Hey, all! So, IGN recently posted the ten most powerful villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And while that list was…less than satisfying, I thought it’d be cool if I dissect who’s really the most powerful of them all. But why stop at the bad guys?! This ranking list will have the top ten most powerful villains and heroes in the MCU. Disclaimer: This is my list, based on feats seen in all the movies and the What If? Series. If you like this list, please share, and don’t forget to check out some of my other rankings articles!
Top Ten Most Powerful Villains
1. Ultron Prime
In the What If series, Ultron not only defeated the Avengers and gained all the Infinity Stones, but he made quick work of Thanos, himself! Not even The Watcher could defeat him, by himself! This version of Ultron felt more menacing than what we saw in Age Of Ultron.
2. Ashrim
Ashrim is a Celestial (those giants that we saw in Guardians of The Galaxy and Eternals) who could create lifeforms and destroy entire planets. Their physical form is gigantic, and although we haven’t seen their full potential, we do know that they can wield Infinity Stones without any real injury. I feel we may see more Celestials in the future.
3. Thanos
Off the break, Thanos had everyone shook! From shrugging off Thor, beating Hulk to a pulp with his bare hands, to making the Avengers look like chumps. Thanos wanted ALL the smoke! Not only that, but he’s really the only one who actually won…
4. Scarlet Witch
Poor, poor Wanda. Even in Age of Ultron, her potential for chaos was evident. Creating illusions, mind control, and destroying an Infinity Stone, Wanda was already the most powerful Avenger. Then, after the events of Endgame, her grief took over. Creating Vision from remnant pieces, unleashing her power to hold a town hostage, and absorbing the mystic Darkhold, Wanda’s powers grew. They grew even more, controlling an alternate version of herself, killing members of the Illuminati, and destroying Kamer Taje.
5. Hela
From breaking Thor’s hammer to killing damn near everything on Asgard, Hela was a true force to be reckoned with. Odin’s daughter, Hela could only be destroyed if the entire realm of Asgard was destroyed. So, potentially, Hela is nigh-invincible. She can even resurrect dead warriors and make an infinite number of blades.
6. Dormammu
A being from the Dark Dimension, Dormammu not only has the power to destroy or imprison realms but seduce mystics to do his bidding. And judging from what we’ve seen in Doctor Strange, he’s clearly an Omega Level threat.
7. Ego
A former Celestial, Ego’s true form was an entire planet. Capable of creating avatars of himself, transmutation, shape-changing, and more, Ego would’ve taken over the galaxy.
8. Loki
The God Of Mischief himself, Loki isn’t a slouch. Illusions, mystic daggers, half-Joutun, Loki can be trouble. But, while still an Asgardian, his real power lies in deception.
9. Wen-Wu
The Ten Rings made Wen-Wu immortal, granting his powers and abilities. Combined with his martial arts mastery, Wen-Wu became a warlord known as the Mandarin (the real one, not the one from Iron Man 3).
10. Agatha Harkness
Able to withstand Wanda’s Hex illusion, Agatha Harkness is a witch, capable of draining others of their energy. She gave Wanda a run for her money, but Agatha’s ego and greed were her downfall.
Honorable Mention- Green Goblin (that hallway fight scene alone, gave him a spot.)
And now, time for the heroes!
1. Wanda Maximoff
As an Avenger, she had the most potential to be the most powerful member of the team! When she was resurrected, Wanda almost single-handedly killed Thanos!
2. Thor
The God of Thunder, Thor is capable of smashing Frost Giants, killing Chitarui Leviathans, and can control lightning, creating hurricanes, and more. Thor is a powerhouse, for sure.
3. Captain Marvel
Carol Danvers is a one-woman army. Taking out a Kree invasion, going toe-to-toe with Thor, and almost stopping a Power Stone empowered Thanos, Cap. Marvel has barely begun to show how powerful she really is.
4. Hulk
Now, you may wonder why I put Hulk after Thor on this list, especially since he beat Thor in Ragnarok. Well, Hulk may indeed be the strongest, but he isn’t the most Powerful. Beating The Abomination, tanking attacks from a Hulkbuster suit from Iron Man, and the aforementioned fight with Thor. While not at the top, he’s still in the rankings.
5. Doctor Strange
From tricking an evil god to rage quit, giving Thanos a run for his money, making Loki look weak, and fighting an evil version of himself, Dr. Stephen Strange is a force to be reckoned with. While he may not be the Sorcerer Supreme anymore, Strange has the power and ingenuity to still be one of the best magic users in the MCU.
6. Vision
First things first, RIP to the O.G Vision. A combination of Starktech and the Mind Stone, Vision is an android capable of intangibility, super-strength, flight, and high density. He can also fire lasers from his gem (which Thanos ripped out, btw.) Now, in the show Wanda/Vision, the organization S.W.O.R.D created their own version of Vision with the same abilities but none of his memories. He’s still out there, so it's only a matter of time before he shows up again.
