A couple of weeks ago, during the New York Comic Con, The Defenders took the stage together for the first time. As exciting as that must have been for the fans of the Netflix shows, it was nothing when compared to the announcement that Sigourney Weaver is set to play the big baddie of the first season. Known for her heroic Ellen Ripley in Alien, as well as for roles in Ghostbusters, Avatar, Galaxy Quest, and a host of other movies, Weaver is a perfect addition to the MCU (even if some of the fans, including myself, wanted to see her on the big screen, rather than in TV shows).
However, while the actress was announced, it wasn't said what character she'll portray. And there are quite a few options the fans can think about"¦
So if you want to know what these options are, check it out! There are no spoilers here!
Ma Gnucci
A villain from Punisher’s rogues gallery, Ma Gnucci could become the main antagonist of the Defenders. Until now, the Netflix shows have featured quite a few baddies from New York crime families, such as Kingpin, Cottonmouth, Madame Gao, and others. Who is to say that the Defenders won't go the same route?
As such, Ma Gnucci would be the villain of the Defenders. However, since she is a Punisher villain, she could (and should) be kept alive for Frank Castle’s solo outing. In this way, the Punisher would sweep up after the Defenders have dismantled Ma Gnucci's network.
There are few chances that Sigourney Weaver will actually portray this villain. However, it wouldn't be the first time a character was adapted when introduced in the MCU. So, if this happens, Sigourney Weaver has the right presence for the role.
Who knows? Maybe she'll be mauled at the end of the Defenders and she'll come back with a vengeance during the Punisher's solo series.
Leader of the Hand
The Hand has been featured in both Daredevil seasons. And since Daredevil seems to be the central show of the Netflix/Marvel collaboration, I wouldn't be surprised if the Hand appears yet again on the small screen.
A group of evil ninjas with mystical abilities (in both the comics and the show), the Hand will need a leader, someone to whom Elektra would answer (in the shows, Elektra has become the Black Sky). Sigourney Weaver could be that leader - especially since, as such, she wouldn't have to go toe to toe with any of the Defenders.
As leader of the Hand, there are quite a few possibilities for Sigourney Weaver to shine. An excellent actress, she has every chance of winning the audience over to her side. The Netflix shows are known for their monologues - I would want to see Weaver delivering them and explaining why there is no certain difference between villains and heroes.
The Beast of the Hand
Speaking of the Hand, the Beast of the Hand is the demonic entity worshiped by the evil ninja group. In the Netflix shows, it is more than likely for the Black Sky to be nothing other than a vessel for this being.
Until now there’s been no word about Elektra (who has become the Black Sky on Netflix) appearing in the Defenders show. However, she needn't appear for the Beast to make its presence felt. For that matter, the demon could simply possess someone else, just because it takes too long for the Hand to find an appropriate vessel.
Of course, this means that in the end Sigourney Weaver's character would clash physically with the Defenders - and given the actress's age (67 years), that would be a bit difficult. Difficult, but not impossible, either.
After all, the Beast of the Hand is a mystical being, and it could use magic against the heroes.
President of IGH
Illegal experimentation and enhancing drugs have been a common threat on all of the Netflix shows. Daredevil gained his powers after being blinded by some chemicals, Kilgrave gained his after being experimented upon by IGH, and we can assume that Luke Cage was also a subject for the same company.
Making Weaver the head of IGH would further connect the shows together. And having both this company and the Hand as main antagonists would further thicken the plot. Weaver's character could assist the Hand and enhance the organization's foot soldiers (what if Nobu, who came back to life after Daredevil's first season, was also enhanced in some way?)
Of course, this possibility may not be as enticing as the others. But it may end up being the only one taken into account by Marvel, given the age and the skills of the actress.
It remains to be seen whether Iron Fist will feature either the Hand or IGH. If I were to bet, I'd say that the former will play a role in next year's first Marvel show on Netflix.
Silvermane
With the Kingpin and Cottonmouth out of the equation, there aren't that many major crime families active in New York. Taking into account the fact that the Punisher also eradicated or destabilized some other crime organizations, the Maggia family could pick up the leftovers during the Defenders.
Of course, in the comics Silvermane is a Spider-Man villain. Furthermore, he is a man. But it wouldn't be the first time when Marvel gender-swapped a character when bringing it to life for the big or the small screen. As such, Silvermane could be an aging female on Netflix and she could be portrayed by Sigourney Weaver.
