The Best Marvel Universe Characters

Let’s face it; Marvel is one of the biggest – and most successful – franchises in the world. There have been plenty of attempts to bring the characters to the big screen, but the 2010’s have really seen them come into their own. Long before the movies and TV shows, Marvel characters were welcomed into our lives through comic books.

There is so much to understand and learn about each character. Their backstories, powers, and relationships with one another have gone on to create an entire universe. However, the best Marvel Universe characters have a certain something that helps them to stand above the others.

Iron Man is another hero that has grown to become so strong thanks to his impressive brains. In fact, it was Iron Man that helped to change the way the Infinity Gauntlet worked. His armor helps Iron Man to be undefeatable in most situations as he can turn into just about whatever he likes. The armor is only one of the things thought up by this hero, and it comes filled with every kind of gadget we can think up. Even Thanos fell victim to this impressive Marvel hero.

Think of Thor – and then flip everything you know on its head. In the end, you should be left with Star-Lord. He’s a human who’s obsessed with ‘80s music and lives in space. That’s enough already. Throughout ‘Infinity War,’ Star-Lord grows on many of us as he provides comic relief throughout the movie. However, that – and his beloved Sony Walkman – can’t distract Star-Lord from the battle. In the end, this hero always knows how to keep his eye on the primary goal.

The Incredible Hulk is one of the most recognizable Marvel Universe characters – and there are plenty of reasons why. There are no limits to the hero’s strength, as it’s all linked to his anger levels. The angrier he feels, the stronger he becomes. In fact, World Breaker Hulk was so strong that he could destroy an entire planet with one stomp. Sure, all of The Hulk’s power comes from his strength, but having so much power means that he doesn’t have to rely on anything else in battle.

If you think about it, we really don’t know that much about Black Widow. In fact, the only things that we do know have come from other people. She is a talented spy and assassin, which might explain why we know so little about her past. Black Widow has been brought to life in many Marvel movies over the years and is soon set to get her own standalone film. Hopefully, this will help tell us more about Black Widow’s elusive past.

Some superheroes are made. Others, like Captain America, were superheroes long before they gained their impressive powers. His will and determination to see everything through to the end made him the perfect candidate for super serum. Now, Captain America is a force to be reckoned with as his capabilities are more than any average human could ever imagine. As if all of that wasn’t enough already, Captain America’s shield and indestructible uniform means that he is almost untouchable. This is a superhero with a lot in his arsenal.

She is one of the newest additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Captain Marvel has already become a favorite among many. Her powers mean that she can vaporize just about anything that stands in her way, but that is just the beginning. Captain Marvel can fly at unimaginable speeds – even in space – and has the ability to breathe when out there in the universe. There is little that can bring this hero down, especially as her shots are mainly one-shot victories.

What happens when you bring a humanoid and a tree together? You get Groot – and he doesn’t disappoint. The superhero is ageless and practically immortal. If Groot loses a limb or any part of his body, then he can simply regenerate himself. To top it off, Groot merely reforms from a sapling any time someone thinks they have ended his life. The hero is super strong, allowing him to pick up enormous objects with great ease, and can extend his limbs to help him pull off different attacks.

Yet again, we have another Marvel Universe character who is largely recognized by people across the world. Thor has an intense backstory to his name, and his character hasn’t disappointed many fans all this time. As well as being the only hero to take down Thanos in ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ Thor has always been at the top of his game thanks to his superhero skills. Wielding Mjölnir, holding onto Stormbreaker, and conjuring lightning bolts are all in a day’s work when it comes to being Thor.

Of course, with a name like Spider-Man, it might be no surprise that this superhero has all the powers of the arachnid that turned him into such a force to be reckoned with. However, Spider-Man’s powers don’t stop there. The Marvel Universe character has incredible strength, which means he can stop trains, lift buses, and hold cruise ships together with great ease. The best bit Spider-Man has special senses that allow him to detect any threats before they arrive, giving him an incredible edge over anyone brave enough to take him on. This hero really does have it all.

