The Marvel Cinematic Universe (or MCU) is easily one of the largest shared universes in pop culture media today. However, for as big as its gotten, it makes sense that some of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes would eventually come into conflict with one another.
One of the first major conflicts between the Avengers on screen was during Captain America: Civil War (2016). Yet despite the troubles between the Avengers during this story, the comics have seen hero face off against hero in far worse ways. Looking at some of the more brutal attacks that the Avengers have inflicted upon each other over the years, here is our list of the 10 worst things the Avengers have done to each other.
They Tried to Kill Scarlet Witch
Following the events of Avengers: Disassembled, many of the remaining Avengers were worried about Scarlet Witch and her abilities. As a result, they all got together to discuss her fate, as well as the possibility of killing her.
Though this would eventually lead to the House of M event, it was still a really low point in Avengers history. As characters who are supposed to fight for ideals such as justice and hope, watching them give up on one of their own was incredibly heartbreaking.
Despite Scarlet Witch’s incredibly dangerous mindset and abilities, the fact that some Avengers were willing to sacrifice their friend is easily one of the worst things the team has ever done.
They Created the Illuminati
In the comics, the Illuminati is a group of Marvel’s smartest characters who have banded together to make some tough decisions in order to better protect the planet. Typically consisting of characters like Iron Man, Black Panther, Black Bolt, and Dr. Strange, the Illuminati is actually far from innocent.
Over the years, they have done some incredibly shady things in the name of good. Sometimes, it would even seem as though they have crossed the line. Furthermore, they have manipulated villains, as well as other heroes into doing their bidding, just because they believe it to be the best course of action. Overall, it is safe to say that forming the Illuminati wasn’t one of the nicest things the Avengers have ever done.
They Sent Hulk to Space
Thor: Ragnarok (2017) served as a loose adaptation of the popular Planet Hulk storyline. Though it is often regarded as one of the best Hulk stories ever written, it is also one of the worst things the Avengers have done.
The series starts with Hulk learning that the Avengers have deemed him too dangerous to remain on Earth. Hence, they have launched him into space where he can do no more harm. Later, it is revealed that the Avengers planned to kill Hulk, though he survived the plot. Hulk later returns with an army of his own and wreaks havoc on his former colleagues, decimating nearly all of Manhattan in the process. Despite the damage Hulk had done in achieving his revenge, it is understandable why he would be so angry in this case.
Ant-Man Beats Wasp
Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne were the original Ant-Man and Wasp. Though the movies don’t portray this side of Hank Pym, in the comics, he is infamous for beating his wife.
The Avengers are always supposed to be heroes, out there saving and protecting people at all costs. Therefore, seeing Hank treat his wife like a common criminal was a drastic revelation. For years, this revelation has tarnished Pym’s reputation, even being one of the things that drove him to villainy for a time. Thankfully, the two have come to an understanding and Hank is back on the path to redemption, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that it happened in the first place.
They Erased Cap’s Memory
Going back to the Illuminati, there was one time when they were so desperate, they wiped Captain America’s memory. During one massive threat to the Earth, several members of the Avengers and the Illuminati sought to kill the threat and bring about a permanent end. Captain America, however, was so strongly opposed to this and refused to do so, holding out hope that a non-lethal solution could be found.
Because the Illuminati disagreed so strongly with Cap, Dr. Strange actually wiped his memory of the crisis, moving ahead with their plan, solely because they didn’t think a non-lethal solution was viable.
The Creation of Ultron
If beating his wife wasn’t enough, Hank Pym is also known for creating Ultron, one of the most difficult opponents the Avengers have ever faced. For as big a threat as he was in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Ultron has posed a far greater threat in the comics, even going so far as to actually win over the Avengers.
In Hank’s defense, he didn’t create Ultron with evil intentions. Ultron was actually supposed to be a key ally in helping the Avengers accomplish more good. Unfortunately though, that was far from what happened and Hank Pym inadvertently created one of the deadliest things in the Marvel Universe.
The Avengers: Disassembled
As mentioned previously, the Avengers were torn on what to do with Scarlet Witch after she suffered from a mental breakdown. Unfortunately, that breakdown was so severe, that she indirectly killed several members of the Avengers, including her husband, Vision. Clint Barton was also among those who died due to her actions.
In actuality, the Avengers did several terrible things to each other during this storyline. In fact, their actions were so severe that the Avengers literally broke up afterward. Though the team would eventually assemble once again, this was easily one of the darkest moments in Avengers history.
The Had A Civil War
For all of the spats the Avengers have had between each other, one of the biggest was the original Civil War. After conflict arose in which heroes were required to register their secret identities, Tony Stark and Captain America began a long physical and ideological battle on what was best for the superhero community.
Eventually, other heroes and even villains took sides in the conflict, resulting in one of the biggest superpowered showdowns in history. Of course, all sorts of betrayals were made, and heroes were constantly causing harm to other heroes. What makes this conflict so bad it that it goes well beyond the Avengers alone, well into the rest of the Marvel Universe.
There Was A Civil War II
If the first one wasn’t devastating enough, Civil War II really showed just how brutal Marvel heroes can be at times. What was particularly devastating about this story is that it involved a lot of the younger heroes, like Ms. Marvel and Miles Morales Spider-Man. However, on top of the violence that the heroes were already inflicting on each other, it is eventually revealed that Captain America himself was the person who orchestrated the event.
During this time, Cap’s memories were rewritten and he believed himself to be an undercover Hydra agent. In order to put his master plan into motion, Cap needed the other heroes to be distracted. Therefore, he organized a lot of the events of Civil War II, making sure to stay in the shadows while he was doing so. Though it isn’t very Cap-like, a single Avenger starting a war with the rest of the Marvel Universe is still a very horrible thing to do.
They Faced Off Against The X-Men
On top of everything, including 2 Civil Wars, no event saw greater hero v hero conflict than Avengers Vs X-Men (AVX). After the Phoenix Force is rumored to make a return, both the Avengers and the X-Men have different ideas on how to find a solution. As tensions rise, things eventually get physical between the two.
Though this event has yet to be depicted on screen, what makes it so heartbreaking is that many members of the X-Men have served as Avengers themselves. Likewise, everyone was fighting for the same values, just different ways of going about it.
As a result of the conflict, Wakanda was almost entirely flooded by Namor, the Phoenix Force almost destroyed the planet, and Cyclops himself murdered Charles Xavier. For all the other conflicts Marvel heroes have had between each other, AVX is easily one of the biggest and most devastating.