Many of Marvel Comics’ most iconic characters, such as Wolverine and Deadpool, are morally ambiguous anti-heroes. Unlike more reliably noble heroes like Captain America, anti-heroes are much more willing to do whatever it takes to see justice served, even if it means murder and fighting other superheroes. At times, their level of violence and self-absorption pushes them dangerously close to full-blown villainy. Anti-heroes in the Marvel Universe come in many different forms, from ruthless mercenaries to god-like agents of vengeance. With their world-shattering abilities, some of Marvel’s strongest and most unpredictable figures are anti-heroes – both the universe’s greatest defenders and its most terrifying threats.
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From rampaging monsters to villains trying to turn over a new leaf, Marvel Comics has never shied away from representing the darker side of vigilante and superhero work. These are the strongest and most dangerous characters in Marvel, constantly blurring the line between good and evil.
7) Red Hulk
Although Thunderbolt Ross, aka Red Hulk, started as one of Hulk’s deadliest adversaries, over the years, he has begun to let go of his hatred towards the Jolly Green Giant and become an anti-hero. Red Hulk has always been more willing to kill evildoers, even as a frequent member of the Avengers. He is fueled by gamma radiation and possesses nearly unmatched strength, routinely fighting some of the strongest characters in Marvel, such as Hulk, Thor, and Juggernaut. He has jumped from the Moon to Earth, destroyed an asteroid with a punch, defeated several of Galactus’ Heralds, and even once absorbed the Power Cosmic. While he may not be as strong as his green counterpart, Red Hulk is still a terrifyingly strong rage-fueled monster.
6) Magneto
As an Omega-Level Mutant, Max Eisenhart, aka Magneto, is one of the strongest mutants on the planet. Magneto is infamous for acting as both an enemy and a member of the X-Men because he’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect mutantkind from persecution. Magneto, the Master of Magnetism, wields control over the entire electromagnetic spectrum. His powers allow him to manipulate the iron in a person’s blood, alter materials at the atomic level, topple mountains, release planet-wide EMPs, and could even erase the Earth’s magnetic field with a thought. With such a wide array of destructive potential, Magneto has battled the entire X-Men single-handedly, even matching powerhouses like Thor and Hercules.
5) Loki
For decades, Loki stood as one of Marvel’s biggest villains and the archenemy of his adoptive brother, Thor. In more recent comics, however, Marvel has reimagined the God of Mischief as a more complex and morally gray anti-hero who at times is willing to do the right thing. Although Loki lacks Thor’s sheer physical power, his mastery over sorcery is nearly unmatched in the Marvel Universe. He can turn clouds into dragons, shapeshift, teleport, mind control people, cast illusions, manipulate the elements, and much more. Silver Surfer even once remarked that Loki has enough magical power to destroy a planet. While he doesn’t often rely on raw strength, Loki is without question one of Marvel’s most powerful Asgardians and sorcerers.
4) Sentry
Bob Reynolds, aka Sentry, is Marvel’s depiction of what happens when Superman has a darker half. Considered one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe, the Sentry is said to possess the force of a million exploding suns. He has super-strength, super-speed, flight, energy projection, and molecular manipulation. Unfortunately, Bob’s mind is in a constant battle to keep the Void, his evil split-personality, from taking over and wiping out all life in the universe. Some of Bob’s most impressive feats include destroying Asgard, fighting the Worldbreaker Hulk to a standstill, and ripping the Greek God of War, Ares, in half. While Bob has shown the potential to be a great hero, his bad side is always at risk of breaking free and causing untold devastation.
3) Ghost Rider
Johnny Blaze, aka Ghost Rider, was fused with the Spirit of Vengeance known as Zarathos, becoming the terror of Earth, Heaven, and Hell. With his unholy power, Johnny can shoot hellfire, consume souls, ride on his Hell Cycle at faster-than-light speeds, level skyscrapers, and perform countless other feats. Johnny’s trademark ability is the Penance Stare, which can cause victims to feel the pain and suffering of everyone that they’ve ever hurt all at once. If Johnny cedes control to Zarathos, he gains a massive power boost, as the malevolent spirit is a multiversal threat and one of the few entities capable of matching the all-powerful Lord of Hell Mephisto in combat. With all this power, sinners everywhere have learned to fear the hellish might of the Ghost Rider.
2) Hulk
Although Bruce Banner, aka Hulk, is often seen as a hero, his history as a destructive force of nature who has clashed with both heroes and villains makes him more aligned with an anti-hero. The Hulk possesses limitless strength that only increases as he grows angrier. He’s cracked Thor’s skull; punched with enough force to shake the multiverse; and broken chains made of the First Firmament, which could overwhelm the omnipotent deity known as Eternity. Even more impressive is that Hulk cannot die. Even if he were to be atomized, Hulk’s soul can travel through the mystical Green Door to come back to life like nothing happened. No wonder Hulk is known as the “strongest one there is.”
1) Scarlet Witch
There are few characters in Marvel Comics as powerful and dangerous as Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch. Wanda has acted as both a hero and a villain in the past, with her allegiance reliant on her mental stability. With her Chaos Magic, Wanda is a Nexus Being: an individual capable of warping all of time and space with a thought. During House of M, she rewrote the universe so that mutants were the dominant class. She eventually went mad, and her Chaos Magic threatened to destroy the infinite multiverse. And of course, with just the single phrase “no more mutants,” she caused 90% of all mutants to lose their powers. Wanda remains one of the most valuable assets – and most dangerous threats – to the Marvel heroes.
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