A total ranking of Marvel's Thunderbolts teams, from weakest to strongest

With the Rays*
'New film quickly approaching, it's time to take a look at the team's various comedic iterations. The team was founded by Baron Zemo and a collection of other villains as a way of disguising their villainy as heroism. However, as time went by, some villains found their call to heroism and the team was transformed.

The strongest forms of Thunderbolts are those that stick the team's new prime directive, rehabilitating villains. Although readers often compare the Thunderbolts to DC's Suicide Squad, Marvel's version of the team is designed to turn villains into heroes, not recklessly waste them like paws. The further

a Thunderbolts team
If they deviate from this path, the more likely they will turn on themselves and fall apart. Villain teams always collapse internally, while heroes prevail. The strongest Thunderbolts teams are not only full of power, but also resistant to internal collapse. So, without anything else to do, here it is each Thunderbolts team, ranked from weakest to strongest.

17

Thunderbolts IX: Raiders of Ravencroft

Premiered in: King in Black: Thunderbolts #1 (2021) by Matthew Rosenberg and Juan Ferreyra

During

Knull's invasion of Earth
Wilson Fisk, mayor of New York City at the time, assembled an eccentric group of low-level villains to infiltrate the Ravencroft Institute and make contact with Norman Osborn. While Taskmaster, a frequent member of the villainous Thunderbolts teams, led the operation, many members of the group were killed by Knull's symbiotes before even reaching Ravencroft.

As fun as this team is, their numbers have been bolstered by street thugs and villains. Unable to keep up with the stronger crew members, many continued to die and be replaced during their limited run. In the end, the team ultimately betrayed Fisk dropping the “Thunderbolts” title. Unfortunately, these Thunderbolts were unique.

Premiered in: Rays #65 (2002) by Fabian Nicieza and Patrick Zircher

Shortly after legitimizing the team after it was revealed to be a ruse by Baron Zemo, S.H.I.E.L.D. created its own version of the Thunderbolts. With

Hawkeye in the lead
and veteran member Songbird alongside him, SHIELD's Thunderbolts performed moderately well. It was clear that whenever Hawkeye was away the party could not manage itself.

Their main group of enemies, the Masters of Evil, attacked the Thunderbolts without Hawkeye's guidance. When put to the test, challenged to see if their powers were enough to keep the team together, they failed. At the end of this Thunderbolts run, Hawkeye gave up and handed the team over to Baron Zemo, believing he had turned a corner. Although Zemo still secretly planned to take over the world, he possessed some new altruistic tendencies within his master plan.

15

Thunderbolts VII: Luke Cage's The Damned

Premiered in: Rays #144 (2010) by Jeff Parker and Kev Walker

Immediately after Norman Osborn's corrupted Thunderbolts, the leadership of the team has officially been passed on to Luke Cage. This time, the team was held in Jangada, a super prison designed to house super criminals. To overcome the Thunderbolts' tendency to turn against themselves, Cage promised to never forget that many of his team were villains.

Except for Songbird, MACH-V and Man-Thing, the Thunderbolts have proven

Luke Cage's fears
to be true. Crossbones betrayed the team, causing an internal collapse before they could become useful. These Thunderbolts were promising. Songbird was a senior by this time and was even named team captain. Man-Thing was used as a teleporter, increasing the team's overall effectiveness. However, your inability to dispute Crossbones and the Juggernaut proved to be a fatal failure.

14

The secret rays

Premiered in: Dark Avengers #1 (2009) by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato Jr.

During the Dark Kingdom event, Norman Osborn assembled a team of Thunderbolts to operate as a covert operations military force while the Dark Avengers kept the public's attention. Immediately, the group was fueled with volatile and morally corrupt powers, sealing the team's inevitable collapse. Eventually, the Thunderbolts and

the dark avengers
they clashed, turning Osborn's work into a public relations disaster.

The ensuing combat took a more difficult turn after members of the Thunderbolts, including a disguised Natasha Romanoff, switched sides mid-fight. Ultimately, the Secret Thunderbolts were so far from the purpose of the team's prime directive that it is no surprise that he suffered an internal breakdown. As previously stated, the more corrupt the Thunderbolts are, the shorter their life expectancy becomes.

13

Thunderbolts I: The Founders

Premiered in: Rays #1 (1997) by Mark Bagley and Vince Russell

The first iteration of the team, the Thunderbolts were created as a ploy by Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil. Parading like heroes, the team's objective was to gain the government's trust. By doing so, Zemo hoped to leverage his new authority to access confidential information.

SHIELD and Avengers information
to sell to the criminal underworld. Zemo's neo-fascist but friendly-looking team was deeply rooted in Zemo's Nazi rhetoric, although many of its members did not share the same ideals.

Some of the team, particularly MACH-1, Songbird, and Atlas, enjoyed the love and respect the heroes received. Songbird would continue to prove herself while secretly being in a relationship with Zemo. Atlas liked to be a hero, but was reckless and violent when provoked. From the team, MACH-1 was the only villain to show remorse, turning himself in for punishment after the team's inevitable collapse. These Thunderbolts are at the top of the list because of their close cooperation, but their lack of unified ideals ultimately caused the team's disbandment.

