The Worst Moms in the Marvel Universe: When Mothers Don’t Know Best

In the universe of Marvel Comics, the role of a mother can be a double-edged sword, hovering between nurturing and destructiveness. While countless superheroes have beneficial relationships with their mothers, there are just as many who are adversely influenced by them. Rather than being loving figures, these unforgettable matriarchs often leave a trail of pain and hardship, shaping not only villainy but also deep emotional scars for their children.

Parenting is inherently flawed, and no mother can claim to be perfect, yet there are unmistakable boundaries that some Marvel mothers fail to respect. Actions like emotional manipulation, ritual sacrifices, and even genetic experimentation are common par for the course among these troubling figures. Strikingly, many of them have not faced appropriate repercussions for their actions, leaving their offspring to navigate the aftermath largely alone. Unfortunately, this tragic state of affairs renders the title of “mother”almost synonymous with toxicity in these specific cases.

1 Mystique / Raven Darkhölme

Throws Away Her Kids Like It’s a Hobby

Mystique, the enigmatic blue shapeshifter, has led a life filled with deception and abandonment. Over centuries, Raven Darkhölme has adopted numerous identities, often leaving behind children she perceives as unworthy. Her most notable offspring, Nightcrawler and Rogue, are just two examples of this tendency. Her first child, Graydon, born from a fleeting relationship with Sabertooth, was abandoned as he displayed no powers, much to Mystique’s disappointment.

Nightcrawler’s entry into the world was purely utilitarian; born to ensure a future for the X-Men, he was never embraced with love. Mystique’s relationships often resulted in more children, only for her to dismiss them when they no longer served her ambitions.

2 Nanny / Eleanor Murch

This “Mother” Steals Other Kids

Nanny is a classic case of misguided maternal instincts. After rebelling against her anti-mutant employer, she rescued a young boy named Peter, who had been cruelly manipulated by Mister Sinister. However, instead of nurturing the boy, she outfitted him with weaponized cyborg enhancements and dubbed him the “Orphan-Maker, ”using him as a pawn in her twisted efforts to “protect” mutant children.

Driven by a warped sense of safeguarding, Nanny continues to emotionally manipulate her ward to advance her own ambitions, ensnaring countless young mutants in her obsession.

3 The Mothers of Pride

They Choose Cult Over Kids Every Time

The Pride, a nefarious cult in the Runaways series, exemplifies how ideology can cloud maternal instincts. These parents, who made a pact for power in exchange for the ritualistic sacrifice of the innocent, ultimately lost their children to rebellion. As their offspring, dubbed the Runaways, discovered the horrifying truth about their families, they fled and were subsequently hunted down by their own parents.

Even among some members who truly care, such as Catherine Wilder and Tina Minoru, the damage had already been done. Their attempts at maternal love often came too late to undo the trauma inflicted by their cultish lifestyles.

4 Black Womb / Amanda Müeller

No Wonder the Summers Family Is Problematic

Amanda Müeller, also known as Black Womb, has a sordid history that begs the question: how could Cyclops emerge from such a legacy? In the early 1800s, Amanda’s union with Mister Sinister led her to carry out ghastly experiments, selling her own children for profit under the guise of motherhood.

The extent of her inhumane actions is incomprehensible, and the cycle of abandonment continued through her descendants, as evidenced by the questionable parenting seen in Scott and his brother, Alex Summers.

5 Moira MacTaggert

Her Kids Are Tools of War

Once a beloved ally to the X-Men, Moira MacTaggert evolved into a more sinister figure during the Krakoa Saga. Utilizing her unique mutant ability to relive past lives, Moira sought to forge the ideal future for mutants—one in which her children were mere instruments in her quest for control and stability.

Her own son, Kevin, became a pawn in this deadly game. Moira intended him as the ultimate teleporter, but as his powers grew, she coldly institutionalized him, prioritizing her ambitions over his well-being.

6 Amanda Armstrong

I Don’t Love You 3000

Amanda Armstrong’s legacy is intertwined with that of Tony Stark. Early in her career with SHIELD, she bore a son after a tumultuous romance with a fellow agent. In a shocking turn, Amanda abandoned Tony to be raised by Howard Stark after discovering her partner’s treachery.

Despite later attempts to reconnect, Amanda’s attachment waned, particularly after Tony underwent transformative changes that severed her emotional ties. Her repeated discard of Tony reveals a troubling side to her character that overshadows any maternal instinct she may have had.

7 Dorothy Walker

Marvel’s First Wicked Mother

Rebecca de Mornay as Dorothy Walker in Jessica Jones

Dorothy Walker is emblematic of maternal hypocrisy. From the time she forced her daughter Patsy into a life of exploitation, it was clear that she viewed her offspring as a means of fulfilling her own aspirations. Eventually, Patsy broke free, embracing her superhero identity as Hellcat, while Dorothy’s aimless life ended with no one by her side.

In a final act of desperation, Dorothy sought to exchange Patsy’s life for her own youth, showcasing an unyielding narcissism that contradicted the traditional motherly love one would expect.

8 Vanessa Fish

Every King Needs His Queen

As the wife of Kingpin, Vanessa Fisk epitomizes a moral quandary. While she shares a deep love for Wilson Fisk, she becomes complicit in his criminal modus operandi, which extended to their son Richard, whom she sent away to shield him from Kingpin’s influence.

Despite this protective intent, Vanessa remained passive as Wilson abused their son. Eventually, when Richard sought to rebel, she took drastic measures, reverting to violence against her own child purely to uphold her husband’s empire, symbolizing the extremes to which loyalty can corrupt.

9 Madelyne Pryor

She Doesn’t Need a Baby Because She’s Got Dark Magic

From the very outset, Madelyne Pryor’s story is fraught with trauma and betrayal. After Scott Summers abandoned her upon discovering her clone status, she devolved into a character riddled with anguish, ultimately embracing the Goblin Queen identity. Driven by revenge, she conspiringly plotted to sacrifice her infant son, Nathan, as part of a dark ritual to spite Scott and Jean Grey.

Although she has attempted to turn a new leaf as Limbo’s Ambassador, her chilling past continues to haunt her. To this day, Madelyne has yet to reconcile her tumultuous history and her son now lost amongst the very powers she sought to invoke.

10 Harness / Erika Benson

What Mother Blows Up Her Son?

Erika Benson, while not extensively explored in the comics, exists as a striking example of neglectful motherhood. Her son, Gilbert, possessed a unique mutant ability to absorb different forms of energy, making him a prime target for exploitation. When AIM sought to utilize Gilbert’s powers for their sinister purposes, Erika obliged without a second thought.

Ultimately, her recklessness culminated in tragedy when Gilbert, now known as Piecemeal, could no longer withstand the energy he was forced to absorb. In a devastating explosion, he was killed—not because of any heroic endeavor, but due to his mother’s ambition, a haunting reminder of the neglect that can hide behind a nurturing facade.

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