The 28 Strongest Avengers, Ranked

While all of Marvel’s superheroes fight evil, figures like Wolverine and Captain American stand out as the Avengers’ greatest warriors.

The Avengers face off against Marvel’s greatest threats regularly. They’ve saved the day when the chips are down numerous times, thanks to a mixture of power and fighting skills. Heroes from all over the superheroic community have joined the team, each bringing something different to the table, allowing the heroes to deal with any threat. The Avengers’ fighting skills have been a very important factor in their success.

While not every Avenger is the strongest fighter in the world, many of them are unsurpassed warriors. They’ve mastered multiple martial arts, combining their skills with their powers to become amazing fighters. These warriors have saved the day many times as a result.

28Hawkeye

Hawkeye has used many costumed identities, but he’s always been a skilled warrior. It all began when he and his brother were children in the circus. The two of them were trained by the man who would become Swordsman. Hawkeye not only became an amazing marksman, specializing in the bow and arrow, but also mastered everything Swordsman taught him.

After joining the Avengers, Hawkeye only got better. He trained with Captain America, gaining more skill as well as practicing what he knew from before. Hawkeye has always been an amazing fighter, and his skills have kept him alive and successful for years.

27Shang-Chi

Shang-Chi didn’t have a long stint with the Avengers, but he definitely showed the team what he could do. A member of the group during the Avengers Machine era, when the team was at its largest and most diversified, Shang-Chi was given special nunchucks made by Tony Stark to even up the odds with the powerful threats the team faced.

Shang-Chi’s martial arts skills, and the special weapons given to him by Iron Man, put him on even ground with most foes. He wasn’t the best fighter on the team, but he definitely made an impact. He hasn’t been with the team since, but he still has their respect.

26Black Widow

Some Marvel heroes fight smarter than others, which has kept them alive through battles that would kill lesser warriors. Black Widow has survived decades as a spy, fighting against massive odds in order to win. She worked against Iron Man for a time before reforming and joining SHIELD. Since then, she’s put her skills to better use.

Black Widow doesn’t have any powers, so she has to depend completely on her skills. Her gauntlets pack surprises for her enemies, but in the end, it all comes down to how good of a fighter she is. She’s been able to hang with the Avengers’ most dangerous foes just on the strength of her fighting skill, and impressive feat since they regularly face gods and monsters.

25Captain America

Captain America is the Avengers’ inspiration, both as a symbol and on the battlefield. Cap has devoted himself to the battle for freedom like no other. Calling him skilled on the battlefield is both completely true and also feels like it’s understating his abilities. Cap may not have superpowers, but he can hang with the most powerful heroes and villains out there.

Captain America’s an expert strategist in just about any situation, a whiz at hand-to-hand combat, and a master of defending himself and those around him. Captain America has it all, and his versatility makes him the one Avenger everyone can rally behind. Few fighters have mastered the art of war like Captain America.

24Black Panther

Black Panther has fought many battles over the years, protecting Wakanda from every threat that comes up. T’Challa has a long history with the Avengers, but most of his stints ended badly because he put Wakanda first. His most recent time with the team was his most successful, as he became the chairperson of the Avengers, leading them in battle against dire threats.

Black Panther is a master strategist and an amazing hand-to-hand combatant. He’s bested many of the toughest members of the Avengers in the past, as well as many powerful villains. His vibranium weave costume, enhancements from the heart-shaped herb, and skills have made him a dangerous combatant.

23Wolverine

Wolverine has long been the X-Men’s strongest fighter, his decades of fighting experience serving him well. Wolverine fought in every war in the last century, mastered multiple martial arts, and was an expert in a variety of weapons. His mutant healing factor and adamantium skeleton combine to make him a near-unstoppable force on the battlefield.

As a member of the Avengers, Wolverine brought all of that to the team. He had experiences that few other Avengers could match and was always ready to jump into any battle. He gained the respect of his fellow Avengers, helping the team defeat the worst threats.

22Valkyrie

Valkyrie once served as one of the Valkyrior, shield-maidens of Odin charged with determining the worthiness of fallen warriors for Valhalla, and is based on the Norse figure Brunnhilde. As an Asgardian, Valkyrie’s physical capabilities are not only superior to that of ordinary humans, but most other Asgardians, too, making her extremely strong, fast, agile and durable.

Valkyrie’s skills as a fighter are said to be unmatched amongst her own people — with the possible exception of Lady Sif — making her lethal with her magical sword, Dragonfang. Besides her sword, Valkyrie also has a winged horse named Aragorn, whose enhanced intelligence allows it to understand Valkyrie’s intentions in battle, making them a formidable pair.

