Even though these Marvel Cinematic Universe characters don’t have any superpowers to speak of, they have still managed to become some of the franchise’s most important and memorable heroes. Most of the heroes of the MCU do harbor powerful abilities, which have helped the likes of Steve Rogers’ Captain America, Bruce Banner’s Hulk, Wanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witch, and many more become practically unmatched heroes. However, some characters have achieved this status without having any innate superhuman gifts, which is perhaps even more impressive.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Some of these heroes are minor characters who had a much larger impact on the MCU than anyone ever expected. Others, however, managed to become central superheroes in the MCU, despite not having any natural powers. This includes the likes of Sam Wilson’s Falcon-turned-Captain America, Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow, and, of course, Tony Stark’s Iron Man, all of whom will be remembered as some of the MCU’s most important fixtures. More and more superpowered characters are being added to the MCU, so this is a good opportunity to look back at some of the best heroes without any abilities.
7) Phil Coulson
Even though Marvel Television’s Agents of SHIELD series is not actually considered canon to the MCU, we still remember Clark Gregg’s Phil Coulson very fondly. Coulson was one of the most prominent SHIELD agents seen during the MCU’s Phase 1, making appearances in Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and two one-shots before meeting his demise in The Avengers. It was Coulson’s death at Loki’s (Tom Hiddleston) hands that inspired the Avengers to band together and avenge him. Without Coulson’s sacrifice, the Avengers might never have formed, which makes him one of the MCU’s most important characters.
6) Darcy Lewis & Jimmy Woo
Both Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) and Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) are formidable in their own right, but, when they worked together in WandaVision back in 2021, they proved to be even stronger together. Lewis and Woo joined SWORD to investigate the Scarlet Witch’s Hex around Westview, New Jersey, and put their skills to good use uncovering the mystery of the WandaVision broadcast. They later helped Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) re-enter Westview to reason with Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). Separately, Darcy has helped Thor save the world several times, while Jimmy might have a bright future in the MCU.
5) Sam Wilson’s Captain America
The fact he has no superhuman abilities has recently been a topic of discussion for Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. While Steve Rogers’ Captain America (Chris Evans) had the super-soldier serum, Wilson does not. He does sport Wakanda-made vibranium armor and a wing-suit similar to the one he used as the Falcon, but Wilson has no natural powers, and is just a regular man — albeit extremely physically fit. Even so, he defeated the Leader (Tim Blake Nelson), Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito), and the Red Hulk (Harrison Ford) in Captain America: Brave New World, and he’ll soon lead his own Avengers team.
4) Peggy Carter
Steve Rogers surrounded himself by powerful individuals who didn’t actually have any powers. While Sam Wilson took over the role of Captain America, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) became Rogers’ love interest in the 1940s, and this love persisted even years after Carter’s death. Without Peggy Carter’s influence, there probably wouldn’t have been a Captain America, especially since she saved his life repeatedly during Captain America: The First Avenger. Similarly to Agents of SHIELD, the Agent Carter series is also not considered canon to the MCU, but, nevertheless, Carter has still always been depicted as a self-assured, confident, and formidable hero.
3) Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow
A former Black Widow assassin-turned-SHIELD agent, Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff was always depicted as one of the most skilled fighters and most courageous characters during her time in the MCU. Romanoff became a founding member of the Avengers in 2012, despite having no innate superpowers other than her extremely impressive fighting skills. It was her bravery that made her stand out from the crowd, too, particularly when facing death on Vormir in Avengers: Endgame. Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova is continuing her sister’s legacy brilliantly as the new Black Widow of the MCU and the leader of the New Avengers.
2) Nick Fury
While there might have been no Captain America without Peggy Carter, or no Avengers without Phil Coulson, the MCU would be significantly different if not for Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury. The former Director of SHIELD, Fury became an ally to the world’s heroes after fighting Skrulls with Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) in 1995, and he set out to form the Avengers. Fury always acted as a grounding influence on the MCU’s heroes, even when his actions were questionable. Even though he has no superhuman powers, the trajectory of many heroes’ lives would have been very different without Nick Fury.
1) Tony Stark’s Iron Man
It’s quite unbelievable that a character with no superpowers could have had as much of an impact as Tony Stark’s Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). Some unpowered characters may have influenced the lives of the MCU’s heroes, but Stark used his genius-level intellect, love for his family, and immense courage to save the entire universe. Downey Jr. was the face of the MCU throughout the Infinity Saga, so he had the largest impact on the franchise both on and off-screen. Stark saved the world countless times and eventually defeated Thanos (Josh Brolin) by using the Infinity Stones, sacrificing himself.
Tony Stark is remembered in the MCU as one of the world’s most important figures, and likely forever will be. Robert Downey Jr., however, is returning to the franchise with a very different role after a six-year hiatus. Downey Jr. made an uncredited cameo appearance in The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ mid-credits scene as Doctor Doom, a role which he’ll reprise in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. This will mean Downey Jr. will have played one of the MCU’s most powerful heroes, and also one of the franchise’s most terrifying villains, which we can’t wait to see.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Courtesy of Crunchyroll