Being a part of S.H.I.E.L.D. means that Nick Fury is an intense agent who knows how to fight if he needs to. It’s said that Nick’s aging has been slowed thanks to the Infinity Serum. That’s not the only thing noticeable about this Marvel character. Nick also wears an eyepatch, thanks to a former injury. He admits that he still wears the patch to make it easier to go undercover thanks to a contact lens and a wig.

Although he is painted as a bit of a joke in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ franchise, Drax the Destroyer is no laughing matter. The superhero gained his strength as he altered himself and trained to become strong enough to take down Thanos. This means that he can take down any weaker being with ease, and only some of the most powerful villains in the universe can bring him to an end. Drax’s strength is so impressive that he can walk away from projectiles that would take down a building, and even Groot can’t hold him with his branches.

Let’s face it; Ryan Reynolds helped Deadpool to become one of the best-loved characters in the Marvel Universe. His sarcastic and comical ways keep the audience entertained while Deadpool’s healing abilities mean that he can walk away from a fight even if the rest of the world is in tatters. It’s not just his powers that make Deadpool a major threat. He is ruthless, takes no mercy, and has an impressive number of weapons to hand that makes him a real force on the battlefield.

Being the richest man in the entire universe means that Black Panther has been able to get his hands on every type of tech. His suit is made from a rare substance called vibranium, which means Black Panther is indestructible. No one can take him down unless they are some kind of next-level villain. Vibranium also makes up most of Black Panther’s weapons while his invisibility thanks to his suit and master combat skills make him a slick Marvel Universe character on the battlefield.

We can throw superpowers around like they are going out of fashion, but let’s face it; magic is usually going to come out on top. Doctor Strange has the power to turn anything or anyone into anything that crosses his mind. His abilities also allow Doctor Strange to throw people around the universe, trap them in a single moment of time, or travel to another realm. There is not much that anyone can do to stop Doctor Strange, and that helps to make him one of the most powerful Marvel beings of all time.

Controlling the weather isn’t a superpower that most of us would choose, but seeing Storm in action might be enough to change your mind. The Marvel Universe character doesn’t need to get close to her enemies as she can simply cast up a cyclone or lightning bolts to take them down before they get too close for comfort. The downside to Storm’s powers is that her body is as weak as an average human’s. Thankfully, most people never get close enough to make that a worry.

Wolverine is another Marvel Universe character that has healing abilities that have helped him live for centuries. Of course, it’s not just this that’s helped Wolverine to succeed. His claws are a real threat as they can’t be broken. Team this with Wolverine’s incredible rage, and this hero is a real threat. He never has any mercy and will easily take down any enemy that stands in his way. You know that someone is a force to be reckoned with if they are strong enough to battle the Hulk on many occasions.

If you had the chance to choose any superpower, what would you decide? Super speed? Time to join Quicksilver. The superhero has made plenty of appearances in the Marvel Universe, including his time in ‘X-Men: Apocalypse.’ Here, he was able to save all of the main heroes in just one second, thanks to his incredible speed and quick thinking. He might not be the strongest hero of the bunch, but Quicksilver has the brains and speed that he needs to work his way out of most situations.

If you’re trained to be one of the best martial artists in the world, then the chances are that you know a thing or two about one v. one combat. Mantis was trained so highly that she was able to take down Captain America as she has learned how to assess her opponent’s weak points and use them to her advantage. As if that wasn’t enough, Mantis has learned how to project her astral form to anywhere that plant life exists.

We get that Ghost Rider might not be one of the most mainstream Marvel Universe heroes, but he is still pretty impressive. After all, how often do you see someone whose head has turned into nothing more than a flaming skull? That’s what we thought. One of Ghost Rider’s many powers is the ability to show someone the darkest depths of their soul. We guess that’s what you get when you sell your soul to the devil and return as a demon from Hell.

Magneto takes on the role of one of the most powerful supervillains in the Marvel Universe. He saw his family have their lives ended, and Magneto was sent away at a young age. It was here that he transformed into the supervillain that many of us have come to know. He can contort and manipulate metal – you might be surprised how many things contain metal – meaning that he can control most things. In fact, Magneto’s powers are so strong that he was even able to pull Wolverine’s claws from his body.

