Top 10 Female Superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is incredibly vast with a wide range of characters. Superheroes and supervillains spanning multiple timelines and universes follow their own storylines. There is a variety of multifaceted and multidimensional female characters with interesting backstories. Here are the top 10 female superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch

Wanda Maximoff indisputably holds the title of the strongest character within the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. If there ever was a doubt in people’s minds about this, the latest release of ‘Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness’ (2022) and the Disney+ show, ‘WandaVision’ (2021) have gotten rid of that. Though Wanda’s journey has been tumultuous and full of varied obstacles.

Wanda and her twin brother, Pietro Maximoff miraculously survived the Stark Industries missile that killed their parents. Soon after their parents’ death, the twins were taken by the terrorist organization, HYDRA, where the scientist Baron Von Strucker conducted inhuman experiments on them. As a result of these experiments, the twins received their powers. While Pietro gained super speed, Wanda’s powers were much more practical in a different sense. Wanda gained the power of telekinesis, mind control and most importantly altering reality.

‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ (2015), was the twins’ first introduction to the MCU. Ultron takes advantage of the twins’ vulnerability to turn them against the Avengers and on his own side. Though, when in the Battle of Sokovia, Pietro is killed by one of Ultron’s goons, Wanda is the one to destroy Ultron. This heroic act is what gets her recruited into the Avengers.

Wanda Maximoff fought in many battles as one of the Avengers in order to protect the world. Maximoff even went against some of her own teammates during the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War’ (2016) as a part of the ‘Team Cap’. During her time with the Avengers, she grew closer to Vision and began a romantic relationship with him. Wanda Maximoff also fought against the greatest threat the Avengers had ever faced in the form of Thanos. In fact, Maximoff was one of the few who was able to hold Thanos, with five out of six infinity stones in his possession.

Wanda sacrificed the love of her life, Vision, in order to save the rest of the world. Nevertheless, she could not deal with her grief and let it take over her, in the process abducting an entire town and creating her own reality where she lived a happy, content life with Vision and their children, Tommy and Billy. Eventually, she understood the pain she was causing the people stuck in her reality with her and sacrificed her happiness for the great good once again.

Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel

Carol Danvers was originally a United States Air Force pilot. When she got into an accident, involving the Tesseract, she received a transfusion from a Kree warrior, Yon-Rogg, which permanently changed her DNA and gave her powers. Carol’s past memories then were erased and she was sent to a Kree planet, Hala.

During the Kree-Skull war, Carol became stranded on her home planet, Earth, where slowly her old memories began resurfacing. With the help of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Nick Fury and an old friend from her past life, Maria Rambeau, Carol began uncovering the truth hidden in her past.

Captain Marvel later joined the Avengers and the rest of the Earth’s heroes in their endeavour against the threat of Thanos. Carol found a dying Tony stranded on a spacecraft and returned him to the Earth, giving everyone on the planet another chance at winning a seemingly unwinnable war. Captain Marvel was an important line of defence during the final battle against Thanos.

Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow

Natasha Romanoff was one of the six original members of the Avengers. Unlike her team members, Natasha’s talents are of a much more covert nature, like espionage and assassinations. Natasha was trained in the dreaded Red Room by General Dreykov and worked as a KGB operative before switching over to S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Black Widow, despite lacking any special powers, was always on the same level as her super-powered teammates. In ‘Avengers’ (2012), Natasha uses her manipulation and espionage skills to trick  Loki into revealing his plans and even closes the portal through which the throng of aliens are invading the Earth.

In ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019), Natasha and Clint Barton (Hawkeye) venture to Vormir to get the Soul Stone before Thanos could get his hands on it. Though what neither of them is aware of is that the Soul Stone only presents itself to someone after they sacrifice someone they love. After a tearful and heartbreaking argument with her best friend, Natasha sacrificed herself in order to save the Earth.

Gamora

Gamora was adopted and raised as a deadly assassin by Thanos after decimating her home planet. Thanos had sent her on a quest to obtain the Orb which contained the Power Stone. Though during this adventure she came into contact with the Guardians of the Galaxy and went on from being their reluctant ally to a friend.

