Still reeling from the events of last weekend’s recent Marvel release, Avengers: Infinity War? Then let’s take a step back from the emotions and characters of the MCU, and instead take a deep dive into the weapons that drive the heroes and villains of the MCU.
While the focus usually relies on the heroes and villains and their battle against one another, the weapons used by each side of the battle between good and evil are a power unto themselves. These weapons have the power to bring the deceased back to life, alter the timeline of events, and even warp reality itself. Some of these weapons have the power to take down gods and others are used to simply protect everyday citizens from would-be mob bosses. While some weapons are weaker than others, each weapon has been specially curtailed to alter the fate of the Marvel Cinematic Universe at one point or another, in its ten year span.
From the early days of Iron Man and his armored adventures to Captain America’s battles in WWII and even the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and their yearly fight to save the world from the shadows, each of these weapons featured today are important and valuable in their own right. From ancient relics to universe shattering super weapons, the MCU is littered with some of the most powerful artifacts to have ever existed in comic book history. So take a dive with us as we explore the weapons of the MCU, ranked from weakest to strongest.
WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS FOR INFINITY WAR AHEAD
25 These Boots Were Made For Vaulting
Starting off this list is more of a fashion choice that has begun to benefit the wearer, and that’s the Vaulting Boots of Valtorr. These boots are a powerful weapon used in the MCU film Dr. Strange. Belonging to ally Karl Mordo, these boots allow Mordo to be able to jump vast distances with great ease. In a fight against magical warlocks who alter reality and plan on releasing an immortal dimensional demon, these boots are a huge help in keeping pace with your enemy.
While one of the weakest weapons in the MCU, these relics are a huge help in the fight for the magical realm.
Only Mordo is able to wear them without causing serious injury, but what’s most interesting about these boots is that they have no comic book counterpart. Instead, they are named after the comic book name Valtorr, who is a dragon wind god and his name is used often when Dr. Strange is invoking spells. Whether or not they will be tied to the dragon god in future Dr. Strange films is yet to be seen. Although it would be kinda cool to see Dr. Strange battling a giant dragon. Fans have been eager to see if the infamous Fing Fang Foom makes an appearance or MCU debut.
24 It's Like Another Person
Another powerful and ancient mystical weapon that has seen it’s fair share of fights and battles has to be Dr. Strange’s Cloak of Levitation. The infamous cloak worn by Dr. Strange in his first film and in the more recent Avengers: Infinity War is a sentient and animated cloak that allows the hero to float, levitate, fly and even is used in combat. He can send the cloak to wrap itself around enemies, punch, kick, and so much more. This helped Strange when he first began using his newfound abilities, and yet, its true power and use wasn’t known until more recently.
In the latest Avengers film, the MCU allowed the cloak to act as another fighter against Thanos when Strange and several other MCU heroes tried to take on Thanos on their own. This proves that the cloak is so much more than just a fashion choice. However, it ranks low on this list because besides being sentient and being able to wrap itself around people and objects, the cloak doesn’t really have any other powers or strengths to speak of. Perhaps if it also was able to wield magic or something, then it’d be higher on the list.
23 What Does The Future Hold?
You wouldn’t think of it as a weapon typically, but ancient waters that allow people to see into the future and get a glimpse at upcoming dangers are something truly valuable. Not typically thought of as a weapon, these mystical waters were used in Avengers: Age of Ultron. After their initial battle with Ultron, Thor left to gain some insight into the threats currently facing both Earth and Asgard. Thor was led here by his friend Eric Selvig, and when in the water, the upcoming war with Thanos, Ragnarok, and so much more was revealed to the god of thunder.
He was able to see the fall of Asgard that leads into Ragnarok, as well as the mysterious threat that is Thanos and his quest for the infinity stones. This led to Thor’s cosmic adventures as of recently. In the comics, this well is known as the Infinity Well, which Thanos uses to locate the infinity stones in much the same way that Thor did in the film. These waters are ancient and full of power, and yet are limited to use inside this cave, so not much of a help in the rest of the galaxy.
