The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has taken the world by storm since the release of Iron Man back in 2008. Over the past several years, the MCU has introduced us to new characters who have gone on to join an elite group of superheroes called The Avengers. This ultimately led up to a massive battle with the big bad, Thanos. We endured the stress of Infinity War in 2018 and then the cinematic masterpiece that is Endgame in 2019.
These superheroes each have their own stories, and we’ve seen them fight evil through the years single-handedly. But when it comes to fighting a force like Thanos, each hero’s own unique abilities just didn’t cut it. All the Avengers did their part in the fight, but we believe some had a greater chance of defeating the big bad than others.
While we know this couldn’t have been done without the entire Avengers team, we decided to rank our picks for the Avengers we think would stand a chance against Thanos on their own.
These rankings are based on what we have seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, NOT the actual comics. Also, note that we are just looking at the Avengers team through phase 3 of the MCU.
Avengers ranked from least to most powerful based on the abilities exhibited in the MCU. Let’s get started!
24. Drax
Starting out, we have a fan favorite from the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. While the Guardians may be an incredible team, each of them on their own may not have stood much of a chance against Thanos. Well…most of them anyway. Drax has brute strength, but that is pretty much as far as his abilities go. He isn’t the brightest in the bunch, and often serves more as comedic relief thanks to his ability to take everything so literally. We love Drax and ALL of the Guardians, but someone had to be the first one on the list! Sorry, Drax!
23. Rocket Raccoon
Listen…Rocket is great. It’s tough to put him as one of the least powerful Avengers on this list. Rocket possesses the abilities of a regular raccoon which means he has lots of speed as well as an acute sense of smell, sight, hearing, and touch. This is all amplified by his training, and he is definitely a force to be reckoned with. Rocket knows how to handle weapons (and is more than eager to handle weapons). He’s also a good deal smarter than Drax which earns him some extra points. All that being said, though, he is a raccoon, and as cute as he may be (which he would hate to hear), a raccoon probably would not be able to do too much on his own against Thanos. Maybe we’ll change our minds after we see him in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3.
22. Falcon
Sam Wilson is an incredible asset to the Avengers as well as an amazing soldier. He can fight like there is no tomorrow and fly through the air like…well…a falcon. So why is he ranked so low? Well, Falcon is human and unlike Cap, he doesn’t have any serum coursing through his veins to heighten his abilities. When Falcon is introduced to the MCU in Winter Soldier, Cap runs by him at an incredible speed always shouting “on your left”, showcasing his superior abilities. However, that didn’t stop Steve from handing Falcon his shield in Endgame, leaving Sam to go on to become the new Captain America at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series. There is a new Captain America movie coming out with Sam, so we’ll have to see if our opinion of his battle prowess changes.
21. Groot
Let’s be honest…Groot is pretty much just a really awesome tree. That being said, a tree that has the ability to move around and fight can do a lot of damage! Groot is STRONG, so strong that he is able to save the Guardians by surrounding them in his branches. This, unfortunately, killed Groot in the process. Luckily, he was able to return to the MCU as Baby Groot! While adorable as a baby, he isn’t the most threatening of the Avengers, and fully grown Groot’s lack of communication skills really puts a damper on his abilities as well. If it weren’t for his lack of proper communication, he could be a bit more powerful! Things don’t seem to get much better when Groot goes through his awkward and rebellious teenage phase, although he’s definitely a lot more powerful by then.
20. Hawkeye
We know you all saw this one coming! In fact, many probably would place Hawkeye further up on this list! Hawkeye may not be the strongest Avenger, but we think he is overlooked due to his lack of personality. MAN, does this guy know how to shoot arrows! He can knock down targets without even LOOKING — and multiple at a time! All that being said, Hawkeye is human, and while he is impeccably trained, his abilities are limited as arrows can only go so far when fighting a force as great as Thanos. However, he has gone on to train the NEXT Hawkeye, Kate Bishop. Perhaps together they could have given Thanos a good run for his money — at least a little bit.
