Superheroes’ Secret Fears – 8 Marvel Heroes Who Have Major Phobias

[[{“value”:”

One of the most fantastical aspects of Marvelheroes is their fearlessness. While superpowers are impressive, the sheer courage it takes to wield them often feels even more fictional. The fact that Peter Parker is brave enough to swing across the city on his own hand-made insta-rope is far more remarkable than any of his spider-enhanced abilities. Yet, despite their extraordinary powers, superhumans are still human—and even they have fears.

For some characters, these fears manifest as intense, irrational aversions. Over the decades, many iconic comic book heroes have revealed surprising phobias, though what triggers them may seem strange to readers. While these reactions are often played for humor, they help ground these powerful characters and add depth to their personalities. These fears humanize larger-than-life heroes and offer insight into the extent of their traumas. Here are some of the wildest phobias in comics.

8

Deadpool’s Greatest Fear: The Unexpected Phobia of Cows

How Deadpool’s Bovinophobia Adds Depth to His Chaotic Personality

Deadpool’s eccentricities are legendary, but his greatest fear is something that might surprise even his most devoted fans. In Deadpool Vol. 3 #17, he admits to Domino that he’s terrified of cows, unnerved by their eerie stillness. While his beef with beef may seem absurd, it adds a deeper, more relatable layer to Deadpool’s unpredictable personality. This unexpected phobia shows that even the most chaotic and fearless hero has vulnerabilities, making him all the more human in his otherwise outlandish world.

Despite his eccentricities, Deadpool’s fear of cows is a defining quirk contributing to his offbeat charm. The fact that he can survive decapitation, but quivers at the very sight of one of the most docile creatures on earth, seems absurd even for the Merc with a Mouth. While he also maintains a soft spot for kids and kittens, his bovinophobia is undoubtedly his most intriguing weak spot. Whether battling foes or engaging in offbeat humor, Deadpool’s phobias remind us that no one is truly fearless—even the ones who can’t die.

The Emotional Trauma Behind Storm’s Phobia of Enclosed Spaces & Its Impact on Her Story

While we’ve yet to see this in any of her on-screen appearances, one thing only comic book fans know about Storm is that she’s claustrophobic, and the roots of this fear are based on her past trauma. In Uncanny X-Men #102, it’s revealed that Storm’s parents were killed in a bombing, leaving her to survive buried under rubble. The feeling of being trapped and the loss of her parents left a lasting emotional scar that would haunt her for years. Over the years, Storm’s claustrophobia reappears in several significant moments, adding depth to her character.

During a battle with Magneto, a falling brick wall triggered her trauma, causing her to pass out despite her otherwise strong and capable nature. Later, her phobia resurfaced while training in the Danger Room, and even while imprisoned on Genosha, her claustrophobia flared up once again, showing how deep the fear runs. This phobia humanizes Storm, making her more relatable despite her immense power. Her vulnerability allows her to show strength in confronting her fear, and it reinforces her resilience. By addressing her trauma, Storm’s character is given more emotional depth, making her more than just a powerful mutant.

6

Wolverine’s Greatest Fear: The Dread of Drowning

How Thalassophobia Adds Depth to Wolverine’s Character and Powers

Wolverine may be one of the most dangerous mutants in the Marvel Universe, but even he has a fear that haunts him—drowning. While many believe his greatest fear is intimacy, as he often pushes people away, it is the fear of drowning that truly terrifies him. His healing factor, which makes him nearly indestructible, would only prolong the agony of oxygen deprivation, making drowning one of the few ways to truly torture him. While most superheroes’ phobias are based on past trauma, Logan’s thalassophobia is directly tied to his greatest weapon.

With his adamantium-infused skeleton, Wolverine cannot swim properly, and the heavy metal causes him to sink to the bottom of any body of water. In a worst-case scenario, he’d be trapped in a constant torture, unable to escape, making the fear even more paralyzing. This fear adds a unique dimension to Wolverine’s character. While he’s known for his fierce independence and combat skills, drowning represents the vulnerability that comes with his enhanced abilities. His fear shows that, despite his strength, Wolverine must live with the constant burden of his powers and the dangerous limitations they impose.

5

Colossus’ Unexpected Fear: The Dread of Outer Space

How Colossus’ Astrophobia Reveals His Vulnerability and Emotional Scars

Colossus, the strong and stoic X-Men member, has long been known for his incredible metal form, but he also harbors an unexpected fear of space. In Uncanny X-Men #285, during a space mission with Nightcrawler, Colossus has a panic attack when faced with the reality of interstellar travel. His fear stems from the traumatic memory of his brother Mikhail Rasputin, who, according to Colossus, met a tragic fate in space. The sudden proximity to the void of space triggered an overwhelming sense of dread. This moment reveals a deeply personal and vulnerable side of Colossus.

