The superhero genre has exploded in popularity, largely thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its string of blockbuster films like Captain America: Civil War and Iron Man. But while the MCU has dominated the big screen, television has quietly been building its own roster of incredibly powerful heroes. Some of these small-screen stars possess abilities that would make even the original six Avengers—Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye—look like amateurs.
In this ranking, we're pitting the mightiest TV superheroes against the founding Avengers to see who would come out on top. We're considering raw strength, special abilities, known feats, and hypothetical matchups. These are the characters who could give Earth's Mightiest Heroes a serious run for their money—and in some cases, leave them in the dust.
8. Homelander (The Boys)
Prime Video's The Boys may have wrapped up in 2026 to mixed reviews, but its most terrifying creation remains unforgettable. Homelander (Anthony Starr) is the world's most powerful "hero"—a twisted product of corporate engineering who was raised to be America's savior but became its greatest threat. With super strength, flight, heat vision, and near-invulnerability, he's a one-man army. However, his arrogance and lack of formal combat training could be his undoing against a coordinated team like the Avengers. While he could take down most of them with ease, Thor and Hulk would pose a real challenge. A combined assault from those two heavy hitters might just be enough to put him down.
7. All Might (My Hero Academia)
Anime has some of the most overpowered characters in fiction, and All Might is a prime example. In a world where 80% of the population has quirks, he stands as the Symbol of Peace—the number one hero. His quirk, One For All, grants him the combined power of all its previous wielders, giving him devastating strength and speed. In his prime, All Might could level city blocks with a single punch. Against the Avengers, his overwhelming power would likely be too much for even Thor and Hulk to handle. He's not just a street-level brawler; he's a force of nature.
6. Supergirl (Supergirl, The Flash)
Superman's cousin, Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist), proved herself a powerhouse in the CW's Arrowverse. With powers identical to Superman's—super strength, flight, invulnerability, heat vision, and super speed—she's a formidable opponent. Under a yellow sun, she's nearly unstoppable. Unlike her cousin, she's less restrained, making her even more dangerous in a fight. The Avengers would struggle to even land a hit on her, let alone hurt her. Her speed alone would be overwhelming, and her strength could go toe-to-toe with the Hulk.
5. Allen the Alien (Invincible)
From the animated hit Invincible, Allen the Alien (voiced by Seth Rogen) is a genetically engineered weapon designed to be the ultimate warrior. As an evaluation officer, he travels the universe testing the strength of local heroes. His most dangerous ability is his reactive biology: every time he's near death, he regenerates and comes back stronger, adapting to overcome any threat. The Avengers have faced alien invaders, but nothing like Allen. Each time they think they've beaten him, he returns more powerful, eventually surpassing them all. It's a terrifying cycle that would ultimately lead to their defeat.
4. Omni-Man (Invincible)
While Allen is a hero, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons) is a complex figure—a Viltrumite warrior sent to Earth to prepare it for conquest. But his time on Earth and his love for his family complicate his mission. In terms of raw power, Omni-Man is on par with, if not stronger than, Allen. He's shown the ability to decimate entire planets and shrug off attacks that would vaporize lesser beings. Against the Avengers, he would be a one-man wrecking crew. Only Thor and Hulk could even hope to match his strength, but even they would be hard-pressed to stop him.
3. Saitama (One Punch Man)
No list of overpowered heroes is complete without Saitama, the caped baldy from One Punch Man. His power is simple: he can defeat any opponent with a single punch. There's no limit to his strength—he's broken his limiter, making him infinitely powerful. The Avengers, no matter how they coordinate, would fall in one hit. It's not even a contest. Saitama is the ultimate trump card, and Earth's Mightiest Heroes would be nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
2. Goku (Dragon Ball)
While Goku is primarily known from anime, he's also appeared in TV specials and movies. As a Saiyan, he possesses god-like power, capable of destroying universes with his energy attacks. His transformations, from Super Saiyan to Ultra Instinct, push his power to incomprehensible levels. The Avengers, even at their strongest, are planetary-level threats at best. Goku operates on a cosmic scale. He could end the fight in an instant with a Kamehameha that vaporizes the entire battlefield. There's no strategy that could overcome such overwhelming might.
1. The Doctor (Doctor Who)
Topping our list is the Doctor, the time-traveling alien from Doctor Who. While not a traditional superhero, the Doctor has saved the universe countless times using intellect, cunning, and a deep understanding of time and space. With a TARDIS that can travel anywhere in time and a sonic screwdriver that can interface with almost any technology, the Doctor could outmaneuver the Avengers without breaking a sweat. They could simply travel back in time and prevent the Avengers from ever forming, or trap them in a time loop. The Doctor's greatest weapon is their mind, and that's something the Avengers have no defense against.
These TV heroes prove that the small screen can produce characters with power levels that dwarf even the most celebrated movie superheroes. While the Avengers may have box office dominance, these champions have the raw ability to back up their claims. For more on the best of television, check out our picks for HBO's best mystery series or top Netflix original thrillers.