19. Star-Lord
This one may be a bit controversial, and many may think he should be ranked among the first on this list. Peter Quill is one of the most beloved characters in MCU, but he is often seen as a liability rather than a valuable asset due to his less-than-ideal choices in Infinity War. You may think that Quill is pretty useless and just thinks he’s a big shot, but you have to remember that this guy is half-Celestial. And oh yeah, remember that one time he sustained the power of…well…the power stone? Sure, he ended up needing some help, but the fact that he was able to hold it at all speaks volumes. He remains at number six on this list for now, but maybe we’ll change our minds after Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 releases.
18. Nebula
Nebula may not be the most popular Avenger of the bunch, but she certainly knows how to fight! Nebula is basically a warrior with an incredible intellect and amazing fighting skills. Years of playing second fiddle to her sister only increased her desire to improve her skills and hone her craft. You don’t want to mess with Nebula…it won’t end well for you. She’s fighting for the good guys now, so the villains better steer clear of her path.
17. Mantis
We know what you are thinking: how on EARTH is Mantis more powerful than some of the other Guardians? Hear us out! Mantis has the ability to sense other people’s feelings and alter them. This alone almost takes out Thanos! Seriously… Mantis almost prevents the snap — and would have if it hadn’t been for Quill’s feelings. She is a force to be reckoned with, and anyone that underestimates her because of her innocent appearance should beware. Also, she DID help kidnap Kevin Bacon with Drax in The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special. It can’t be THAT easy to kidnap a celebrity, right?
16. Gamora
At least to us, Gamora is the best member of the Guardians. She is able to take all of them out in the first film, and she nearly chops Groot into pieces. While her sister is an incredible fighter, Gamora typically manages to come out on top. She has superhuman strength, and she can heal faster than most individuals. Gamora is also the only thing that Thanos loves which makes her his only weakness. Unfortunately, this leads to her untimely death as Thanos needs to sacrifice something he loves in order to gain the Soul Stone. Gamora did return to the Guardians of the Galaxy, sort of as a different version of herself. And it’ll certainly be interesting to see how this different version of Gamora handles herself in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3.
15. Black Widow
Yup. Black Widow is up here with some of the others, but hear us out! Black Widow is amazing. In fact, in any situation she is put in you can almost guarantee that she will find a way to get out of it. She is arguably the most well-trained assassin the universe has to offer, and she goes out on HER terms. She also does all her fighting without a single superpower. But even with all of that being said, Black Widow is only human. Her incredible skill can only do so much against a force like Thanos. Truthfully, now that we have her back story from the Black Widow movie, we could even see her going a bit higher on the list, but we’ll keep her here for now!
14. Wasp
Hope Pym was training Scott to become Ant-Man before Scott even knew anything about what the heck was going on. She is an incredible fighter, and it’s a shame that Hank Pym did not introduce her to the wasp suit sooner as she could have been an even better fighter by the time the big fight with Thanos came to fruition. The Wasp has wings and blasters which some may argue puts her above Ant-Man. She also helps Ant-Man defeat Kang (or at least one version of him) later on, and that is no mere feat. But Ant-Man wins this race for one reason and one reason alone…
13. Ant-Man
Ant-Man had to follow! Ant-Man’s shrinking ability is just incredible. He can essentially go anywhere and do anything without ever being seen. He also has the ability to grow into a giant which is often overlooked! Ant-Man and Wasp go hand in hand, but Ant-Man really gains points for being the Avenger to discover the quantum realm. Time travel is a key factor in Endgame and without Scott’s discovery, the snap could never have been prevented. PLUS Scott later went on to beat Kang (with some help!). Plus, Scott is now training his daughter, Cassie — we love a good family moment.
12. Spider-Man
Peter Parker’s biggest flaw in the MCU is that he is so young. He makes the mistakes that any young person would and often does not consider the consequences of his actions. That being said, his powers are incredible as he can spin a trap for enemies and swing from building to building with very little effort. His spidey senses give him a sixth sense which alerts him whenever danger is nearby. While he doesn’t stand too much of a chance alone against Thanos, he certainly makes an effort. With a bit more training, Spider-Man would be one of the top Avengers on this list.
