Swords may be an outdated weapon, but there's no denying that those who know how to wield them look like a total boss. In the right hands, a sword can prove even deadlier than a gun. In the Marvel Universe, there's no shortage of such experts.
While other Marvel characters spent time in labs or realizing with great power comes great responsibility, these swordsmen studied the blade. As a result, these Marvel combatants became the greatest swordsmen in their universe.
Updated on July 7, 2022 by Scoot Allan: The debut of a new Iron Fist gave one of Marvel's greatest swordsmen a new role in the comic universe that has fans of the character excited. He is just one of many talented blade wielders in the Marvel universe who have made a name for themselves over the years due to their incredible skills with a sword. These skills are even more impressive when considering some of the incredible powers and abilities they have to face with nothing but a sword in their hands.
15 Jacques Duquesne Was Just The First Avenger To Use The Name Of The Swordsman
For years, Swordsman tried to impress the Avengers and earn a position in the Avengers but failed countless times due to his shady background. While working with the Mandarin, he was gifted with a special sword capable of firing elemental ranged attacks and force beams.
Swordsman will always be remembered as a mentor to Hawkeye and the first Avenger to give his life for his teammates. His costumed identity has been used by other heroes and villains over the years, with Andreas von Strucker briefly taking on the role as a member of Norman Osborn's Thunderbolts.
14 Silver Samurai Can Channel His Devastating Mutant Energy Through His Sword
Training Hawkeye is an impressive accomplishment, but not as impressive as training Wolverine. That accolade goes to Kenuichio Harada, better known as the Silver Samurai. Not only has he spent years mastering multiple fighting styles but he even has mutant powers that enhance his sword fighting.
By creating a tachyon energy field around his blade, Silver Samurai can slice through stone walls, metal, and even celestial beings. It's too bad he was too good of a teacher, otherwise, his student wouldn't have overtaken him.
13 Nightcrawler Is A Trained Swordsman Who Enjoys The Life Of A Swashbuckler
Most people just think of Nightcrawler as the demonic, blue member of the X-Men that can teleport. They tend to forget that he is also a highly-trained swordsman. Nightcrawler is among the select few that can wield three swords at once thanks to his prehensile tail.
Nightcrawler's swordplay is so good that he even made it to the finals of an intergalactic competition against the greatest swordsman the galaxy had to offer. He has found inspiration from various swashbuckler's across history which has heavily influenced his style over the years.
12 Taskmaster's Photoreflexive Ability Allows Him To Copy The Skills Of Other Swordsmen
Thanks to his photographic reflexes, Taskmaster can perfectly mimic the fighting styles of anyone if he studies them long enough. He's memorized the techniques of Punisher, Spider-Man, Captain America, and even other duelists like Swordsman and the Black Knight.
Even if his regular memory isn't the best, Taskmaster's muscle memory retains all of his fights so he is always prepared. He also used his stolen skills to open up a school for henchmen, who he trained in sword fighting as well as other combat styles.
11 Deadpool Is A Highly-Skilled Mercenary Who Wields Dual Katana
How someone as erratic as Deadpool managed to concentrate long enough to master any blades, let alone any weapon, is baffling. Yet somehow, he managed to do it and has put those skills as a swordsman to good use as a mercenary.
Deadpool is always seen wielding his trademark katana, and they are quite useful in slashing up goons. They also come in handy whenever he's facing off against waves of ninjas or dealing with the likes of other swordsmen like Wolverine and Taskmaster.
10 Colleen Wing Is A Daughter Of The Dragon And An Incredibly Skilled Swordfighter
Trained as a samurai by her grandfather, Colleen Wing became a skilled martial artist and one of the best swordfighters outside of Japan. She became a Daughter of the Dragon alongside her friend and frequent ally, Misty Knight.
While her sword of choice is most often a katana, Wing has trained with a multitude of weaponry that has made her an incredibly dangerous fighter. Colleen Wing is also able to channel her chi in battle which has allowed her to take on other deadly warriors like The Hand and Razor Fist.
9 Wolverine's Adamantium Claws Aren't The Only Bladed Weapons He Knows How To Use
It shouldn't come as a surprise that the mutant that's known for slashing bad guys with his adamantium claws is also good at slashing them with a sword. Wolverine was trained in swordplay by Silver Samurai and went on to surpass him in skill and prowess.
It also helps that as a regenerating mutant, Wolverine had over a hundred years to master multiple fighting styles and his enhanced senses allow him to predict his enemies' moves. He earned his spot as one of the swordmasters during the X of Swords event thanks to his connection and skill with the Muramasa Blade.
