7 Huge Marvel Heroes Who Are Currently Dead

Marvel Comics is known for resurrecting characters, sometimes very soon after they’ve died. For example, in the recent ‘Imperial’ storyline, Gamora and Darkhawk were killed, but a new comic series hints that Gamora will return. This isn’t the first time Darkhawk has been brought back either! Many major heroes like Jean Grey, Professor X, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Captain America have all died and been revived at some point. However, not everyone stays dead in the Marvel Universe – some heroes remain deceased, and a few have been gone for quite a while.

As a longtime Marvel fan, it’s always tough when a hero falls. This list details those characters who’ve died in the comics and, as of right now, haven’t come back – from a tragic loss during the Civil War to some of the most memorable deaths in Marvel history.

7) Goliath

Bill Foster, known as Goliath, was a valued and popular member of the Avengers, making his death deeply upsetting. He opposed the government’s registration act during the Civil War event. He died in battle against Ragnarok, a clone of Thor created by Reed Richards, Tony Stark, and Hank Pym. Unfortunately, this clone lacked a conscience and brutally killed Goliath by striking him with a lightning bolt to the chest.

The most disturbing part was hearing a bystander claim someone deserved to die simply for opposing the registration. It was even more upsetting that Bill’s friends blamed the group against registration for his death, despite the fact that they were the ones who created his clone in the first place. Goliath passed away in 2006, meaning he’s been gone for nearly two decades in Marvel Comics stories.

6) Captain Mar-Vell

As a huge comic book fan, I remember when Marvel was really pushing the ‘graphic novel’ format back in the early ’80s. They needed a story that felt big enough to justify that larger, more expensive format, and they landed on The Death of Captain Marvel. It was a massive hit when it came out, and honestly, it kicked off the whole graphic novel boom we’re still seeing today. It wasn’t just a comic; it felt like a real event.

Captain Mar-Vell didn’t die in battle; he succumbed to lung cancer. Despite the efforts of Earth’s leading scientists, they were unable to find a cure, highlighting the devastating impact of cancer, a disease that affects everyone, even superheroes. While there have been hints of his return over the years, those were always revealed to be clones or imposters, and he has remained deceased for more than four decades.

5) Valkyrie (Brunnhilde)

I’ve been a huge fan of Valkyrie for years! She was the Asgardian warrior, a true hero fighting for Earth and across the cosmos. I especially loved her time with the Defenders – she was always one of Marvel’s most powerful women. But honestly, I was a little surprised by the changes Marvel made recently. They introduced a new Valkyrie inspired by the MCU version, and then gave Jane Foster the Valkyrie mantle too. It’s different, but I’m open to seeing where they take these new stories!

Brunnhilde became unnecessary to the story and ultimately died during the War of the Realms event. While fighting to protect Earth from Malekith as part of the Asgardians of the Galaxy, the entire team perished, with Brunnhilde falling last. Her death occurred in 2019, and as of 2025, she remains deceased.

4) Hope Summers

As a huge comic book movie fan, I always found it fascinating how Marvel handles death and resurrection. In The Incredible Hulk, they established this ‘Below Place’ – basically a gamma-powered afterlife – and the ‘Green Door’ as a way for characters to come back. Turns out, mutants have their own version of this, called the White Hot Room. But things got really intense during the ‘Fall of X’ storyline. It marked the end of the Krakoa era for the X-Men, and it all went down when Orchis attacked the third Hellfire Gala, resulting in a massive loss of mutant lives. It was a pretty dramatic turning point, honestly.

While the White Hot Room brought many dead mutants back to life, Hope Summers was not among them. Understanding that mutantkind needed Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force to survive, Hope made the ultimate sacrifice: she destroyed the failing Phoenix and then helped it be reborn, knowing this meant she wouldn’t be resurrected. Her spirit stayed within the White Hot Room, effectively ending her story in Marvel Comics. Despite it being just over a year since her sacrifice, Hope Summers has not returned.

3) Drax the Destroyer

Drax the Destroyer began as a powerful warrior created by Thanos. Thanos killed a man named Arthur Douglas and placed his soul inside Drax, setting him on a path to avenge his stolen life and defeat Thanos. Drax gained widespread popularity later on through his portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by Dave Bautista as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Ultimately, Drax met his end in Infinity War, a conflict fueled by Gamora’s desire to reclaim a lost part of her soul connected to the Soul Gem.

She ultimately created Warp World, which tore Drax and Arthur Douglas apart. Drax made the ultimate sacrifice, allowing Arthur to live in a simulated, ideal life he’d always dreamed of, while Drax was granted eternal combat against his foes. Later, Mantis and Gamora saved Arthur’s spirit and returned it to Drax, who then passed away peacefully. It’s been six years since Drax died.

2) Legion

During the recent ‘Fall of X’ storyline, the Marvel hero David Haller, also known as Legion and the son of Professor X, tragically died. He fought alongside Hope Summers in a final battle within the White Hot Room. Hope’s mission was to destroy and then resurrect the Phoenix, a crucial step to ensure the future of mutantkind, and David assisted her in achieving this goal.

Hope Summers stopped anyone from bringing her back by sacrificing herself and the Phoenix Force. This left the future uncertain for David Haller, but Marvel Comics later revealed he’s contentedly living in the afterlife – the White Hot Room – with Blindfold, and remains deceased as of that story’s conclusion.

1) Sentry

The way Sentry died was deeply ironic. Norman Osborn, while leading the Dark Avengers, commanded Sentry to do whatever was necessary, even something as brutal as tearing Ares apart when the god betrayed him. This demonstrated Sentry’s immense power – he’s known as one of Marvel’s strongest heroes – but ultimately, that same power was involved in his demise.

During the King in Black comic event, Knull was traveling to Earth, and the hero Sentry attempted to intercept him. Unfortunately, Sentry was unsuccessful and Knull instantly killed him by tearing him in half. This occurred in 2020, and even though Sentry is now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he has remained dead in the comics for five years.

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2025-11-27 01:12