Throughout the entire history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, many characters have harnessed the power of vibranium, but some have used it to become far more powerful than others. Originating from meteors that crashed to Earth millennia ago, vibranium is one of the strongest, most versatile, and most coveted resources in the MCU. Vibranium might soon be surpassed by adamantium and other formidable materials, but it has still been used to enhance many of Marvel Studios’ most notable heroes and villains.
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Vibranium made its first official appearance in the MCU in Captain America: The First Avenger. Since 2011, the metal has been the source of many characters’ power in the MCU, though some never harnessed the full extent of the resource’s ability. The likes of Captain America, Ultron, holders of the Black Panther mantle, and more have all used vibranium in the MCU, and have become some of the franchise’s most significant characters because of it.
15) Ulysses Klaue
Ulysses Klaue was a black market arms dealer who learned of Wakanda in the 1990s after he was hired by N’Jobu to infiltrate the nation and steal vibranium. Klaue was successful – we’ve never seen his infiltration of Wakanda on-screen – but he later sold his stockpile to another MCU supervillain. He eventually acquired more vibranium that allowed him to kit himself out with a prosthetic arm that doubles as a weapon, but met his demise at the hands of Killmonger. Klaue had influence as an international criminal, but had very little power, even when using vibranium for himself.
14) Everett K. Ross
With espionage experience and a higher intellect, Everett K. Ross just beats Ulysses Klaue. Ross was brought to Wakanda during the events of Black Panther in 2018 to save his life after he was shot by Klaue, and he learned about the immense mountain of vibranium buried beneath the Golden City. Ross then used vibranium apparatus to remotely control a vehicle and stop Killmonger’s shipments of vibranium from leaving Wakanda. He used his wits, smarts, and skills to help stop the rampaging usurper, forming a close bond with the Wakandans in the process.
13) Howard Stark
If we’re counting smarts as power, then few beat Howard Stark. Back in the 1940s, Stark acquired vibranium seemingly willingly from Wakanda, allowing him to forge it into the shield that would become Steve Rogers’ Captain America shield. Stark, of course, never actually used vibranium himself, but he did use the Captain America shield before handing it over to Rogers. Stark is one of the most intelligent characters in the MCU’s history, and therefore one of the most powerful and influential, even years after his demise.
12) Nick Fury
Marvel Television’s Agents of SHIELD may not be considered canon to the MCU’s Earth 616 timeline, but it could be assumed that Nick Fury, the former Director of SHIELD, did indeed use vibranium. In Agents of SHIELD, Fury passes his vibranium “Toolbox” on to Phil Coulson, dubbing him the new Director. The Toolbox contained everything Coulson would need to lead SHIELD effectively, and the idea that this device could exist in the MCU’s primary continuity means a new SHIELD could soon arise. Fury’s power and command makes him one of the MCU’s most significant and powerful characters.
11) Sam Wilson’s Captain America
Every iteration of Captain America in the MCU has harnessed vibranium in one way or another. While the super-soldiers Steve Rogers and John Walker only used vibranium in the form of the iconic shield, Sam Wilson needed something more protective. With no super-soldier serum, Sam has instead been gifted an entirely-vibranium costume from his Wakandan allies, giving him impressive strength, flight capabilities, and durability. Even so, he’s still lacking any innate superpowers that bring him up to par with the likes of Rogers, Walker, and more, but his vibranium suit is certainly helpful.
10) John Walker’s US Agent
John Walker is only more powerful than Sam Wilson because of the super-soldier serum running through his veins. Walker became Steve Rogers’ successor as Captain America after Sam Wilson chose to retire the moniker and donate the shield to the Smithsonian, but Walker initially functioned as Captain America without the serum. He couldn’t handle the responsibility and lack of power, however, so took the same serum used by the Flag Smashers, allowing him to eventually become US Agent. John Walker doesn’t use vibranium anymore, even though he’s a central member of the New Avengers team.
