How Powerful Thunderbolts*’ New Avengers Are Compared to the MCU’s Original Avengers

It’s difficult to put into words just how important the Avengers are to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Nick Fury realizes early on that there are threats out there that organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D. can’t handle on their own, so he begins to put together the Avengers Initiative. While assembling superheroes with baggage seems like a recipe for disaster, it turns out to be just what Earth needs when Loki starts mind-controlling people and gouging eyes out. Defeating the God of Mischief gives Earth’s Mightiest Heroes the confidence they need to go off on their own, which proves to be a smart move because it doesn’t take long for other villains to attempt to plant their flags.

Unfortunately, the original six Avengers remain a team for all of two movies. Infighting leads to their downfall, and by the time all the beef is squashed, it’s too late to get the band back together. The Avengers become a relic of a bygone era until Valentina Allegra de Fontaine introduces a new team, one that isn’t anything like the original, in Thunderbolts*. What the New Avengers lack in star power, though, they make up for with strength.

The New Avengers Have a Pretty High Floor in the MCU

The Thunderbolts initially want nothing to do with each other. When Valentina sends a few of her hired guns to kill one another, it blows up in her face when they realize that they have a common enemy. Red Guardian shows up a bit late to the party, but he saves Yelena Belova, Ghost, and John Walker from certain death and pushes them to form a team. While the anti-heroes are reluctant, Bucky Barnes gives them the push that they need by agreeing to help them save Bob. The entire group heads to New York City, and while Bob doesn’t want to be saved, they lend a hand anyway, freeing him from the Void and saving the city. In that moment, the New Avengers are born. The media has a field day with the team, calling them the “B-Vengers,” but what the world doesn’t realize is that the team’s potential is nothing to scoff at.

Yelena, of course, is nothing more than a spy who has a few tricks up her sleeve, just like her sister. However, Ghost, arguably the next weakest member of the team, is still significantly stronger than the average human. The rest of the New Avengers are super soldiers, who all pack a punch and have significant military training. And the ace in the hole is Bob, the normal-looking man who harbors a dark alter ego that can swallow the planet whole at the drop of a hat. While Bob has to be very careful about allowing his Sentry persona to take over, as losing control could unleash the Void, there’s no downplaying his strength. There’s a reason Valentina calls him more powerful than all of the Avengers combined. The only issue with that logic is that Valentina doesn’t know just how dangerous the original six can be.

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The Original Avengers Never Reached Their Full Potential Together

It’s easy to downplay the strength of the original Avengers team because there are two humans on the roster. After all, there’s the old adage that a team is only as strong as its weakest link. That phrase doesn’t take into consideration the presence of an Asgardian and a Hulk, though. When the Chitauri invade New York, Hulk and Thor do most of the heavy lifting, allowing the other Avengers to handle tasks around the city, such as closing the portal and escorting civilians to safety. The same thing happens in Sokovia in Avengers: Age of Ultron. While everyone fights, it’s clear that some are more capable than others.

Even when the Avengers are scattered as they fight Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, they still find a way to make an impact. Thor, in particular, flips the conflict on its head when he arrives in Wakanda with Stormbreaker, a weapon powerful enough to kill a god. The might of all of the Infinity Stones isn’t enough to stop the God of Thunder from plunging his axe into the Mad Titan’s chest. Sure, Thor makes a fatal error by allowing Thanos to snap his fingers, but if power is all that’s being measured, it’s easy to overlook the mental mistake. The New Avengers have a ringer, but he’s far less consistent than the strongest member of the original Avengers, which would put them at a severe disadvantage on the battlefield.

Thunderbolts* is streaming now on Disney+.

Do you think the original Avengers are more powerful than the New Avengers? How well do you think Thor would fare against Sentry? Let us know in the comments below!