Gamora would go on to have many adventures with the Guardians. Gamora even attempted to rescue her adopted sister, Nebula from their father’s side, however, Nebula was not always much keen on that. In order to gain the Soul Stone, her adopted father, Thanos, sacrificed her on Vormir.

Though due to the events of the Time Heist of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019), a version of Gamora from another timeline was brought into the original timeline, though she disappeared after her father was killed and the world was saved.

America Chavez

America Chavez is the most recent addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and probably one of the youngest superheroes. America possesses the power to literally punch a hole through the Multiverse and travel through it. Chavez is practically the only character to naturally possess the ability of multiversal travel in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.

‘Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness’ (2022) has done a good job of setting up the starting point of America’s story, which will hopefully be revealed soon.

Daisy Johnson/Quake

There is heavy debate regarding whether Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. constitutes as a part of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, despite the events from the films having a major impact on the events of the show and vice versa. Nonetheless, there can be no debate about the fact that Daisy Johnson is one of the most unforgettable characters in the MCU’s rooster.

She began her journey as an expert hacker, Skye, who was desperately searching for the truth behind her parentage. With time she went on to become a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, training under Melinda May and Phil Coulson. Eventually, she would find out the reality of her heredity as a Kree Inhuman, named Daisy Johnson.

Daisy gained her powers after coming into contact with a Kree artefact known as the Diviner, which contained the terrigen crystals that activated her powers, which allowed her to control the vibrations in any element. With time, practice and unbelievable struggle, Daisy’s powers continued to grow and she ultimately took on the alias, Quake. As Quake, Daisy went against a variety of enemies, ranging from terrestrial, extra-terrestrial, humans, and robots to even artificial intelligence.

Sersi

Sersi is the current Prime Eternal, the leader of the Eternals, a position passed onto her by Ajak, the previous Prime Eternal after her death. The Eternals were put on this planet Earth by Arishem – a celestial being – to protect humanity from the threat of Deviants. Sersi’s powers allow her to change one thing into another, for instance, she could turn wood into water.

The Eternals carry on their mission with complete faith and loyalty until one day they find out the truth of Arishem’s reason behind putting them on this planet. In order to protect humanity, with whom Sersi always shared a strong bond, she defies her orders and even goes against the man she loved.

Monica Rambeau

Monica Rambeau is the daughter of Maria Rambeau, a close friend and fellow US Air Force of Carol Danvers. As a child, Monica was very close to her aunt Carol and even chose the colours for her superhero suit.

After the events of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019), Monica returned after disappearing for five years, only to find her mother had died from her illness. Monica played a major role in pacifying Wanda Maximoff after she had abducted the town of Westview into her alternate reality. Monica went through the Hex (the border of Wanda’s alternate reality) which essentially changed her DNA and gave her powers.

Jessica Jones

Jessica Jones is an expert Private Investigator hailing from New York. Jones discovered that she possessed superhuman abilities from the same accident that killed her parents. Jones began playing the role of a superhero until a man named Kilgrave, who could control minds, came in to fill in the role of a supervillain. Jessica eventually broke free of his control and defeated him, though it left her with unpleasant mental scars.

During the covert organisation, The Hand’s attack on New York City, Jessica teamed up with the Defenders, which included fellow New Yorkers, Luke Cage from Harlem and the lawyer by day, vigilante by night, Matt Murdock and finally, the billionaire, Danny Rand. Together, they were able to thwart the Hand’s centuries-long scheme.

Valkyrie

Valkyrie is the current ruler of the New Asgard, but before she earned this title, she belonged to the glorious group of warriors that protected Asgard. She met the Prince of Asgard while working as a bounty hunter on the planet Sakaar.

Valkyrie was the only surviving member of the legendary warriors when they fell in battle with Hela. Hence, upon hearing of Hela’s return from Thor, Valkyrie did not hesitate before charging into battle.

Also Read: 10 Strongest Comic Characters Outside the Marvel or DC Universe

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