The First 10 Dark Avengers Members, Ranked by Power

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Norman Osborn assembled a dangerous team called the Dark Avengers, filled with some of Marvel’s most notorious villains. While posing as heroes, they actually caused more destruction than good. This happened during the “Dark Reign” storyline, after Osborn was given control of HAMMER and the Avengers name by the U.S. government as a reward for his role in winning the “Secret Invasion.” The team first appeared in Dark Avengers #1 (2009), created by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato Jr., and they deceived the public by using the identities of classic Avengers to help Osborn gain more power.

The team initially consisted of eight people. When it was reformed, new members joined, and the two strongest additions were ranked among the top ten most powerful Dark Avengers.

10) Bullseye (Hawkeye)

As a huge Marvel fan, I’ve always found Bullseye fascinating. When Norman Osborn formed the Dark Avengers, it totally made sense he’d recruit Bullseye as Hawkeye – the guy is arguably better with a bow and arrow than Clint Barton! He doesn’t have superpowers like some of the others on the team, but don’t let that fool you. Bullseye is incredibly dangerous; his accuracy with anything he throws is terrifying. And let’s not forget his history – he’s a classic Daredevil villain, responsible for the deaths of Elektra and Karen Page, and even Daredevil himself in Daredevil: End of Days. Osborn didn’t need a powerhouse; he needed someone who could get the job done, and Bullseye was his go-to guy for assassinations.

9) Ragnarok

Ragnarok is incredibly powerful, as demonstrated when he killed Goliath during the “Civil War” event. Despite being a clone of Thor, he doesn’t possess the same level of power as the true God of Thunder. He joined the second version of the Dark Avengers and fought against the New Avengers, where he seriously injured Wolverine, defeated Luke Cage, and nearly killed Spider-Man. Ultimately, it took the combined effort of the entire New Avengers team to subdue him, leaving Norman Osborn to handle the aftermath. While Ragnarok’s strength is undeniable, his defeat proves he isn’t invincible.

8) Skaar

As a big comic fan, I always found Skaar fascinating when he showed up in the second version of the Dark Avengers. He’s incredibly strong, inheriting powers from both his parents – the Hulk’s gamma radiation and his mother Caiera’s Old Power abilities. He first appeared with the team in Dark Avengers #175 and was instantly the most powerful of the new recruits. But here’s the kicker: he was actually a double agent working for Steve Rogers, tasked with sabotaging the team from within! Once his allegiance was revealed, he completely wiped out the entire Dark Avengers lineup all by himself. Honestly, aside from Sentry, Skaar might be the strongest brute force powerhouse to ever be on that team.

7) Marvel Boy (Captain Marvel)

Noh-Varr, originally known as Marvel Boy, was brought onto Norman Osborn’s team by taking the name of the original Captain Marvel. Unlike the other members, Noh-Varr genuinely believed they were heroes when he joined. Once he discovered they were actually villains (with the exception of Sentry), he left and went into hiding, wanting no part of the Dark Avengers. Noh-Varr is a Kree soldier from another universe, genetically modified with cockroach DNA to give him superhuman abilities. Osborn also equipped him with Nega-Bands, which further enhanced his powers and allowed him to escape when Osborn sent Sentry to capture him.

6) Daken (Wolverine)

Daken, whose real name is Akihiro, is the son of Wolverine and his deceased wife, Itsu. Wolverine was unaware of Daken’s existence for a long time, leading Daken to develop intense anger and resentment towards his father. He briefly joined the Dark Avengers, even impersonating Wolverine by wearing his costume. However, Daken proved to be even more ruthless than his father, demonstrated by his cold-blooded murder of the Punisher on orders from Norman Osborn. Throughout his time with the team, Daken primarily focused on provoking and hurting Wolverine, and his abilities are comparable to his father’s – including a powerful healing factor, the ability to suppress the emotions of others, and the skill to mask his scent.

5) Venom (Mac Gargan)

Mac Gargan, formerly the Scorpion, became the new host for the Venom symbiote. Norman Osborn then manipulated the symbiote to mimic Spider-Man’s black suit. This severely damaged Spider-Man’s reputation, as Gargan was a violent criminal who used the disguise to commit crimes and make it appear as if Spider-Man was responsible. As Venom’s host, Gargan possessed immense power, and many considered him the most dangerous person to ever bond with the alien symbiote. His strength, combined with Venom’s fangs, tail, and aggressive instincts, made him a particularly lethal opponent.

4) Moonstone (Ms. Marvel)

Moonstone famously played the role of Ms. Marvel, taking on the identity of Carol Danvers’ hero. Beyond her superhuman abilities, Karla Sofen is a skilled psychiatrist with a dark side – she intentionally worsened her patients’ mental instability for her own amusement. Her powers stem from a Kree gravity stone that merged with her nervous system, granting her flight, intangibility, super strength, and the ability to project energy blasts. She was a member of the team for its first sixteen issues, even battling Carol Danvers herself, and is considered second only to Sentry in terms of energy projection power.

3) Norman Osborn (Iron Patriot)

Norman Osborn demonstrates that true power isn’t just about physical strength. Formerly the Green Goblin, he rose to lead HAMMER after the U.S. government appointed him following his decisive act of killing the Skrull Queen and ending the “Secret Invasion.” He leveraged this position to create the Dark Avengers, where he held the real power as their leader. While enhanced by the Goblin Formula granting him superhuman abilities, his greatest strength lay in manipulation and control. He also reinvented his public image by becoming Iron Patriot, sporting a patriotic red, white, and blue version of Iron Man’s armor.

2) Ares

Ares, the actual God of War, joined the Dark Avengers because he genuinely believed Norman Osborn was justified in his actions. Unlike the other team members who were imposters, Ares didn’t need a disguise – his godly reputation was enough. As the son of Zeus and brother to Hercules, he possessed immense power. He was one of only two people from the original Mighty Avengers to switch to the Dark Avengers, but he became disillusioned when he discovered Osborn had been deceiving and manipulating everyone. Though Ares could easily overpower most of his teammates, there was one member who consistently proved to be his superior.

1) Sentry (Void)

Sentry is the Dark Avengers’ strongest member, far surpassing everyone else in power. He demonstrated this by easily defeating Ares, the God of War, after Ares left the team – he literally tore him in half. Robert Reynolds, the man behind Sentry, possesses immense power – equivalent to a million exploding suns – but is incredibly unstable. His mental health struggles and constant battle against his darker side, the Void, make him a huge threat. Despite seemingly dying multiple times, he always returns. During the “Siege” event, he only remained dead because he forced himself back into his human form and asked Thor to end his life to save the world.

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2026-04-29 02:13