Over the years, the roster of the Avengers has fluctuated quite dramatically. The team only consisted of Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Hawkeye. And then there are the times when there are dozens of members when their reserves are counted in.
Being a member of the Avengers is a great way to raise a hero's profile, but those heroes leaving that same roster can cause them to plummet into obscurity like a meteorite crashing to Earth. Those characters often don't end up being as interesting as a piece of space rock, though. Here are 10 characters who joined the Avengers only to either lose their importance, or simply those who don't get enough screenーor page timeーin their respective comics, shows, or series.
10 Swordsman
Swordsman has been around Marvel Comics since 1965, though the character's popularity has gone up and down. Different people have used the identity over the years, some of the villains while others were heroes. He was introduced as a key Hawkeye villain but would eventually become an Avenger.
As a comic book character, Swordsman hasn't gotten much use over the last few decades. That might change as the original Swordsman, Jacques Duquesne is slated to appear in the upcoming Disney+ series Hawkeye. That may lead to his resurgence in the comics.
9 U.S. Agent
John Walker spent most of his superhero career in the shadow of Captain America. He would actually replace Steve Rogers as Captain America for a time, though that didn't work out well. He eventually took the hero name U.S. Agent and has often been treated like a dollar store version of the Star-Spangled Avenger.
Since his heyday in the 1980s and 1990s, U.S Agent has been used sporadically at best. Much like Swordsman, that may change soon. U.S. Agent will appear in another upcoming Disney+ series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Depending on how fans respond to that, he might find a more prominent place in the comics.
8 Quasar
Several heroes have taken the name Quasar and the Quantum Bands associated with the character in more recent years. But the one most fans are familiar with is Wendell Vaughn. Involved primarily in cosmic storylines, Quasar was a member of the Avengers for a time, though he was also associated with the Fantastic Four.
Despite his death, Vaughn still pops up from time to time. But even putting the Quantum Bands, a powerful weapon comparable to a Green Lantern Power Ring, on other characters could not keep the character relevant.
7 Hellcat
Patsy Walker has one of the most interesting comic arcs of any character. She debuted in 1944 as a teen humor character. Then in 1976, she was reinvented as a superhero named Hellcat. This arc was somewhat adapted to the Marvel Netflix series Jessica Jones which saw Walker transition from a child star to being an adult superhero.
Hellcat has struggled to find relevance over the years, popping up in random stories and occasionally in her own series. She found her most prominent runs as a part of superhero teams such as the Avengers and the Defenders. That never really transitioned into a major success for her.
6 Thunderstrike
When Thor was exiled, his power went to a man named Eric Masterson. When he changed from his human form, his body became Thor's while Eric Masterson's mind remained in charge. This made things awkward around the Avengers as they were unaware of what had happened.
After Thor inevitably returned and reclaimed Mjolnir, Masterson was gifted a powerful mace named Thunderstrike. He continued his heroic work under that name, though his popularity waned quickly. Masterson died in 1995 as a result of possessing a second enchanted weapon, the Bloodaxe. His son would take over the role of Thunderstrike many years later, though that didn't bring any more popularity to the character.
5 Ares
Norse Gods are not the only pantheon rolling around the Marvel Universe. The Greek Gods also play a significant role, especially Hercules, who has long been a member of the Avengers and a drinking buddy to anyone who asks. His brother Ares has also been an Avenger. Like so many team members, he started as a villain but left that life behind. He joined the iteration of the team run by Iron Man in the immediate era after the first Civil War.
Ares was eventually killed by Sentry when he ripped the former God of War in half like a phone book. As one would expect, the Greek God eventually made his return and still straddles the line between good and evil. The former Avenger has yet to reach his previous levels of prominence in the comics.
4 Manifold
Eden Fesi remains one of the most interesting characters created in the past few years. Debuting in 2009 as a member of Nick Fury's Secret Warriors, the mutant teleporter would become a member of the Avengers. His ability to warp time and space allows him to travel virtually anywhere.
After leaving the Avengers behind, he would work with AIM, Wakanda, and eventually S.W.O.R.D. While Manifold still plays a part in various affairs in the Marvel Universe, his biggest storylines were generally with the Avengers.
3 Sersi
As a member of the Eternals, Sersi was incredibly powerful. Her abilities to transmute all molecular and atomic structures actually includes living matter, making her possibly the most powerful Eternal ever. It's a good thing for the Avengers that she chose to be on their side.
Sersi debuted with the rest of her brethren in the mid-70s, but her most prominent run was alongside the Avengers in the 1990s. After that, Sersi only appeared sporadically. The Final Host recently wiped out her and the Eternals. That being said, Sersi will make her MCU debut in the upcoming film, Eternals.
2 Moondragon
Moondragon's history in the comic should have helped her find a place in the MCU. As a child on Earth, Thanos attempted to kill her entire family as they witnessed him landing. She survived and was trained by Thanos' father, Mentor, becoming a powerful telepath, brilliant scientist, and master martial artist.
Her birth father's soul was bonded with another body created to defeat Thanos. That new being's name was Drax the Destroyer. As a member of the Avengers and later the Infinity Watch, Moondragon was part of many major events. Despite that, Moondragon has largely faded into the background of Marvel Comics.
1 Starfox
Another Avenger that could have played a huge role in the defeat of Thanos in the MCU was Starfox. Also known as Eros of Titan, he was the brother of Thanos. Starfox often allied with the Avengers to fight his brother. But he was no saint, either, using his emotion manipulation abilities to do some exceedingly questionable things.
Starfox's best years are long behind him, though a recent storyline brought him back to the forefront for a brief time. Thanos manipulated him from beyond the grave, using his brother as a means to resurrect himself. The former Avenger did not survive the experience.