10 Marvel Characters Way More Powerful Than They Seem

When it comes to power levels, Marvel‘s heroes and villains often lag behind those of DC Comics. For a long time, Marvel characters were less powerful because it made more sense in the more grounded Marvel Universe. However, even though characters weren’t throwing planets around, like they did in the DC Multiverse, they were still extremely powerful and have only gotten stronger. Characters like Hulk, Thor, Thanos, Magneto, Jean Grey, Storm, Iceman, Captain Marvel, and numerous others were always potent, but the vast majority of Marvel characters aren’t all-powerful world-beaters. However, there are plenty of extremely powerful characters that most don’t think of as powerful.

These characters are usually as in the middle of the power spectrum, but they are actually complete and total powerhouses. Some of them are fan-favorites and some of them are much less popular, but that doesn’t change just how formidable they are. These ten Marvel characters are way more powerful than you realize, each of them punching way over their weight-class.

10) Photon

Monica Rambeau has had several codenames over the years — Captain Marvel II, Spectrum, and now Photon — but one thing that has never changed is how powerful she is. Monica has energy controlling powers, allowing her to manipulate all kinds of energy. She can take on an energy form, making her a very tough nut to crack, and can move at the speed of light. In her energy form, she can travel anyway that energy can, meaning she could come at you out of fiber optic cords and the like. She can even get broadcast into a situation through a satellite. She’s a skilled and powerful hero that is easily one of the most potent people on Earth.

9) Aurora

Aurora and her twin brother Northstar are two of the most underrated mutants in the Marvel Universe. Their powers used to be that both of them were fast and could fly, but they had to be in physical contact to use their energy powers. However, thanks to Sasquatch that’s no longer the case. Aurora is another energy controlling mutant, her light powers making her potent fighter. She’s also ridiculously fast, able to approach the speed of light. On top of that, her light powers are based on molecular control, meaning she could be able to unlock more amazing powers. She doesn’t need them, though; Aurora is already a powerhouse.

8) Jamie Madrox

The plethora of X-Men teams out there have introduced readers to many characters, but few of them have had the glow-up of Jamie Madrox. Madrox has a simple power — if someone hits him, a duplicate pops out — one that has been redefined numerous times over the years. Jamie can absorb them after they’re done with the fight, and he absorbs anything new they learned. While there have been times when he refused to do that (it’s basically killing another version of himself), he’s used this ability enough to learn all kinds of things. Plus, just from a logistical standpoint, he can bog down just about anyone with enough dupes. He’s mastered the use of his actually pretty impressive powers and has become way better than he used to be.

7) Omega Red

Omega Red is one of Wolverine’s most dangerous villains, and he’s been proving that for years. His powers allow him to release “death spores”, potent combinations of viruses, and absorb the life energy of those around him, which makes him more powerful. Finally, he has the full gamut of superhuman strength, durability, stamina, a healing factor, and his tentacles, which are are almost unbreakable and incredibly strong. It’s easy to forget, but the villain fought the entire X-Men Blue Team when he first appeared and was able to devastate the team. Omega Red’s death spores and superhuman physicality, combined with his years of experience, make him an extremely powerful enemy. The only reason we don’t think so is because he’s constantly fighting someone whose healing factor negates his death spores.

6) Electro

Spider-Man has deceptively powerful villains despite his power level being pretty low in comparison to some of New York’s other heroes. One who definitely doesn’t get enough credit for his power level is Electro. His electricity powers are low key amazing. He lives in a world coursing with electric power, which he can control with a thought. He can also transform his body into energy, a ridiculously underrated power that allows him a perfect way to escape anyone. Honestly, if he wasn’t kind of dumb, he could be an Avengers-level foe on his own.

5) Magik

The New Mutants was stacked with talent, with many of its alums going on to bigger and better things. Magik is the latest to get a major league push, having spent most of the last 15 years becoming an X-Men heavy hitter. Illyana Rasputin’s teleportational powers allow her to create disks that could take her or anyone she wants basically anywhere (or even just parts of them). She can travel through dimensions, and has traveled through time more than once. She’s also a Limbo trained combat mage, with the kind of magical strength that puts her on the level of Doctor Strange or Scarlet Witch. On top of all of that, Magik is a superb combatant, especially with swords. There are few characters out there that can beat her if she really puts her mind to it.

4) Nova

Nova is one of those characters who is a B-list king with S-class power. Richard Rider was the Nova Corpsman of Earth, which gave him mid-level super strength, invulnerability, flight, manipulation of the Nova Force, and a link to the Xandarian Worldmind. When the Nova Corps was destroyed, he became the recipient of all their power, and has since become one of the Marvel Universe’s most potent heroes. He has complete control over the Nova Force, all of his physical attributes have enhanced to incalculable levels, he can move faster than light, create hyperspace portals, and manipulate gravity. He’s at another level, and it’s weird that Marvel doesn’t give him the push he deserves.

3) Sersi

Sersi is an Eternal, which makes her automatically one of the most powerful beings on Earth. The Eternals were engineered to be the perfect lifeforms by the Celestials, in order to protect the palnet from anyone who wanted to subvert the “order of the universe”, as the inscrutable cosmic gods see it at least. They all have high-level super strength, are basically indestructible, low-level psionic powers, flight, and energy manipulating powers. Sersi, though, is one of the ones with the most useful extra gift: she can psionically manipulate matter. This power is a gamechanger, as she can make anything into anything else. Her power level is out of this world, and she deserves more chances to show off.

2) Northstar

Northstar has always been the more powerful of Beaubier twins, and that hasn’t changed. He has the same powers as his sister, except he can move at the speed of light. His energy powers are greater than his sister and he’s shown a remarkable amount of control over the years. His speed is his greatest attribute; he’s not only fast in flight, but his reflexes are also super fast. He can make a thousand attacks before his opponents can make one, and he can blind anyone out there. Northstar has the power level to be an A-lister, and it’s about time he got the chance again.

1) Rogue

The superheroines of the X-Men are quite powerful, but while everyone praises Phoenix and Storm’s power level and feats, they ignore Rogue. She can finally control her powers, and has shown the ability to be able to absorb numerous powers at once. In fact, she once absorbed the powers of every superhero in New York City (which was basically all of them because they had gathered to fight a Celestial), and used it to almost singlehandedly beat that Celestial. This is a huge feat, and it shows just what she’s capable. She’s one of the most powerful and skilled heroes on Earth, and it’s about time more people started putting respect on her name.

What Marvel characters do you think are more powerful than they seem? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

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