11. War Machine
War Machine is incredible, but to many, he might just be Diet Iron Man. Sure, he can do all of the cool things that Iron Man can do which makes him insanely powerful…but as much as we love Rhodey…he doesn’t have Tony Stark’s brain. He would honestly be further up on this list, but it’s hard to justify that when he is wearing a suit created by Tony Stark.
10. Winter Soldier
Winter Soldier was VERY close to beating Cap on this list, but we’ve gotta give it to Captain America this time. Some may be shocked that we consider Winter Soldier to be one of the more powerful Avengers, but this guy is a BEAST. Remember, Bucky got the same super-soldier treatment as Steve. On top of that, while Steve was frozen in the ice for 70 years, Bucky was training. This guy has a LOT of combat and weapon experience.
9. Captain America
Of course, Captain America is next! Due to the serum coursing through his veins, Cap has enhanced strength, speed, stamina, durability, reflexes, senses, healing…you name it, he’s got it! While we do think that Winter Soldier gives Cap a run for his money, remember that Cap is worthy of carrying Thor’s hammer! That definitely places him higher than Bucky even with all of Bucky’s extra training. We were sad to see him finally retire his shield, but it’s in good hands with Sam Wilson. (And who knows what the future may hold!)
Click here to see what Chris Evans had to say about the future of Captain America and Steve Rogers
8. Black Panther
Black Panther has genius-level intellect as well as superhuman strength, speed, and reflexes…oh, and really sharp claws. This guy can smell fear…we don’t know about you, but that is an individual we would want on our side. His suit is made out of the same material as Cap’s shield — vibranium — which makes him pretty indestructible. And we have to take a second to give a special “thank you” to the man that brought this character to life. Chadwick Boseman, thank you for your incredible portrayal of T’Challa. You brought an energy to the screen that can’t be matched. Rest in power. We’ll have to see how the NEW Black Panther (we won’t spoil it in case you haven’t seen the sequel) will compare. Let’s just say we can already tell the new Black Panther has plenty of superhuman strength, speed, reflexes, and an amazing intellect.
Did you know you can watch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on Disney+? Click here to learn more
7. Iron Man
The man, the myth, the legend. Iron Man started it all (at least for the MCU). Tony’s suit gives him superhuman strength, speed, durability, agility, reflexes, senses, and supersonic flight. It also contains missile projection and regenerative abilities. This suit makes Tony pretty indestructible, and the best part about it is that he made it himself. Tony is brilliant, and with Ant-Man’s discovery of the quantum realm, he develops time travel. Without Tony Stark, there would be no hope after the snap. Many may consider him to be the most powerful of all the Avengers, which is a fair assumption. He is the one to ultimately defeat the big bad, after all. But a few other heroes give him a run for his money due to their sheer power which cannot be matched. May he rest in peace.
6. Vision
Created by Tony Stark, Vision is a walking computer with a wealth of knowledge and multiple superhuman abilities. Vision can solve any problem in a matter of seconds. While Tony comes very close to being the better one of the two, it’s hard to compete with a literal walking computer. Vision can shoot beams of energy straight from his head using the mind stone which also makes him virtually indestructible…unless, of course, someone like Thanos comes along and pulls the stone out of his head. Vision has sort of returned as White Vision, thanks to WandaVision, but we’ll have to see if this version stacks up to the original.
5. Dr. Strange
While Dr. Strange may not be everyone’s favorite Avenger, there is no denying his power. Strange can shift time and dimensions at free will. He has the abilities of flight, teleportation, astral projection, and so much more. His individual battle against Thanos in Endgame is one of the strongest fights an Avenger has against the big bad. Strange saw that there was only one outcome for the Avengers to win and puts them on this path, even though it meant the snap would need to occur. Without Dr. Strange, it’s hard to say if the Avengers would have succeeded in their battle against Thanos. Strange also was able to go up against Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and survive — and that’s quite the feat!
