The MCU’s roster of superheroes is huge, and each one possesses incredible abilities that make them some of the strongest beings in the multiverse.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is jam-packed with incredibly strong superheroes. The adaptation of comic book heroes into live-action has been popular across film and TV for decades, but Marvel Studios has arguably pulled it off better than anyone, having released over 30 feature films, eight TV shows on Disney+, and a whole universe of heroic characters that is ever-expanding. Since the dawn of the MCU with 2008’s Iron Man, a multitude of heroes have been introduced to the world, some of whom pack a punch that could defeat any villain or destroy the entire multiverse.
After four Phases of MCU adventures, Marvel Studios is constantly looking for ways to innovate and bring new heroes from Marvel Comics’ over 80-year history into the mainstream. While some of the MCU’s superheroes are god-like characters who harbor remarkable gifts, many are mere mortals, though these heroes can easily hold their own against some of the most powerful villains in the MCU, such as Thanos and Kang the Conqueror. While Marvel Studios is always adding new heroes into the mix, there have already been a huge amount of strong additions to the MCU that would give chills to the biggest threats in the multiverse.
Scott Lang, A.K.A. Ant-Man (& Hope Van Dyne, A.K.A. The Wasp)
While Scott Lang might seem to many as one of the weakest of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the size-changing ex-con actually has some incredible powers that ensure he can go toe-to-toe with the likes of the Falcon and War Machine while barely breaking a sweat. Ant-Man and his superhero partner Hope Van Dyne, a.k.a. the Wasp, have practically unlimited access to Pym Particles, which allow them to shrink to the size of ants while still packing a strong punch. Their size-changing ability makes them adept at espionage missions, and some intense training has turned them both into highly-skilled hand-to-hand combatants.
When it was revealed that Kang the Conqueror would appear in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, many questioned Lang’s survival in the first film of the MCU’s Phase 5. However, Ant-Man proved that he could hold his own against the MCU’s new big bad and displayed his tactical mind as he distracted Kang before he could escape the Quantum Realm and eventually (with Hope’s help) seemingly killed the supervillain. Ant-Man’s ability to not only shrink in size but also grow to extreme heights makes him a huge asset to any Avengers-level battle, including the climactic fight of Avengers: Endgame, which featured a giant Ant-Man easily taking down Thanos’ Leviathan army.
19Peter Parker, A.K.A. Spider-Man
Peter Parker might be the youngest member of the Avengers, but that certainly doesn’t detract from his incredible abilities gifted to him by a bite from a genetically engineered spider. With enhanced strength, stamina, speed, and the ability to adhere to walls, the MCU’s Spider-Man is one of the physically strongest of Earth’s heroes, making him easily able to survive a building collapse, a skirmish with Bucky Barnes, and even hold his own against the Mad Titan, Thanos. Even so, it perhaps isn’t the physical attributes that make Spider-Man such an important member of the Avengers.
Despite being only a teenager, Peter Parker has a genius-level intellect that has allowed him to create his own synthetic webbing, and he’s also displayed a huge amount of emotional strength. Spider-Man: No Way Home was a tragic installment in the MCU’s Spider-Man: Homecoming franchise, as after dealing with Aunt May’s death, Parker urges Doctor Strange to make everyone in the world forget Peter Parker, leaving him completely alone but hesitant to tell his old friends the truth as they may be safer without him in their lives. While Spider-Man isn’t the most powerful of the MCU’s superheroes, he has certainly sacrificed more than most.
RELATED:MCU Theory Suggests Spider-Man 4 Could Be A Defenders Reboot
18Peter Quill, A.K.A. Star-Lord
Peter Quill was introduced during Guardians of the Galaxy as a rogue member of the Ravagers who had been kidnaped from Earth in 1984. His true origins were kept hidden until Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which revealed Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, to be the son of Ego, one of the MCU’s Celestials. His Celestial connection meant that Quill was an immortal being with an unimaginable amount of untapped power, though this was severed when Ego was killed. Despite the loss of his Celestial powers, Quill is still an incredibly powerful superhero in the MCU, as he has fully grown into his role as a Guardian of the Galaxy.
Guardians of the Galaxy showed that Star-Lord was able to hold the Power Stone in his hand for a short time, with the other Guardians joining him and using the energy of the Infinity Stone to destroy Ronan. It’s been theorized that Peter Quill would have been able to survive using the Infinity Stones to eliminate Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, an action that killed Iron Man. Star-Lord’s dedication to his found family, love for Gamora, and steadfast personality when protecting the galaxy make him one of the most memorable and powerful superheroes in the MCU.
17Shang-Chi
Shang-Chi debuted as part of the MCU’s Phase 4 in arguably one of the most well-received projects of the Multiverse Saga so far. As the son of the MCU’s real Mandarin, Xu Wenwu, Shang-Chi was subject to intense martial arts training from an early age, which made him one of the most deadly individuals on Earth, and meant that he could easily take on Razor Fist and his goons on a San Francisco bus in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. On top of his incredible martial arts skills, Shang-Chi now also has possession of the mystical Ten Rings, which grant him even greater powers.
The Ten Rings are ten bracelets in the style of Hung Gar Iron Rings that gift their user immortality, enhanced strength, and mystical powers originating from the Rings’ mysterious composition. Wenwu used the Ten Rings for hundreds of years to build his empire, establish the Ten Rings organization, and make himself known as one of the most dangerous men on the planet, but Shang-Chi will use these remarkable weapons for good. Shang-Chi would be a huge asset to the MCU’s New Avengers team since his fighting skill challenges that of Captain America or Black Widow, and the Ten Rings are potentially more powerful than Thor’s hammer or Captain America’s shield.
