Marvel’s Most Powerful Cosmic Teams, Ranked

There is so much more to Marvel Comics than Earth’s heroes, and when the company brings in cosmic-based teams from off-world, it is easy to see why. The Guardians of the Galaxy are the most famous of these cosmic teams, but in the comic books, they aren’t the most powerful. They aren’t even close. The best of the Marvel cosmic teams include units that defend their planet, those that travel the stars and defend those who need help, and even used to include a team of intergalactic police that was close to being Marvel’s version of the Green Lantern Corps. They are also almost always at war with each other.

Here is a look at the best cosmic teams in Marvel Comics, ranked by power levels.

10) Starjammers

The Starjammers are a team that has primarily been led by Cyclops’ father, Corsair. Scott’s dad was abducted from Earth and held enslaved for years before he escaped, and, taking on the role of a pirate like he remembered from his time on Earth, led a team of swashbuckling heroes. Corsair has no powers, but is a military strategist and has had some powerful allies on his team over the years, including his son Havoc, the X-Men member Polaris, and others. They are a fun team, but they have never been the most powerful, and serve mainly as allies helping bigger forces when needed.

9) The Black Order

The Black Order gained a lot of popularity when they first appeared in the MCU as Thanos’s lieutenant squad in Avengers: Infinity War; they were also brand-new in the comics when they made their movie debuts. The cosmic Marvel team debuted in New Avengers Vol. 3 #8 during the Infinity storyline. In this cosmic event series, Captain America led the Avengers into deep space to battle a cosmic threat, so Thanos chose this time to attack Earth. He brought with him his new team of the Black Order and found some worthwhile heroes still on Earth to fight back. This issue introduced Ebony Maw, Black Dwarf, and Proxima Midnight, along with Corvus Glaive, who was introduced a short time before. They have since become allies to Thanos in several cosmic-level events, but they only serve more powerful villains.

8) Guardians of the Galaxy

The Guardians of the Galaxy are one of the most overrated teams in Marvel Comics because they are nothing like they were in the MCU. They didn’t even exist in the form most fans know until right before their MCU debut, and they came to prominence in the Annihilation storyline. Initially, the Guardians were a team from the future with heroes like Yondu as the prominent members, and they took part in things like The Korvac Saga. However, when Marvel changed things up with a present-day team led by Star-Lord, that resulted in what most fans know of today. There are powerful members, like Drax the Destroyer, and fan favorites like Rocket. However, they are also uneven at best and have had to deal with their own members going rogue more than once, keeping them ranked lower among cosmic powerhouses.

7) Warbound

The power of Warbound was shown at its greatest in World War Hulk when Hulk became Marvel Comics’ most dangerous villain. When the team attacked Earth, Hulk was clearly the most powerful member as its leader, but the rest of the team had their merits as well. They included Korg, No-Name, and Miek, who betrayed his team. Since Hulk stepped down, Katherine Waynesboro took up leadership of Warbound, and the team clearly lost a step without the big green guy involved. It has been hinted at that Hulk might have used a form of the team in the 2025 cosmic crossover event Imperial, when he set off for Sakaar with Amadeus Cho and She-Hulk, and if they are indeed a new Warbound, they are powerful once again.

6) Inhumans

The Inhumans have been around in Marvel Comics since its early years, first debuting in the pages of The Fantastic Four, predating even Silver Surfer and Galactus. They initially weren’t seen to be too much of cosmic beings since they lived on Earth before moving to the moon. However, their origins date back years, when the Kree Empire genetically engineered them to serve as soldiers, before the Inhumans’ race took a stand and stood on its own. The Inhumans are a race with countless members, but the team here would be the Inhumans Royal Family, which includes the extremely powerful Black Bolt, Medusa, Gorgon, and select others. The Royal Family has proven to stand up to anyone in a fight, from Thanos and the War of Kings storyline to Black Bolt’s surprise part in the 2025 Imperial storyline.

5) The Imperial Guard

The Imperial Guard is one of the most feared units in all of the cosmos. This is the team of soldiers that exists to defend the Shi’ar Empire and to see that the Empire has its way in universal affairs. The team is led by Gladiator, a Marvel Comics character who is equal to someone like DC’s Superman in every way. They made an early impression years ago when they captured Jean Grey and almost beat the entire X-Men team, demanding that she stand trial for the crimes of the Dark Phoenix. They have also been a massive part of the Annihilation event and the 2025 Imperial crossover series, and they have proven to have the might to take on anyone, from the Kree and Skrulls to Black Panther and the Nova Corps.

4) The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda

T’Challa sent a team of explorers out into space to find the origin of the Mena Ngai, and they ended up getting lost. A temporal anomaly then caused them to end up time-displaced in the past. They ultimately settled on a fertile, unclaimed region of a distant spiral galaxy and then built a thriving empire, which subsequently expanded to conquer other societies. Over 2,000 years, it began to conquer planet after planet over five galaxies before they finally faced the Earth-616 Wakanda and the man who mistakenly caused this Empire to form. The idea that the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda conquered so many planets without anyone who could stop them shows their might and power. T’Challa kept the Empire intact, though, and assigned M’Baku to be its regent and help when needed.

3) Annihilators

The Annihilators were a team formed with one purpose in mind. They were meant to annihilate enemies and do something that teams like the Guardians of the Galaxy were not capable of pulling off. This meant putting together some of the heaviest-hitters in all the galaxy to go after the most dangerous enemies. Cosmo (the Russian dog) formed the Annihilators out of some of the most formidable warriors in the universe to stop Blastaar and anyone who stepped up after him from threatening the universe. The members included the Silver Surfer, Gladiator, Beta Ray Bill, Ikon, Quasar, and Ronan the Accuser, and there might not be a stronger set of characters on one team than that.

2) The Kree-Skrull Alliance

At one time, the Kree Empire and Skrulls were involved in one of the deadliest wars in the universe. These alien races hated each other and wanted nothing more than the destruction of their enemies. However, in the Empyre storyline, something happened that united them. Hulkling turned out to be the son of the Kree warrior Captain Mar-Vell and a Skrull princess, and he was the rightful heir to the throne. As a result, this war ended when Hulkling became the new Emperor and united the two races into the Kree-Skrull Alliance, with members including Super Skrull and even Carol Danvers. They remain a powerful force, and the combined alien races are a threat to anyone who tries to attack them.

1) Celestials

The most powerful team in all of cosmic Marvel Comics is the Celestials. This group of cosmic beings debuted in Eternals #1 in 1976, from none other than Jack Kirby. The First Firmament created them, but they rebelled and shattered the first universe and started the multiversal cycles, showing their true power. They helped create the current universe in Marvel Comics. They are amoral beings who visit planets and pass judgment on the lower life-forms. They also created the Eternals and Deviants and inserted the gene into Earth that is responsible for mutants. While they are not immune to death, and a Celestial even died on Earth four billion years ago, they are more powerful than almost any other being in the universe.

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