As the Marvel Cinematic Universe reaches its 10th year, let’s look back on the 20 greatest superheroes to be part of this comic book society.
When the Marvel Cinematic Universe was created in 2008, no one could have expected it to achieve what it has in 10 years. From all the characters that debuted to the storylines and worlds that were introduced, it revolutionized the movie industry and brought these fictional superheroes to the big screen, garnering millions of dollars in the process.
Behind each MCU movie is its hero. Depending on the film, it can be multiple, much like The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War and the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 (the movie’s unofficial title). Some may be mightier than others, but they all left an impact.
It started with 2008’s Iron Man, introducing Tony Stark to the big screen. The Incredible Hulk followed that same year. Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers completed Phase One. This created the groundwork for the MCU, with its biggest heroes in the forefront and part of the next two phases of movies. Characters like Iron Man to Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hulk and Hawkeye started it all.
Following them, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange and Spider-Man joined the MCU. That’s along with the supporting characters each top-end hero brought with them.
Through 10 years, these heroes took over movie theaters and will continue to do so in February’s Black Panther and the previously mentioned Infinity War. However, which ones rank as the best? Which one is the best of them all? Many have received airtime, but we narrowed it to the top 20, along with a few jumbled together if necessary. Let’s take a look.
20. War Machine
The list starts with James Rhodes, better known as War Machine. Since Iron Man, this character has been the best friend of Tony Stark, assisting him in his adventures across the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Iron Man and Iron Man 2 showcased different War Machines, however. Terrence Howard played this sidekick role in the former, but was replaced by Don Cheadle in the latter film. That has since remained the case, as Cheadle’s version appeared in the second and third Iron Man movies, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War. He will reprise this role in the upcoming Avengers movies.
Infinity War and the untitled sequel will be opportunities to flesh out Rhodes. Don’t expect much, though, as Marvel used him as support for Stark and the rest of the Avengers. He’s a background character that likely won’t get in the way of the main superheroes’ storylines, even with a throwaway (near) death angle in Civil War.
There’s nothing else to War Machine, unfortunately. That could change in May, but with a movie already loaded with heroes, expect nothing different.
19. Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch’s character always had potential in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She debuted as the brother of Quicksilver, who lasted a mere two hours in Age of Ultron before his death, and an energy wielder.
If you watched every MCU movie with Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff, you will realize she once had a Russian-like accent. For unknown reasons, this disappeared in Captain America: Civil War. We will never know what happened, but given the shakiness of this attempt at an accent, maybe it was for the best.
In Civil War, viewers witnessed the destructive side of Wanda. She recklessly threw Crossbones into a building full of Wakandan workers, killing 26 people. This sparked the Sokovia Accords, which placed her on Captain America’s side and included friction with Vision, something that will escalate if the Infinity War trailer was an indication.
Otherwise, like War Machine, Wanda will be a background character in the upcoming Avengers movies. There may not be enough time to give proper character development, given Thanos’ invasion of Earth and everyone’s quest to stop him. Scarlet Witch will be involved, sure, but there’s little room to reach her potential. It’s likely dependant on the direction of her storyline with Vision.
18. Hawkeye
An original Avenger from the Marvel Cinematic Universe at No. 18? It’s low but deserved, given how poorly Marvel treats Jeremy Renner’s Clint “Hawkeye” Barton.
Hawkeye arrived in The Avengers, seemingly to align with Captain America, Iron Man and the others. Except within the movie’s first 20-30 minutes, Loki mind-controlled him with a scepter. This lasted for most of the film, until Barton reverted to his normal, uncontrolled form and assisted the Avengers.
After this, the most interesting thing Hawkeye did was hover around retirement. This could have been a useful storyline, except Marvel gave it no time to flesh out. He was just a side character for Civil War, too, with the battle between Iron Man and Captain America’s groups of Avengers.
Renner’s Barton will be part of the upcoming Avengers movies. With both potentially crossing two hours, it leaves plenty of time for a character redemption. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to expect this. So, we must see it to believe it.
The upside surrounds Hawkeye’s Ronin alias. Speculation persists that he will use this persona in at least one of the Avengers movies — potentially Avengers 4. It would be this character’s biggest development, and something that makes sense to push forward since Cap freed him from The Raft in Civil War. Fingers crossed?
17. Gamora
Gamora makes for an interesting case. Her character remains part of one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most popular franchises, Guardians of the Galaxy. However, characters like Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Drax the Destroyer and even Groot overshadowed her in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Vol. 2 turned Gamora into a love interest, rather than a badass that can take on the galaxy’s fiercest villains. Maybe this will change in Avengers: Infinity War, but there’s an uphill climb to get there.
