15 Strongest Heroes Who Fought in Avengers vs X-Men (Ranked by Power Level)

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Avengers vs. X-Men was an extraordinary Marvel event that pitted the publisher’s two greatest franchises against each other in a desperate struggle over the powers of the Phoenix Force. To protect their people from the perceived threat of the other side, Marvel’s most incredible powers laid absolute waste to the war of their own making. But in this devastating conflict, only the strongest heroes could lead their side to victory.

In the wake of M-Day, the Scarlet Witch unleashed a cataclysmic spell that stripped the powers of most of Earth’s mutants. With a single sentence, nearly all the world’s mutants were stripped of their powers. When Hope Summers emerged as the Phoenix Force’s new avatar, she became a beacon for the cosmic power to once again return to Earth and claim its new host. Terrified, the Avengers sought to destroy the Phoenix, while the X-Men believed it was their chance to restore mutantkind, pitting some of Marvel’s strongest heroes against each other in the event Avengers vs. X-Men.

15

Red Hulk (Thaddeus Ross)

First Appearance (as Thaddeus Ross): The Incredible Hulk #1 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman, and Stan Goldberg

All Hulks, regardless of origin or color, are terrifying yet awe-inspiring conduits for a power that predates the Marvel omniverse. From the maw of the One Below All, Hulks, like Thaddeus Ross, are made into immortal monsters whose gamma-powers are designed to reap unstoppable destruction and chaos throughout existence. After siphoning Bruce Banner’s gamma-energy, General Ross transformed into the world’s first known Red Hulk. Unlike his green counterparts, the Red Hulk’s anger doesn’t proportionally increase his strength, but rather his temperature.

The harder Thunderbolt Ross pushes himself, the hotter his body becomes until he can no longer contain the energy. If the Red Hulk releases this power at once, he can trigger devastating nuke-like explosions that ravage everything within proximity. In addition to his physical strengths, Ross is an expert military leader who is willing to make the hard calls to complete his assignment, even if it means killing himself or his allies. However, Ross’s greatest downside is his inability to manage his temper, which has frequently led to the general losing his mental prowess and tactical edge in combat.

14

Spider-Man (Peter Parker)

First Appearance: Amazing Fantasy #15 by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and Artie Simek

While Peter Parker may be a mild-mannered, local, everyday hero, Spider-Man is a terrifying physical powerhouse hidden inside a genuinely good-hearted package. Spider-Man has been given extraordinary superhuman strength, speed, and agility, which he often has to hold back to not brutalize his weekly animal-themed enemies. His wall-crawling and acrobatic skills have helped Peter become an incredibly stealthy hero despite his propensity to talk non-stop. However, Spider-Man’s powers are far more than a coincidence of a scientific accident.

Spider-Man, alongside an infinite number of multiversal variants, truly gained his powers through a mystical force known as the Web of Life and Destiny. Through this multiversal-spanning web, Peter and thousands of other spider-variants can manifest the powers and abilities of their progenitor god, Neith. Peter Parker, alongside his clones, plays a particularly vital role within the Web of Destiny as avatars of the Spider-Totem known as “the Other.” When summoned, the Other grants its avatars unbelievably godly power at the cost of becoming an arachnid monster.

13

Wolverine

First Appearance: The Incredible Hulk #180 by Len Wein, Herb Trimpe, Jack Abel, Glynis Oliver, and Artie Simek

One of the X-Men’s most iconic heroes, Wolverine is unmatched in ferocity and strength. Well before his birth, Logan was bred, groomed, and trained to become the world’s most lethal living weapon. Wolverine is one of Marvel’s few mutants who have unlocked multiple mutations, granting Logan his bone claws and his feral, beast-like, tendencies. Without his Adamantium gradually killing him, Wolverine would eventually mentally devolve as his body and senses continued to evolve him into a refined predator.

However, the Adamantium coating Logan’s bones has both saved the mutant from his own mutation and exponentially empowered his lethal capabilities. Throughout his long and enduring life, Wolverine has been hardened by war, trauma, and pain; today, the warrior can endure most types of physical and mental pain, no matter how excruciating. Unfortunately, Logan’s Adamantium skeleton, while sparing him from mental degradation, is actively killing Wolverine too. While these weaknesses may be minute, they have both been leveraged against the X-Man by many other heroes and villains.

