TheMarvel Cinematic Universemight have many powerful heroes, but quite a few of them have had power downgrades after their debuts. Some of theMCU’s best moviesfare so well with fans due to the incredible displays of power they contain.Avengers: Infinity Waris a good exampleof that, as it is likely the franchise’s most action-packed film.
TheMCU’s slate of projectsincludes two Avengers movies, which will once again bring most of the heroes in the franchise together. However, not all of them will be at the same power level. Interestingly,heroes who were once extremely powerful have seen their level decrease over the yearsdue to a variety of factors.Marvel’s upcoming moviescould fix that.
10Sentry
First MCU Appearance In Thunderbolts* (2025)
Sentry is a special case to start the list, which is in no specific order. Lewis Pullman’s character is one of the new additions to the franchise in theMCU’s 2025 movies. InThunderbolts*, Marvel revealed thatSentry was essentially DC’s Superman power-wise, with psionic abilities on top of that.
As the Void, Pullman’s character covered a huge chunk of New York in darkness and sent people to shame rooms where they had to relive their biggest fears. Despite easily beating the Thunderbolts single-handedly, Sentry got a power downgrade. InThunderbolts*’s post-credits scene, it is revealed thatBob is not transforming into Sentry to avoid releasing the Void.
9Spider-Man
First MCU Appearance In Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is one of the MCU’s most popular characters. The franchise has taken quite a few turns when it comes to Peter Parker, seeing him become more powerful and weaker over the years. When he entered the franchise, Peter wasgiven a high-tech Spider-Man suit by Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, fighting other heroes.
At the end of his latest MCU appearance, 2021’sSpider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker’s life was changed forever.He no longer has access to Stark Techdue to how Doctor Strange’s spell to save their universe led to the world forgetting who Peter is. With a regular suit, Spider-Man was downgraded.
8Hulk
First MCU Appearance In The Incredible Hulk (2008)
When coming up with this list, the Hulk was the first MCU hero that popped to mind. Debates among fans regarding how the Hulk is not nearly as powerful and scary as he once was have been frequent over the years. Well, there is truth to that, asThe Incredible Hulkhad him at his most powerful.
Ever sinceMarvel decided to combine Hulk and Bruce Banner, Mark Ruffalo’s hero has never been as powerful. The MCU’s Hulk is now holding back and not nearly as strong and frightening as his “Savage” form. Before the merger, the Hulk was even scared to come out for a whole film —Avengers: Infinity War.
7Captain America
First MCU Appearance In Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Captain America: The First Avengeris an underrated movie. It perfectly encapsulates all there is to Steve Rogers, also being a great showcase of the hero’s super-strength, speed, endurance, and more. For a long time, Chris Evans' Captain America would be held as the pinnacle of what the human body could achieve, though with super-soldier serum.
However,Avengers: Endgamefinished his MCU story — for now — with a major power downgrade. By choosing to stay in the past and live with Peggy Carter,Evans' Captain America came back as an old manto the present. Steve Rogers is noticeably weaker now that he is past his prime in the MCU.
6Quicksilver
First MCU Appearance In Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Quicksilver is another hero on the list who, like Sentry,suffered a power downgrade in his formal MCU debut, not counting a post-credits scene role. However, the result of that change was even worse for Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Marvel hero.Avengers: Age of Ultronstarted by showing just how fast the MCU’s Quicksilver was.
That power discrepancy has sparked many debates.
As he fought the Avengers alongside Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, Taylor-Johnson’s Quicksilver was just too fast for the team, surprising multiple heroes in their fights. Despite being the MCU’s prime speedster,Quicksilver would be too slow to save Hawkeye from bullets without getting hit by them and dying. That power discrepancy has sparked many debates.
5The Human Torch
First MCU Appearance In Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Chris Evans made it onto the list twice. After he ended his time as Captain America, the actor recentlyreturned to the MCU as his first live-action Marvel hero. Evans played Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, inDeadpool & Wolverine. Sadly, the character was not the strongest, being easily defeated by Pyro and killed by Casandra Nova.
Ben Grimm’s Thing
Ebon Moss-Bachrach
The MCU’s version of Evans' Human Torch was wayweaker than the character portrayed in the 2000s Fantastic Four movies. In 2005’sFantastic Four, Johnny Storm reached a temperature of 4000 Kelvin — the sun’s temperature is 5800 Kelvin. The Human Torch also trapped Doctor Doom in a fireball. The MCU downgraded him.
4Taskmaster
First MCU Appearance In Black Widow (2021)
Taskmaster started her MCU journey as a villain before becoming one of the anti-heroes on Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s payroll inThunderbolts*. InBlack Widow, the character was formidable. As happens in the comics,Taskmaster was able to copy the skills of other Marvel characters, using them as she fought Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova.
Initially set to play a major role as part of the team inThunderbolts*, the movie’s script was rewritten to cut most of Taskmaster’s storyline. In the end, the character was only briefly in the film, where Taskmaster displayed some of her fighting skills before beingsurprised, shot in the head, and killed by Ghost.
3Agatha Harkness
First MCU Appearance In WandaVision (2021)
Agatha Harkness is another MCU character who was a villain in her debut and has since become an anti-hero.WandaVisionsaw the extent of Agatha’s powers and her influence on the Scarlet Witch, manipulating Wanda Maximoff. In her own series,Agatha All Along, Marvel showcased howAgatha had been stealing witches' powers for several years.
She was quite powerful, but that all changed when Agatha saved Billy Maximoff. In exchange for his life, she was taken by Aubrey Plaza’s death. Once one of the MCU’s most powerful characters,Agatha is now dead, accompanying Billy as a ghost. Her powers are not as strong now that she can’t siphon other witches' magic.
2Nick Fury
First MCU Appearance In Iron Man (2008)
Nick Fury used to have a different kind of power compared to the other heroes on the list. Instead of the traditional type of power in superhero movies, Fury controlled the MCU’s heroes. As the Director of SHIELD, he had a finger on everything that was going on in the franchise.Fury assembled the Avengers.
However, after HYDRA was revealed to have infiltrated SHIELD, Nick Fury’s MCU role was never the same. On Disney+‘sSecret Invasion, Cobie Smulders’ Maria Hill noted howFury had shut himself off in space for yearsand was only a shell of the man he once was. While he has improved since then, Fury was still downgraded.
1Drax
First MCU Appearance In Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
Drax ends the MCU list with another special condition. The hero is still quite powerful, withGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3showing he can take on multiple enemies in a fight. However, as the years went on, Drax’s drive to fight and role in the franchisemorphed from a great warrior to little more than comedic relief.
Characters likeAdam Warlock and even Star-Lord had more impressive displays of powerthan Drax after his debut in the first Guardians of the Galaxy. Finally, Drax’s MCU journey ended with him giving up on fighting with the team to stay and help raise the kids rescued from the High Evolutionary. He is no longer theMCUwarrior he was.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