The upside? Thanos, Infinity War’s big bad, is the father of Gamora. There’s plenty for Marvel to work with, as they can face off, presumably for the first time in years. It can lead to an emotional battle that draws sympathy for the female member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Will it mean her death?
For now, Gamora sits near the bottom of the list. This could change with multiple Marvel movies on the way, along with the eventual Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It will be tough to top most of the characters ahead of her, but strangers things have happened. Backstory will carry her the rest of the way.
16. Falcon
Falcon begins the move away from supporting characters. However, he fits the bill just as much as the previous ones on the list.
Sam Wilson’s Marvel Comics role dives farther than just Falcon. He dons the Captain America suit and shield, which makes him the first African-American superhero to use his alter ego. Depending on the Marvel Cinematic Universe future of Chris Evans’ Captain America, could he eventually wear the Red, White and Blue?
That’s a long way off, though, if it ever happens.
Before Avengers: Infinity War, Falcon’s role has been a sidekick to Captain America. He proved to be loyal and trustworthy to the man that got him in the superhero game, from Captain America: The Winter Soldier to Civil War. Maybe more than ever, too, with Cap freeing Sam and others from The Raft.
Other than Sam’s Air Force background, he received little to no focus. Similar to Scalet Witch and War Machine, they are along for the ride and help the leaders of the Avengers. Maybe that changes, especially if Steve Rogers’ shield gets passed down. We may not know this for about 16 months, when Avengers 4 hits theaters in May 2019.
15. Yondu Udonta
Yandu wasn’t a full-fledged hero by any means. He was portrayed as a horrible father to Peter Quill, and had a negative arc, up until the middle of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. One could make the case it was among the best redemption arcs of any character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After stealing her batteries, Ayesha sent Yondu to find Rocket and recover them. It seemed successful until there was an argument over how much the batties would be sold for, led by the disgusting Taserface. Nebula then entered the picture, who shot Yondu’s Arrow Controller and incited the mutiny within the Ravagers.
On a ship, Taserface’s Ravagers killed Yondu’s friends, one by one, by unleashing them into outer space. This isolated Udonta, and made him a character to feel sympathetic for.
After Baby Groot recovered a prototype for another Arrow Controller, Yondu installed it on his head and not only became a badass, but the latest member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Who can forget him shooting the arrow through all of Taserface’s Ravagers?
Finally, there was the ultimate sacrifice, when Yondu used the last space and flight suit on Peter. He did so to save and protect Peter, his unofficial son. However, it was in outer space, which resulted in Yondu’s death.
It was a one-off moment for Yondu, who gets remembered as a short-term but beloved member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. If not for this arc and the tearful Ravager tribute to him, he would stand no chance at cracking this list.
14. Doctor Strange
So far, moviegoers have had two glimpses at Doctor Strange: Doctor Strange and a cameo in Thor: Ragnarok. The next one will be in Avengers: Infinity War, with Wong, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, if the trailer was an indication. From there, his adventure will continue.
Stephen Strange acted as somewhat of an anti-hero in his film debut. As a surgeon, he was full of himself, not appreciating his girlfriend and being caught up in his work. That was until a car accident damaged his body, specifically the nerves in his hands. This humbled Benedict Cumberbatch’s character, who went through an arc that saw him become one of the New York Sanctum’s main sorcerers.
There’s potential behind Strange’s character development, something we don’t know how much further it will go. Karl Mordo’s villainous turn set up a foe for Stephen in a potential sequel, something Marvel has not announced (and something that may not happen until Avengers 4 hits theaters). There’s no guarantee it happens, either.
Once we see more Doctor Strange appearances, a better assessment can be made of his character. This will become clearer over the next calendar year, whether he receives more development or takes part in a game-changing event in Infinity War.
13. The Winter Soldier
One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most intriguing characters, Bucky Barnes played the role of a hero and villain in multiple movies. From Captain America: The First Avengers to The Winter Soldier and Civil War, it has been a wild ride for the best friend to Steve Rogers.
Bucky’s arc remains one of the most fascinating of any MCU figure, as well. He’s not the basic hero that just undergoes wardrobe changes and fights new foes. Instead, this is a man that went through a lifetime of trauma, from the moment he fell off that bridge in the first Captain America movie.
Civil War turned Bucky into an anti-hero. He committed heinous acts that contributed to the Avengers’ breakdown, but due to Russians brainwashing him. Once out of this controlled state, the Winter Soldier realized what he did, went to Wakanda and may do something that gets revealed in Infinity War.