12

Namor the Sub-Mariner

First Appearance: Marvel Comics #1 by Bill Everett

While King Namor of Atlantis is primarily known for his allegiance to both Atlantis and the seas, his part-mutant heritage sets him apart from the rest of his water-dwelling kind. Like all Atlanteans, Namor’s biology allows him to freely communicate with all marine life and explore the ocean’s deepest levels, even when the pressure would destroy most other things. He has also gained the power to manipulate all forms of water, thus effectively extending his rule beyond the ocean’s borders.

During Avengers vs. X-Men, Namor was chosen as one of the five mutants to become the Phoenix Five. While he hasn’t controlled this power on his own, even a sliver of the Phoenix’s power requires the utmost strength to endure. Aside from his physical strengths, Namor is a tactical genius whose centuries of leadership have trained him to master the art of diplomacy, military coordination, and language. Unfortunately, Namor’s mixed heritage has also caused the hero to become especially sensitive to lack of water, lack of oxygen, and the presence of pollution.

11

Emma Frost

First Appearance: The X-Men #129 by John Byrne, Chris Claremont, Terry Austin, Bob Sharen, and Tom Orzechowski

While most of the world knows Emma Frost as a shrewd yet alluring businesswoman and a matriarch to the mutant community, this Omega-level mutant has rivaled even Charles Xavier. Like Xavier, Emma can reach nearly every mind in the world, if not those beyond as well. The X-Man prefers to use her powers to conjure impressive illusions, which she has masterfully learned to use to manipulate others’ minds and hearts to her advantage.

Emma Frost is one of an exclusive list of mutants who have discovered the ability to unlock a secondary mutation. In addition to her telepathic abilities, Emma’s body can transform into an organic, diamond-like material that enhances all her physical strengths and effectively makes her ageless and immortal. In the war against the Avengers, Emma was one of the five mutants chosen to harness a sliver of the Phoenix Force’s power. Unfortunately, Emma often conserves her energy, limiting what she could be fully capable of as an Omega-level otherwise.

10

Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers)

First Appearance (as Carol Danvers): Marvel Super-Heroes #13 by Roy Thomas, Gene Colan, Paul Reinman, Stan Goldberg, and Sam Rosen

While Carol Danvers was using the Ms. Marvel moniker at the time, before the climax of Avengers vs. X-Men, the previous Captain Marvel sacrificed himself, leaving Carol to take his place as a leading hero. Thanks to the combined powers of the Kree “Nega-Bands” and horrific experimentation at the hands of the Brood, Captain Marvel has become a flying beast of physical strength with the power to absorb and release most forms of energy. However, Carol often chooses to take her fight to the stars and has developed a closer relationship with Marvel’s cosmic energies.

When Captain Marvel pushes herself to her limit, she can enter a Binary Form. In this state, Carol transforms into a living star and possesses the sheer interstellar powers to unleash devastating photonic blasts and twist gravity to her whim. Captain Marvel is a near-immortal whose power continuously sustains and regenerates her strength by consuming latent energy around her. As Ms. Marvel, Carol had previously unlocked a “Seventh Sense,” in which she tapped into her cosmic awareness to look into the future.

9

Doctor Strange

First Appearance: Strange Tales #110 by Steve Ditko, Stan Lee, and Terry Szenics

While most heroes and villains are limited to the physical constraints of the rules of reality, sorcerers like Strange have long evolved past the simplicity of non-magical life. As the previous Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange commanded, controlled, and nurtured powers from other dimensions, from the gods, and the cosmos if necessary. Even without his powers, Strange has found a way to mimic magic with the mundane.

However, the greatest flaw to most sorcerers lies in the deities where their powers originate. Heroes like Strange borrow their mystical power from otherworldly creatures who lend portions of their strength to sorcerers to command. While Doctor Doom may have usurped Doctor Strange as Sorcerer Supreme, Strange has developed a particularly close relationship with the Vishanti, the gods from which a Sorcerer Supreme’s power and knowledge derives. Even now, Strange is a near-immortal with more knowledge and experience than any other mortal on this list.