22 Going Berserk
One thing you will notice a lot on this list is that one MCU property has featured several powerful weapons you would never have thought about. That property is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the ABC hit television franchise that explores the remaining members of the spy organization as they fight powerful enemies from the shadows. Not as well known, this staff actually appeared in an often overlooked aspect of the MCU, the television shows.
This weapon comes courtesy of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where both the spy organization and their enemy Hydra were seeking the staff. It allowed the wielder to gain incredible strength and speed, becoming a powerhouse to fight, yet, it did so by tapping into a person’s inner rage. This would lead to ill effects on the user, especially humans, where they experienced a PTSD like effect for years. This weapon was introduced early on in the franchise, in the show’s first season where the team of agents were still young and learning to work with one another. This powerful relic was the first time the show connected to the larger MCU franchise as a whole.
21 Let's Be Blunt
One of the most popular entries into the MCU in recent years has to be the Defenders universe on Netflix. On the MCU Netflix series Daredevil, the hero from Hell’s Kitchen himself, Daredevil, introduced the world to his powerful weapon of choice, his billy club. The story of Daredevil is quite a lot different than most of the MCU heroes. Daredevil was rendered blind after saving an innocent bystander from a truck full of chemicals as a child. However, the chemicals allowed him to gain powerful abilities, like super hearing and the ability to visualize his surroundings in a sonar-like effect. He trained for years to become a great fighter and master his new abilities, and after years of being forced to listen to the crimes being committed in his city and no justice ever prevailing, he became Daredevil.
The billy club is an extension of his persona.
Not powerful enough to take on the likes of Thanos, but for his fight for the people of his city, this club serves by day as blind attorney Matt Murdock’s walking cane, while by night it becomes a billy club that Daredevil uses to fight the criminals moving into his city.
20 Don't Get Stung
One of the weapons that people take for granted in the first Avengers film and beyond are the shock bracelets worn by Black Widow. The super spy played by Scarlet Johansson first made her big screen appearance in Iron Man 2, and soon showed her true skills in the Avengers franchise. While a talented fighter and assassin, one of the many tools she uses on her missions are the stingers, or the electrical bracelets that make up her costume. These wrist bracelets are the super spy’s best weapon, as they allow her to shoot electrical currents at her enemies, subduing them long enough for her to use her fighting skills to take them down. What’s really a good tool for this weapon is the fact that they subdue enemies rather than take them out permanently. You see, if an enemy has information that could be gathered later on or if a hero is hoping to shed the life-ending history they share and become something better and worth following, then having this kind of weapon is perfect. As an added bonus, she’s transferred some of the power of her stingers to batons that she uses to fight in Infinity War.
19 Who Needs Guns?
One of the most teased and mysterious characters in the MCU is none other than Hawkeye. The Avenger got a lot of attention in the weeks leading up to the Avengers: Infinity War premiere. He was noticeably absent from the posters and promotional material of the film, and anyone who has seen the movie knows why he’s missing now. Introduced in the first Avengers film, Hawkeye’s bow and arrow gave the man Clint Barton his superhero name.
A spy himself, he’s also a world-class archer, able to hit any target he seeks. He and Black Widow have been partners for years, working together after he helped her escape her past as a Russian life-taker. With access to some of the most sophisticated weapons in the world thanks to his work with S.H.I.E.L.D., you have to recognize just how talented and powerful his bow and arrow can be in a fight. His weapon is simple, yet the devices he attaches to his arrows are powerful, from electrical currents that have forced Vision to stop in his place to explosives that were able to knock Loki off of his ride in the Battle of New York.
18 Everything Comes At A Price
One weapon that hasn’t gotten enough attention in the MCU as a whole comes from the newest teen superhero show to hit the internet. This weapon was introduced in the MCU hit show on Hulu, The Runaways. The weapon is a powerful staff that is activated by a trickle of blood. Only two people in the world can use it, Tina Minoru and her daughter Nico. The blood activates the weapon, allowing the wielder to use the staff to make things happen using their mind, with the neurons firing in their mind sending a signal to the staff.