7. Valkyre
As a former member of the all-female squad of warriors, Brunnhilde aka Valkyre is an experienced fighter, with skill, a winged horse, and she can spar with the Hulk. Having super-human strength, stamina, and prolonged lifespan healing factor, Valkyre is someone you want to go to war with. Plus, she’s the new ruler of Asgard, so that’s a plus.
8. Captain America (with Miljnor)
We all knew it was coming. From Age of Ultron to Endgame, we knew Steve’s moment was coming. In the three-on-one battle with Cap, Iron Man, and Thor versus Thanos, things were looking bleak. Tony is knocked out, Thor is about to die from his own battleaxe, then we see it. The hammer is being lifted as STEVE WIELDS THE HAMMER! Using its power, Cap gave Thanos pause for a few moments. The only reason he’s low on the list is that
it was temporary.
9. Groot
While at first glance only a humanoid tree, Groot may be unkillable. He survived being blown up in the first Guardians movie, then come back albeit younger in the sequels, and is capable to grow any limb he loses.
10. Moon Knight
So long as the Moon God Khonshu exists, Moon Knight can never really die. Blessed with the gift of divine empowerment, Marc/Steven/Jake can fly, heal fast, manipulate the damn sky and summon unlimited crescent daggers, Moon Knight is more than just a knockoff Batman.
I did say, once, that I would be doing a ranking of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe films and here it is! My official ranking of them all, is in tier listing, cause there are too many for a traditional ranking list. Disclaimer: This is MY LIST!!! Yours may be different, and that’s ok!
S Tier
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Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The movie that made casual fans respect Steve Rogers. The Russo Bros knocked it out of the park with this one. The best “spy” movie that come out that year.
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Spider-Man: No Way Home. Well, the third time is the charm. Y’all know I don’t vibe with the first two Spidey films under the Mouse’s direction. But this one…this movie nails what it truly means to be Spider-Man.
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Black Panther A stellar cast, an antagonist with credible beef, and a soundtrack that’s still fire, Black Panther is GOAT’ed.
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Avengers: Infinity War. The movie that left millions of viewers stunned. Thanos won. How rare is it, when not only the heroes lose, but the villain can bask in his victory in the film?!
A Tier
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Guardians Of The Galaxy 1 & 2. While I didn’t know it at the time, the Guardians films incorporate what I wanted in these films; color that popped, a cool soundtrack, humor that didn’t suck, and a strong sense of family.
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Iron Man 1 & 2. Both films blend practical effects with CGI and introduce new characters to the then-infant universe.
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Thor. Yup. The first Thor movie made it this high, argue with the wall. Comedy is cool, but not at the expense of sacrificing character development. And that’s what brings Thor so high. An arrogant warrior turned hero.
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Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings. With some of the best fight scenes in the MCU, Michelle Yeoh and Andy Lao bringing the heat, and Simu Liu throwing hands, Shang Chi is fire.
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Avengers Endgame. A lot of fanservice
went to making this film. Most of it was great (Cap wielding Miljner against Thanos, all the heroes coming back in an epic battle. Peak Marvel, right here.
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Captain America:Civil War. When sides are chosen, sparks fly. With the introduction of Black Panther and Spider-Man, Civil War still poses a good question; who was right, Cap or Iron Man?
B Tier
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The Incredible Hulk. Now hear me out, this Hulk movie is not only a love letter to the television show, with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, but it shows how much pressure Bruce Banner is in as he tries to contain the beast within. Plus, we got a Hulk that doesn’t look like Shrek, and that final fight was epic.
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The Avengers. Not saying this movie was bad, or anything. But upon rewatching, it’s just…good. Like day-old pizza that still tastes good, but not as good as your first ate it.. The team coming together was classic.
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Doctor Strange. While the visuals were trippy, it slowly became more of the same fanfare with Marvel.
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Age of Ultron. Again, not terrible, but not great. We did see more teamwork, though. And while hints of future movies are nice, and the addition of Scarlet Witch was a great investment, Ultron’s age didn’t seem to last.
long. The What If cartoon show did him better justice.
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Captain America: The First Avenger. While not as thrilling as the latter two, First Avenger does a good job at giving an origin story, while explaining why Steve was chosen. To be a good man, not a perfect soldier.
C Tier
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Iron Man 3. The trailers deceived us, with the “Mandarin” fake-out. RDJ carried this film with his comedic charm, but other than that, a skippable sequel.
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Spider-Man Homecoming and Far From Home. Yup. I said it. Argue with the wall. He makes the same mistakes in both films and cares more about Tony Stark's legacy than his own.
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Thor: The Dark World. Another flop. I can't even remember the villain or the plot. Loki stole the show, though. Thor was mollywhopped by some no-name dark elf, and the finale wasn't much to write home about.
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