21Spider-Man

Spider-Man had long been New York’s toughest hero. His spider powers were a big part of that, but what really makes Spider-Man such a strong fighter is his sense of responsibility. Once he’s in the fight, he’s in it until he’s dead. Thanks to his spider sense and agility, that basically means he’s going to outlast everyone and if he doesn’t, he’ll still win somehow.

Even taking his defense out of the equation, Spider-Man is a spectacular combatant. He’s strong, fast, and experienced. On top of that, he’s very smart and has been fighting stronger foes for a very long time. Given enough time, the Wall-Crawler can outfight just about anyone.

20Iron Man

Iron Man is a founding Avenger, his wealth having made the team possible for years. Tony Stark is perhaps the greatest mind in the entire Marvel Universe. It’s what allows him to create whole new variations of the Iron Man armor on a whim, including suits as powerful as the Godkiller armor which allowed him to battle Celestials, and enables him to out-think his opponents at every turn.

As for the suits themselves, they’re basically high-tech Swiss army knives, with their versatility and ever-changing abilities allowing Tony to tackle any issue he might come across. Besides flight, super-speed and durability, the suits grant Tony incredible strength. Throw his highly effective repulsor rays and array of complex gadgetry into the mix, and it’s clear Tony Stark wields some of the most overpowered technology in all of Marvel.

19Luke Cage

Captured and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, Carl Lucas (later known as Luke Cage) willingly volunteered for a risky experiment during his time in Seagate Prison. Luke found that his skin became completely impenetrable — resistant to bullets, edged weapons, chemical attacks, extreme pressure and temperature — while he also gained tremendous levels of superhuman strength.

Sitting in roughly the same category as some of Marvel’s heaviest hitters in terms of pure lifting power, Luke Cage’s strength and durability make him an incredibly effective warrior, able to dish out and soak up incredible amounts of damage without breaking a sweat. Cage is also a versatile fighter, cutting his teeth as a street brawler before training in other forms of combat, including several martial arts, with the help of his fellow heroes.

18Quasar

Stumbling across a mysterious pair of trinkets known as the Quantum Bands during his time as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Wendell Vaughn was the only of his peers capable of using the weapons thanks to his easy-going nature. Successfully quelling a vicious attack by AIM upon first donning the bands, Wendell discovered he could create solid constructs out of pure energy. He became Quasar, and eventually became the Guardian of the Universe, working with cosmic being Eon, and an Avenger.

The bands allow Quasar to access the mysterious Quantum Zone and tap into its energy supply, enabling him to project blasts of heat and concussive force, as well as form constructs both simple and complex. Wendell can also use the bands to teleport, create “Quantum Tripwires,” detect energy and access the entire electromagnetic spectrum, cementing him as one of the most overlooked Avengers in existence.

17Wonder Man

Wonder Man received powers from the first Baron Zemo, battling the Avengers before betraying Zemo and dying. He’d resurrect and join the Avengers, soon becoming a heavy hitter with the team. Because of experiments by Zemo, Wonder Man is also imbued with ionic energy, giving him superhuman strength, stamina, speed, agility, flight and reflexes, as well as making him pretty much indestructible.

Wonder Man can also absorb various forms of energy, including anti-matter, can project powerful energy blasts at will, and can even exist as pure energy if he wishes. Perhaps the biggest quirk of his abilities, however, is that Wonder Man doesn’t require food, water or even oxygen to survive, with his vast reserves of energy serving as sufficient sustenance.

16Nova

Although several characters have taken on the mantle of Nova over the years, Richard Rider remains the most beloved and powerful incarnation of the character. As a member of the Nova Corps, Rider received a portion of the Nova Force’s powers, which he uses to become the superhero known as Nova. Richard is eventually chosen as the highest-ranking official in the Corps, further enhancing his already impressive abilities.

As well as having the power of flight, massively enhanced durability and near-limitless strength at his most powerful, Nova can also absorb energy, subsequently releasing it as highly destructive beams or blasts, and can even weaponize gravity itself. Able to fly at near-lightspeed as Nova Prime, Richard Rider remains one of the cosmos’ most fierce protectors.

15Vision

A key piece of the Avengers’ history, the colorful android known as the Vision is a being created by the robotic supervillain Ultron. Created with the purpose of serving Ultron in his crusade against the Avengers, Vision’s mind is based on the brain patterns of Wonder Man, making him very much human — mentally speaking, at least. It’s because of this that Vision is eventually convinced to turn against his master, joining the Avengers and quickly becoming one of the team’s most iconic members.

Able to absorb and expel solar energy in the form of powerful blasts thanks to the gem in his head. Numbering among Marvel’s premiere robots, Vision was also created to be extremely strong and durable, allowing him to duke it out with some of the heaviest hitters on the Avengers. His most notable power, however, is the ability to control his own density, which has proven to be a versatile superpower over the years. He can either phase through attacks or become dense enough to tank attacks.