8

Magneto (Max Eisenhardt)

First Appearance: The X-Men #1 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman, and Sam Rosen

One of many Omega-level mutants who fought the Avengers, Magneto has always ensured that his allies and enemies are painfully aware of his magnificent power. The original “Master of Magnetism,” Magneto has complete control over all aspects of magnetic physics and metals. The X-Men villain has halted Earth’s rotation, controlled metal from light-years away, and terraformed Mars for Arakko’s new colony. Even the most mystically charged metals, like Mjölnir, cannot overcome Magneto’s dominating control.

More impressively, Magneto is an unparalleled tactical genius and expert in genetic engineering. With or without his powers, Magneto’s mental prowess as a scientist rivals that of Tony Stark and Mister Fantastic, and his mastery of military tactics and governance could make Doctor Doom cower in fear. Max Eisenhardt is no stranger to war and believes in the power of his people just as vehemently as Apocalypse.

7

Magik (Illyana Rasputina)

First Appearance (as Illyana Rasputina): Giant-Size X-Men #1 by Len Wein, Dave Cockrum, Glynis Oliver, and John Costanza

This multi-faceted mutant threat is far more than just a hot-headed X-Man. After being kidnapped by the demon Belasco, Magik was raised in the horrific dimension of Limbo. In time, she rose to become the Sorceress Supreme of Limbo, asserting herself as Doctor Strange or Clea Strange’s equal in both power and knowledge. Few Marvel heroes can overcome a master of the mystic arts, and Illyana is certainly one of the best.

Of course, Magik’s mutant ability is by far her most iconic. Thanks to her power, Illyana can summon “Stepping Discs,” which effectively serve as Limbo-connected portals through which Magik and her allies can travel. While Magik hasn’t been confirmed as an Omega-level mutant, her portals can access anywhere across the Multiverse and throughout time. Doctor Strange has repeatedly acknowledged Magik’s talent and surmises that her mutant and magical abilities could help her become the Sorcerer Supreme of multiple dimensions.

6

Storm (Ororo Munroe)

First Appearance: Giant-Size X-Men #1 by Len Wein, Dave Cockrum, Glynis Oliver, and John Costanza

Storm is an all-around terrifying threat that almost no other hero can keep up with, because Ororo isn’t just one type of hero. Storm, like the cosmic heroes Adam Warlock and Captain Universe, was chosen by her genetic lineage to become an Avatar of Life. This divine power has evolved Storm into a champion of all things living and has granted her access to numerous different types of powers that far exceed her original weather-manipulation powers.

Storm is an Omega-level mutant with the psionic ability to control all forms of weather, both planetary and cosmic. With her mutant powers, she outclasses Magneto’s mastery of magnetism; she communicates and commands the Earth itself; and she can manipulate entire planets under her meteorological and geographic control. In addition to her mutant abilities, Storm has ascended to become a literal goddess and commands just as much mastery over the mystical realms as she does the corporeal one.

5

Professor X (Charles Xavier)

First Appearance: The X-Men #1 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman, and Sam Rosen

An Omega-level telepath and the universe’s most powerful mind in existence, Charles Xavier is a terrifying totem of absolute power housed in the guise of a doting professor and father figure. While Xavier has traditionally relied on Cerebro to expand his abilities, the Professor’s recent Omega-level status reveal proves that everything he has accomplished with Cerebro, he can do on his own. At his most powerful, there is no mind on Earth or the universe that is out of the Professor’s reach.

Xavier can harness his powers in numerous ways, including mind control, telepathic illusions, mental shielding, and telepathic learning. During the Krakoa era, Charles’s mind proved vast enough to catalog and house the minds of every mutant whilst consistently backing up the consciousness with updates. At his most powerful, Xavier hypothetically has the power to peer into and control the minds of all living things, effectively turning himself into a mortal god.

