I love comic books. If you’re taking time out of your day to skim this article (you’re probably doing it right now), then you probably love them too. In true comic fan fashion, we’re going to be pitting our favorite band of misfit mutants against the “world’s mightiest heroes” – the Avengers. This will be the first of a series.
Today we’re seeing how the X-Men match up against one of the most powerful heroines Marvel Comics has to offer – the indomitable Captain Marvel. Due to her god-like strength levels, we’ll be pulling out all the stops as well as outlawing the use of her Binary form. Only denizens of Krakoa can be considered for this list. With that out of the way, let’s see how Ms. Danver’s fairs in Xavier’s schoolyard, shall we?
10. Darwin
How do you kill something that can adapt to any threat? Darwin is a mutant that does just that! Burn him – he becomes fireproof! Smash him – he turns invulnerable. Drown him – he… sprouts gills? Captain Marvel’s abilities are indeed flexible but not boundless.
Darwin’s most impressive feat to date was countering Hela’s death-touch by becoming a death-god, himself! There’s probably little Carol could do to defeat him, and admittedly a battle between the two would probably end in an unsatisfying stalemate.
9. Rogue
As a young member of the Brotherhood of Mutants, Rogue absorbed Danvers (or Ms. Marvel as she was known at the time) ability of flight, and super strength, and left her in a coma. She also thrashed the whole Avengers team not too long after that!
In recent years she lost Danvers’ powers but permanently absorbed Wonder Man’s abilities – who, by the way, is physically stronger than Captain Marvel. Thanks to the recent evolution of her powers, Rogue can also sap Carol’s strength and power without even touching her.
8. Exodus
During the 12th century, Bennet du Paris was transformed into the fearsome Exodus by none other than Apocalypse! As Exodus, Paris gained access to a host of psionic abilities including; telepathy, telekinesis, and teleportation.
Along with his mental powers, he also possesses superhuman strength, durability and eternal youth – which may have something to do with his healing factor. If Danvers can’t think or move, she can’t punch or blast Exodus!
7. Magneto
There’s something to be said about raw power combined with an iron will and a fiery temper! Magneto’s masterful control over his ability to manipulate the planet’s electromagnetic spectrum has proven to be more than entire teams can handle!
The X-Men and the Avengers have both failed to effectively pierce his defenses while he’s been able to find ways around their combined strengths on several occasions. He’s even conquered the United States in other realities. If all the Avengers couldn’t stop him, what’s one alone going to do?
6. Apocalypse
Widely considered the “first mutant” – though I’m sure Selene beats him out by a few centuries – En Saba Nur, or Apocalypse as he’s known to less worthy, is and has always been amongst the strongest beings on the planet. Centuries ago, he handily defeated a young Thor with little to no effort.
On more than one occasion he’s defeated the combined efforts of entire teams of X-Men. Why’s this significant? Well, Captain Marvel has been bested by just a single X-Man more than once. Apocalypse’s immense strength, ability to regenerate, project energy, manipulate his mass and density at will have overwhelmed many and I don’t see Danvers getting the best of him.
5. Jean Grey
There aren’t many humans that can say that they impressed not one, but two cosmic forces! Jean Grey has used her tremendous psionic abilities to stave off Lady Death not once, but twice- as a child and then again as a young woman.
Both feats attracted the attention of the Phoenix Force which eventually chose her as a host. Jean, even without the use of Cerebro can reach across the globe and touch dozens of minds simultaneously and her telekinesis is second to none. Carol would find herself at a disadvantage if Jean focused her attention on her.
4. Betsy Braddock
Since having her full potential unlocked by the Age of Apocalypse’s version of Jean Grey, Betsy Braddock has been one of the most powerful psionics on Earth – though you’d hardly know. You, see she’s also one of the best hand-to-hand combatants on the planet as well.
Carol Danvers is a seasoned Air Force officer but by no means an expert martial artist like Betsy. A woman that’s fought the likes of Wolverine, Sabretooth, and a host of others is out of the Captain’s league. Combine Betsy’s fighting skills with her psionic powers and newly acquired, magic-fueled Captain Britain abilities – she’d be too much for Danvers to handle.
3. Vulcan
The former emperor of the Shi’ar Empire is by far one of the most incredibly powerful mutants alive. Living up to his Summers-clan bloodline, he can manipulate and absorb energy with little exception. Like Danvers, he doesn’t need to breathe and survive in the vacuum of space!
Vulcan’s ability to manipulate energy can spell doom for a being such as Captain Marvel which often depends on her photonic projection and absorption to survive. If she cannot rely on that, there’s not much she can do in a fight against the likes of Vulcan!
2. Iceman
Bobby Drake is one of the most disarming X-Men. His boyish playfulness causes his opponents to underestimate what he’s capable of. In reality, Iceman’s ability to manipulate temperatures makes him one of the most powerful beings on the planet – possibly in all of the Marvel Universe!
When Iceman manipulates temperatures to create ice, it’s only the tip of the iceberg – pun intended. What he’s doing is slowing down molecules, which in turn results in ice. Outside of being basically indestructible in his ice-form – he can presumably counter-act Danvers’ ability to project and absorb energy!
1. Proteus
The very nature of Proteus makes him nearly unbeatable. Defeating Kevin MacTaggert is more about slowing him down until he can recoup and start over. He’s living erratic psionic-based energy. The form doesn’t just make him hard to fight but grants him many abilities such as telepathy and reality warping.
To affect the world Proteus needs a flesh and blood body to inhabit. Problem is, he burns through them like bad fuses. The more he uses his powers, the faster it happens. Funny enough, Danvers’s ability to absorb and process energy might make her the perfect host, thus a permanent home for Proteus!
What do you think? Let us know below!