9) Peggy Carter’s Captain Carter
We haven’t seen much of Captain Carter in live-action, but the animated What If…? series saw a variant of Peggy Carter become a super-soldier instead of Steve Rogers. Earth 838’s Captain Carter was quickly killed by the Scarlet Witch during Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but What If…?’s version became one of the multiverse’s most powerful heroes and its eventual savior. While her live-action variant might not be considered so powerful – certainly not as powerful as Steve Rogers – her animated iteration was one of the most powerful characters in the MCU’s history prior to her sacrifice.
8) Steve Rogers’ Captain America
Steve Rogers’ longevity makes him the strongest version of Captain America around. He has proved capable of battling the likes of Red Skull, Loki, Ultron, and Thanos, proving himself to be stronger than the likes of Sam Wilson, John Walker, and Peggy Carter’s super-soldier variants. Rogers operated for many years with his vibranium shield – created by Howard Stark in the 1940s – but relinquished this icon after fighting Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War. Stark later gave the shield back, allowing Rogers to pass it on to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame.
7) Bucky Barnes’ Winter Soldier
You might imagine Steve Rogers would be the strongest vibranium-wielding super-soldier there is, but his use of a primitive vibranium shield means his overall power pales in comparison to Bucky Barnes. Rogers’ childhood friend, Barnes became the superpowered Winter Soldier at the hands of HYDRA, kitted out with a metal arm. It wasn’t until Avengers: Infinity War when this arm was replaced with a Wakanda-made vibranium one, however, which enhanced Bucky’s power significantly. Bucky’s use of a vibranium prosthetic arm makes him naturally more powerful than other super-soldiers, and makes him a formidable member of the New Avengers team.
6) Ultron
The tyrannical artificial intelligence Ultron might not have obtained the vibranium body he really wanted, but he did manage to give himself a juiced-up form with some vibranium resources – but with no empathy. Ultron also used vibranium to lift a huge section of Sokovia into the air, with the intention of dropping it back to Earth as a meteor that would have eradicated humanity. Ultron is seriously powerful, but not powerful enough to defeat the combined might of the Avengers – though he would likely be able to take on any super-soldiers by himself very easily.
5) Dora Milaje & The Wakandans
Since one of the most rich sources of vibranium sits beneath Wakanda, the residents of the African nation have learned how to harness the resource for many uses. They weave it into their clothes, turning everything they wear into armor, they have used it to power their vehicles and make huge technological advancements, and they have forged some of the world’s most impressive weapons – many of which are used by the Dora Milaje. Wakanda’s all-female elite army have proven themselves to be more powerful than super-soldiers, especially in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but couldn’t singlehandedly defeat the Talokanil.
4) Namor & The Talokanil
While one vibranium meteor landed in what would become Wakanda, another landed in the ocean off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. The vibranium infused the underwater plants that were ingested by Namor’s ancestors, allowing them to breathe underwater, where they established the new society of Talokan. While much of Namor’s power comes from his origins as a mutant as well as a Talokanil, all of his people are infused with vibranium, making them incredibly powerful, and they have used it similarly to the Wakandans. The Talokanil proved stronger than the Wakandans in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
3) Riri Williams’ Ironheart
In her MCU debut, Riri Williams was revealed to have built a device capable of tracking vibranium. She had no idea that she would soon be wielding the formidable metal herself, as she forged a suit of armor out of vibranium after being brought to Wakanda for her protection. This vibranium Ironheart suit was incredibly powerful, allowing Riri to go toe-to-toe with the attacking Talokanil. Arguably, her new magically-powered suit from the Ironheart series is perhaps even more powerful than her vibranium armor, but even with the suit, Riri wasn’t as strong as more-seasoned vibranium wielders.
