Guardians of the Galaxy: How Powerful Each MCU Team Member Really Is

Part of what makes the Guardians of the Galaxy such a dynamic team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that each member has a unique set of abilities that complements the others. Unlike other popular teams of superpowered misfits like the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, the Guardians are comprised of wildly different individuals from the most distant corners of the galaxy, allowing for a great range of wacky interactions within the group. In the MCU, this variety has opened the door for some of the most entertaining moments of the franchise, but also some of the most impressive displays of power in a universe brimming with godlike superheroes.

In the comics, all kinds of characters have gone through the ranks of the Guardians of the Galaxy - from Peter Parker's former bully Flash Thompson to Tony Stark himself. The fate of the universe is used to falling in the hands of the ever-changing roster of characters. However, the cinematic version of the team needed to have a balanced lineup that wouldn't beat Thanos in a matter of seconds, and thus the most unstable team of interstellar outcasts assembled to inaugurate the MCU's cosmic label. With James Gunn's playful brand of humor and a talented cast that clearly enjoys every single scene, the Guardians rose to "Avengers" levels of popularity.

The Guardians of the Galaxy are infamous for their hilarious lack of coordination and constant arguing, but their charisma more than makes up for it. The fact that they don't have a millionaire genius or an unstoppable rage monster in their team doesn't mean they're weak. Although they started as an accidental concurrence of outlaws, they have managed to save the day multiple times and even defeat some of the most powerful Marvel villains. Here's how powerful each Guardian of the Galaxy is in the MCU.

Mantis

In a universe where World War II vets can outrun cars on the highway while Norse gods fly overhead, the ability to sense and control feelings may not sound like the most exciting superpower. But that seemingly uninteresting skill tamed Thanos (Josh Brolin) during the Battle of Titan in Avengers: Infinity War and put the nearly-omnipotent living planet Ego (Kurt Russell) to sleep for decades. As an empath, the bug-like alien Mantis (Pom Klementieff) is able to read and manipulate the mental state of those she touches, regardless of how physically powerful they are. Her powers also allow her to render any creature unconscious or awaken them with a touch of her hand.

The downside to this ability is that Mantis has to make physical contact for it to work, but her agility and endurance help her approach her targets. Despite Mantis's lack of experience in battle, she has a natural fighting instinct that aids her in self-defense, as evidenced by her flawless performance in the final battle of Avengers: Endgame. Additionally, her body seems to be able to endure potent attacks, such as the heavy piece of debris that falls on her head during the fight with Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Yondu

The Centaurian alien Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker) is the team member who has had the most experience out of all the Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as the briefest membership on the team. His allegiance instead belongs to the Ravagers, the biggest criminal organization of intergalactic bandits. As an expert pilot and thief, Yondu oversees an exiled faction of the Ravagers until his fatherly love for Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) forces him to betray them. When not piloting a ship, Yondu's most lethal weapon is the Yaka Arrow, a deadly projectile that can cut through nearly anything and change directions at his command. He controls the weapon remotely with the fin in his head and the refined art of whistling. His perfect accuracy makes the weapon seem like a cheat code in battle, but as Kraglin demonstrates after Yondu dies, it takes more than a simple whistle to master it. Only Yondu can kill entire armies by moving only his mouth, making him at least the deadliest version of Mary Poppins to date.

Drax The Destroyer

To earn a name like that, Drax the Destroyer must have accomplished something that very few characters in the MCU have dared to try, and that's exactly what he did. After Ronan (Lee Pace) murders his wife and daughter under Thanos's command, Drax goes on a rampage across the galaxy and earns himself a reputation as a bloodthirsty criminal. What makes him an even more dangerous presence is that he's always equipped with nothing more than a pair of knives and his sheer strength, and yet his victims don't stand a chance when he sets his eyes on them. Always shirtless (because his nipples are too sensitive), Drax sports a fully-tattooed body that tells his story of pain and revenge, but the big ball of muscle is also surprisingly innocent under those various layers of rage. His literal-thinking mind leads him to dive head-on into conflict without a hint of fear, but it also leads him to fail at reading the room most of the time. Luckily, he's strong enough to withstand the consequences, be it a scolding from his friends or the catastrophic crash of a spaceship. Drax may not be the strongest character in the MCU, but very few are determined enough to jump inside a giant alien blob and come out of it laughing.