4

Thor

First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #83 by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, and Artie Simek

There are few mortal heroes powerful enough to topple the might of a god. While Thor hadn’t yet risen as King of Asgard at the time of Avengers vs. X-Men, the God of Thunder has always had the powers of the All-Father coursing through his veins. Now, it’s been revealed that Thor is also the child of the Elder God, Gaea, which has opened an entirely new realm of mystical powers that tie Thor to Midgard’s very lifeforce.

Thor Odinson is more than just a godly powerhouse, but a genuine tactical master too. As the All-Father, Thor is charged with protecting the Ten Realms and must constantly be aware of the moving politics and powers throughout his multidimensional kingdom. Today, Thor even carries the power of the Phoenix within him; after being resurrected by the Phoenix Force, Thor has been able to summon its power and infuse it with his own lightning. In the Avengers’ war against the First Firmament, Thor used this power to repel the progenitor universe, thus saving all of reality with his strength alone.

3

Hope Summers

First Appearance: X-Men #205 by Mike Carey, Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend, Brian Reber, and Cory Petit

Hope Summers, for a time, was a living messiah for the X-Men and mutantkind. When a time-traveling Jean Grey imbued Hope’s birth mother with the power of the Phoenix Force, Hope was miraculously conceived and pre-disposed to become the Phoenix’s next avatar. Like Jean Grey, Hope carries portions of the Phoenix’s power within her, even when not bonded with the cosmic entity. But Hope’s natural mutant abilities aren’t anything to overlook.

This X-Man is an Omega-level mutant with the power to mimic other mutants’ powers. As an Omega-level mutant, Hope has no upper limit to her power and can easily copy the fully realized powers of other Omega-level mutants. More impressively, Hope also gains the expertise to use these mutant abilities to their fullest potential. Likewise, Hope often uses her powers to enhance other mutants’ abilities; without this talent, Krakoa would never have succeeded in creating the Five or the Resurrection Protocols.

2

Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)

First Appearance: The X-Men #4 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman, and Artie Simek

The Scarlet Witch is the living avatar of a power so omnipotent that it once served as the living embodiment of the Marvel omniverse’s third multiverse, the Queen of Nevers. As a Nexus Being, Wanda is at the center of all Earth-616’s living energy and is the only person blessed with the “true freedom” necessary to shape reality with infinite possibilities. The Queen of Nevers has noted that the Scarlet Witch could become an “Ultimate Nexus,” which would give Wanda absolute authority over all Nexus Beings.

Her reality-warping powers aside, the Scarlet Witch is easily Marvel’s most powerful magical entity, only second to mystical abstract entities like the Powers-That-Be. Chaos magic, Wanda’s primary source of power, serves as the building blocks from which creation arises. While many of Marvel’s other mystics must borrow power from gods and demons, Wanda Maximoff is unbound by the limitations of relying on another entity’s will. By the nature of her abilities, which influence the rules of existence, the Scarlet Witch is practically untouchable to all but the cosmic goddess that grants Wanda her power.

1

The Phoenix Force (The Phoenix Five)

First Appearance: The X-Men #101 by Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, Frank Chiaramonte, Bonnie Wilford, and John Costanza

To nobody’s surprise, the Phoenix Force itself is by far this war’s strongest power. This cosmic entity is a nexus of all the Multiverse’s psionic energy by which all psychic powers originate, die, and are reborn. The Phoenix is the living embodiment of life, death, and change; its very presence shapes the ebbs and flows of existence. This near-omnipotent god has watched over the Multiverse since time immemorial and, while it has been subdued and defeated by Earth’s heroes on multiple occasions, will outlive all life in this reality and those yet to exist.

In an attempt to destroy the Phoenix Force, Iron Man unintentionally fractured the Phoenix’s power into five smaller fragments. From these splinters, Namor, Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magik, and Colossus became the cosmic entity’s next avatars, albeit far weaker than if it had remained a singular being. While other primordial powers like chaos magic or the immortal dragon Shou-Lao have been shown to rival the Phoenix’s dominating presence, this reality-shaping ancient entity always returns from the ashes of its defeat.

Avengers vs. X-Men is available now from Marvel Comics.

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