5 Times The Avengers Nearly Fell Apart

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The way the Avengers first came together was completely unplanned and a bit messy. In the original Avengers #1 comic from 1963, the team wasn’t intentionally assembled. It was actually Loki who brought them together – he caused trouble with the Hulk, which forced Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, and Wasp to intervene. They didn’t start out as friends, but they quickly discovered that while each of them was strong on their own, they were truly unbeatable as a team.

At their core, everyone shared a commitment to protecting Earth, and that’s what allowed them to succeed. They weren’t always in agreement, but they could always rely on each other to do the right thing when it mattered most.

5. The Kree–Skrull War (1971–1972)

I remember when Roy Thomas and Neal Adams were writing The Avengers – it was a game changer! The story threw the team right into this huge war between the Kree and Skrull empires, but what really stuck with me wasn’t just the epic scope of it all. It was how it messed with the Avengers themselves. People started questioning if they could even trust the team, especially when those shape-shifting Skrulls started sneaking into important places. And inside the team, things were falling apart! Captain Marvel was torn between sides, Vision was starting to fall for Wanda, and everyone was constantly arguing about doing what’s right for their country versus doing what they believed was right. It was a really intense time to be a fan.

Looking back, this story really feels like the start of a question that keeps coming up for the Avengers: how much should they listen to those in charge? What broke the team apart wasn’t some big fight or disagreement over what’s right, but just the weight of everything they were trying to handle. It’s interesting to me that they almost fell apart because they were trying to do the right thing, even if their approach was flawed—and because they realized that in a huge war, nobody, not even heroes, can really stand on the sidelines.

4. The Trial of Yellowjacket (1981)

This was a deeply personal and devastating moment for the Avengers. Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, suffered a mental breakdown after being removed from the team. His attempts to fix things led to a series of terrible choices, ultimately resulting in him physically assaulting his wife, Janet Van Dyne (the Wasp). This storyline was one of the most honest and emotionally difficult Marvel has ever told – realistically portraying a tragic fall from grace. The Avengers were forced to watch one of their original members struggle with his issues in real time, shattering the idea that they were a flawless, unbreakable family. In many ways, this event did more to make the Avengers relatable as people than any battle against an outside threat.

3. Avengers Disassembled (2004)

The Avengers Disassembled storyline dramatically broke up Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, shocking readers with unexpected consequences. Written by Brian Michael Bendis, the story focused on the Scarlet Witch, whose mental health struggles caused her powerful reality-altering abilities to spiral out of control. Unintentionally, Wanda Maximoff unleashed devastating chaos, resulting in the deaths of several key Avengers, including Hawkeye, the Vision, and Ant-Man (Scott Lang). The team was left completely broken by the tragedy and sense of betrayal.

Wanda, a friend and long-time teammate, unexpectedly became the enemy, making the Avengers realize that even those closest to them could be dangerous. The team broke up as a result, shocking fans and leading to the creation of a new team, the “New Avengers.” Some people believed this change was necessary, while others felt it unfairly ended the original team’s story. Regardless, it was a particularly difficult period in Avengers history.

2. The Civil War (2006-2007)

Marvel’s ‘Civil War’ was a hugely impactful story that saw heroes fighting each other. The conflict began when the U.S. government passed a law requiring all people with superpowers to reveal their identities and work with the government. This created a deep split among the Avengers, with Iron Man supporting the law and Captain America leading those who opposed it. The resulting fights were intense and caused lasting damage to friendships and long-held alliances.

As a huge Marvel fan, I always felt like things really changed for the Avengers after Civil War. What started as small disagreements suddenly became huge, creating a real divide within the team that was hard to ignore. Seeing Captain America and Iron Man go head-to-head was honestly heartbreaking – those two were always my favorites, and to see them become enemies was tough. The story was a massive hit, sure, but a lot of us fans really missed the close-knit team dynamic the Avengers were known for. Even after everything was said and done, that conflict left a lasting impact, and it’s definitely one of the most memorable – and divisive – periods in the team’s history.

1. The Secret Invasion (2008)

Following the divisions created by the Civil War, the Secret Invasion storyline brought things to a crisis point. It was revealed that Skrulls – aliens who can change their shape – had been secretly replacing people on Earth, even some of the Avengers, for years. This discovery that teammates were actually Skrull impostors caused immense shock and distrust within the team. Everyone questioned who they could rely on and who was genuine. Even allies like Spider-Woman and Mockingbird were exposed as Skrull agents. This widespread paranoia and betrayal severely damaged the Avengers, making it incredibly difficult for them to stay united.

The impact of Secret Invasion came from how it targeted the Avengers’ biggest asset: their mutual trust. The story revealed that their enemies had been using their reliance on each other against them for a long time. Even though the Avengers eventually won, the experience left lasting emotional scars.

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2025-12-26 01:14