With more and more superpowered characters joining the MCU, there are many in the franchise too powerful to ever join the ranks of the Avengers.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced many characters of varying power levels, but some are simply too powerful to ever be effective members of the Avengers. Since the franchise’s beginnings, the movies of the MCU have introduced a wealth of Marvel Comics characters to the big screen. The nature of the franchise means that its many heroes and villains possess varying levels of power, ranging from the magical to the technological, with some possessing no actual power whatsoever. Naturally, balancing the respective power levels of the MCU’s characters is a major concern for the narrative integrity of the franchise.

Since way back at the start of the MCU’s movie timeline, the franchise has been defined by its central team of heroes: the Avengers. The MCU’s adaptation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes has seen a number of characters join its ranks, but the franchise has also introduced many other characters who would trivialize the group’s threats. Any character with the power to instantly flatten any enemy ultimately negates the need for a team of heroes at all, and that’s why it’s not likely any of the following will join the Avengers in the near future.

10Starfox

A Wide Range Of Powers Makes Eros Too Powerful

After the ending of Eternals, the film’s post-credits scenes introduced several new characters to the MCU. One of these was Eros, A.K.A. Starfox, Thanos’ brother and an incredibly powerful hero. Starfox possesses multiple abilities, including flight, super strength and durability, and the capacity to psychically affect the emotions of others. Starfox’s wide array of powers make him an important figure in the MCU’s cosmic story, and he’ll likely prove far more powerful than most of the franchise’s existing Avengers.

9Adam Warlock

Adam Warlock Is Too Versatile For Most MCU Villains

One of the most anticipated additions to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s cast was Adam Warlock, the Sovereign-designed superhuman created to destroy the titular team of heroes. He’s another MCU character with many powers involving super strength and perception, flight, and multiple magic abilities. Much like Starfox, Adam Warlock’s range of abilities makes him a powerful cosmic character, and he would undoubtedly tip the scales too far in the Avengers’ favor to work in any conventional Earth-based conflict.

8Strange Supreme

The Darkhold-Corrupted Strange Possesses Too Much Magical Power

First appearing in What If…?, Strange Supreme is a variant of Doctor Strange corrupted by the power of the Darkhold. Strange Supreme was introduced as a villain, and his most common role in the comics is as an antagonist, but he’s also far too powerful to join the Avengers. Doctor Strange’s own magical abilities were already incredibly strong, but Strange Supreme’s are amplified by the Darkhold to dangerous levels. With such immense magical power, Strange Supreme’s abilities are near-limitless, making him an overpowered hypothetical member of the Avengers.

7Phyla

Phyla’s Cosmic Abilities Could Break The MCU’s Power Balance

Though the MCU’s Phyla seemingly has an entirely different backstory to her comic book counterpart, it can be assumed that the franchise’s own version of the character is equally powerful. In the comics, Phyla has roughly the same set of powers as Captain Marvel, putting her on the same level as one of the MCU’s most powerful current Avengers. Another hero of such cosmic proportions would undoubtedly make the MCU’s biggest superhero team far too powerful, meaning that Phyla isn’t a likely candidate for membership.

6The Watcher

The All-Knowing Watcher Would Make The Avengers Unstoppable

Uatu the Watcher is not a character who is typically classed as a hero, but he does often help the MCU combat significant threats. Formally introduced to the MCU in What If…?, the Watcher is simply too powerful to ever join the Avengers because he possesses a god-like array of abilities that make him one of Marvel’s most impressive beings. Uatu’s ability to use telepathic and cosmic powers makes him capable of time travel and teleportation and renders him effectively immortal. As such, he’s a character who would significantly upset the power balance of the Avengers.

5God Loki

Loki’s New God Of Stories Role Gives Him A Power Upgrade

The ending of Loki season 2 sees Loki sacrifice himself to stabilize the MCU’s timeline, transforming into a new and more powerful form in the process. Loki’s new role as the MCU’s God of Stories makes him decidedly more powerful than before, particularly in relation to the franchise’s multiverse narrative. With the ability to control and erase entire timelines at will, Loki has become an incredibly powerful entity within the MCU, particularly where it pertains to the Avengers’ upcoming clash with Kang. Having Loki join the fight would make things far too simple for the MCU to deliver a satisfying story, because he’s now simply too powerful.

4Scarlet Witch

Wanda Maximoff’s Mutant Powers Could Destroy Reality

Since her introduction, Wanda Maximoff has always been one of the MCU’s most powerful characters. The events of WandaVision showcased her power levels, but the upgrade she was given by the Darkhold made her a force to be reckoned with. The Scarlet Witch’s powers are fearsome and have been known to threaten all of reality, making her altogether too powerful to ever return to the ranks of the Avengers in the MCU. Should Wanda ever return, she would massively affect the balance of power within the franchise.

The Super Skrull Possesses All Of The Avengers’ Abilities

Introduced in Secret Invasion, G’iah is the daughter of former Skrull general Talos. Over the course of the show, she enhances herself with the Super Skrull serum, made using the Harvest, a collection of all existing Avengers’ DNA. As shown in the Secret Invasion finale, this gives G’iah the abilities of multiple MCU characters at once, making her one of the franchise’s most versatile and powerful characters. Should G’iah join the Avengers, she’d effectively render all of her teammates obsolete because she can already use all of their powers herself.

The Power To Grant Wishes Negates All Other Powers

Though Eternity was little more than a plot point in Thor: Love and Thunder, he is one of the Marvel Universe’s most powerful figures. Eternity’s abilities include near-omnipotence and near-omniscience, serving as the embodiment of time and space and having the capacity to manipulate matter, energy, or reality for any conceivable purpose. Such a figure would prove invaluable to the Avengers, as there are essentially no other beings more powerful, but should Eternity ever side with the MCU’s heroes, they could essentially end all conflict within the universe.

Sentry Is One Of the Comics’ Most Powerful Characters

Sentry is often identified as Marvel’s most powerful hero. On occasion, the comics have hinted that there is no limit on his power, and his list of abilities makes him incredibly overpowered. It is reported that Steven Yeun will appear as Sentry in Marvel’s Thunderbolts, and although his power level in the MCU is yet to be officially established, he’s likely to be one of the franchise’s strongest heroes. Sentry’s ability to manipulate matter and reality, combined with his possession of practically every superpower in existence make him far too strong to simply join the Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.