8 Dane Whitman Wields The Cursed Ebony Blade As The Modern Black Knight
Chivalry may be dead, but the Black Knight lives on thanks to Dane Whitman. The nephew of the original villainous Nathan Garrett, Whitman took up the mantle after inheriting his uncle's castle and passing the trials to become the next Black Knight.
Whether he is wielding the cursed Ebony Blade or the mystical Sword of Night, the Black Knight is not to be underestimated. At one point, he fought off Deadpool and Bloodwraith at the same time and has impressed several Avengers with his swordplay.
7 Brunnhilde Uses The Virtually Indestructible Sword Dragonfang As Valkyrie
When the Asgardian shieldmaiden Brunnhilde first joined with the Defenders, she used Black Knight's powerful Ebony Blade for a short period of time. However, she was eventually given the nearly indestructible sword known as Dragonfang, which was carved from the tusk of an extra-dimensional dragon by an ancient wizard.
As the original Valkyrie, Brunnhilde demonstrated her incredible skill with the blade on a number of occasions. Her enhanced Asgardian strength further enhanced her ability to take down almost any opponent with her sword.
6 Gorgon Is A Powerful Mutant And Swordsman Who Wields The Deadly Godkiller Blade
Normally, having a strong resolve is an admirable quality but not in the case of Tomi Shishido. To prove his dedication to the Hand, he killed his family and his only real friend. To prove that he was fearless, he wiped out a faction of the Hand and impaled himself just so they could resurrect him.
Not only was Gorgon recruited and revived, but he was also gifted one of the most powerful swords in the Marvel Universe, known as the Godkiller. He's gone on to serve Hydra and the Hand where he would come to win bouts against Elektra, Wolverine, Shang-Chi, and Phobos using his blades and his petrification powers.
5 Magik Wields Her Mystical Soulsword As One Of The X-Men's Greatest Warriors
Illyana Rasputin was only a young child when she was stolen by the demon Belasco and trapped for years in the demonic realm of Limbo. It was there that she first became Magik, a powerful sorceress whose mutant teleportation abilities became forever linked to Limbo.
Magik gained the ability to summon a powerful weapon known as the Soul Sword that was connected to her life energy and forged in the fiery hell of Limbo. Her Soulsword can deflect magical spells and destroy mystical beings, which Magik uses to keep her realm of Limbo in check when needed. Magik's skills with her blade have earned her the title of War Captain on Krakoa.
4 Lin Lie Was Known As The Sword Master Before He Became The New Iron Fist
When Lin Lie first appeared as a Warrior of Three Sovereigns, he was only beginning to learn of his connection to the mystical Sword of Fu Xi. He became Sword Master and joined with the Agents of Atlas. Not only was he well-skilled with a blade, but the Sword of Fu Xi gave him the ability to channel devastating mystical energy.
Sword Master would eventually achieve a new role as the Iron Fist, following Danny Rand's long career as the defender of K'un-Lun. While he mostly relies on his enhanced martial arts and mystical Chi energy as Iron Fist, his skills with the Sword of Fu Xi still make him one of Marvel's deadliest duelists.
3 Shatterstar Is A Highly-Trained Mutant Swordsman From The Future
Gaveedra Seven is the son of Longshot and Dazzler who was taken to the future and raised to be a warrior in the Mojoverse known as Shatterstar. He was raised to be a fighter and an entertainer who was incredibly skilled with his specially-designed swords.
Shatterstar's swords would allow him to unlock the ability to teleport himself and others, and he never stopped training to perfect his swordsmanship over the years. Shatterstar worked alongside teams like X-Force and X-Factor where his skilled ferocity came in very handy.
2 Gamora Is Known As The Most Dangerous Woman In The Galaxy For A Reason
Aside from the occasional Christmas gift, there's only one good thing Gamora got from having Thanos as a father. She spent her upbringing with the Mad Titan training to become the deadliest woman in the galaxy. He gifted her with a powerful sword known as the Godslayer.
After many miserable years and modifications, Gamora is capable of handling hordes of opponents by herself. She made it to the finals of an intergalactic sword-fighting tournament, bested an Asgardian assassin, and ran through Phyla-Vell due to her incredible skills with a blade.
1 Blade Has Used A Number Of Specialty Swords In His Ongoing War Against Vampires
Blade has earned his title due to how many vampires he's taken put with his various weapons, including swords. With some help from Blade's vampire powers and abilities, he's able to wipe out hordes of bloodsuckers without getting a single scratch on him.
Whether it's his teakwood blade, his adamantium blade, or even a paper-mache sword made out of magical book pages, he is ready for any situation. No matter what he reaches for, any vampires he faces won't stand a ghost of a chance.