The Marvel Universe is filled with formidable threats to the wellbeing of the planet, but humanity need not fear for their safety! The most famous superhero team ever, the Avengers, is here to protect the world from their base of operations in New York City! It certainly seems that the heroes who claim membership with the Avengers have no shortage of exciting adventures with which to contend on the streets of the Big Apple. But where can the rest of the United States turn for protection when the world's A-list superheroes are preoccupied with yet another alien invasion or unexpected robot attack on the Eastern Seaboard?

Enter the aptly named West Coast Avengers! Based in Southern California, this team of superheroes is eager to carry on the legacy of Earth's Mightiest Heroes with a chapter of the organization operating out of the best coast. While the West Coast Avengers may not have the same name recognition as their East Coast counterparts, there are a number of extremely powerful team members fighting for justice on edge of the Pacific -- and the new additions Kate Bishop has recruited with her recent revitalization of the team may just be the most powerful members yet. These 25 members of the West Coast Avengers roster have been ranked from least powerful to most powerful, and they're ready to take on any supervillains foolish enough to try and take control of the West Coast while the original Avengers are preoccupied keeping the peace in NYC!

25 FUSE

Johnny Watts first met Kate Bishop in Hawkeye #2 (2017) by Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero, and Jordie Bellaire, but it wasn't until several issues later that he revealed his superhuman abilities: he can transform his body to replicate any substance he touches.

While Fuse's powers do offer the possibility of some pretty powerful morphs, by his own admission, he's relatively untested at the superhero gig and joined the West Coast Avengers roster more or less because his girlfriend was doing it.

24 LIVING LIGHTNING

Living Lightning using his powers

First introduced in Avengers West Coast #63 (1990) by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, and Paul Ryan, high school student Miguel Santos gained the power to control and physically transform into lightning as a result of his investigation into his father's role as a member of the Legion of the Living Lightning.

After gaining his powers, Miguel clashed with the West Coast Avengers and was seemingly defeated. But years later, it was revealed that he had survived, and while he was temporarily forced to join the super villain gang known as the Pacific Overlords, he subsequently became part of the team.

23 U.S. AGENT

When U.S. Agent first appeared in Captain America #323 (1986) by Mark Gruenwald, Kieron Dwyer, John Beatty, and Ken Feduniewicz, he was known as "Super-Patriot." Designed to be a villainous foil for the archetypical hero Steve Rogers, John Walker has abilities that are similar to Cap's but possesses some very different worldviews.

U.S. Agent became a member of the West Coast Avengers when the federal government demanded that he included on the team so as to keep an eye on the Vision in The West Coast Avengers #44 (1989) by John Byrne, Mike Machlan, and Paul Becton.

22 MOON KNIGHT

Moon Knight first appeared as an antagonist for Jack Russell in Werewolf by Night #32 (1975) by Doug Moench, Howie Perlin, Don Perlin, and Phil Rachelson. Armed with silver weapons, Marc Spector became an ongoing supporting character for Werewolf before headlining stories himself.

With abilities that wax and wane with the lunar cycle coupled with finely-honed detective skills, Moon Knight became a valuable member of the West Coast Avengers at the behest of Khonshu, the Egyptian deity who is the source of Spector's powers.

21 WAR MACHINE

Tony Stark's close friend James Rhodes first stepped into the Iron Man armor when slip back into his addiction prevented Tony from shouldering the responsibility of being a hero. Rhodey joined the roster of the West Coast Avengers on two separate occasions, once as founding member War Machine and once as Iron Man, a title he held until Tony reached recovery.

While Rhodey possesses similar abilities as Iron Man when wearing the War Machine armor, he lacks the know-how necessary to maintain the suit himself and requires a support team to keep the suit running.

20 MOCKINGBIRD

In addition to possessing a Ph.D. in biology and the exceptional espionage skills of an experienced S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Bobbi Morse is a founding member, having played a vital role in the creation of the team in West Coast Avengers #1 (1984) by Roger Stern, Brett Breeding, Bob Hall, and Julianna Ferriter.

Mockingbird was one of the core members of the West Coast Avengers team for many years, but her troubled romance with Clint Barton often complicates her status as a member of the team's roster.

19 HAWKEYE (CLINT BARTON)

A founding member of the original incarnation of the West Coast Avengers team, Clint Barton is one of two heroes who go by the codename Hawkeye. While he lacks superhuman abilities, he possesses preternatural skill at archery and holds his own in battle with the help of a variety of fantastic trick arrows.

While he doesn't have superpowers himself, Clint knows how to be a team player, and nowhere is this more apparent than in The West Coast Avengers #46 (1988), when he takes it upon himself to become a leader for the newly-formed Great Lakes Avengers!

18 HAWKEYE (KATE BISHOP)

After moving to Los Angeles and working as a private investigator, Kate Bishop follows in her fellow Hawkeye's footsteps and forms a new team to protect the best coast in West Coast Avengers #1 (2018) by Kelly Thompson, Stefano Caselli, and Tríona Farrell.

Like Clint, Kate lacks superhuman abilities, instead relying on her impressive archery skills and the skills of those she gathers together for her team. Her approach to leadership is somewhat more diplomatic than Clint's, giving her the edge over the other Hawkeye when it comes to ranking the most powerful West Coast Avengers.

17 IRON MAN

Tony Stark became a member of the team in West Coast Avengers #1 (1985) by Steve Englehart, Al Milgrom, Joe Sinnott, and Petra Scotese. Like War Machine, Iron Man possesses all the abilities granted by the power suit Stark designed.

