The Thunderbolts, will hit the screen in Phase Five, bringing together unlikely heroes and former villains, but they're far from the only heroic ensemble in the franchise.
The superhero teams of the MCU vary greatly, with the size of the domains they watch over ranging from a single city to entire galaxies, and while all of them have unique strengths, there are some that are definitively more powerful than others. This can be measured not only by the abilities of their but also their overall influence on the multiverse.
The Howling Commandos
Featured in Captain America: The First Avenger, the Howling Commandos were a team of soldiers led by Steve Rogers in World War II, with that included Bucky Barnes, Jim Morita, and Dum Dum Dugan.
Despite having a super soldier as their leader, the Howling Commandos were otherwise comprised of normal (though talented) individuals, as during this time Bucky was without his own serum-induced powers. Although they played a vital role in stopping HYDRA during the war, the team's efforts were largely contained to one time and place, and ultimately lack the impact of some other MCU groups.
The Defenders
First formed in the television series of the same name, the Defenders are a New York-based team of heroes consisting of Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist.
After the cancelation of Netflix's Marvel shows, their MCU canon status became uncertain, but given Daredevil's appearance in She-Hulk, among other titles, things look promising for the team's future. ing forces to take on the Hand, each Defender had their own way of doing things, but their unique powers combined allowed them to stamp out an enemy that none of them could defeat on their own.
Coulson's Team
It looked like fans had seen the last of Agent Coulson after his death in 2012's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which saw him lead a new team of agents for the show's seven seasons.
Although the canon status of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. within the MCU is now debated, the series debuted as the franchise's first television show, and over its run, Coulson's team grew to feature some powerful superheroes, most notably Daisy Johnson (Quake), and Elena Rodriguez (Yo-Yo). By the show's end, the team had dealt with time travel and numerous alien threats, storylines that would perfectly set up the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. characters' return to the MCU.
The Runaways
The six of the Runaways were childhood friends, brought back together as teenagers when they uncovered the wrongdoings of their parents. Each possessed skills and powers that made them uniquely able to take down Pride, the organization their parents operated from.
Arguably the most powerful member of the Runaways is Nico Minoru, a skilled sorceress and an Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. As a whole, the Runaways team has escaped from alternate dimensions and defeated supervillain Morgan le Fay, all while on the run and lacking many of the resources that other teams have access to.
Guardians Of The Galaxy
When the Guardians of the Galaxy was first released, the MCU gained a new kind of team, one that leaned heavily into the sometimes-absurdity of depicting outer space onscreen. But nevertheless, the Guardians are a force to be reckoned with.
From Mantis managing to subdue Thanos in Vol. 2, the Guardians have proved time and again that they should not be underestimated when it comes to cosmic battles.
The Eternals
Although they're a newer addition to the MCU, the Eternals movie quickly proved that its titular group of beings had extraordinary powers, even though the extent of them has yet to be fully seen in the franchise.
A contributing factor to the group's impact is their immortality, with the movie showing how the group has affected Earth over the millennia that they've been on the planet. Additionally, the team was able to subdue one of the most powerful beings in the MCU, the Celestial Tiamut, illustrating the might of their combined powers.
The Revengers
The Revengers are a team formed out of necessity in Thor: Ragnarok to battle against Hela. They consist of Asgardians Thor, Loki, and Valkyrie, as well as a wayward Bruce Banner.
With two of the most powerful Avengers on the team, the Revengers are a group that can withstand a lot of damage, and this was vital in their last stand on Asgard, where they had to cause (and survive) the apocalyptic event Ragnarok in order to defeat Hela once and for all.
The Illuminati
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness gave audiences a glimpse into many new realities, but one of its most exciting revelations was the debut of the Illuminati, a team of impressive heroes founded on Earth-838 who convene in order to protect their universe from cosmic threats.
The team's power is proven when it's revealed that, though few in number, they were able to defeat the Thanos of their universe. Given this, it later comes as even more of a shock to audiences that the team is defeated by Wanda Maximoff. Even so, this loss doesn't diminish their power but merely serves to illustrate how much Wanda's have grown.
Guardians Of The Multiverse
The animated series the most powerful characters in the MCU, Infinity Ultron.
An amalgamation of the MCU's greatest threats, Ultron and Thanos, Infinity Ultron is a danger to the entire multiverse, and the Guardians of the Multiverse's eventual triumph over him shows just how formidable they are as a team.
The Avengers
The MCU's first true superhero team-up came about in The Avengers, where the squad of the same name was officially formed. They've taken on Loki, Ultron, Thanos, and more, saving the world and the universe numerous times.
Ultimately, with their ever-expanding roster of heroes and longevity as a team, there's no group of heroes in the MCU more powerful than the Avengers, and none who have had more of an impact in shaping the multiverse as a whole.
