Is Yellow Jacket a hero or villain 2024?

As a specialist in comic book lore and character analysis, I've delved into the complex world of Marvel's vast universe, where heroes and villains are often not as black and white as they may first appear. The character of Yellowjacket is a prime example of this complexity. In the Marvel comics, Yellowjacket has been portrayed by different characters, most notably Hank Pym, who later passed the mantle to Scott Lang. The character of Darren Cross, on the other hand, is a villain who does not share a direct connection with the original Ant-Man, Scott Lang, but is instead a separate entity with his own motivations and backstory.

The question of whether Yellowjacket is a hero or a villain is not a straightforward one. It requires an examination of the character's actions, motivations, and the context in which they operate. In the comics, Hank Pym's journey as Yellowjacket has been a tumultuous one. Initially, Pym is a brilliant scientist and a founding member of the Avengers, but his character is marred by personal struggles and mental health issues that lead to erratic behavior and even criminal acts. This makes the character's alignment with traditional heroism questionable at times.

When Scott Lang takes up the mantle of Yellowjacket, the character's portrayal shifts. Lang, who is a reformed thief, seeks redemption and uses the Yellowjacket identity to fight crime and protect the innocent. His actions align more closely with the traditional definition of a hero, but the legacy of Pym's actions and the complexity of the Yellowjacket identity continue to cast a shadow over his deeds.

Darren Cross, as a separate villain, does not share the same moral ambiguity as the Yellowjacket identity. He is a clear antagonist, driven by greed and a desire for power. His creation of the Yellowjacket suit for nefarious purposes positions him as a direct adversary to Scott Lang's Yellowjacket.

In conclusion, the Yellowjacket identity is a complex one, with different bearers exhibiting varying degrees of heroism or villainy. Hank Pym's Yellowjacket is a character study in the struggle between genius and madness, while Scott Lang's Yellowjacket represents a more traditional hero's journey. Darren Cross, as a villain, provides a clear contrast to the Yellowjacket identity as it is traditionally understood. The Yellowjacket identity, therefore, can be seen as both a hero and a villain, depending on the context and the individual who wields it.

In the original comics, it is Hank Pym who is Yellowjacket after giving up the Ant-Man mantle to Scott Lang & Darren Cross in turn is a separate villain who had no association with the original Ant-Man, who happened to be Scott Lang's first enemy.