2) Black Panther
We’ve seen many different versions of the Black Panther in the MCU and across the multiverse. The most powerful Wakandan warrior and the protector of the African nation ingests the vibranium-infused heart-shaped herb to become a super-soldier, and then kits themselves out in a vibranium costume that gifts them extra protection. Marvel Studios has mentioned the likes of Bashenga, Azzuri, T’Chaka, T’Challa, N’Jadaka, Shuri, and multiversal Black Panthers, including the last Black Panther from Eyes of Wakanda, each of whom have increased on the power of the last.
Bashenga
We haven’t properly seen Bashenga in the MCU aside from him appearing in an animated montage exploring the origins of Wakanda in Black Panther. Bashenga united the five kingdoms of Wakanda and was the first to consume the heart-shaped herb. He became the first King of Wakanda and the first Black Panther, working in communion with the panther goddess, Bast, to become a formidable warrior, but future Black Panthers became much more powerful.
T’Chaka
Played at times by John Kani and his son, Atandwa Kani, T’Chaka was the father of T’Challa and Shuri, the former King of Wakanda and the former Black Panther. He proved to be a formidable and steadfast leader, even to the point of killing his own brother for betraying Wakanda, but he ultimately met his demise at the hands of Baron Zemo in Captain America: Civil War. A variant of T’Chaka became a member of an Avengers team in 1988 to battle Ego and his Celestial son, continuing to prove his impact on the MCU.
T’Challa
In the wake of T’Chaka’s death, his son, T’Challa – portrayed by the late Chadwick Boseman – became the King of Wakanda. T’Challa had already been operating as the Black Panther, and proved to be one of the most agile, skilled, and determined holders of the mantle, but also having the capacity for change, empathy, and an open mind when faced with opening Wakanda up to the rest of the world. T’Challa was one of the MCU’s most beloved fixtures, so it was seriously tragic to lose both T’Challa and Boseman, though his legacy has been continued beautifully.
Erik “Killmonger” Stevens
N’Jadaka, the son of T’Chaka’s killed brother, became a hugely skilled warrior after his father’s death in 1992. He became an elite Navy SEAL before making his way to Wakanda and besting T’Challa in ritual combat. This allowed him to become Wakanda’s new King and the new Black Panther, and proved that, initially, he was stronger than his cousin. However, T’Challa’s return saw him beat Erik “Killmonger” Stevens, stabbing him when their vibranium suits were compromised by the maglev train carrying even more vibranium. Killmonger’s variants have also harnessed vibranium in new and dangerous ways.
Shuri
Shuri became Wakanda’s new Black Panther in the wake of her brother’s death from a mysterious and unconfirmed illness in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Shuri became incredibly strong as the Black Panther, managing to take on Namor one-on-one after isolating him on dry land. As well as being a synthetic heart-shaped herb-empowered super-soldier, Shuri is also one of the MCU’s most intelligent and technologically-minded characters, making her even more powerful than the other Black Panthers, but there is one that is even more impressive than the MCU’s current Wakandan warrior.
The Last Black Panther
Introduced in the animated Eyes of Wakanda series, the last Black Panther – whose identity is unknown but is voiced by Anika Noni Rose (Them, Mufasa: The Lion King) – harnesses vibranium in a way no other Black Panther has. In the 24th century, after being attacked by the alien Horde, the Queen Mother of Wakanda and the Black Panther used vibranium to create a device allowing her to travel in time. She arrived in 1896 and convinced Tafari and Kuda to return a vibranium ax that would one day be found by Killmonger, fixing the timeline and saving her future.
1) Vision
Originally designed to be a powerful body for Ultron, Vision’s entire form is formed of vibranium. His body is strong enough to hold the power of the Mind Stone, and offers Vision some seriously impressive abilities that other MCU characters could only dream of. Vision is one of the MCU’s most significant and powerful characters ever, proving strong enough to take on Ultron, other Avengers, and even another version of himself, but he still unfortunately met his demise. Now he’s rebuilt and ready to return in the MCU’s upcoming Vision Quest series, Vision’s power might only increase, and vibranium will be back at the forefront of the franchise once again.
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