The most violent character of the Daredevil franchise may not even be the title character. Then again, in modern times, that title belongs to two characters: Matt Murdock, and his long-time partner in both crime and love, Elektra Natchios. While Matt's always walked the straight and narrow road, Elektra transitions from supervillain, to anti-hero, to finally, superhero worthy of ing the Avengers.

Elektra's redemption arc is now fully realized, and though her romance with Daredevil may have ended, she remains steadfast in her commitment to the hero's journey as the new Daredevil. Even with hints that she may abandon the mantle to return to her former codename, there's no denying that Elektra is now a true hero. Still, it’s impossible to forget the cold ruthlessness that defined her when she was a deadly assassin. While the original Daredevil is no stranger to his own brutal moments, Elektra—mask or no mask—has become an even more formidable force to be reckoned with.

10 Elektra Takes Down Five Muggers Like an Absolute Savage

Daredevil: Man Without Fear #3, Written by Frank Miller, Penciled by John Romita Jr., Inked by Al Williamson, Colored by Christie Scheele, and Lettered by Joe Rosen

Long before she so much as met Daredevil, let alone became an assassin, Elektra had always had a penchant for violence. Elektra welcomed violence with a smile, bloodthirsty to calm the voices in her head. One of the earliest examples comes in the origin story comic for the two Daredevils. In this particular issue, Elektra is met in an alleyway by five muggers, but contrary to what the would-be thieves think, it's Elektra who lures them there.

One by one, Elektra picks each criminal apart, using their weapons against them and, for her own pleasure, beating them down with her bare hands. She leaves the alleyway looking like a bloody mess without a scratch on her after what she considers "a disappointing workout." Keep in mind that this is still a young Elektra with minimal training. She's improved immensely since then.

9 Elektra Kills Kingpin's Henchman, But Not Before Some Brutal Torture

Punisher MAX #17, Written by Jason Aaron, Art by Steve Dillon, and Lettered by Matt Hollingsworth and VC's Cory Petit

This issue kicks off the "Homeless" arc for the Punisher, leading to a life-changing twist in Frank Castle's journey. As Kingpin prepares for a final showdown with one of his most formidable rivals, Elektra and a representative from The Hand approach Wilson Fisk with an offer to become his bodyguard. Kingpin scoffs at the proposal and orders his henchmen to kill her, but Elektra swiftly takes them down, most notably clawing one henchman’s eyes out and shoving them down his throat. That gruesome display is all the convincing Fisk needs to hire her.

Though Elektra is years removed from her villainous days, it's easy to forget just how brutal she can be. Before Daredevil helped reform her, Elektra was one of the deadliest women on the planet, and her brutality here is a stark reminder of her past.

8 Elektra and Kingpin's Deadly Alliance: A Brutal Killing Spree Ends in a Sinister ion

Punisher MAX #18, Written by Jason Aaron, Art by Steve Dillon, and Lettered by Matt Hollingsworth and VC's Cory Petit

Once officially hired as the Kingpin's bodyguard, Elektra somehow manages to top her dramatic introduction with an even more devastating performance. Displeased with his men for failing to kill the Punisher, one of Kingpin's black-suited henchmen suggests that Kingpin remind Frank and the rest of Hell's Kitchen who he is. Kingpin agrees, and he and Elektra proceed to massacre the entire room.

Afterward, they share an intimate moment on the bodies of the dead. Elektra’s relationship with Kingpin is part of a larger scheme, as she is also having an affair with Kingpin’s MCU partner, Vanessa Fisk. This demonstrates Elektra as a master manipulator. Even without that context, however, this scene clearly shows how Elektra can take out an entire room with little to no assistance.

7 Luke Cage Delivers a Savage Blow to Elektra for Matt Murdock After Her Fatal Attack on Echo

New Avengers #27, Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Leinil Yu, Color by Dave McCaig, and Lettered by AS and Comicraft's Albert Deschesne

As the Japanese underworld continues to heighten, the deaf Maya Lopez–best known as Echo–adopts the ninja lifestyle and the name of Ronin. While The Avengers have to contend with a growing Civil War in America at the dawn of the Superhuman Registration Act, Maya must contend with The Hand and its key figurehead, Elektra. This proves to be Maya's undoing, as during combat with each other, Elektra kills Echo. Honored to have fought Echo, she has The Hand revive her in hopes of utilizing Maya as their instrument.

Luckily for Echo, the Avengers return to Japan to intervene. However, the rescue mission proves more difficult than expected. Even against the unbreakable Luke Cage, Elektra refuses to back down—until Cage delivers a powerful kick that sends her tumbling down the stairs. Few things in the Marvel Universe can slow Elektra, but a swift kick to the groin is enough to bring even her to her knees.

6 Elektra Slays the Unstoppable Kirigi in a Brutal Showdown

Daredevil #176, Story and Art by Frank Miller, Finished Art by Klaus Janson, Colored by Len Wein, and Lettered by Joe Rosen

This issue does a great job of establishing Kirigi, the Man-Demon, as a formidable fighter. The comic opens with the words: "He is Kirigi and his name is a legend that has been whispered by the dying and the doomed across the centuries since the feudal struggles of Japan." This is a powerful way to establish any antagonist as a major threat, especially considering that Kirigi is an immortal assassin.

