The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a massive tapestry of wonderful and colorful characters. Ever since Iron Man appeared on the screen, he kicked the door open for all manner of superheroes to appear. While things started with recognizable superheroes like the Hulk, Thor and Captain America, it wasn't long before more outlandish and less publicly-known characters made their big and small screen debuts. Through many movies that have taken us from Earth to the far reaches of space, as well as television shows like Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Netflix's The Defenders and even Inhumans, the Marvel comic book universe has truly and properly been brought to live-action.

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This increasing number of characters, and the fact that most of them eventually team-up or end up fighting each other, only leads to debate among fans, where people start wondering which superhero is actually the strongest. Sure, many villains have risen up to fight the MCU's protagonists, some more powerful than others, but today, CBR turns its attention squarely on the superheroes. With so many characters inhabiting their respective worlds with their own rules, be that science, magic or the dead of space, we do wonder who is the strongest. Join us as we list the 15 most powerful superhero characters of the MCU.

15 GIANT-MAN

Giant-Man didn't have a lot of screen-time in Captain America: Civil War, but what little (big) we saw of him was all that we needed to see to have an idea of how strong he actually was. Not only did his arrival cause quite a concern for Iron Man and his team, they all had trouble stopping him. Even the Vision, a most powerful character, couldn't fully defeat Giant-Man.

Sure, Scott Lang didn't have much of a handle on how to act as Giant-Man, seeing as how this was mostly new to him, but he did manage to rip off a plane's wing without breaking a sweat. As he starts getting more and more used to this new power he now possesses, Scott could become even more powerful, and his presence could prove instrumental in a fight against, say, for example, the Mad Titan Thanos.

14 QUICKSILVER

Like his twin sister Wanda, Pietro Maximoff was granted superpowers thanks to Baron Von Strucker's experiments with an Infinity Stone. While his sister got a more destructive ability, Pietro was given the power of super-speed, something that allowed him to move at an incredibly fast pace while everyone around him basically just stood in place.

With that power, Pietro was shown to be able to take out Captain America, Hawkeye and countless Ultron drones that he could smash to pieces with a single hit. If given more time to get a handle on his powers, we are certain that Quicksilver would have been able to take out even bigger guns. Such an ability made him one of the strongest Avengers on the team but sadly, his time was cut short.

13 IRON FIST

Danny Rand may be the current Iron First, but he certainly wasn't the first. The mantle, which comes with mystical powers given by the dragon named Shou-Lao the Undying, has been borne by others before, one of which was glimpsed at in a black and white video tape that dated back to 1948. This Iron Fist, in total control of his power, made easy prey of the various soldiers he faced.

Although Danny Rand may be inexperienced as the Iron Fist, he is starting to learn about the true power he can harness. This was shown to us in the season finale of Iron Fist, when Danny destroyed an entire building floor with a single punch. This power, combined with Danny's extensive martial arts training, truly makes him a living weapon.

12 QUAKE

On Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., it took a long time for viewers to find out who Sky really was. But when it was revealed that her name was actually Daisy Johnson and that she was an Inhuman, fans everywhere realized what that meant, and just what kind of powerhouse was on the show's cast. When Daisy went through her Terrigenesis, she became one of the most powerful superheroes in the MCU.

As an Inhuman, Daisy has the ability to create shockwaves and earthquakes -- such in an immense power to have, and it was one that proved difficult to control. In fact, the power was so strong and potentially dangerous that she was held in a secluded cabin designed to contain Bruce Banner. Unrestrained, Daisy was able to bring down an entire S.H.I.E.L.D. compound, making it crumble into the ground.

11 IRON MAN

Tony Stark may just be a human being, but he has a great intellect, one that is nearly unmatched. With a veritable army of automated armors at his side, he could easily take over the world, were he to see fit to do so. While even a creature like the Hulk is one of the most powerful in the MCU, Iron Man was able to defeat and apprehend him thanks to his Hulkbuster suit.

With no limits to his imagination and creativity, Stark could make the most powerful and devastating armored suits possible. There is no telling what else he has in his arsenal, but we saw that, when unchecked, his Iron Legion could give the Avengers a run for their money. What would happen to them if they were to fight not just the basic models, but the more advanced and lethal ones?

10 BLACK PANTHER

Covered head to toe in a suit made of vibranium, Black Panther is not only fast, lethal and dangerous, he's downright unstoppable. We have not seen a whole lot of him in action yet, but we do know that there is not an Avenger that can stand up to him when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. The Panther is a fierce opponent, and his specially designed suit only makes him more mighty -- a true creature of the hunt.

The King of Wakanda may not be a character who has special powers in his physiology, but his ferocity and skill only make him even more of a fan-favorite. Even out of his Panther suit, T'Challah is a force to be reckoned with, an accomplished fighter who can stand up to the likes of the Winter Soldier and Captain America.

9 HEIMDALL

Heimdall, the Asgardian gatekeeper, has more than proven to be a very powerful character. With the basic powers that come with being Asgardian, like prolonged life and much greater strength, Heimdall has also been given a special ability by Odin, something that he alone in the entire Universe can do – he can see and hear all, from anywhere in the Nine Realms.

With this power, Heimdall can keep watch on anything and anyone. Such power is one that even a villain like Loki recognizes. In fact, before Loki would try to kill Thor, he would arrange to get rid of Heimdall first, as seen in the first Thor film. But even frozen by Loki's magic, Heimdall was able to smash through the ice and resume his role as guardian of Asgard. We haven't seen him fully unleashed yet, but we believe that time may come soon.