Yet again, this would be a physically demanding role for the actress, especially if the show has the villain enhanced like in the comics. But movie magic could make it work.
As said, Silvermane is a possibility, since he/she is a member of a crime family we haven't seen just yet. But another reason would be that the character is known for going against new or up and coming heroes - and he does that in association with HYDRA.
So yes - Sigourney Weaver could bring this villain to life.
Madame Hydra
During the NYCC panel for the Defenders, Sigourney Weaver wore green clothing. And this led many to believe that this was a hint…could she portray one of the comic versions of Viper?
Viper appeared in the second Wolverine film, portrayed by Svetlana Khodchenkova. On Netflix, if Viper does appear, I do believe that it would be the Madame Hydra version of the character. Without superhuman abilities, but an excellent marksman and swordswoman, Madame Hydra would be an excellent strategist against the Defenders.
This is a possibility, since it would also connect the Netflix shows to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. by having Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Daredevil go against one of the heads of HYDRA. Until now, the organization, featured heavily on the big screen, hasn't been hinted at on Netflix. Maybe it was about time.
Monica Rappaccini
While Luke Cage may be seen as one of the weaker Marvel and Netflix collaborations, it does have its merits. One of them is that it reintroduces Hammer Industries in the MCU, after Iron Man 2’s events saw the CEO arrested.
In the same way, after Iron Man 3, we haven't heard anything about AIM. So maybe The Defenders presents the right opportunity for the organization to make a comeback. After Killain’s defeat, someone else must take over. And that someone else could be Monica Rappaccini, also called the Supreme Scientist.
This character would be a good fit for Sigourney Weaver, since it wouldn't be a physically demanding role. Even in the comics, the character relies on devices and various substances, and not on physical attributes.
Given her expertise, Monica Rappaccini could be adapted for the show. In this way, instead of being from AIM, she could be the head of IGH. As the face of the company, the character would benefit from Weaver’s charisma.
Ruby Thursday
Ruby Thursday is another character who could appear in The Defenders. She’s a supervillain who relies on her intellect, rather than on her physical abilities. A brilliant scientist, Ruby Thursday found a way of enhancing her intellect by replacing her head with a ruby-colored computer.
In the comics, her head can take various shapes and can be used as a weapon (in the sense that it can fire energy blasts or form tentacles). So what if one of these shapes looks like Sigourney Weaver?
In the comics, Ruby has fought the Defenders on several occasions, even defeating them single-handedly at times (as a matter of fact, her first appearance was in the Defenders comics). So she is indeed a worthy opponent. There aren't too many connections to be made with what we already know about the Netflix shows, but still - there are quite a few fans out there who want to see her on the small screen.
Furthermore, the character was also a skilled politician, at one moment even running for President. As seen in Luke Cage, politics plays an important part in the Marvel/Netflix shows. So what if"¦?
Sin
While there are very few chances that Sigourney Weaver would portray this character, Sin would be excellent. This would connect the Netflix shows to the bigger MCU, as well as to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. In the comics, Sin is the daughter of the Red Skull, the first villain of Captain America (on the big screen, of course). As such, she received hand to hand training and she is very skilled.
However, the more interesting version of the character is the Mother Superior version - she has telepathic and telekinetic powers, and she can also become intangible, as well as teleport herself. With such skills, she'd be quite a threat for the Defenders.
More interestingly, Sin is a deeply emotionally scarred character. And if there’s an actress who can bring all the emotions to life, that somebody is Sigourney Weaver.
Even so, the chances for Sin to be the main antagonist of the Defenders series are slim - mainly because, until now, the Netflix shows took on a different path. But I would be happy to see Weaver portraying this character.
Mephisto
With Iron Fist ready to further explore the mystical side of the MCU Netflix shows, many believe that Mephisto will be the main antagonist on the Defenders show. This has been rumored for months now, and the fact that Sigourney Weaver was announced as the main antagonist hasn't changed anything.
After all, it wouldn't be the first time Marvel changed the gender of a character.
So could Sigourney Weaver portray the MCU version of Satan? This is, of course, a possibility.
On the other hand, I do believe that Mephisto is too big and powerful a villain for the Defenders (he can be considered too powerful even for the Avengers). It would provide a connection to Ghost Rider, but other than that"¦
What do you think? Which character will Sigourney Weaver portray in the Defenders?
