Marvel’sAvengersare considered Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. They fight on the side of truth and righteousness and are the quintessential Marvel superheroes. But following theSecret Invasionstoryline of 2008, things changed as Norman Osborn rose to power after playing a critical role in ending the Skrull conflict.
From the ashes of theSecret Invasion, theDark Avengerswere formed. This was a team of villains masquerading as heroes who were much more ominous than theThunderbolts. The Dark Avengers weren’t anti-heroes; they were truly villainous. This led to the “Dark Reign” as H.A.M.M.E.R. replaced S.H.I.E.L.D. and brought in several A-list antagonists.
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10Trickshot
Much like his younger brother,Hawkeye, Trickshot is an incredibly skilled archer. Barney Barton had the same training as Clint. Trickshot stepped up and filled the role of Hawkeye in the Dark Avengers after Norman Osborn helped him fake his own death.
In terms of brute strength, Trickshot is the weakest member of the team, because much like Clint, Barney is just a human who is handy with a bow and arrow. Still, he is a formidable foe thanks to the trick arrows that give him the element of surprise.
9Gorgon
Gorgon is one of several members of the Dark Avengers to appear as a version of his archrival,Wolverine. Gorgon is a mutant with the power to turn people into stone simply by making eye contact, much like Medusa in Greek mythology. However, he rarely used this ability because he also has enhanced speed, agility and healing powers.
After a tenure as a villain, the X-Men eventually recruited Gorgon to turn him into a powerful ally. He became the Great Captain of Krakoa and is one of the four chief protectors of all mutants.
8Daken
A second Dark Avenger to assume the identity of Wolverine, Daken is actually Wolverine’s son and served on the first roster of the Dark Avengers. Unlike his father, Daken had four claws in his time posing as Wolverine.
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Daken did something many thought was impossible: he took out the Punisher on Norman Osborn’s orders. He succeeded in shredding his prey and led to the Punisher being rebuilt as FrankenCastle.
7Iron Patriot
What happens when the man behind Green Goblin stealsIron Man armor? Norman Osborn becomes Iron Patriot, the undisputed leader of the Dark Avengers and one of the strongest members as well. Norman was already a gifted and intelligent man, but the Green Goblin serum gave him enhanced strength and intelligence.
While the Iron Patriot armor wasn’t the best of the Iron Man armor, it still gave additional powers to an already cunning man. The Iron Patriot armor has already been seen in the MCU inIron Man 3when Aldrich Killian stole it and used it to kidnap the President. It will be interesting to see if it ever makes a return in aDark Avengersfilm or series.
6Ai Apaec
Despite being Spider-Man’s sworn enemy, Norman Osborn needed a DarkSpider-Manfor his Dark Avengers team. Norman turned to Ai Apaec, who had been worshipped as a god in Peru before being imprisoned in the United States for his violent crimes.
After helping Apaec escape from prison, Osborn gave him four extra arms and helped him build a similar physique to the wall-crawler. On top of his Spider-Man abilities, Apaec can also survive underwater.
5Venom
Before Ai Apaec served as the Dark Avengers' version of Spider-Man,Venomtook up the cause in the first formation of the team. This version of Venom was when the symbiote took over Mac Gargan during his crusade against the Avengers. Venom also made Gargan unpredictably violent.
After receiving a drug to help control the Venom symbiote, Gargan had more control, but Venom would be unleashed in far more dangerous ways. Unfortunately, it also made Gargan unstable, but he still stepped up for the team in its first incarnation.
4Skaar
The son of Hulk, Skaar joins Norman Osborn’s second squad of Dark Avengers. Skarr is a fierce warrior who inherited many of the same qualities that make the Hulk so intimidating. Skaar ends up being a double agent who helps free Captain America from the Dark Avengers' clutches and joins the New Avengers to finish off the Dark Avengers.
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Skaar is one of the Dark Avengers with the most screen time in Marvel projects. He appeared as a member of the team in the Disney XD animated series,Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.He also makes a brief appearance in the MCU in the final episode ofShe-Hulk: Attorney at Lawwhen Hulk brings him to the family picnic.
3Toxie Doxie
Dr. June Covington was a radical biologist who altered her own biology, giving her superhuman abilities like heat blasts, pheromone control, and invisibility. She became Toxie Doxie and posed as the Dark Avengers' version ofScarlet Witch. Toxie Doxie was able to defeat Dr. Strange in battle.
She is one of the deadlier members of the Dark Avengers. Toxie Doxie’s blood has a neurotoxin that can kill in seconds, and she is able to adapt her body making it impossible to guess what she can accomplish.
2Moonstone
Having already proven her worth as a member of the Thunderbolts team, Moonstone joins the Dark Avengers pretending to beMs. Marvel. She was also strong enough to defeat the real Ms. Marvel during the events of the Siege.
While her allegiances were mostly aligned with the team, she was known to break the rules by having relations with Bullseye and Noh Varr. Moonstone is also an opportunist who isn’t afraid to leave when the team is falling apart like a rat fleeing a sinking ship. This led to her being captured and joining the New Thunderbolts.
1Sentry
The Sentry is easily the most powerful member of the Dark Avengers, but it’s impossible to know which version the team is going to get. Gaining powers through a dark version of the Super Soldier Serum, Sentry is an unpredictable force who is either heroic as Sentry or villainous as Void.
Norman Osborn was able to manipulate Sentry to serve do his bidding as Iron Patriot during the events of theSiege. Sentry destroyed Asgard and tore Ares, another member of the Dark Avengers who rebelled against Osborne, in two. Sentry even goes one-on-one with Hulk in the events ofWorld War Hulk.