4. The Hulk
We know we put Drax last because his only power was brute strength, but The Hulk has much more to offer! For starters, he is a LOT stronger than Drax and has a fast healing factor. Behind the big green guy is Bruce Banner. Bruce is one of the smartest Avengers and eventually is able to become one with the Hulk. We even saw Banner show bravery and fight without Hulk in Infinity War, and that took GUTS. It’s safe to say The Avengers would not have the same force without The Hulk’s ability to smash all things in his path and take any blow. The only one who MIGHT give Bruce an even fight is his cousin, She-Hulk.
3. Thor
Yeah…Thor is a literal god. Need we say more? In Infinity War, we see Thor take on the full force of the sun. THE SUN, y’all. It doesn’t look like Thor will live to tell the tale, but he does! He’s a god after all! Oh…and did we mention he is immortal and has the ability to control lightning? Even if he isn’t everyone’s favorite original Avenger, The God of Thunder is the strongest of the original group (at least in our view!).
2. Captain Marvel
A lot of you will wonder why Captain Marvel isn’t the first on this list, and we get that! Even Kevin Feige himself has stated that Captain Marvel is the strongest of the Avengers, and if we were looking at the comics, she would probably be on top. She has all of the heightened abilities of a superhero. But on TOP of that she is physically stronger than ALL the Avengers AND Thanos which is showcased when Thanos punches her, and she doesn’t budge. So why didn’t she make it to the top? Well, we are looking at the abilities exhibited in the MCU, and unfortunately, Captain Marvel didn’t have the chance to show all she has to offer. Many fans were a little disappointed as there was a lot of build-up for her character, only for her to be flung back into the sky from whence she came. We’re looking to seeing more of her in The Marvels.
1. Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch is the most powerful Avenger. We will shout this from the rooftops if we have to! With the power of telekinesis, she can move anything (and we mean anything) with the wave of a hand. Her individual fight with Thanos in the MCU showcased the most power out of any of the Avengers by far. She breaks Thanos’ sword and puts Thanos in enough of a difficult position that he has to call for backup, something that is rare for him. Wanda’s power is magic. She can warp reality and is able to put all of the Avengers in a dream-like state when she is first introduced.
Then we got to see Wanda discover her power throughout WandaVision, where she created an ENTIRE NEW REALITY and then became the Scarlet Witch. She went on to do some SERIOUS damage in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, basically ending a member of the Fantastic Four, an X-Men, and Captain Carter. She was downright SCARY.
She has showcased so much power, yet most of it is still contained inside of her. This is why we don’t think we’ve seen the last of her despite the ending of Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. It would take more than a mountain caving in on her to take out Wanda.
Also, we have to mention how the most TERRIFYING version of Wanda made an appearance in the What / If? series — Zombie Scarlet Witch. Seriously, that gave us nightmares!
Here’s the thing, though. Endgame is a memory now, and some of these Avengers are gone (RIP Tony Stark) or have gone off to live their lives (we miss you, Steve Rogers). Others have taken up even more of a mantle as superheroes, like Bucky and Sam. PLUS we’ve got new superheroes that could go on to become Avengers like She-Hulk, Moon Knight, Monica Rambeau, and Ms. Marvel. Even the once-villainous Loki has been mostly redeemed and has a very interesting future ahead of him.
Things are changing in the MCU, and we’re looking forward to seeing what the next batch of Avengers can do, especially as they go up against the next big bad in the MCU, Kang.
Want To See Our Ranking of the LEGO Marvel Characters? Click Here!
Join the AllEars.net Newsletter to stay on top of ALL the breaking Disney News! You'll also get access to AllEars tips, reviews, trivia, and MORE! Click here to Subscribe!
Who do you think is the most powerful Avenger? Let us know in the comments!
— Reading the comments, a lot of you are being nasty and rude. This list OBVIOUSLY isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea,but there’s no need to be rude.
(DISCLAIMER DON’T COME FOR ME IN THE REPLIES, I’M NOT BASING MY OPINION ON THE COMICS!)
