The 7 Biggest Traitors in Avengers Comics, Ranked

The Avengers look for specific qualities in potential members. While strength and intelligence are valuable, they aren’t enough on their own. A diverse skillset is helpful, but true Avengers need something more. Above all, loyalty and trust are essential. Because they face incredibly dangerous enemies, team members must be able to rely on each other completely – their lives depend on it.

Trust is everything for this team – without it, they wouldn’t have survived. They’ve faced betrayals before, even from some of their most valued members. Here are seven of the biggest traitors in Avengers comic book history, who broke the trust – and sometimes the hearts – of their teammates.

7) Doctor Druid

Doctor Druid first appeared in 1961 as Doctor Droom and later became known as Doctor Druid in 1976. Though a relatively minor magic user, he eventually joined the Avengers in the 1980s. He wasn’t a central figure, but became involved in a complicated situation with Ravonna, the girlfriend of the time-traveling villain Kang, who manipulated him against his teammates. He even briefly led the team as chairman before revealing his betrayal and dying in combat. Though he was later resurrected, he hasn’t rejoined the Avengers.

6) Iron Man

Iron Man is a legendary figure and a key original member of the Avengers, providing the team with financial support and technology. However, he’s also been a source of conflict and has betrayed his teammates on several occasions. This happened during the Armor Wars, when he aggressively pursued anyone using his technology, even fellow Avengers. Another instance involved Kang the Conqueror manipulating Tony Stark through time travel, forcing the Avengers to recruit a younger version of Iron Man to resolve the situation. Most famously, the events of Civil War fractured the New Avengers, with Tony convincing Spider-Man to reveal his identity and then criticizing him for having second thoughts. His involvement with the Illuminati also represents a betrayal, particularly when they erased Captain America’s memories.

5) Henry Peter Gyrich

In the late 1970s, the government assigned Henry Peter Gyrich to the Avengers as a liaison. However, instead of helping the team, Gyrich reduced its size to what he considered a more controllable level and actively made things difficult for them. Some debate whether his actions constituted betrayal, but he consistently seemed to hinder the Avengers rather than assist them with government relations.

4) Captain America

Captain America is a Marvel icon and the Avengers’ most admired teammate, but he hasn’t always been loyal. A powerful object called Kobik, influenced by Red Skull, altered his past, raising him as a Hydra agent instead of the hero we know. This allowed him to gain control of SHIELD and convince the President to build a planetary defense shield. He then used the shield to trap Captain Marvel and Alpha Flight while secretly orchestrating a Chitauri invasion, effectively taking over the United States. He dismantled the Avengers and formed his own team, but was ultimately defeated when the original Steve Rogers was restored.

3) The Sentry

The Sentry is incredibly powerful, but also one of Marvel’s most problematic characters. Bob Reynolds, the man behind the Sentry, struggled with mental health issues, and gaining superpowers actually worsened them. This created ‘The Void,’ a manifestation of his darkest impulses, which frequently breaks free and threatens the world. Because of The Void, the Sentry has unintentionally betrayed the Avengers on multiple occasions. This problem was made much worse when Norman Osborn took control of SHIELD and used the Sentry’s instability to his advantage, manipulating Bob to become a dangerous weapon. The Sentry is capable of being a valuable ally, but his connection to The Void means he can quickly turn on his friends and become a serious threat.

2) The Hulk

Hulk is incredibly powerful and was one of the original Avengers. But after someone impersonated him, the team lost trust, and he wound up battling them alongside Namor. This wasn’t the first, nor the last, time Hulk fought his teammates. Because he’s driven by rage, there’s always a risk he’ll turn on the Avengers. However, his conflicts with the team might be more than just outbursts of anger – in many possible futures, Hulk becomes a full-blown villain and leads to the Avengers’ downfall.

1) Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch is a legendary Avenger, but also one of the team’s biggest traitors. Like the Sentry, Wanda Maximoff struggles with mental health issues while possessing immense power. Magic has often proven corrupting, and Wanda has repeatedly given in to its dark side. The grief over losing the children she created with her powers, combined with the memory wipe that followed, ultimately led her to kill Agatha Harkness, Vision, Ant-Man, and Hawkeye. She later drastically altered the world, establishing mutant supremacy before stripping most mutants of their powers. While she’s currently trying to be a hero, her past actions remain a stark reminder of her betrayal of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

2026-05-22 03:11