RELATED:Shang-Chi Can Make Spider-Man Even More Powerful In The MCU
16Stephen Strange, A.K.A. Doctor Strange
Though he was originally skeptical of the mystic arts, Stephen Strange eventually rose through the ranks to become Master of the New York Sanctum, protector of the Time Stone, and becoming the MCU’s Sorcerer Supreme before the role was assumed by Wong after Thanos’ Avengers: Infinity War snap. Doctor Strange’s eidetic memory allowed him to learn the ways of the Mystic Arts incredibly quickly and led to him saving the Earth in Doctor Strange by trapping Dormammu in a time loop. This proved that Strange’s genius-level intelligence is just as important as his mastery of magic.
Doctor Strange, Avengers: Infinity War, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness have all cemented Doctor Strange as one of the most formidable superheroes in the MCU’s roster. However, What If…? showed Strange’s potential as a villain too, as he exploited the power of the Time Stone for his own personal gain. Even so, there’s no doubt that a sorcerer who can stand his ground against the likes of Dormammu, Thanos, and even more sinister variants of Doctor Strange himself deserves his place among the strongest superheroes in the MCU.
15Groot
Since his debut, Groot has become a valued member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. A highly intelligent, tree-like being whose natural composition means he can regrow limbs or even an entire body, Groot is a brilliant ally in battle. His dedication to the Guardians of the Galaxy team also made him one of the most lovable and memorable characters in the MCU, as he sacrificed himself at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy in order to protect his new family. Luckily, one of his twigs regrew into a new Groot, who has since been featured in various MCU adventures.
After Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Groot helped the Avengers battle Thanos’ army in Infinity War, a film that also displayed the new Groot’s strength as he was able to form his arms into the handle for Thor’s new ax, Stormbreaker. The GOTG Holiday Special showed a more built-up Groot, with bark reminiscent of increased muscle, and trailers of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 have shown that he can also grow extra limbs, and even wings, which will surely come in handy in the upcoming battle. Groot is perhaps the most versatile of the MCU’s heroes, so hopefully he will have a long future in the MCU.
RELATED:Groot’s MCU Future Can Explain Vin Diesel’s Exciting Hulk Fight Tease
14Tony Stark, A.K.A. Iron Man
Tony Stark could never be regarded as one of the physically strongest of the MCU’s superheroes, but he had qualities in other areas that made him one of the most powerful members of the Avengers. The entire weight of the MCU was balanced on Stark’s shoulders as Iron Man kicked off the MCU in 2008, and it was Iron Man’s sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame that brought the tyranny of Thanos to a satisfying ending. Stark’s strategic mind, keen wit, and supreme intelligence made him a formidable opponent to any villain, but it was his monumental technological advancements that put him on the map.
During Iron Man, Stark was able to miniaturize his arc reactor technology using only the leftover parts of several of his own weapons. This also led to the development of the first prototype Iron Man armor, which he used to escape captivity before refining the design. As Iron Man, Stark used his influence, fame, and fortune to extinguish threats across the globe, eventually saving the world from otherworldly threats multiple times. Whether it be flying a nuclear missile through a portal into space, destroying a falling city, or using the Infinity Stones to save the universe, Stark was always one of the most creative and talented superheroes in the MCU.
13Bucky Barnes, A.K.A. The Winter Soldier/White Wolf
While not always regarded as a superhero, Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. the Winter Soldier, has earned that title more than most. Subjected to HYDRA brainwashing after a tragic accident during WWII, Barnes, imbued with the super-soldier serum, operated as the Winter Soldier for decades, committing assassinations and covert missions for HYDRA. After his mind was cleared of HYDRA’s conditioning (thanks to the Wakandans), however, Barnes became a loyal ally to Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson, with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showing the lengths he would go to in order to protect the legacy of the retired Captain America.
As well as being enhanced by a super-soldier serum similar to Dr. Abraham Erskine’s, which gifted Steve Rogers his abilities as Captain America, Bucky Barnes also has a unique weapon that makes him a very strong hero in the MCU. While originally donning a titanium arm with the communist red star imprinted on the shoulder, Bucky would eventually get gifted a vibranium arm after his time in Wakanda. His vibranium arm grants him even more power, shown during fight scenes with the Dora Milaje and John Walker, a.k.a. Captain America/US Agent, in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. He will be a fantastic addition to the MCU’s Thunderbolts team.
RELATED:Bucky’s New Phase 5 Role Can Complete His MCU Redemption
12Steve Rogers, A.K.A. Captain America
Sam Wilson has now taken over the role of Captain America in the MCU, continuing the legacy of Steve Rogers in Captain America: New World Order and beyond. However, Wilson hasn’t been given the super-soldier serum, which was previously a trademark of Captain America, so Wilson will perhaps be a more grounded and human superhero, whereas Rogers’ serum gifted him enhanced strength, speed, stamina, and endurance. Designed to be the pinnacle of the American military during WWII, Rogers rescued hundreds of thought-dead soldiers and eventually faced the head of HYDRA, the Red Skull.
Armed with a vibranium shield and with the super-soldier serum running through his veins, Steve Rogers was the clear leader of the Avengers in the MCU’s initial adventures. Not only did he have enough strength to stop a helicopter from taking flight and hold Thanos at bay for a short time, but Steve Rogers would also eventually be confirmed to be worthy of wielding Mjolnir, Thor’s enchanted hammer, in Avengers: Endgame. Rogers’ tactical and strategic expertise was second-to-none and put him at the center of the MCU for over a decade before he retired in Endgame, living in the past with Peggy Carter before passing the shield to Wilson.
