is tempered somewhat by Barton's grounded, positive friendships with Black Widow and Kate Bishop.

Alignment: True Neutral

Doctor Stephen Strange

Doctor Stephen Strange makes as much trouble as he solves. His natural curiosity led him to experiment with magic best left alone, and his arrogance convinced him that he could handle it. Strange does take the words of his love interest, Christine Palmer, to heart when she warned him about his selfish and erratic nature. Yet Strange's discovery of a third eye and extra-dimensional beings may lead to more mischief across the multiverse.

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Hela

As a princess of Asgard, Hela believed that her lineage earned her the right to rule. When Hela's ambitions as a warlord grew too strong, Odin attempted to restrain Hela. The result was creating a militaristic conqueror hellbent on taking the throne. If it were not for her violent nature and willingness to sacrifice Asgardians, Hela might have succeeded Odin as ruler of Asgard.

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Thanos

Unlike other MCU villains, Thanos' primary motivation was not personal gain. Instead, Thanos sought to bring balance to the world. This genocidal warlord aimed to stabilize the universe's ecosystem by eliminating half of the population. From his point of view, too many living beings would inevitably drain resources and lead to an even worse outcome. Thanos' plan to use the Infinity Stones to enforce population control made sense, albeit in a sick way.

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Loki

Loki was on the path to redemption. During the finale of Loki, the trickster god decided not to pursue power by taking control of the Time Variant Authority from Kang. The former lone wolf even found a romantic partner, even if it was a complicated connection with Sylvie Laufeydottir, an alternate version of himself.

No matter how much fans root for him, Loki still has a long way to go to make up for his past. The character has some of the most villainous moments in the MCU, the most impactful being the Chitauri invasion of Earth. Loki might be the loser of “The Battle of New York,” but he still ranks among the Avengers’ most formidable foes.

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

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