14Namor

It’s often easy to forget just how powerful Namor is in terms of pure strength, with many writers seemingly holding the character back from his true potential. A hybrid of human mutant and Atlantean, Namor was always destined for greatness, eventually becoming the king of Atlantis.

Namor is at the throats of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes about as much as he’s on their side, leading many to consider him an anti-hero. Tremendously strong under the water, Namor’s level of strength is amongst the highest in the Marvel Universe, able to go up against the likes of the Thing, Thor and even the Hulk in a slugfest. Namor’s even able to fly, which coupled with his strength, speed and durability, makes him more than a match for most of his fellow Avengers.

13Sersi

A member of the extremely powerful Eternals, Sersi easily ranks among the group’s most overpowered members, and remains an underrated character in the Marvel Universe in terms of ability. Possessing the strength, speed, stamina, combat skill and invulnerability typical of the average Eternal, it’s said that the only way to kill Sersi for good is to scatter her atoms.

Also similar to her fellow Eternals is her ability to fire cosmic blasts from her hands. Sersi is unique amongst her peers due to her strong telekinetic capabilities. What cements Sersi as one of Marvel’s most powerful heroes, however, is her incredible transmutation ability, allowing her to reshape matter at a molecular level.

12Ares

While the Marvel Universe is filled with gods and deities from several pantheons, there are few mythical characters as powerful as Ares. He eventually joined the Avengers post-Civil War, where his strength, near-immortality, inexhaustibility and finely honed skill in battle made him one of the team’s most unstoppable members.

With the exception of his father, Zeus, Ares is perhaps the most powerful of all 12 Olympians, with his strength and fighting ability allowing him to tackle the Marvel Universe’s most powerful beings. Ares is also highly resistant to damage, as well as being a capable fighter physically. He can use many weapons, but is most proficient with his trusty ax.

11Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel’s time in the Air Force afforded her some training, but she picked up way more as a member of the Avengers. Carol is a decently talented fighter, but she has years of combat experience alongside Mar-Vell and then the Avengers. She picked up pointers from Captain America and Wolverine, and trained with the X-Men and Starjammers.

Captain Marvel’s powers make her a devastating combatant. She understands how three-dimensional combat works, her energy-manipulating skills are top-notch, and she’s strong enough to wrestle with the most powerful opponents. What she lacks in martial arts prowess, she makes up in strength.

10Doctor Strange

As the Earth’s current Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange, assisted by the trusty Book of Vishanti, can perform countless powerful spells that can affect the fabric of reality itself. Amongst the most powerful humans ever to exist, Strange has a spell for every occasion, even proving himself capable of besting cosmic entities like the In-Betweener and Adam Warlock in battle.

Able to manipulate time, project his consciousness across the astral plane and detect threats both mystical and physical, the Sorcerer Supreme has a certain level of omniscience thanks to his unmatched magic-wielding skills. Employing several mystical artifacts to help him along the way — including the Eye of Agamotto and the Cloak of Levitation, Strange has proven himself a formidable Avenger.

9Hercules

Hercules is easily the strongest member of the Greek Pantheon. Hercules was introduced as a supporting character in Thor’s ongoing saga, before receiving a meatier role in the Marvel Universe after spending some time on several super-teams, including the Avengers, the Defenders, the Champions and the God Squad.

Much like his mythological counterpart, Hercules’ greatest asset is his ridiculous strength, which is said to be incalculable. Capable of easily laying a beatdown on powerful cosmic beings such as the Silver Surfer, Hercules can even take punches from the Hulk himself. Amongst his most impressive feats, however, is the time Hercules literally dragged the entirety of Manhattan Island single-handedly.

8Blue Marvel

A decorated veteran, Cornell graduate and talented scientist, Adam Brashear received his powers in the ’60s alongside his friend Conner Sims following a failed anti-matter experiment. Turning Conner into the bitter villain Anti-Man, the accident also transformed Adam into Blue Marvel — one of the most powerful heroes the world has ever seen. Once Adam’s identity as an African-American was revealed, however, the hero was forced into retirement due to the racism of the era.

In terms of raw strength, Blue Marvel is easily on the level of Thor and Hulk, able to move asteroids the size of Arkansas and even sending the Sentry into space with a single punch. Coupled with his enhanced reactions, speed, flight and near-invulnerability, Blue Marvel is almost impossible to take down. Adam also has vast energy and matter manipulation abilities, allowing him to harness anti-matter to create constructs and transmute matter at a molecular level.