Despite his outward appearance as an unflappable hero, the thought of losing another loved one in the same way that he lost his brother rattles Colossus to his core. His initial bravado breaks, exposing the emotional scars left by Mikhail’s death. It also underscores the complex relationships within the Rasputin family. Even with his unique strength, when confronted with the reality of his brother’s death, he buckles under the weight. This phobia deeply humanizes Colossus, reminding readers that trauma can haunt even the most resilient.

4

Domino’s Unexpected, Yet Hilarious Fear: Chickens…

How Domino’s Alektorophobia Adds Depth & Humor to Her Character

Domino may be one of the luckiest heroes in Marvel, but her biggest fear is just as unexpected as her win conditions. In Deadpool #17, Domino tells Deadpool she’s afraid of chickens when he pressures her into admitting her deepest fear. Despite her incredible ability to alter probability and survive nearly impossible odds, chickens are her kryptonite, a vulnerability that adds humor to her otherwise tough persona. This quirky fear could serve as a perfect comedic moment in future MCU films, aligning well with the franchise’s signature humor.

The issue showcases the extent of Domnios’ alektorophobia, when she becomes paralyzed in fear at the sight of one, only overcoming it when Wolverine physically intervenes. Her phobia demonstrates that her luck doesn’t make her invincible or completely fearless. The fact that she’s petrified of poultry sharply contrasts with her no-fear attitude and allows for comedic juxtaposition, particularly in her interactions with Deadpool. Her fear highlights the fact that even the luckiest mutant alive can be hindered by their most irrational fears.

3

Nova’s Hilarious Weakness: The Cosmic Hero’s Surprising Fear of Rabbits

How Nova’s Leporiphobia Adds Depth and Humor to His Character

While the animated version of Samuel Alexander’s Nova from Ultimate Spider-Man is known for his bravery, that all goes away when rabbits are around. This strange fear is introduced in the Strange Days episode, where Nova faces a magical nightmare scenario caused by the villain Nightmare. As he journeys through the mystical stasis, Nova is seen frantically battling an army of rabbits, horrified by their “big eyes” and “floppy ears,” which seem utterly out of place for a cosmic hero.

Nova’s fear of rabbits adds a quirky vulnerability to his otherwise heroic character, offering a surprising contrast to his cosmic powers. This unusual phobia could have provided a humorous and lighthearted moment in Nova’s canceled TV show. While Nova is a powerful hero, this unique fear deconstructs his near-perfect image of himself, showing that even the strongest heroes can be limited by their irrational fears. It helps define the animated Nova, making him more relatable and multidimensional, despite his status as a superhero with immense abilities.

2

The Wasp’s Fear of Long Words

How Wasp’s Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia Adds Humor and Depth to Her Character

In the quirky world of Avengers Academy (Earth-TRN562), Janet van Dyne, aka the Wasp, has an amusing and ironic phobia. This fear, humorously named “hippopotomonstrosesquipdaliophobia,” is “the fear of long words.” This fear stands as a tongue-in-cheek twist for a character known for her intelligence and multilingual abilities. The concept is a perfect fit for the wacky, reimagined version of the Marvel Universe, providing some light-hearted moments in an otherwise action-packed environment. Despite her phobia, Janet remains one of the more capable and resourceful Avengers.

Her fear adds a unique layer of vulnerability, highlighting that even the most brilliant and most influential heroes have irrational phobias. This amusing quirk plays into the series’ playful tone, contrasting sharply with the usually intense situations that the Avengers face. It’s no surprise that one of the most underrated Avengers could have such an unexpected phobia, but it is ironic given that Earth-616 Janet’s hyper-intelligence. It shows that heroes can have strange and endearing weaknesses that make them more relatable even in alternate realities. While it doesn’t detract from her strength or abilities, it unexpectedly grounds her.

1

Dementoid’s Pugophobia: The Strangest Fear in the Marvel Universe

Dementoid Has a Fear of… BUTTS

The most bizarre and traumatic phobia in the Marvel Universe belongs to Dementoid. This reformed villain from the Dark Reign series is afraid of the end, or rather, the rear end. This strange fear of derrière originates from a grotesque encounter with Venom in Sinister Spider-Man #4, where Venom grows a mouth on his posterior and attempts to consume Dementoid, leaving him psychologically scarred. It’s undoubtedly one of the strangest and most unsettling phobias in Marvel, and it would certainly make some of Venom’s recent emote additions in Marvel Rivals absolute nightmare fuel for the Villain.

As bizarre as it is, this phobia adds an unexpected layer to Dementoid’s character, showing that even the most hardened villains can have deeply strange vulnerabilities. While these phobias may seem like a joke, it is essential to remember that they are all a response to trauma in its many forms. Given that superheroes are a narrative vehicle for addressing trauma, these phobias allow them to do so in the most humanizing way. From cosmic fears to the utterly absurd, Marvel heroes and villains alike prove that no one is immune to being afraid.

“}]] The wildest fears of Marvel’s heroes.  Read More