Is he a bad guy? Is he a hero? That’s a question that will forever be up for debate. Loki is Thor’s brother and a trickster who spends a lot of his time going between helping the bad guys and the good guys. He is a character with plenty of layers that are slowly peeled back throughout his time in the Marvel Universe. While the jury is out on which side Loki is playing for, there are plenty of reasons that the character has become a beloved part of the Marvel Universe for many.

The Thing’s power is so impressive that even Doctor Doom tries to stay away from the hero. He is resistant to water and fire thanks to being made from rock and can handle most knocks as a result, too. Although The Thing is one of the heavier superheroes, he is surprisingly fast. Most people struggle to outrun the character, making him a real threat in a fight. The only thing that holds The Thing back is his brains. Smarter enemies might be able to trick the hero, but they sure won’t beat him in a battle of strength.

Not everyone is worthy enough to lift Mjölnir. Vision is one of the precious few, but that’s not all this Marvel Universe character has up his sleeve. Vision never has to eat or sleep, he never gets tired, and he can fly with absolute ease. Do things get any better? This character was trained by Captain America, meaning he has everything at his disposal that he could need to win a fight – whether it’s as his natural self or one of his superhuman shapes.

If you picture Ant-Man, then we guess you’re thinking of him in his adult-size form? However, it’s his shrunken self that is such a threat to the rest of the world. Ant-Man has the power to shrink so small that he can get into someone’s bloodstream. He can also get into someone’s body before transforming back to human-size and destroying his enemies. The possibilities are endless when it comes to this superhero. Ant-Man’s only weakness is that his shrinking powers and strength don’t work on supremely powerful characters.

Rocket Raccoon might look like a regular raccoon, but this character is a lot more than meets the eye. He is a fast character thanks to years of training as well as a talented technician, engineer, and starship pilot. Rocket Racoon is often seen with an overly heavy weapon in his hands and often uses his natural raccoon abilities, such as heightened hearing and smell, to help find his way around. Thankfully, his sharp claws mean that Rocket Raccoon is pretty good at climbing, too.

You know they say you should always leave them wanting more? Well, that’s what Marvel seemed to do with Gamora. She is the adopted daughter of Thanos and has superhuman strength as well as incredible healing powers. Being the last of her species should mean that Gamora worries about her safety, but that’s not the case. In fact, this hero ends up going against her father and standing in his way as she tries to help the good guys bring Thanos to an end. Her plan might not work, but Gamora will always be remembered for trying.

He started out as a World War II soldier and ended up a brainwashed character. Winter Soldier has come a long way throughout the Marvel Universe. He lost his arm during an accident, but it was soon replaced with a robotic arm instead. Sadly, his brainwashing meant that Winter Soldier was made to end the lives of Tony Stark’s parents. However, the other heroes help to rid him of the control and team up with Winter Soldier in the final battle against Thanos.

If you think of a hero wearing armor, then the chances are that you think of Iron Man, right? It’s time to add another contender to the list: War Machine. His armor means that War Machine has almost all of Iron Man’s powers. He can shoot explosives, beams, bullets, projectiles, and lasers at the same time in every direction. Be sure not to stand near him if you want to walk away with your life. Another thing to bear in mind is War Machine comes from the military, meaning he has plenty of close-contact training.

She might be a few hundred years older than Thor, but that doesn’t mean that Valkyrie is weak. In fact, she is one of the stronger characters in the Marvel Universe as the Valkyries have power levels that match up to the god of Asgard. Being more powerful than most other beings on the planet means that Valkyrie can take down Loki and Hulk in combat. It also means that she can spar with Thor and give the hero a run for his money.

Here we have a Marvel character that has got many of us thinking. Punisher is a man on a mission as he tries to avenge the passing of his wife and daughter by taking out any criminal who stands in his way. However, he doesn’t always do this in the best way. Punisher has plenty of interactions with Daredevil that all help to pave his storyline and explain his backstory. Thankfully, we got to see a little more into the character’s life thanks to Punisher’s own spin-off series.