When he faces Elektra in hand-to-hand combat, readers are led to believe she has met her match. However, Elektra refuses to go down without a fight. Even smashing him with a semi-truck isn't enough to stop him, but slicing his neck with a sword manages to cut through even the embers of the fire from which he emerged. Her hard-fought victory over someone hailed as the world's greatest assassin solidifies Elektra among Marvel's finest assassins. This also serves as an early example of the tenacity and grit she shows when she wants something as badly as she wanted this win.

5 Elektra Pulverizes Wolverine in a Brutal Showdown

Wolverine #21, Written by Mark Millar, Penciled by John Romita Jr., Inked by Klaus Janson, Colored by Paul Mounts, and Lettered by VC's Rus Wooton

Wolverine is a tough opponent for anyone brave enough to face him. Matt Murdock learned that the hard way recently— and that wasn’t even a version of Wolverine at full strength. Even when Wolverine is possessed by a Deadly Sin, he’s still more formidable than many of Marvel's most dangerous foes. However, one of the few exceptions to this rule is Elektra, who not only defeated Wolverine but completely pulverized him.

A win like that forces readers to reconsider Elektra's ranking among Marvel's best fighters. The second character to take on the Daredevil mantle isn't often mentioned in conversations about the greatest combat specialists in Marvel history. However, when Wolverine is included in those discussions, a decisive victory over him has to push Elektra close to the top.

4 Elektra Unleashes Unstoppable Fury to Overpower The Punisher

Daredevil Woman Without Fear #2, Written by Erica Schultz, Penciled and Inked by Michael Dowling, and Lettered by VC's Clayton Cowles

While Matt Murdock's experience as Daredevil obviously usurps Elektra's relatively new time in the role, there are still things that Elektra has accomplished as Daredevil that Matt hasn't even done. For instance, whenever he battled The Punisher, Matt struggled to defeat Frank Castle. However, in an era where there is both a new Daredevil and a new Punisher, Elektra was able to defeat the latter with ease.

Granted, perhaps it's comparing apples to oranges, as Joe Garrison has far less experience than Elektra. While Matt had to contend with a war vet who fought in three tours, the newbie Garrison didn't stand a chance against a highly skilled assassin. Still, though, Elektra was able to do in seconds what Matt has struggled with for years, and that's punish a Punisher.

3 Elektra Gets Vengeful Justice on Bullseye by Draining His Lifeforce

Elektra #11, Written by W. Haden Blackman, Art by Michael Del Mundo, Color by Marco D'Alfonso, and Lettered by VC's Clayton Cowles

Elektra's most infamous and devastating defeat came when she was killed by Bullseye. Matt has since avenged Elektra as Daredevil, but upon her return from the dead, it took years before Ms. Natchios had an opportunity to unleash a modicum of payback on the marksman. When The Hand revives Bullseye to target Elektra, the opportunity arrives.

During a vicious battle, Elektra uses the skull of Shibou–the alleged son of Death–to kiss Bullseye upon the mouth. Had Shibou's brother, Inochi, not given Bullseye the spark of life, Bullseye would've been dead, as Elektra intended. Instead, Bullseye is merely forced to flee from the battle, his life force slowly drained until, in his own words, he becomes "geriatric." This is the closest Elektra comes to ending his life with her own hands.

2 Elektra Brutally Takes Down a Sex-Trafficking Serial Killer with Her Bare Hands

Elektra #3, Written by Matt Owens, Art by Juann Cabal, Colored by Antonio Fabela and Jordan Boyd, and Lettered by VC's Cory Petit

In a flashback, Elektra teams with Daredevil to infiltrate a shipment that's arrived from Macau on behalf of the Triad. They don't specify to each other what exactly is in this shipment, but upon inspecting, it's evident that the answer is several trafficked women, some of whom look dead. This sends Elektra into a blind rage, finding the trafficker on the premises and beating him to death with her bare hands. She immediately vows to never fail like that again, promising to always cut the head of evil off at the source at the first opportunity.

All five issues of this 2017 Elektra miniseries are collected in the Elektra: Always Bet on Red trade paperback, available everywhere now.

Elektra's stance on killing has evolved over time, often becoming a burden for her. However, her commitment to saving people has remained unchanged. She once believed that killing and saving were two sides of the same coin, and although her approach differs from Matt's no-kill rule, Elektra is determined to save everyone by any means necessary while punishing evil.

1 Elektra Obliterates an Entire Security Task Force in Her Ruthless Pursuit of One Target

Elektra #23, Written by Robert Rodi, Penciled by Sean Chen, Inked by Tom Palmer, Colored by Avalon's Ian Hannin, and Lettered by Paul Tutrone

In this issue, Mr. Prebble—a wealthy man with so many dark deeds to his name that even he isn’t sure why he's being targeted—is Elektra’s mark. And not even a house full of armed security guards is enough to stop her. As Elektra infiltrates the premises and starts massacring his hired task force, Prebble realizes she’s found them. In a panic, he sends out his licensed security specialist, Mr. Bauer, urging him to leave and go home to his family while he still can.

Bauer spends too much time begging Prebble for shelter to notice Elektra standing right behind him, her signature sais aimed at his head. She spares him to pursue her real target, Prebble, but leaves behind a bloody trail of carnage. Never in his entire tenure as Daredevil has Matt Murdock exhibited the same level of bloodshed and determination to eliminate a single target as Elektra does here.