12

Thunderbolts: Heroes Reborn

Premiered in: Rays #60 (2002) by Fabian Nicieza and Patrick Zircher

These Thunderbolts come from an artificial reality called Counter-Earth. This reality was

created by Franklin Richards
to save many heroes who sacrificed themselves after the Attack event. Counter-Earth fabricated a similar yet alternate timeline designed to seamlessly transition the heroes to the new world. Just like Earth-616, Counter-Earth has its own alternate Thunderbolts.

Although this team was short-lived, these dimensional variants possessed noticeably more firepower than the original Earth-616 team. However, when they clashed with the Earth-616 Thunderbolts, the Contra-Terra team was unable to prevail. It's unclear if the Thunderbolts variant is still in action, but when they were last seen, Moonstone was trapped on Attilan and Heinrich Zemo had been killed by his Earth-616 son.

11

Thunderbolts II: Hawkeye's Rogues

Premiered in: Rays #21 (1998) by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bakley

These are the Thunderbolts
who immediately followed the original team. Hawkeye, himself a former villain turned hero, petitioned to lead the team and give them a second chance. MACH-1, having previously turned itself over to authorities, was provisionally released to the Thunderbolts under the new moniker, MACH-2. General, Hawkeye's Thunderbolts set the standard for the organization's guideline moving forward.

Each member of this team served in the first iteration of Zemo, but decided to seek the fame and glory that heroism offered. For a time, the Thunderbolts were of one mind, each determined to prove their heroic nature. While not as powerful as other versions of the team, their cooperation and adherence to Hawkeye's leadership have proven the Thunderbolts to be a viable investment for organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D.

10

Thunderbolts X: The Last “Heroes”

Premiered in: Devil's Reign: Villains for Hire #1 (2022) by Clay McLeod Chapman and Manuel Garcia

After his first Thunderbolts collapsed due to their limbs' weaknesses, Mayor Wilson Fiskthe second attempt on the Thunderbolts proved much more successful. This time, Fisk brought together experienced villains, many of whom had previously worked together. In addition to the core team, Fisk created Thunderbolt units. These squads of grunts were led by other villains who were not part of the main team.

As Fisk passed a law stating that his Thunderbolts were the only legally recognized heroes, These villains exerted firm control over New York City until a shocking internal defection. The Rhino believed that Fisk and the Thunderbolts were very corrupt and had warned

the champions
and the Avengers from a Thunderbolt mission. Although the team was defeated and Fisk expelled, these Thunderbolts were efficient and powerful, possessing a wide spectrum of criminal talents.

9

Thunderbolts IV: Hydra Puppets

Premiered in: New Rays #1 (2004) by Fabian Nicieza, Kurt Busiek and Tom Grummett

During a time when the Avengers were disbanding and Hawkeye was dead, MACH-IV stepped up to create a new team of Thunderbolts to take the Avengers' place. However, to finance the team, MACH-IV made a hidden deal with Baron Strucker,

delegitimizing the Thunderbolts
'noble intentions. This decision ultimately led to the team's collapse, as much of the group were members of the original team and had long rejected Hydra's fascist ideology.

However, Songbird secretly continued her relationship with Baron Zemo and knew of MACH-IV's dealings with Strucker the entire time. Much like Doctor Doom's current scheme, Zemo wanted to unify the world under the banner of Hydra to put an end to their constant cycle of chaos. Unfortunately, corruption often kills Thunderbolts teams and this version of the coalition was no exception.

8

Thunderbolts XI: Luke Cage's Redeemers

Premiered in: Rays #1 (2022) by Jim Zub and Sean Izaakse

After Wilson Fisk was ousted as mayor of New York City, Luke Cage was elected to fill the role. Wanting reestablish the Thunderbolts brand to be attractive to the publicwhile still adhering to Fisk's previous legalization of the team's status, this iteration was stocked with nothing but true heroes and rehabilitated sons of villains. The Thunderbolts were then New York's official security force.

This team, although no longer active, is the last official Thunderbolts team in the comics. Unlike previous iterations, these Thunderbolts were pure heroes and operated as such. Possessing

The interdimensional powers of América Chávez
Power Man's chi manipulation and Spectrum's cosmic abilities, these Thunderbolts were a team packed with power and motivation. The only major problem was the general disorganization due to the age of the team.

7

Thunderbolts V: Baron Zemo's new Thunderbolts

Premiered in: New Rays #16 (2005) by Fabian Nicieza and Rick Leonardi

Immediately after the Hydra-manipulated Thunderbolts, Zemo regained open control of the Thunderbolts again. Although MACH-IV was ejected for their mistake, the Thunderbolts remained under Hydra's control as long as Baron Zemo was still involved. This time, Zemo knew how to control his Thunderbolts. Songbird was still deeply in love with the fascist leader. Meanwhile, Atlas remained on the team after being blackmailed by Zemo, who promised his brother's safety as long as Atlas cooperated.

While blackmail, coercion, and fascist corruption have not been shown to make Thunderbolts effective, this version of the team still found some success. When put to the test, these Thunderbolts were able to withstand the Squadron Sinister. Surprisingly, it wasn't the corrupt nature of the team that disbanded them, but rather

the superhuman civil war
. Soon, the team was reformed with even deadlier villains.