She was first introduced to the world as Captain America’s love interest, and it wasn’t long before many Marvel fans decided they didn’t like Agent Peggy Carter. Thankfully, that has changed for many as Peggy has become one of the best Marvel Universe characters. She is one of the founding members of S.H.I.E.L.D., meaning that she has helped to create a huge part of the Marvel Universe. Pegg’s importance within the storyline means that she has gained quite a few fans all this time.

When it comes to Marvel Universe characters with impressive archery skills, Hawkeye takes home the gold medal. Sure, he might lose to Black Widow in a one v. one situation, but he knows his way around a bow and arrow – something that he uses to his advantage time and time again. This makes Hawkeye one of the best fighters and more dangerous than the top snipers of the world. As if that isn’t enough, Hawkeye doesn’t even need to be in the vicinity to take someone out. If that’s not impressive, then we don’t know what is.

Scarlet Witch has everything she needs to be one of the strongest characters in the Marvel Universe. She just needs a little bit more practice and experience before she can take the gold. Scarlet Witch has powers that let her manipulate people’s feelings and thoughts, meaning she can instruct them to do her bidding. Her magic also means that Scarlet Witch can bend reality and has the power to destroy the Infinity Stones. When she’s at full capacity, there isn’t much that can take his hero down.

Silver Surfer is a pretty impressive Marvel Universe character for many reasons. The hero has the ability to travel within galaxies at a whim. His board also means that fighting is no longer a worry as it helps Silver Surfer to move faster than the speed of light. Even if something does come close enough to end Silver Surfer, he simply regenerates himself and comes back to life. Just watch out that he doesn’t absorb your planet in one swift move. Did we forget to mention that’s a thing?

Netflix has done an incredible job of bringing many Marvel Universe characters to life over the years. Luke Cage in no exception. The character didn’t have to be a hero, but he decided to change his path and become the hero that the town needed. Being incredibly strong and bulletproof sure helped to make that happen. Although he has a handful of superpowers that makes him pretty indestructible, Luke Cage is surprisingly human as he shows emotions and empathy toward others.

You don’t graduate at the top of your S.H.I.E.L.D. class for no reason. Mockingbird is one of the most talented agents that the avengers have ever seen. She is great at face to face combat and knows her way around plenty of weapons, including the batons that she is usually seen with. Mockingbird has had a handful of screen appearances over the years, but we think the lack of screentime means there is still plenty more to come from this character.

Thor is one of the many Marvel characters that has been greeted to plenty of backstories over the years. One of his primary foes throughout time comes in the form of Hela. She has appeared in many features over the years and comes with all of the superpowers of other Asgardian gods. Yup that means super strength, speed, and agility are all in Hela’s favor. The best bit? Hela also has learned how to tap into her mystical powers throughout her life.

Here we have a Marvel character who has been inspired by Norse mythology – and she comes in the form of Sif. The character is infatuated with Thor and a few of the individuals who are worthy enough to lift his famous hammer. She, too, has superhuman strength as well as heightened reflexes, speed, and agility. You’ll most probably catch Sif at Thor’s side as she is known to follow him into battle. If not, you may see Sif teleporting between Earth and Asgard.

Being able to turn into the hottest thing on the planet makes The Human Torch one of the most impressive Marvel Universe characters. He can shoot fireballs and fly around in his heated state, but it’s the heat alone that’s so impressive. If The Human Torch stays in his superhot form for too long, then it could be enough to permanently change the Earth. It’s already enough to change the local weather. The Human Torch is also the founder of the Fantastic Four, and we think that’s pretty impressive on its own.

If you see Captain America, then the chances are that Falcon is never too far away. The hero is always incredibly loyal to his friend and has played a valuable part in many battles. Falcon has a limited ability to talk to and control surrounding birds. He also gets up high with them as the hero uses mechanical wings to soar through the skies. Falcon is key in helping to defeat the Children of Thanos as they try to take down Vision and Scarlet Witch.

