Ranking the Strongest Marvel Superheroines of the MCU

Marvel Superheroines Prove the MCU is No Boys Club

Updated: September 2021

The MCU is getting huge these days and with Captain Marvel hitting theaters, it felt like the right time to take a look at the Marvel superheroines who have appeared on the big screen since Iron Man kicked things off in 2008. Since then we’ve seen some incredibly powerful women appear on screen. However, today we’re going to be specifically ranking the Marvel superheroines of the MCU, which means you won’t see villains like Hela, Ghost or even Nebula on this list (though that could change by the time Avengers: Endgame hits theaters). Unfortunately, you also won’t see any of the X-Men or members of the Fantastic Four (though with the new Disney Fox deal that could soon change too). Even with the villains taken off the table, there are still some incredibly kick-ass women in the MCU. In fact, they’re so powerful that they could definitely give the guys a run for their money (even if they’re outnumbered). So, without further adieu let’s take a look at the most powerful Marvel superheroines of the MCU.

13. Mantis (Pom Klementieff)

Don’t get me wrong, I love Mantis. She’s funny, adorable, and I just want to be her best friend. However, while her empathic powers are pretty impressive, but her combat abilities aren’t exactly fearsome. In fact, I’m not sure if she even knows what’s going on half the time. Still, she was instrumental in the initial attempt to separate Thanos from the Infinity Gauntlet and helped the Guardians of the Galaxy defeat Ego, which makes her a pretty heavy hitter. It’s just hard to tell how good she would be in an actual straight-up fight. Still, Mantis deserves a shout-out for her ability to end a fight before it even starts.

12. Shuri (Letitia Wright)

There have been a lot of arguments over who the smartest person in the MCU is, but Avengers: Infinity War put that argument to rest for me. Shuri might not seem that threatening in a straight-up fistfight, but as the old saying goes “brains over brawn.” As of right now, she isn’t technically a superhero but she’s a crucial member of Black Panther’s team and is at LEAST just as smart as T’Challa, Tony Stark, and Bruce Banner. With a change in the wind for the MCU, I wouldn’t be surprised if Shuri ended up getting her very own costume and codename in the future. Until then, let evil fear the might of Shuri!

12. Nakia (Lupita Amondi Nyong’o)

Black Panther not only shined a much-needed spotlight on black heroes in the Marvel universe but also introduced us to some incredibly powerful women as well. That’s why I’m featuring one of Wakanda’s top spies and the woman who managed to steal T’Challa’s heart on here. When Wakanda was threatened she was critical in repelling the forces that wanted to push the secretive African nation into war. There’s no arguing that her skills in combat aren’t incredible, but with a lack of actual powers Nakia is far from the most powerful Marvel superheroines. Even still, she’s one to be feared especially with her skills and cunning.  

11. Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander)

As badass as Nakia is, she probably doesn’t stand a chance against an Asgardian, much less one who runs around with the Warriors Three. Thor was well known for brashly throwing himself into battle against impossible odds and coming out on top. Well, even as powerful as he is I doubt he’d still be around without Lady Sif watching his back. She’s such a powerful warrior that even Thor (the most arrogant of the Avengers) respects her. That being said, we’ve only really seen her take on what is essentially cannon fodder in the past. Still, she was one of the strongest warriors in modern Asgard, which earns her a spot among the top Marvel superheroines.