Stark is the mechanical genius who designed and built the Iron Man armor, and as a result, he is capable of performing necessary maintenance and upgrades to the suit, giving him a distinct advantage over Rhodey when it comes to ranking the most powerful West Coast Avengers members.

16 SPIDER-WOMAN

Julia Carpenter was a college student in Denver, Colorado when a shadowy government organization subjected her to scientific experimentation in an attempt to create a new superhero. As a result, Julia gained abilities similar to that of an arachnid, and was given the name Spider-Woman!

At the behest of the government, Julia traveled to California to battle supervillain group the Pacific Overlords. In Avengers West Coast #75 (1991) by Dann Thomas, Roy Thomas, Herb Trimpe, Charles Barnett, and Bob Sharen, Spider-Woman joined the team and proved her mettle against some of Marvel's biggest bads, including Mephisto and Ultron.

15 MACHINE MAN

Machine Man was introduced in 2001: A Space Odyssey #8 (1977) by Jack Kirby. Also known as X-51, was the final and only survivor of a series of robots. While his robotic predecessors went insane upon achieving sentience, Machine Man was able to avoid this fate thanks to the famed 2001 monolith.

Powered by solar energy, Machine Man contains a plethora of useful gadgets and is exceptionally durable thanks to the adamantium included in his structural composition. However, his power is somewhat limited by his propensity to have his programming compromised by everything from Sentinels to nanotechnology.

14 QUICKSILVER

Like many other entries on this list, Quicksilver has a checkered past with the West Coast Avengers team, having served as an antagonist before joining the roster.

While the super-speed possessed by Pietro Maximof is impressive, perhaps his greatest contribution to the team is the intimate knowledge he possesses concerning his sister, the Scarlet Witch. In Avengers West Coast #56 (1990) by John Byrne and Paul Ryan, Wanda has aligned herself against the team, but Pietro is able to offer his expertise to help the team counter his sibling's incredible power.

13 DARKHAWK

When teenager Christopher Powell discovered a mysterious amulet, he gained the ability to switch places with an android who possessed a number of fantastic skills, including the ability to shoot and absorb energy blasts. He used these abilities to become Darkhawk, later becoming a provisional member of the West Coast Avengers roster.

While Darkhawk possesses many powerful abilities, he is somewhat limited by the fact that his amulet is necessary in order to summon his android form forth from Null Space.

12 HANK PYM

While he is well known as his costumed alter egos Ant-Man and Giant-Man, when Hank Pym became a member of the team in West Coast Avengers #1 (1985) by Englehart, Milgrom, Sinnott, and Scotese, it was strictly in an advisory position. Pym served only as an uncostumed advisor and scientific research support for the team.

Even though Pym was not a costumed member of the team, the power of his extraordinary inventions and exceptional intelligence are sufficient to earn him a respectable ranking, even among his superpowered teammates.

11 THE HUMAN TORCH

Not to be confused with Johnny Storm of the Fantastic 4, the original Human Torch was an android created by scientist Phineas Horton. After fighting alongside familiar heroes like Captain America and Namor the Sub-Mariner during World War II, the Human Torch was deactivated.

In The West Coast Avengers #42, Wanda searching for answers regarding the mysterious connection between the Human Torch and her missing husband, the Vision, ultimately discovering that the two androids may be more closely related than anyone suspected.

10 TIGRA

When Greer Nelson began investigating a secret organization of Cat People, she was exposed to a blast of radiation that might have proven fatal had she not been magically transformed into Tigra, the cat-human hybrid who serves as the protector of the Cat People.

As Tigra, Nelson enjoys a plethora of superhuman abilities, including increased strength, razor-sharp claws, and enhanced senses. A founding member of the West Coast Avengers team, Tigra is a formidable and powerful opponent for any antagonist foolish enough to challenge her.

9 THE WASP

In West Coast Avengers #32 (1988) by Steve Englehart, Al Milgorn, Tony DeZuniga, and Paul Becton, Janet Van Dyne joins the team and helps defeat an adversary at the Grand Canyon.

Thanks to Pym particles, the Wasp has the ability to shrink in size, and supplements this ability with energy blasts and the ability to fly. While her romantic history with Hank Pym somewhat complicates her membership on the team, her mastery over her superhuman abilities makes her a powerful member of the team.

8 THE THING

A member of the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, the ever-loving Thing accepted membership on the team in West Coast Avengers #9 (1986) by Steve Englehart, Al Milgrom, Joe Sinnott, and Ken Feduniewicz, although he resigned from the roster before an official vote could be taken.

The Thing's rock-like body makes him a powerful and durable force, and his unshakable morality gives him the heart of a true hero. With an affinity for fighting and a knack for banter, the Thing is one of the most powerful members ever to be included on the roster of the West Coast Avengers.

7 VISION

Created by Ultron as a spy to infiltrate and destroy the Avengers, the Vision has a storied history as a member of the original Avengers roster. Along with his wife, Wanda, he became a defining member of the West Coast Avengers, and thanks to his ability to phase and project energy blasts, he can also claim to be one of the most powerful members!

But Vision might be too powerful for his own good. In West Coast Avengers #44 by John Byrne, Mike Machlan, and Paul Becton, a shadowy organization fears Vision's power so much they smuggle him and dismantle the android.

6 FIREBIRD

Firebird from the Avengers

Bonita Juarez was walking in the New Mexico desert when she came across a fragment of a meteorite. The radiation of the meteorite altered her DNA and gave her the power to fly and generate flame, and she subsequently adopted the codename "Firebird."

While Firebird never becomes a full-fledged member of the team, she is granted provisional status and assists the West Coast Avengers on several occasions. In addition to pyrokinesis, Firebird has a limited precognitive ability, adding to her already considerable potency.