The emotional and well-received The Flash finale proves just how significant and impactful superhero tv shows continue to be. Superhero series have been a small screen staple for decades now, whether it be 2000s hits like Smallville or recent Marvel Cinematic Universe ventures like WandaVision. However, even the best of those series contain their faults, usually in the form of problematic characters.
Things like bad writing, questionable morals, and lack of audience connection lead these characters to not only divide fandoms but even take down their own series with them. From Mon-El to Felicity Smoak, some controversial characters ruin great superhero tv shows without much effort on their part.
10 Black Bolt (Inhumans)
Inhumans became one of Marvel's most notorious on-screen ventures. The series contained a strong premise, and the comic book source material could have canonized mutants into the MCU.
While Inhumans had many notable drawbacks (like totally butchering Medusa's badass character), the biggest failure was Black Bolt's controversial character. Some fans adored the leader's powers, but others failed to resonate with his too-aloof and disconnected main character. Had someone else (say, an accurate Medusa) led the team instead, Inhumans may have been accepted into the MCU rather than being abandoned by it.
9 Jacob Kane (Batwoman)
Batwoman's off-screen controversies and drama catalyzed its early demise. However, the CW series' great characters and progressive themes initially garnered a large fan following in its early stages.
The only character who most noticeably went against that grain was Jacob Kane. Fans were left divided on his value as a character; while some allowed Jacob's trauma to justify his actions, others saw his passion for enforcement and authority as problematic. The writers themselves teetered between developing and backtracking Kane's character, making his controversial morals a major pitfall for the superhero show.
8 Jimmy The Idiot Boy (The Ripping Friends)
Animated superhero tv merged with dark comedy to create the vulgar classic kids' show, The Ripping Friends. The parody series both highlighted and ridiculed the superhero genre but still delivered heartfelt content along the way.
While The Ripping Friends expertly created terrible characters for its benefit, Jimmy the Idiot Boy's character left a bad taste in viewers' mouths. The series constantly degraded Jimmy, with jokes about his intelligence seeming unnecessary and regressive, even for the raunchy superhero show. To make matters worse, Jimmy functioned as Spumco's mascot, taking the impact of his controversial character into real life.
7 Blue Hawk (The Boys)
The Boys proved to be one of the best modern superhero shows. The dark series dove headfirst into the moral complexities of superheroes and won over audiences through its violent yet brilliant discourse.
However, Blue Hawk's controversial character highlighted the series' hidden issues. The unabashedly racist character was meant to parody the Blue Lives Matter movement. Unfortunately, this went over the heads of some viewers, who took a liking to Blue Hawk's atrocious personality and preaching. Blue Hawk's disputed character proved that The Boys' covert messaging didn't always go as intended, taking the show down a notch.
6 Mr. Mxyzptlk (Smallville)
Smallville is one of the most iconic Clark Kent renditions. As a coming-of-age 2000s show, Smallville set a high bar as a superhero series far ahead of its time. However, controversial creative choices filled the hit series, the epitome of which may well be Mr. Mxyzptlk's characterization.
The superhero show transformed the fun and pestering comic book character into an attractive exchange student. His powers were significantly simplified as well. This alteration left many fans furious at the disservice. Although Mikhail Mxyzptlk played a minor role in the series, the character represented Smallville's greater controversial tendency to prioritize aesthetics over its source material.
5 Felicity Smoak (Arrow)
Arrow's array of great characters lifted the superhero series up in the ranks of television. Initially, Felicity Smoak added to that list; however, over time, her character derailed and became much less likable.
By Season 4, Felicity transformed from a fun and bright character to an inconsistent one. Her storylines frequently pitted her against other women and the show did little to develop her beyond Oliver's orbit. Felicity's lack of empowerment and poorly-written stories made her a controversial character that sadly, especially considering how much of a breath of fresh air she was when she was first introduced, dragged the series down with her.
4 Mon-El (Supergirl)
The CW's Supergirl focused on the epic Kara Danvers and brought her refreshing storylines to the small screen. Unfortunately, the controversial past of Mon-El took down some of Kara and her series' empowerment.
Mon-El came from a life of royal entitlement, and his family was known for keeping and trading slaves both in and out of their home planet. Mon-El's tolerance of the atrocious practice made his character irredeemable to fans, and rightly so. To make matters worse, Kara even started a romantic relationship with him, which tarnished Supergirl's reputation even further.
3 Ralph Dibny (The Flash)
Barry Allen's beloved storylines came to the small screen via The Flash. The superhero series proved to be another CW hit, especially as it tied into the larger Arrowverse. However, there was one character who considerably took down the series' likability: Ralph Dibny.
Ralph was introduced as an arrogant and selfish detective. Although the series tried hard to give him a redemption angle, his vile and annoying personality stuck with viewers. Ralph's characterization also took far too long to turn heroic, deflecting attention away from much more deserving characters. Hartley Sawyer's real-life controversies further amplified Ralph Dibny's controversial character, and The Flash's greatness suffered as a result.
2 Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel)
Ms. Marvel proved to be a successful feat for the MCU, especially as Kamala Khan became another trump card for Phase Four. Ironically, the beloved young character also emerged as the series' most controversial one.
The explanation behind Kamala's powers earned her character much scrutiny, as the series revealed Kamala to be part Djinn. The half-baked lore exoticized Kamala's origin stories, and the series' importance regressed through its near-stereotypical treatment of the character. While Kamala stood as an important success for Muslim representation, the controversy around her powers took away from Ms. Marvel's charm and significance.
1 Allison Hargreeves (Umbrella Academy)
The Umbrella Academy surprised viewers and became a breakout hit on Netflix soon after its release. The superhero show introduced new comic book heroes and explored themes of belonging and found family.
Sadly, Alison's promising character turned controversial in a point-of-no-return for the series. After fans finally recovered from her awkward tension with Luther (her sibling), Allison coerced Luther into kissing her in Season 3. Despite her potential as a sympathetic anti-hero, Allison's inexcusable action ruined her character for viewers. Fans' interest in and love for the series also declined due to her infuriating character regression.