However, those who aren’t authorized to use it end up getting burned. Allowing the user to create anything their hearts desire, it’s amazing how this manages to mirror the power of certain infinity stones such as the reality stone. Interestingly enough, this staff in the comics comes with a price, with each wish or desire only able to be used once by the wielder. While the show has been renewed and the first season has resonated with audiences, it’ll be interesting to see how the staff’s power and it’s wielder grow and how it affects the MCU as a whole.
17 More Than Just A Stick
One of the more powerful weapons introduced to Dr. Strange when he began his training, the staff of the living tribunal is a weapon of great power and importance that allows the wielder to deflect attacks and strike at enemies with great strength and speed. The weapon was featured in Dr. Strange and featured Karl Mordo using the weapon to deflect attacks and fight enemies. The staff could be used to harness the wielder’s own magical properties, and create an almost shield-like barrier between its user and the enemy they face in battle.
Its power comes from its interaction with the user, and while there is no comic book equivalent to the weapon, there is a character named The Living Tribunal. The character was an ancient cosmic being with the power to destroy planets. This weapon hasn’t been shown to possess this power, however, which is why it’s ranked so low. The question remains, however: where was this staff during the fight against Thanos in Infinity War? I mean think about it, if the staff could harness the power of a planet-destroying cosmic being, then perhaps it could have helped in the fight against the reality-destroying mad titan?
16 An American Icon
One of the most recognizable weapons in the MCU, Cap’s shield is his weapon of choice since WWII. Made from vibranium and designed by Tony Stark’s father, Howard Stark, the nearly indestructible shield has allowed Cap to run face first into danger, protecting himself from cosmic blasts and being thrown through packs of Nazi soldiers. It’s so powerful that it can handle alien blasters, Iron Man’s repulsor rays, and attacks from an army of powerful robots.
Made of the same material that helped elevate the nation of Wakanda to a higher level of intelligence than the rest of the world, the shield did more than kick the behind of any enemy soldiers Cap came across. It was a symbol to the rest of the world. A symbol of hope. Hope that even in the darkest of times, there was someone out there fighting the good fight and working to protect us from the darkness that threatens to overtake our world. Surviving not only WWII and over sixty years of being frozen in the Arctic, but alien invasions and civil wars between heroic friends as well, the infamous Captain America shield is one of the most iconic weapons in the MCU today!
15 More Than Just A Sword
Now we begin to start exploring the mythological world of Norse mythology that Marvel bravely integrated into their larger MCU plans. This next weapon was quietly profound in its use in the MCU as a whole. The main sword used by the Asgardian warrior Heimdall (played in the MCU by Idris Elba), the sword acts as an inter-dimensional key of sorts. It activates the Bifrost Bridge and allows people to be sent from one point in the cosmos to another.
It’s also a powerful sword, helping Heimdall become one of Asgard’s greatest warriors. Grabbing this sword allows him to prevent Hela and her army of the deceased from invading the universe throughout Thor: Ragnarok. It allows him to protect the surviving Asgardian citizens and even fight off the army of the deceased as they flee their home and watch as Ragnarok is unleashed once and for all. For those who haven’t yet, be sure to look out for this weapon to be used in an important scene in Avengers: Infinity War. I won’t give away anything, but its purpose helps save at least one hero from the clutches of Thanos and his Black Order in the film.
14 It Could Pierce The Heavens
We now get to delve into one of the MCU’s most fun and entertaining sections, the cosmic story of the Guardians of the Galaxy. One of the most humor-filled aspects of the cosmos, the weapons in this franchise have the biggest impact on the story and surprisingly, the jokes being told. This powerful weapon is the weapon of choice for the Ravager everyone in the galaxy either loves or hates, Yondu. The adoptive father figure to Star Lord, this Guardians of the Galaxy character uses this weapon as a missile of sorts. Using a device that allows him to control the weapon telepathically, he whistles and sends the sharp object flying throughout the air, piercing everything from soldiers to ships and more and ending their lives.