We don’t all need strength to win in a fight. Mr. Fantastic is a prime example. His leading superpower is his incredible mind. His brainpower is so advanced that he can think of possibilities that seem out of this world to many. This has helped Mr. Fantastic to create all kinds of devices and makes him almost impossible to trap. Why? He can always think of a way to get out of a situation without having to rely on other powers. Of course, being able to stretch to incredible lengths sure helps, too.

Many Marvel Universe characters have a love interest of two throughout their stories. Pepper Potts is there for Iron Man as the two seem to have a budding romance at various times throughout the story. Before she had a mag-field generator implanted into her chest, Pepper Potts suffered from tinnitus. This has since been cured and instead been transformed into an ability to sense electromagnetic fields. Pepper also has her own suit that amplifies many skills, such as giving her faster speed and improved strength.

While it might look as though Korg is made from rock, the character is actually covered in a silicon-like substance instead. This means that he is pretty much immune to any physical attack that might come his way. He is often compared to The Thing thanks to his appearance and strength, but there are some differences between the two characters. Korg is intelligent and safe from attacks while also having a prolonged life thanks to his mineral form. Things certainly look good for Korg.

With a name like Quake, it might be no surprise that this superhero can make vibrations and earthquakes across the world. It comes in a lot more helpful than it might first sound. Thankfully, Quake is immune to any effects from the tremors thanks to psychic shielding. Amazingly, her training means that Quake eventually learns how to target the waves to a certain object and destroy them from the inside out. If you’re brave enough to get close, then be sure to watch out for Quake’s one v. one combat skills. Yeah, she has it all covered.

It’s not just the heroes that have stolen the show over the years. The villains have done a great job all this time, too, with Kingpin one of the leading examples. He has a constant chase going on with Daredevil that gives us a brief look into his past. Kingpin is a crime lord living in New York City. Although he doesn’t have any superhuman powers, Kingpin is incredibly strong. Plus, his crimes means that he is a pretty powerful character within Marvel.

You don’t need to be near Professor X for his powers to have an effect. That’s all thanks to the fact that the character is the most powerful telepath in the universe. Professor X has the ability to scramble anyone’s minds in a second and can make people believe they are living in a dream reality, all thanks to his mind-altering powers. The best bit? Professor X’s power is so strong that you could be universes away, and he will still be able to track you down with his mind.

Many of us couldn’t wait to see Daredevil come to life in his own Netflix show, and he didn’t disappoint. Superheroes come with all different strengths. Daredevil’s? His supersonic hearing. A former accident meant that Daredevil was blinded, but this only helped him to hone his skills. Now, he has radar-like senses that mean Daredevil can track people down like no one else in the Marvel Universe. Sadly, Daredevil isn’t the strongest of characters. However, he makes up for this with his acrobatic skills and heightened senses.

She might not have always been a favorite character, but Jessica Jones is certainly relatable. The character is supposed to be a mess in all the right ways. She never asked for her powers, and she isn’t afraid to let the world know. However, an accident means that Jessica now has the skills to fly, block mind control, and superhuman strength. Her screentime has remained pretty accurate to her comic book self, making Jessica one of the most relatable and diverse characters in the Marvel Universe.

Of course, you don’t earn a name like Apocalypse for no reason. This Marvel Universe villain has lived for hundreds of years and seen any things in his time. He is one of the first mutants in the world who has a strange collection of superpowers. To start, Apocalypse is immortal. He can also control all of the molecules in his body. This means that the supervillain can transform into just about anything that he likes. As if that wasn’t enough, Apocalypse is also pretty intelligent, making him quite the evil force.

You might be thinking how you can fight someone you can’t see. There’s the trick: you can’t. Invisible Woman does just what she says in the name as she can sneak around undetected. Even if someone is lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Invisible Woman, she has a forcefield ready and waiting to tear her enemies apart. She is arguably the strongest of the Fantastic Four thanks to the help of her forcefield teamed with her immense sneaking abilities.