Everyone has their favorite Avengers, but usually, the same names get brought up in conversations surrounding who’s the best. When fans debate the best characters to join The Avengers, including the more recent 2010s-era inductions, the same names tend to get mentioned every time: Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, Thor, etc.
These characters are beloved for a reason, so, naturally, the heroes at the forefront of The Avengers are going to get name-dropped the most in such discussions. That being said, that means that the more secondary, tertiary, and just plain forgotten Avengers get overlooked in the grand scheme of the Marvel Universe.
12
The Beast is More Than an X-Man
Among the First Mutants to Join The Avengers
Over the past decade or so (until his reason cloning), Beast’s character has become so deeply rooted in villainy that fans are already starting to forget about his time with the X-Men. That’s telling when he’s a founding member of the team. If fans don’t remember Beast’s hero era, then they’re also remiss to recall his oft-forgotten Avengers run.
Although his time as an Avenger was relatively brief in the mid-late 70s, he accomplished a lot in that time, including being one of the earliest examples of mutant representation in the Avengers, preceded only by Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch. In that regard, Beast paved the way for Storm becoming the Avengers’ Mutant Ambassador in 2024.
11
Doctor Druid Controversies Shouldn’t Overlook His Avengers Run
Doctor Druid being overlooked in Avengers history may be by design, as his time with the team back in the 80s doesn’t paint him in a flattering light. His most infamous storyline as a part of the team saw Druid mind-controlled by the seductive evils of Terminatrix, compelling him to commit atrocities.
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The Avengers may be “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” but they certainly aren’t Marvel’s most welcoming to heroes who aren’t as popular as the team’s icons.
The evils he committed during this time would disgrace Druid as an Avenger and, overall, a hero. Still, though, it has to count for something that Doctor Druid’s time as an Avenger was impressive enough to briefly earn him a position as leader on the team, and he continually sought redemption. He’s no Doctor Strange, but still an impressive mystic.
10
Stingray is the World’s Leading Oceanographer
Not a Title That The Avengers Should Easily Scoff At
An oceanographer isn’t a job title that jumps out at the average person. No offense to oceanographers, but in the framework of the Marvel Universe, where the jobs of a superhero’s alter ego can be equally exciting, Walter Newell’s secret identity doesn’t scream “must-see” on paper for casual fans and readers.
Thankfully, those same fans shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, because Stingray is one of the most underrated Avengers. After designing his super-suit, Stingray has helped the team avert nuclear crises, as well as help train new heroes during the “Initiative” arc. Another notch in his belt is he successfully captured Namor.
9
Machine Man Launches The Avengers Into the Sci-Fi World
His Presence Brings Two Unexpected Franchises Together
What makes Machine Man interesting is that The Living Robot is literally from 2001: A Space Odyssey. This isn’t a crossover that most fans would come to expect, but Marvel made the most out of it by molding him into one of the best Avengers that no one remembers at all.
This is a character whose appearances in the 70s or 80s may have read as too weird for audiences of the time period, but the questions his stories presented as far the power of A.I. and if sentience can yield to a robot’s morality have all aged surprisingly well in recent memory. He’s a character who deserves a modern resurgence.
8
Amadeus Cho Isn’t an Average Hulk
Brawn Makes the Most of His Brains
Whoever says that brains are better than brawn has never met Marvel’s Brawn, who does an ample job of balancing both out at once. The youngster is still relatively new, having debuted in 2005. His inexperience and lack of familiarity makes it easy for both fans and in-universe characters to overlook him.
That being said, Amadeus Cho is no slouch in the strength or intelligence department. He is canonically the 5th or 6th smartest person in the Marvel Universe, something even he’s humble enough to admit. Meanwhile, when it comes to actual strength, he holds his own in a fight. He continues to get stronger and smarter as he improves.