It’s definitely a weapon you don’t want to find yourself on the end of.
It featured prominently in the second Guardians of the Galaxy film, during an important rebellion amongst Yondu’s ravager clan. It moves at lightning speed and can pierce nearly every surface. It allows Yondu to take control of any situation, especially when collecting bounties on unsuspecting prisoners and fighting his way out of an uneven brawl he may find himself in.
13 Like A Terrifying Guard Dog
One thing that people often overlook is the sheer number of important artifacts introduced into the MCU thanks to the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. This powerful object is a non-traditional weapon first used on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. This weapon showed fans a scary new aspect of the universe. The Monolith is a block of dark matter, which teleports anyone caught in it’s grasp to a horrible world known as Maveth. This was a former Inhuman colony which was destroyed by the evil Inhuman known as Hive. It was first introduced in a shocking way, capturing Jemma in its grasp and teleporting her across the galaxy to this desolate planet, where Hive feeds on anyone or anything unlucky enough to get caught in its grasp.
The object changes from solid to liquid at random, pulling victims into its grasp and transporting them. The team is forced to keep it locked up to prevent anyone else from being swallowed by the monstrous structure. The weapon can also be activated to end all of the Inhumans on a planet, a little side purpose left behind by the Kree who created the Inhumans.
12 Size Matters
Our next weapon is one of the coolest technological marvels of the MCU. Created by Hank Pym, Ant-Man’s suit uses specialized particles to shrink or enlarge anyone wearing the suit. It also has the nifty ability to communicate with ants, allowing the user to ride flying ants or direct ants, in general, to help them complete tasks. One wouldn’t think this suit for the superhero known as Ant-Man would be a weapon, but think of all it’s capable of. It was created to allow soldiers the ability to shrink down in size, infiltrate installations and carry out missions. Can you imagine the possibilities for this kind of weapon if the government got their hands on it? Able to infiltrate high profile areas and send soldiers or life-enders in to eliminate threats or targets would make this one of the scariest weapons the Earth had ever seen. There are also special disks on the suit that allows the wearer to shrink and grow objects at will, and the suit is also capable of growing in size. This is all thanks to Pym Particles, the substance discovered by scientist Hank Pym and used by Scott Lang to become Ant-Man.
11 Welcome Back
Delving back into the world of Daredevil and the Defenders, this magical weapon is something that some would consider a miracle, while others would scoff and fear it a curse. It plays with the notion that demise is just an illusion and something to be conquered rather than accepted. It allows the user to be resurrected, brought back from the land of the deceased and made whole once more. Or at least partially so. This magical substance was introduced in the Netflix/MCU shows. Teased in Daredevil and fully explored in The Defenders, the substance allowed the secret organization The Hand to resurrect its members for years.
Using the last of the substance to bring back Elektra, Hand leader Alexandra Reid angered the rest of the Hand council by using this on an unknown and mysterious soldier like Elektra. The ironic thing is after she rediscovered who she was, Elektra ended the life of Alexandra and took control of the Hand herself. Ironically, this substance is very similar to that of the Lazarus Pit used by Ra’s Al Ghul in the DC Comics universe. The pit had the same properties and also came back with the same soul changing side effects that worried the heroes of both the MCU and DC Comics.
10 A Gripping Read
This next weapon came about during a time on the ABC show where they began to explore the mystical, supernatural realm of the MCU. This ancient book was discovered on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The book is a powerful book that draws power from the underworld and the dark dimension to use powerful spells and bend reality. However, the scientists who discovered this weapon ended up becoming ghosts and the only known survivor was driven insane with power. The book was another weapon that allowed the wielder to rewrite reality to their liking. It not for the power of Ghost Rider and his demonic powers, the book would have consumed the world ten times over.