Barnes’ slippery slope around the hero/villain line keeps him out of the top 10, however. If one of the Avengers movies pushes him as a good guy, then he can work his way into the upper tier. A potential donning of the Captain America suit and shield would only help this, too.
12. Rocket Raccoon/Groot
Rocket Raccoon and Groot, two CGI characters from Guardians of the Galaxy, get their own section, due to their unusual ways of being heroes. Neither are humans, but other species that no one would expect to save the galaxy in Marvel’s intergalactic adventures.
Rocket’s personality turns people the wrong way, given his frequent arguments and fights with Star-Lord. This happened in both Guardians of the Galaxy movies, including in the first one, when Rocket attempted to capture Peter Quill on Xandar. Couple that with Rocket stealing batties in Vol. 2, and it didn’t exactly make him a hero.
Despite this, Rocket still acts as an anti-hero. He won’t be like Captain America, who someone will look up to as the superhero savior of the planet. Instead, it’s as this genetically-altered animal that may be a nuisance, but proves to be someone viewers can get behind, especially when he assists Yandu escape from Taserface and assisting in Ego’s destruction.
As for Groot, he sacrificed himself in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film to save his friends. That takes him out of the Rocket-esque anti-hero conversation.
Then, there’s Baby Groot, the one who doesn’t understand directions and the character we can’t figure out, either, unless he says “I am Groot.” He saved the Guardians in Vol. 2, by placing the bomb on Ego’s core, too, which put him at the forefront of the movie’s heroics, again.
These two are unusual characters, but ones viewers can get behind. Oh, and Baby Groot makes for a great merchandise tool. Go figure, right?
11. Marvel’s Netflix heroes
While Marvel’s television heroes live in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they do not cross with the movie characters. One of the rare exceptions was Nick Fury’s appearance on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
However, this ranking goes to Marvel’s Netflix heroes — the ones that gained recognition since 2015, with the heroic work of Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and The Punisher. These five brought their comic book identities to this streaming service and saw their respective popularities take off.
It started with 2015’s Daredevil, which brought Matt Murdock, a blind superhero and lawyer to the forefront. Jessica Jones followed, a show based on a character of the same name. These shows served as the Marvel Television Universe’s standard-bearers and kicked off a multi-year run for Hell’s Kitchen’s saviors.
Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Punisher followed these shows in 2016 and 2017. These often featured more divisive reactions, including the Frank Castle-based program, but all three provided an interesting take on this street-level heroes … depending on who you ask about Danny Rand.
Each of these shows was renewed for another season, with Jessica Jones kicking things off on Mar. 8, 2018. We will see the next direction for the Netflix world and what it could bring, but so far, so good, which gives it this ranking outside the top 10.
10. Drax the Destroyer
Drax the Destroyer is a monstrous, fierce-looking goof. He doesn’t look the part of a hero, much like Rocket Raccoon and Groot. Yet, Drax remains arguably the most entertaining member of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Given the size of former WWE superstar Dave Bautista, he acts as the muscle of the Guardians, one who can wreck anyone that steps in his way. It makes him the most aggressive and powerful member of the team, even if there are a few downsides of his use to the team.
As seen in the opening fight of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Drax can get…overzealous, but for comedic purposes. The sequel turned up the volume on his comedy and punchlines, most of which hit the mark. That included when Mantis sensed the “love” Peter Quill has for Gamora.
A negative toward Drax was his arc in Vol. 2. He mostly stuck as the role player, while Peter, Gamora, Rocket and Groot received storylines. The jokes were there, sure, and he had an interaction with Mantis. Otherwise, there wasn’t a story to be told for the Guardians’ most intimidating member.
With two Avengers movies on the way and a potential Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there’s every chance for Drax’s character to evolutionize. He’s still a top character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, and there’s potential for more.
9. Ant-Man
Like the Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man is another unusual member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A man in a super suit that shrinks and enlarges? It doesn’t sound great, but on film, it gave viewers an unlikely superhero to get behind.
Viewers meet Scott Lang, a criminal that was just released from prison. He robbed a former employer who overcharged their customers and spent three years behind bars, which caused a divide between Lang and his ex-wife, along with their daughter Cassie. Scott wants to do whatever he can to have a relationship with her and avoid a return to jail.
The criminal side of Scott doesn’t stay back for long. He breaks into Hank Pym’s home and steals his Ant-Man suit. It’s the last crime Scott commits, but it was through Hank’s plan to get the former to test the suit.
Scott shows he’s far from your average superhero, as he attempts to steal a device from the new Avengers facility for Hank. His thievery comes into play with this suit’s abilities, since shrinking finds him sneaking into smaller places that others can’t.