7Red Hulk

Upon first appearing in the Marvel Universe, Red Hulk laid waste to several of Marvel’s strongest heroes. He defeated both Thor and the Hulk, even besting the Invisible Woman, Thundra, Storm, Black Widow, Hellcat, Tigra and Spider-Woman all at once — quickly establishing him as one of the most formidable Marvel characters in existence, though he later took a more heroic turn, joining the Avengers.

While Red Hulk’s baseline strength is presumably greater than that of the Hulk, his strength doesn’t increase the angrier he gets in the same way as his green counterpart. Instead, Red Hulk emits heat that increases in intensity as his rage builds. This is Red Hulk’s greatest weakness, as his heat weakens him should his body temperature rise too high — something the Hulk has exploited in the past.

6She-Hulk

After receiving a blood transfusion from her gamma irradiated cousin, Bruce Banner, following a life-threatening incident, Jennifer Walters acquired the powers of She-Hulk — powers that are very similar to the Hulk’s. Much like fellow superhero Daredevil, Jennifer is a highly accomplished lawyer by day, using her sharp legal mind to defend the rights of others, particularly superpowered beings.

She-Hulk’s also served as a member of the Avengers, the Defenders, Heroes for Hire, S.H.I.E.L.D., the Future Foundation, A-Force, and even the Fantastic Four. Impossibly strong, She-Hulk’s powers work similarly to the Hulk’s, vastly increasing the angrier she gets. What separates Jennifer from her cousin is her ability to retain intelligence when she transforms, giving her much more control of She-Hulk despite being physically weaker than Bruce.

5The Sentry

Considered by many to be amongst the most powerful entities in the Marvel Universe, Robert Reynolds, aka the Sentry, is one of Marvel’s most complicated, and often frustrating, characters. The true scale of Sentry’s abilities varies writer by writer, making his powers somewhat inconsistent. One of the many superheroes to get his powers from an attempted replication of the Super Soldier experiment, the chemicals used in the project reacted unexpectedly to the drugs in Robert’s system, resulting in him becoming the all-powerful Sentry.

Said to have the power of “one million exploding suns,” the Sentry has Hulk-level strength, transmutation powers, vast psionic abilities, can manipulate light and can even regenerate himself from mere molecules, making him essentially unkillable. The drawback to all of this is that Sentry’s dark side has taken on a villainous life of its own, known as the Void.

4Hyperion

Plenty of Avengers fade into the background, and as such, most fans forget about Hyperion’s tenure with the team. The Avengers have faced several Hyperions over the years, mostly as members of the Squadron Sinister and Squadron Supreme. This Hyperion was an Eternal from Earth-13034 and came to Earth-616 when his planet was destroyed.

Hyperion was among the most powerful members of the Avengers Machine era team. He was a great hero, and easily on Thor’s level when it came to power. In fact, the God of Thunder fought side by side with Hyperion on several occasions, and the Eternal gained the Norse God’s respect.

3Scarlet Witch

Earning her reputation as one of the most dangerous entities in the known Marvel Universe, Wanda Maximoff, better known as Scarlet Witch, has had something of a tumultuous career. Scarlet Witch was initially recruited into the nefarious Brotherhood of Evil Mutants alongside her brother Quicksilver, going up against the X-Men on several occasions. Joining the Avengers changed her life for the better.

Although Scarlet Witch’s powers were initially somewhat vague, referred to primarily as “hex powers,” that was just the beginning. Her abilities later became more well-defined and much more potent. Able to manipulate reality on a cosmic scale, she’s proven able to change entire universes on a whim.

2Thor

Thor is the Avengers’ greatest warrior. For thousands of years, Thor has battled to protect Asgard from its enemies, battling dark elves, dwarves, frost giants, and fire demons. He’s assisted the Vikings of Midgard and has saved the universe many times over since being sent out of Asgard to learn humility.

Thor is a tremendous fighter. He’s a master of many weapons, but is especially skilled with Mjolnir, having mastered fighting with it as a melee and thrown weapon while using its amazing power. Thor has pulled the Avengers’ fat out of the fire more times than anyone can remember, and he’s certain to keep doing it for as long as he can.

1The Hulk

Serving as the high-water mark for physical strength across the Marvel Universe, the Hulk is, simply put, the strongest there is. Feared across the Universe for his unbridled rage and earth-shattering strength, the Hulk may not possess the matter manipulation, energy projection or general versatility of other heroes on this list, but he remains one of Marvel’s most unstoppable heroes.

Getting exponentially more powerful the angrier he gets, the Hulk’s strength is essentially limitless, resulting in some incredibly impressive feats over the years. As well as holding together a tectonic plate — the weight of which totals around 4 quintillion tons — the Hulk has even damaged the space-time continuum by literally punching through time. Able to lift entire stars and even halt Celestials in their tracks, there aren’t many Marvel characters as overpowered as the Incredible Hulk.