8 VISION

The Vision may have started life as nothing more than an artificial intelligence working for Tony Stark, but when he was given a body made of vibranium, the result was a creature that wasn't simply J.A.R.V.I.S., but something new entirely. Not only can he fly and turn his body intangible, the simple fact that he is made entirely of vibranium means that he can't be hurt, seeing as how the material is shock-absorbent.

Besides, on top of all of that, the Vision can tap into any computer, giving him access to pretty much anything that is technologically connected. But that's not the most of it. Not even close. With an Infinity Stone in his forehead, Vision can unleash a powerful and devastating laser beam. He is a true powerhouse, and most likely the most powerful Avenger currently on the team.

7 SCARLET WITCH

The Scarlet Witch is without a doubt one of the most powerful Avengers on the team's roster; of course, perhaps her most fascinating feature is that she has barely even scratched the surface of her powers. Thanks to Baron von Strucker's experiments with the Mind Stone, Wanda Maximoff was given the power of telekinesis, and some from of telepathy as well, with her ability to darken the minds of others.

Wanda is only just beginning to learn how to use her powers, and we've seen what they can do when both checked and unchecked. Ultrons were ripped in half and hazardous smoke cleared from an entire building when Wanda was in control. She even managed to stop Vision and increase his density a thousandfold. But, when her heart was broken, she managed to pulverize countless Ultron drones in her vicinity. With such power, there is no telling what her limits are.

6 DOCTOR STRANGE

When Stephen Strange came to learn of the ways of the mystic arts, he became a very powerful character in the MCU. Tapping into magical energies allow him to perform many feats like creating shields and weapons, as well as entering the mirror dimension -- and he only grew more powerful as time went on. When the Cloak of Levitation bonded with him, he also acquired the ability to fly and an extra layer of protection.

And if all of these powers weren't enough, the good Doctor later came into possession of the Eye of Agamotto, an ancient and powerful relic that actually contains an Infinity Stone. With the Time Stone in his arsenal, there is basically nothing that can stand in Strange's way, simply because he can manipulate time as he see fit, whether that is in loops, to the past or, possibly, the future.

5 BLACK BOLT

Black Bolt is not only King of the Inhumans, he is also possibly the most powerful being of his race. In fact, his Inhuman gift is so raw, so powerful, that he dares not even speak, for fear of what damage he may cause. A simple grunt or gasp can obliterate a couple of cars in the street, and mere soft words can pulverize a person standing in front of him.

While we have not seen him unrestrained yet on his television series, it's a safe bet that we will probably see him cut loose at least once before the season concludes – and there is no telling what kind of damage he will cause. He might not have appeared in any MCU movies yet, but with a few simple words, Black Bolt could destroy all of the Avengers, without so much as breaking a sweat.

4 GHOST RIDER

The Ghost Rider has not had an official presence outside of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. but there, he has proven that he possesses great powers, such that can't easily be matched. Considering that the Rider is a demon born from hell, there is already little in the the movie side of the MCU that can even come close to his raw power. Even Doctor Strange, who deals in magic, wouldn't have much hope against the fires of literal hell.

Seeing as how he is a supernatural creature, one who is both dead and alive, the Rider cannot be killed, and his host can heal from all wounds. With such power, there is little doubt that he could take on someone like the Hulk directly, and come out on top. With the powers of hell as his arsenal, there aren't many MCU characters that hold a candle next to this Rider.

3 STAR-LORD

Wait, who? Star-Lord? Really? We know how this looks. How could Star-Lord, a puny human, be one of the most powerful characters in the MCU. Is it because of his spaceship, his cool mask or his guns? No, not at all. When taking Star-Lord into consideration, it's important to remember his lineage, and the final act of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Peter Quill was, in fact, the son of Ego the Living Planet, and we came to learn that he was part Celestial, ancient cosmic forces of the universe. We saw him learn to harness his god-like power, something he proved very efficient at, going so far as battling his own father in a battle of the cosmic gods. With this power, Quill could create almost anything and, were he to have kept it, he would have been one of the most powerful characters in the universe.

2 THE HULK

The Incredible Hulk is easily one of the heaviest hitters in the MCU. As an uncontrollable green monster made out of rage, he has super strength that can't be matched. His raw power has led to him not only leveling entire city blocks, but alien squadrons and robot armies. But what makes the Hulk such a powerful character isn't simply his penchant for punching and smashing.

In fact, the true power of the Hulk is that the angrier he gets, the stronger he becomes. This means that there is actually no telling what the limits of his powers are, were he to get angry enough. He has faced off against the Fenris wolf and Surtur, and was easily able to give Thor, the literal God of Thunder, a run for his money – and on more than one occasion. There isn't much that can stop the Hulk, save for a lullaby.

1 THOR

Thor is not only an Asgardian, he is the God of Thunder. With lightning and thunder at his beck and call, there is little that can stand in the way of his mighty hammer Mjolnir. Although we have rarely seen the thunder god unleash his full power on the big screen, we did see him destroy a Chitauri squadron by himself, as well as the city of Sokovia.

On Jotunheim, Thor summoned lighting that would make the realm's ground crumble just as easily as he would smash through frost giants and beasts. Besides all of that, there isn't much that he can't withstand. He is the only one who can face the Hulk with his bare hands, and crack a smile about it. The fact that we haven't even seen his full potential yet means he just might be the most powerful superhero in the entire MCU.

Who do you think is the MCU's most powerful superhero? Let us know in the comments!