Rocket Raccoon

Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) might be the character with the greatest intellect-to-size ratio in the MCU. He complements his obsession for violence and his gun expertise with a talent for invention that rivals that of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), plus a genetically-enhanced body and a mischievous personality to boot. Rocket was cybernetically engineered with heightened strength, agility, and durability. Contrary to any ordinary raccoon and almost any human being, he's capable of surviving powerful attacks and can escape from the most dangerous situations unharmed. Unfortunately, he has the same lifespan as a regular raccoon. But death is no big deal to him, as the little Trash Panda can slaughter hordes of Thanos's Outriders with the same efficiency as the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), outrun the entire Asgardian Royal Guard, and have a paw in the creation of the most advanced piece of technology in the history of the universe - the nanotech Infinity Gauntlet.

Groot

Depending on which movie he's in, Groot (Vin Diesel) can be either the most powerful or the most feeble Guardian. In his adult form, Groot stands at 12 feet tall and is strong enough to mow down dozens of Kree soldiers with only one arm. He can elongate any part of his wooden body and make himself even taller in a matter of seconds. Of course, every Guardian of the Galaxy has a weakness. In Groot's case, it's that he's almost never in the mood for fighting. Like an absentminded kid in an adult's body, he prefers to focus on the scenery and ignore the problems around him, but this can also play in his favor when he chooses the most straightforward solution to the issue at hand, like when he skips all formalities and reaches for the prison's power cell in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1. After all, he's bulletproof and his twigs can serve as a shield for Rocket.

After Groot sacrifices himself to save his teammates from a fiery spaceship crash, Rocket picks up one of his twigs and plants it in a pot. To the Guardians' surprise, Baby Groot grows from it. The bite-sized hero is not the same Groot as before, but he has the same abilities as his predecessor, albeit in a more limited degree due to his age. As a baby, the only worry in Groot's mind is dancing, but as a teenager he becomes strong enough to provide his arm as the handle for Thor's Stormbreaker and fight alongside him in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

Nebula

As the least favorite of Thanos's daughters, Nebula (Karen Gillan) had to endure years of torture to become a deadly assassin and earn his respect. But despite her innate fighting skills, the Mad Titan forced her to go through a process of cybernetic enhancements that caused her a great deal of psychological trauma and resentment for her adoptive family. Part of these upgrades included hologram-projecting eyes and bionic arms equipped with wires capable of hacking any device. Nebula's transformation into a cyborg made her stronger and less vulnerable to pain, but it also made her more insensible than her adoptive sister Gamora (Zoe Saldana), with whom she trained for years. Unlike Gamora, it took a universal threat for Nebula to have a full change of heart and use her expert fighting skills for the good cause. As durable as she is, she's still vulnerable to the destruction of her cybernetic parts and can be killed with only one bullet, as shown by how the Nebula from 2023 easily disposed of the time-traveling Nebula from 2014 in Avengers: Endgame.

Gamora

Gamora is naturally strong, agile, and fast, and while she's also cybernetically enhanced by Thanos, her natural fighting prowess allowed her to beat her Nebula throughout their childhood and escape further physical and psychological tinkering. Gamora escaped her father's control sooner than her sister, and this helped her gain more experience with different ships and weapons (especially swords) and earn the title of "Deadliest Woman in the Galaxy" before she joined the Guardians. While she's not as mighty as Groot or as agile as Rocket Raccoon, Gamora can easily beat any other Guardian with her direct approach to combat. There's no doubt that if she needs someone killed, she will get it done.

Star-Lord

The most charismatic of the Guardians of the Galaxy is also the most unremarkable in the superpowers department. But with only a pair of blasters, jet boots, and a cool mask, Peter Quill has made a name for himself as the most legendary outlaw in the whole galaxy. However, he spent most of his life unaware that he was half-Celestial thanks to his father, the living planet Ego. Once he accepted his bloodline, he embraced his nature and quickly learned to manipulate matter and energy, making him one of the most powerful characters not only in the Guardians but in the entire MCU. He gives up his godly abilities to prevent his father from becoming unstoppable, but even without Celestial superpowers, Star-Lord is an expert pilot, a highly skilled combatant, and a talented thief who can defeat the most formidable villains if given the right soundtrack.

The Guardians of the Galaxy have earned their rightful place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not counting Thor's brief presence as the strongest member of the team, Adult Groot would be the strongest Guardian. Due to his absence, a half-Celestial Star-Lord would be the most powerful, but that's out of the question after his powers went with Ego. By the time Avengers: Endgame ends, the most powerful Guardian would be Gamora, but time-traveling shenanigans technically mean she's not a Guardian yet. So, when it comes to the most powerful official member of the team with the will to use his abilities at any given time, Drax takes the prize... until their next appearance says otherwise.

More: Guardians of the Galaxy 4: Predicting The Next MCU Team (After Vol. 3)