I think honestly Wanda should one of the FEW whom are at the top since they have said that they still haven’t showcased most of her powers and if you’ve watched WandaVison, Age of Ultron, Infinity War, Endgame, and Civil War, – you would know how powerful she is JUST from those alone. But in all agreement I think Thor or Cap. Marvel should be up at top.3 at least since of their unbelievable powers. I think Dr. Strange should follow up as well as Vision. Literally, one is the protector of a infinity stone and the other is powered by one, man’s a literal walking computer. The list is definietly alright, but isn’t really logical.
Thor is by far strongest and most powerful Avenger.
Hands down
For what’s been shown in the MCU I do agree that Wanda comes tops. That moment when she was literally about to tear Thanos apart and you could SEE the fear in his eyes – it gives me chills every time!
Carol is my favourite, and yes canonically she is the most powerful, but I agree she’s not shown off enough of it yet. It breaks my heart that we’ve not had enough of this amazing Captain Marvel yet! I hope she doesn’t get watered down in Marvels.
I’m gonna disagree on Spidey though, he is such a strong superhero, and took down Bucky and Falcon with ease. He’s also a bit of a child prodigy with intelligence nearing Sheri levels I think? He makes a joke of everything and makes what he does look simple, which I think can end up downplaying just how strong and how intelligent he is!
This is absolute garbage. Scarlet Witch and Captain Marvel are basically secondary characters. They are not stronger than Iron Man, Cap, Thor and my man Hulk
But cmon have you seen WandaVision?! She’s obviously the most strong! And like the fear in his eyes she’s so strong! I completely disagree with your reply, with all due respect.
man than you don’t know what there capable of!
Wanda can only lift inanimate objects in the as seen when she battled thanos she only grabbed his armor. Also if peter Parker was naked he could floor Wanda. Also how is war machine weaker than Bucky or how is strange weaker than the hulk huh? This list is factually incorrect
This list is terrible.
Agreed. The list states most powerful so why should we factor usefullness into it.
I think the list was fine.. In my opinion The Scarlet Witch is the top of the food chain… from my understanding she’s only shown a small part of her abilities. And believe me three women Scarlet Witch Capt. Marvel and Jean Grey together…. It’s a rap
This list is trash built by movie fans who know nothing about the comics.
Got em
Thor is the most powerfull avenger. Not only does he have more strengt then wanda, he has also way more durability and is by far harder to kill. I mean you bassicly could kill wanda with a bullet. And he has more power because wanda hasn’t reached her full potential yet.
Yes, but from what’s been shown she has only achieved partial strength. Once she does, which she seems to be progressing on, she will be much stronger than any avenger. And to be honest Wanda doesn’t need full strength to beat Thor with what happened to him in the recent movies
This list is embarrassing
How did you even put Spidey below winter soldier or you haven’t seen civil war
even though scarlet witch put thanos in a tight spot captian marvel still is stronger that is just obvius based on marvel itself wanda should not go anywhere above her
I think Thor is the most powerful avenger and if we talk about bravery cap is the bravest avenger
However this was before WandaVision came out! May he REST IN PEACE!!
Bruh even Stan Lee himself confirmed that Thor is the most powerful and you literally put Drax lower than Hawkeye, when he killed Thanos alone in the comics…
DARK PHOENIX is more powerful than Scarlet Witch and is more powerful than Captain Marvel.
It’s a shame people disregard the power of X-men because they have real power and magic power unlike some Avengers heroes whose powers are more legend than anything else (captain america does not have any magic power, iron man is nothing without his armor, etc)
DARK PHOENIX and THE BEYONDER are BY FAR the most powerful entities of the whole MARVEL comics.
And no, i won’t be citing obscure people like “the one above all”, “god”
I think Beyonder and Dark Phoenix both won against the Living Tribunal
How can we trust your judgement about the Scarlet Witch being the most powerful Avenger when you think TELEPATHY allows her to move objects with her mind? TELEKINESIS is the power to move objects with the mind.