At the end of Ant-Man, Scott proves to be a hero and role model for Cassie, as she sees him defeat Darren “Yellowjacket” Cross and save their family. It’s another successful arc for a Marvel Cinematic Universe character.
8. Black Widow
From her debut in Iron Man 2, Natasha Romanoff, better known as Black Widow, became a popular member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She played a side role to Iron Man and Captain America, and was one of the first members of the Avengers in The Avengers.
Black Widow does not have superpowers, unlike most of the heroes on this list. Instead, her martial arts training provides more than enough support to fight members of Hydra or eventually take down Thanos’ army in Avengers: Infinity War. Plus, it’s Scarlett Johansson, one of the most recognizable actresses in Hollywood, which only adds to this character’s profile.
On screen, Black Widow’s background has not received significant attention. That may change, however, with the recent report of a Black Widow movie in the works. It potentially allows for everyone to discover what happened in Budapest. That’s along with Hawkeye getting more screen time than he ever has in previous Avengers movies, since he’s frequently connected to this mission-in-Budapest plot.
Aside from this potential movie, we will see Natasha suit up at least two more times (Infinity War and Avengers 4, with a look at her secret agent skills that faked everyone out in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, in the scene with Robert Redford’s Alexander Pierce. Of course, it’s no guarantee she makes it out alive of their movie, but everyone at least gets to see her in action and ready to do those quintessential superhero action shots, as seen in the Infinity War trailer.
7. Black Panther
Ranking Black Panther at No. 7 may seem far-fetched, especially with Black Panther not in theaters, as of this writing. Plus, Chadwick Boseman’s character received just one movie credit in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with his debut in Captain America: Civil War.
A No. 7 ranking factors in upside for T’Challa. Black Panther gained steam over the past month, as it nears closer to a worldwide release. Stunning visuals and a new world will arrive, which has the chance at making Black Panther stand out as one of the MCU’s greatest heroes.
So far, T’Challa’s arc surrounded his father T’Chaka’s death in Civil War. This led to his pursuit of the Winter Soldier, who was accused of orchestrating the attack that killed the former king of Wakanda, and contributed to the story of chaos and breakdown around the Avengers. Black Panther only played a supporting role in this storyline, but that will change in the next four weeks.
If the Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War trailers mean anything, T’Challa will become one of the focuses of the MCU. At least the nation of Wakanda will, which obviously puts him at the forefront. Expect big things from this character, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues its expansion.
6. Hulk
For those just getting started in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, two “versions” of the Hulk exist. Kind of. There was 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, which starred Edward Norton as Bruce Banner. It was a one-off appearance, however, due to problems behind the scenes. Mark Ruffalo replaced Norton in The Avengers, which has stuck ever since.
Until November’s Thor: Ragnarok, Hulk only showed up for the Avengers movies. He was an original member in the 2012 film and played part in Age of Ultron, before flying off in a Quinjet and not being seen for two-and-a-half years.
Banner developed an emotional connection with Black Widow, mostly while he was in Hulk form. It seemed these two were on the brink of a relationship, until the events of Age of Ultron, when Bruce departed to not put Natasha Romanoff in danger.
Another layer was added to Banner’s character in Ragnarok, when he fought through the stress of being the Hulk and calmed down. It took a recording of Natasha’s voice to do this, so could there be a link between these two in Avengers: Infinity War?
When Banner returned to the Hulk form in Ragnarok, it appeared to be a permanent transformation, as the doctor himself said in the movie. However, the Infinity War trailer showed viewers the human form of Banner, so what’s the deal?
Either way, the Hulk is one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most powerful heroes, something everyone probably knew already. However, the emotional aspect of this character gives it an extra layer, which helps him connect to the moviegoers.
5. Star-Lord
The Star-Lord character does not just tell jokes or fight with the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Instead, he’s one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most developed characters. Go figure, for someone that leads a group of ragtag heroes, right?
This starts with Peter Quill’s parents. He lost his mother to a brain tumor which, as it turns out, was implanted by his father Ego. It pushed the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and led to the explosive battle between a parent and his kid, something that was over 30 years in the making.
Star-Lord does not possess superpowers, either, at least not anymore. He had them for a split second in Vol. 2, before Ego’s death and the destruction of his planet. This reverted Peter back to his normal self. As he said in the movie, “What’s the problem with that?”
This humanized, mistake-prone character feels like one of the best the viewers can connect to. There’s no special ability in Quill’s game, but a desire to save the galaxy and make a name for himself. That has been enough to lead this film series, which should receive its third in 2020 to complete the trilogy. Will this be the end of Star-Lord’s story?