It took the power of Ghost Rider to open up a door to the underworld and throw the book inside to stop the power of the Darkhold from destroying the world. Of course, Ghost Rider has made other appearances since then and has escaped the underworld, so the possibility of the book showing up again is always on the table. What kind of havoc could a book like this have on the MCU as a whole? Could it appear in the world of Dr. Strange?
9 Whip It Good
Speaking of Ghost Rider, the Robbie Reyes version of the character made his debut on the MCU show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Robbie Reyes became the spirit of vengeance after a car accident involving him and his brother resulted in his brother becoming paralyzed and Robbie himself lay at the reaper's door. The original Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, saved the young man, allowing him to gain the powers of the rider and becoming a fiery agent of vengeance. The powerful anti-hero is like the Punisher, in that he doesn’t hesitate to take the lives of the evil he comes across.
He believes in a hard line punishment for those who commit crimes, and often clashes with the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as they differ on his permanent solution to crime. However, one of his most powerful attacks comes from his chain attack. He is able to use an ordinary chain and imbue it with the hellfire that drives his supernatural form. Using this chain, not only can he set things on fire but he is able to latch onto and destroy supernatural creatures that otherwise would be passed right through, from ghosts to demonic entities.
8 Eternally Powerful
This next weapon is something that may astound audiences, but it is so powerful that it leads to the destruction of an ancient civilization as we know it. The weapon in question is none other than the eternal flame. A powerful source of energy that Hela uses as a weapon in Thor: Ragnarok. The flame was harnessed by the goddess of demise to resurrect her giant wolf Fenris, along with an army of the deceased. She hoped to use this army to help her conquer the universe, something she wanted to do originally but was thwarted by Odin after he deemed her too bloodthirsty and power-driven. However, it’s true power came when the skull of Surter was placed inside the flame, bringing the giant back to full power and allowing him to destroy Hela and Asgard.
If it can do this, what else is it capable of?
Did the flame somehow survive the destruction of Asgard and Ragnarok? Could it’s power be used to bring others back from the grave, or did the flame snuff out when the Asgardhomeworldorld was utterly destroyed? It makes you wonder just how powerful this flame truly is, doesn’t it?
7 A Knight In Shining Futuristic Armor
The first weapon ever introduced into the MCU comes from the first film franchise in the MCU, and that’s Iron Man. The Marvel Cinematic Universe began with the story of a billionaire who learned the true destruction of the weapons he made, and ended the arms dealing business his father’s company was built on. Instead, he built a suit of armor to fight crime, and ended up creating a legacy that housed the most powerful suits of armor the world has ever seen. The armor of Tony Stark’s Iron Man is one of the most powerful weapons on Earth. Not only is he able to upgrade his armor to the point where his current armor is made up of nanites that self replicate in Infinity War, but he built one of the most powerful armors in the world, the Hulkbuster. This giant suit was built to handle the power of the Hulk himself in case the giant green behemoth were to ever get out of control. The advanced technological suits allow him to fly, fire repulser rays out of his hands and chest, and an onboard AI lets him analyze the battlefield and find solutions quickly while in battle.
6 Hammer Time
The legendary hammer of Thor has been Thor’s main source of power for years. Only those who are worthy may lift the hammer, and it is capable of harnessing Thor’s raw power over thunder. Given to him by his father, Odin, the weapon allows Thor the ability to fly, while also acting as an immovable weight that he is able to set down on enemies when in battle, rendering them unable to move. For years Thor was defined by how he wielded the hammer, despite proving he was a hero without it. He fought off Loki, alien armies, robotic armies, and traveled the nine realms with the hammer at his side, acting as a sidekick of sorts when he went into battle.
The shocking nature of the hammer came in Thor’s final film, when Hela managed to catch the hammer in her hand and crush it and it’s power in her palm. While fans were shocked to see the powerful weapon destroyed at the hands of Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, the weapon remains one of the most powerful in the MCU. The Marvel Cinematic Universe wouldn’t be what it is today without that hammer and it’s unique abilities.