7
Jonas is the Young Avengers Version of Vision
Just as Refined as the Original
Shortly after the death of Vision, a younger and more heroic version of Kang the Conqueror adopted the Iron Lad mantle to change his villainous destiny. Beneath the ruins of Avengers Mansion post-Disassembled, he finds the remains of Vision. He’d merge his armor with Vision’s A.I. The original Vision’s Fail Safe Program causes him to rebuild itself into physical form.
Disassembled collects Avengers #500-503 for a crossover event in which The Scarlet Witch’s mental breakdown causes multiple catastrophes across the globe (including the destruction of Avengers Mansion) that result in several casualties.
Adopting the name Jonas, he looks, acts, and carries the same prowess as Vision, except because he was merged with Iron Lad’s armor, he carried the young Kang’s personality. Even without the emotional maturity of the original Vision, Jonas has the same potential and even better technology, since the Iron Lad armor comes from the future.
6
The Avengers Made an A.I. Hero Out of Doombot
Doombot is Far More Heroic Than His Original Creator
Many die-hard fans of Doctor Doom want to see The Fantastic Four’s archnemesis rechristened as a superhero, and while he’s come close to redemption, he’s perhaps too far gone to complete his transformation. The closest that Marvel has come to actually giving fans a heroic Doctor Doom is when Doombot C-53 joined Avengers A.I.
Dr. Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, reprogrammed a damaged Doombot that he kept in storage for an A.I. division of the Avengers. He includes a micro-black hole within the robot to ensure that Doombot remains loyal and good. Doombot maintains the effortless flair and charm of the original, minus the selfishness.
5
Nadia van Dyne Surpasses the Original Wasp
For many, the name Wasp applies to Janet van Dyne, but there is another Wasp by the name of Nadezhda “Nadia” van Dyne. Nadia is the long-lost daughter of Hank Pym with his first wife, Maria Trovaya (who named her Hope). When Maria is kidnapped and killed, Nadia was trained in the Red Room before using Pym Particles to escape.
Using remnants of Hank’s costume and the guidance of Janet, she creates her own Wasp outfit. She’s often underestimated as a new hero, but she’s as much of a super-genius as her father while carrying the same combat skills of Black Widow. Despite a tragic upbringing, Nadia puts her destiny in her hands by becoming an inspirational hero.
4
Becoming an Avenger Was a Net-Positive for Firestar
Despite Internal Fears, Firestar Becomes an Underrated Avenger
Firestar was originally a staple of the X-Men before the decision was made to bring her and long-time partner Justice into The Avengers. Initially, there was a concern internally from Marvel’s writers that turning Firestar into an Avenger would ruin her, but in the long-run, it helped boost her stock for both the Avengers and X-Men.
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The X-Men’s Most Trusted Member is a Mutant Fans Would Never Expect
Mutantkind’s apparent betrayer, Firestar, has been revealed to be operating undercover, proving to be the X-Men’s most trusted member after all.
In recent years, she proved pivotal in helping the X-Men thwart Orchis’ plot to eradicate all mutants as she was handpicked by Jean Grey to become an undercover sleeper agent for Orchis. Working from the inside, Firestar did more to help preserve mutantkind than any of the Avengers did during that time.
3
Blue Marvel is Among the Company’s Greatest Geniuses
A Case Can Be Made for Him Being Smarter Than Reed Richards
If Amadeus Cho ranks among the top five smartest people in the Marvel Universe, then Blue Marvel easily cracks the top three, surpassed only by Valeria and Reed Richards. Even then, a case can be made for Blue Marvel’s inventions surpassing Mister Fantastic’s, meaning that the disparity between the three is neck-and-neck.
Blue Marvel is more than just underrated; he’s unknown among most mainstream audiences. His obscurity prevents him from being a larger part of conversations regarding Marvel’s smartest and finest. Thankfully, the Marvel Universe has gone to great lengths in recent memory to elevate Blue Marvel, including joining Marvel’s Illuminati super-team.
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