4. Spider-Man
It took what seemed like an eternity, but in 2015, Marvel worked a deal with Sony for Spider-Man’s movie rights. This brought Spider-Man: Homecoming to the table in July 2017, with Tom Holland as the latest actor to take Spidey’s suit.
Homecoming gave viewers a teenage version of Spider-Man. Not the high school graduate that Tobey Maguire once played, either. This Peter Parker was 15 years old and a rookie in the superhero business, having just completed his Avengers trial in Captain America: Civil War. So, trial and tribulation filled this film, as Parker struggled with being a young hero and placing a city on his back. The Ferry scene showcased this (Iron Man fixed Spidey’s mistakes).
Even at the movie’s end, with a plane destroyed and a damaged New York City, it still did not make Peter appear to be a perfect superhero. He barely thwarted Vulture as well. But, all of this made Parker a relatable hero, as he was not this immortal figure that can handle anything that comes his way. He proved to be a hero in the making — one who had to make mistakes before finding his stride, something everyone may see in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers 4 and the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The youth and inexperience make this version of Spider-Man special. He’ll grow into one of the faces of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially if any of Captain America, Iron Man or Thor perish.
3. Thor
Thor became the third character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to receive a trilogy, following the Iron Man and Captain America threequels. Thor and Thor: The Dark World produced quality box office results, but were not the most praised Marvel films, arguably falling near the end of the 17 that already make up this universe.
However, Thor: Ragnarok was a game-changer, giving fans a colorful, galactic adventure for the God of Thunder. It provided the most entertainment, too, moving away from the dark, depressing tone of the forgettable The Dark World.
Ragnarok provided fans a refreshing take on Thor. He rose from a plain character to someone that had comedic chops, while showcasing badass qualities vs. Hela and her army. The third Thor movie also made this Asgardian character vulnerable and not so much like a god (the implosion of Asgard, Thor’s lost eye). Like other previously noted heroes, this humanized Thor, leading him on another unique arc that eventually places him with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Of the three MCU characters to receive sequels, Thor seems like the most likely one to get a fourth movie. Attribute this to Chris Hemsworth still being in his 30’s and the box office success of Ragnarok ($850 million worldwide). Robert Downey Jr. is 52 years old, with the last solo Iron Man movie taking place five years ago. Chris Evans likes directing and could be finished with Captain America, depending on what happens in the next two Avengers movies, of course.
The story of Thor may not be over yet. If it’s not, there’s an opportunity to expand his story and continue to develop one of the MCU’s greatest figures.
2. Iron Man
The second part of Marvel’s “Big 3” goes to Iron Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first character and titular character of its first movie. He’s arguably the father figure of the MCU, and one of the two heroes that make this comic book world go round.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark represents everything the MCU stands for. He’s an evolving character that proved to be far from perfect, but became one of the veteran Avengers over the years. From his heroics in all three Iron Man movies to some of his most infuriating moments, as ScreenRant noted, it’s what makes Tony special.
However, in 2018, the future surrounds Iron Man’s character. With Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers on the way, it puts almost every MCU character in danger. Who knows what Thanos will do to the Earth’s mightiest heroes, especially to someone like Iron Man, one that would be a grave loss for the Avengers.
If it’s the final ride for Iron Man, then let’s take these next two movies to enjoy the character and Downey Jr.’s performance. It will be difficult to match, no matter if there’s five, 10 or 20 more Marvel movies lined up. Someone different will eventually captain the MCU, whether it’s Spider-Man, someone from the Guardians of the Galaxy, a member of the X-Men or if a Red, White and Blue-wearing hero sticks around. There will never be another Stark, but there’s someone that just edges him out.
1. Captain America
While not the first Avenger to debut, Captain America was technically the first of them all. He arrived during World War II, taking part in an experiment that turned him into a super soldier. However, the events of Captain America: The First Avenger landed him in a 70-year-long sleep and in the 2010’s.
Through this movie, The Winter Soldier, Civil War and two (soon-to-be four) Avengers movies, Steve Rogers is the patriotic, role-model hero viewers can look up to. Everything he stands for, the morals and independence that gets established in Civil War showcases this top-end MCU character, even if his actions were controversial in the third part of his trilogy.
Chris Evans felt like the perfect casting for Steve Rogers, with the classic All-American look to highlight this character that “traveled” from the 1940’s. It’s difficult to argue with Marvel’s decision, as Evans makes for a believable Captain America and someone viewers will always associate with this character.
Like the other main MCU figures, Cap’s status will be in doubt in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4. There’s a chance he does not make it out alive. If so, will someone else take on the shield? Could it be Falcon or the Winter Soldier, similar to the comic books?
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