The 10 Most Powerful Marvel Figures from the MCU

It’s not just important that our heroes — and villains — are powerful. It’s necessary. Because action-adventure flicks, which encompass the super hero genre (among others), are built on the battle scenes. Big boss fights, epic duels between longtime rivals, and CGI showdowns are an essential part of the cinematic experience for comic book fans. What happens on those vibrant panels, popping with colors and super-powered punches, must translate to live action. Otherwise, the whole movie falls flat.

To achieve this, we must have some seriously strong Marvel figures. Our favorite characters have to display amazing abilities that keep them entertaining through every silver and small screen scene. The MCU has achieved this beyond belief. So, let’s count down the 10 most powerful Marvel figures from the movies. Did your favorite character make our list? Better yet, would they even survive a round with these top 10 contenders?

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10. Deadpool

Hey, Deadpool counts! He’s part of the MCU now, and he has the Disney movie to prove it. So he ranks on this list as #10, but also as our only antihero. This former Special Ops soldier is an incredibly skilled fighter who can take on multiple enemies at once and survive. That’s also thanks to his healing factor, which makes him essentially immortal. Plus, there are hordes of him/his variants to fight off, which means you can get quickly overwhelmed by a whole lotta DP. One Merc With a Mouth is enough, but 20 or more? That’s a budget and battle nightmare. There aren’t too many Marvel heroes — or villains, for that matter — who can compete.

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9. Hulk

Puny gods and puny pools don’t compare to this mean, green giant. The Hulk is a space traveler and a gladiator. He’s taken on missiles and armies. It even took all the Avengers, including Iron Man in his Hulkbuster suit and Black Widow’s magic touch, to talk this guy out of a rampage. Because when he’s mad, he’ll let his allies and enemies alike know it. But also, Hulk ranks a little lower on our list because his only thing is brute strength. Yeah, he can probably punch a hole in a planet. But there are stronger characters — and others who can erase planets altogether.

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8. Vision

Vision’s got a touch of brute strength mixed with athletic ability and a pinch of magic … depending on how you define the Infinity Stones, of course. But what gives Vision an edge over Hulk and Deadpool is his intelligence. Focused and calculating, this android executes precise moves with incredible speed. His powers include flight, walking through walls, and even shooting lasers/matter from the stone in his forehead. Also, his sometimes uncontrollable emotions (especially those surrounding the love of his life, Wanda Maximoff) can make him a tad unpredictable. And that’s a lethal combination in an opponent.

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7. Thor

Thor will always be worthy of a powerful character list. The God of Thunder has gone through some serious character growth over the years. First, he was a lofty rich boy. Then, he was a true super hero — then, he got knocked off his feet. When he restored his faith in himself, however, he found his true potential. Thor is a powerhouse of elemental and muscular strength. He’s also a natural born warrior and leader who is motivated by his innate need to protect. Whether he’s wielding Stormbreaker or Mjolnir, Thor is bringing something extraordinary to a fight. He’s literally a force to be reckoned with.

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6. Loki

Before Loki season 2, our rankings for the Asgardian princes would have been reversed. But forget that. And forget what we said above about puny gods. Loki, AKA the God of Mischief and Stories, got an upgrade. He definitely wields more power than Hulk … more than his brother Thor, even. These days, Loki holds the fabric of the Multiverse together. Alone in his makeshift throne room, Loki keeps every timeline alive and thriving with his magic. Now cracks our collective noble heart when we think of how lonely he must be, though. Yet that sacrifice speaks to his power — power of the mind and spirit, not necessarily of the body.

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5. Cassandra Nova

Talk about terrifying! Perhaps the creepiest X-Men villain to date, Cassandra Nova is so dangerous that her twin brother Charles Xavier tried to strangle her in the womb. This psychopathic mutant was abandoned in the Void to keep her from causing problems on Earth. Growing up there only helped her hone her homicidal tendencies and skills, however. Prone to taking whatever she wants, Cassandra famously sticks her fingers inside people’s skulls to telepathically peek at what’s hiding in there. The visual is very intense. And she can decide, at all, if those fingers are going through you or if they’re solid enough to drag you around. Absolutely vicious, definitely unpleasant, and almost impossible to beat.

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4. Doctor Strange

Let us just say, though, that Doctor Strange might have been able to give Cassandra a run for her money. While there’s a throwaway line in Deadpool & Wolverine about Cassandra defeating a third-rate magician, we can’t imagine it’s the Strange we witnessed outsmart Dormammu. Doctor Stephen Strange is a legendary sorcerer who can travel through space and time. He wields incredible artifacts, possesses corpses, and has spells to make entire worlds forget about one kid’s existence. Plus, the spells that go wrong are especially dangerous. And it’s not like Stephen’s going to stop making mistakes anytime soon. After all, a doctor is always pursuing knowledge … and that comes with learning curves.

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3. Captain Marvel

Yeah, we know what we said about brute strength versus magic. But we have to make an exception for Captain Marvel. Not only is she an incredible and impressive Air Force pilot, but she’s got great control of her own flight. Her entire body is constantly thrumming with enough energy to destroy galaxies. But she uses that power for good, looking after anyone in need. Captain Marvel also has the power and strength to know when not to fight — when to end wars, that is. That level of maturity and mastery of one’s own skills cannot be emphasized enough.

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2. Thanos

Thanos is massive and strong. He’s also smart and ruthless, ready to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. Such mental and physical fortitude are already impressive. But then add that Thanos has the power to wield every single Infinity Stone. How do you combat that? After he erased half of the universe’s living beings, most heroes gave up. It took a huge leap of faith, plus almost every character from Earth-616, to take down the Mad Titan. Unfortunately, it also took unfathomable losses and sacrifices to get there. But that’s what makes Thanos the defining antagonist of the Infinity Saga.

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1. Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch is the most powerful Marvel figure. Like, yes, Doctor Strange technically beat her in the movies. But he needed a lot of help. And he also needed for her to decide to let him defeat her. One-on-one, down to just reality warping and sorcery, Wanda is the clear victor. Her powers are seemingly infinite. She can bend the world to her will with very little effort. Scarlet Witch was also already extremely powerful when her powers were suppressed and small. Once she’s fully unleashed onto the world, she’s horrifying and awesome to behold. Remember how she unwound someone like a slinky? Actually, yeah, we don’t like thinking about that either…

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Who do you think are the most powerful Marvel characters? Collect some Marvel action figures to show off your picks. Then, share your own list at side.show/geekgroup or in the Sideshow Social Network. And as always, don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!