Actually wanda destroyed the dark phoenix by saying no more phoenix also beyonder and the strongest version of spidey is a little trouble to check who would win
We all saw Drax get towed through space and then survive crash landing through the atmosphere and into a forest outside the spaceship right? Just askin’
If these people read comics, you will understand that Thor is tougher than any version of Marvel’s Captain Marvel. Even if she is in binary form, with one solid punch to her face, she will be knocked out easily. The one who posted this is a newby in marvel’s superheroes.
The article says it’s not based on the comics? Cosmic Karen should honestly be last though 😂
In wandavision web series there is clearly mentioned that scarlet witch is more powerful than the sourcer Supreme. But wanda can’t defeat doctor strange but scarlet witch can
Well Wanda is not Stronger then Thor and Dr Strange, She is just a human who got the powers from mind stone where as Thor is a GOD and DR Strange is Sorcerer Supreme.
And yes I am talking about MCU If it would have been COMIC then HULK will be NO-1 (hands down).
See WandaVision mate, (spoiler alert) she’s an actual witch whose powers were amplified by the mind stone. Plus she is stronger than the Sorcerer Supreme, as the Darkhold says
rune king thor is still thor, so in the comics thor is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more powerful than any version of hulk in the comics so thor “will be NO-1 (hands down).” Also scarlet witch was already more powerful than strange and just as powerful(if not more) than thor in the movies. She showed that in infinity war and endgame. Also in wanda vision we find out that she is way more powerful than thor and doc strange.
Y’all said STRENGTH so this list is wrong
Black widow is not stronger than gamora or her sister, spidey should be way further up the list and powerful by not strong dr.strange is further down…because it says who’s stronger. Oh and hulk kills every last one of them in the comics…literally..after his wife is killed because of the quinjet blowing up. All of them.
rune king thor is still thor, so in the comics thor is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more powerful than any version of hulk.
They didn’t say Strength. They said most “Powerful”. Big difference.
So rune king Thor
Dr Strange is well above both hulk and Captain Marvel in my opinion. He has spells they have 0 defense against either.
Captain Marvel isn’t even in the top in the comics! Thor and Hulk are above her in strength and power! The comics prove that all the time!
I cannot agrer with Ironman being tougher than Captain Avenger as he lost in a fight against Captain Avenger.
Hi Bill I think he lost because he was fighting both of them at the same time both Captain and winter soldier, he also has lots of neat tricks under his sleeve. I do wish to have seen a one on one without anybody getting in the fight.
Y’all saw that the article states this is based off of the MCU not the comics right? Looks like most of you just looked at the list without reading it. I do think the top few should be rearranged. Honestly Dr. Strange should be second. Cosmic Karen doesn’t deserve to be this high!!
Quill-gg1, last, then 3rd while holding hands. gg2-4th behind Thor, back to last minus ego. Spider-man while goofing around beat Falcon & WS & showed he’s as strong as Cap. With the webs and smarts he’s 1 spot above CA. WIDOW is too high unless the new movie tells us her school have her serum as well. Hawkeye is too high unless you believe he’s actually a mutant that can use telepathy to move only small objects & just doesn’t understand his power
Thor did not take the full force of “the sun.” It was another star entirely. Also, you can’t bag on Falcon for being “just a guy with a flying suit” without also having the same complaints about hawkeye and widow. Falcon has near peak reflexes just like the other two. How do you think he does all of those agile maneuvers?
This!!!! So glad that you mentioned this. The author is a baby to the Marvel Universe.
Nah I have to agree on Falcon. He may be something else in the comics, but in the MCU he is seriously lacking in skill.
Agree, in comics Capt. MARVEL is nothing compared to Scarlet Witch, Thor, Hulk and even dr.Strange stronger than her
I think Spiderman is pretty much the top, Not really sure I agree, maybe based on wandavison being awesome, But whenever Spiderman movie comes out it’s always wants everybody wants to see
Spiderman is an annoying child.
I think that vision number 2 and strange number 1 because they hane infinity stones