6

Civil War Thunderbolts: Team Iron Man

Premiered in: Rays #103 (2006) by Fabian Nicieza and Tom Grummett

Although this list states that the more volatile the Thunderbolts, the less powerful they are as a team, Iron Man's Thunderbolts were a violent exception. This team operated much like the Suicide Squad, intentionally packed with supervillains with promises of pardons and reduced prison sentences. In return, their main objective was to hunt down Captain America's Secret Avengers. To control the damned, Iron Man implanted each limb with inhibitor devices that could deliver excruciatingly painful shocks.

The team was made up of tactical minds and brute force, but suffered from internal volatility. Venom, currently linked to Chameleon, and Bullseye proved difficult to control, but were controlled by the veteran members of the team. Although only a few members are listed here, the Thunderbolts have been expanded into a full army of villains, effectively turning the Thunderbolts into a military force rather than a rehabilitation-oriented coalition.

5

Thunderbolts VI: Hero Hunters

Premiered in: Civil War: Initiative #1 (2007) by Brian Michael Bendis, Warren Ellis and Marc Silvestri

Immediately after the Civil War, the next team of Thunderbolts reverted to their smaller size and fell under the direction of Norman Osborn. Unlike Osborn's Secret Thunderbolts, this team still maintained some of its heroic ideals. Billed as the post-war “Golden Heroes,” the Thunderbolts were used primarily as public relations to disguise the purpose of Osborn's next team.

During the Skrull invasion
the Thunderbolts became critical allies to the other hero teams and were considered paragons of justice after the invasion was foiled. While much of the team remained similar in individual power, their notable exception was Penance. After unwittingly starting the Civil War, the mutant known as Speedball underwent extreme psychiatric treatment, transforming into a volatile but powerful new mutant.

4

Lightning that travels through time

Premiered in: Rays #163 (2011) by Jeff Parker and Declan Shalvey

When the Thunderbolts were still housed on the Raft, the Fixer secretly worked with Baron Zemo to help the team escape. Marvel had just ended the Fear itself event, which left the Jangada in ruins. As the team tried to escape using

Man-Thing teleportation
powers, the creature became unstable and teleported the Thunderbolts back in time.

First in World War II, then in Victorian London, and followed by Arthurian Camelot, the time travelers finally found places in an alternate totalitarian future where the Dark Avengers had seized power. The Thunderbolts returned to the present and thwarted the Dark Avengers, earning each member of the Thunderbolts an official pardon. This version of the team was one of the few that possessed a magic user, let alone Satan's daughter. Despite the team's supervillainous intent, they operated with genuine heroism and teamwork, saving the team from the Thunderbolts' habit of internal collapse.

3

Thunderbolts VIII: The Runaways

Premiered in: Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Omega #1 (2016) by Nick Spencer, Daniel Acuna and Angel Unzueta

This version of the Thunderbolts was one of the few that was never officially sanctioned. After SHIELD created a digitized super-prison designed to peacefully detain criminals with no memories of their outside lives, the digital world developed consciousness. Calling himself Kobik, the artificial intelligence asked the Winter Soldier for help. Barnes led a revolution against S.H.I.E.L.D.freeing Kobik and some of the prisoners.

Although Songbird did not join this team, veteran member MACH-X, formerly a Jangada guard, accompanied the eclectic team. Unfortunately, without any clear objectives other than

Rebelling against S.H.I.E.L.D.
the team was unable to find motivation for a greater purpose. While members like Atlas, Moonstone, an upgrade MACH-X and Kobik reinforced the team's strengthfell once again after Baron Zemo recruited Moonstone and Fixer back to his side.

2

The rays of revolution

Premiered in: Rays #1 (2023) by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Geraldo Borges

Probably designed to imitate the cast of Rays* movie, these Thunderbolts were a collection of soldiers, each of whom walked morally gray paths in the past but worked towards a better future. The squad was designed specifically as an anti-Red Skull military operationwith the intention of finally killing

Hydra's most prolific leader
. Despite powerful resistance from Red Skull and Doctor Doom, the Thunderbolts repeatedly prevailed, proving to be the most efficient team yet.

This is a complete team of supernatural powers, alien biology, and decades of combat experience. Each Thunderbolt's complicated past has only reinforced their collective drive to make the world a better place. After successfully assassinating Red Skull, the group banded together once again to choose their next supervillain target. While this team best represents the Thunderbolts' primary goal of rehabilitating criminals, their lack of raw power puts them just behind the number one pick on this list.

1

Red Hulk Rays

Premiered in: Rays #20 (2012) by Charles Soule and Carlo Barberi

On paper, these Thunderbolts proved to be a total failure. Constantly fighting amongst themselves and united by the already volatile Red Hulk, this team turned on each other at every opportunity. However, where they lacked clear vision, they made up for it with overwhelming power. Deadpool, Elektra, and Punisher were not just morally lateral antiheroes, but they were every professional assassin is exactly what Thaddeus Ross needed. Their true power came from the other main members, Agent Venom and Ghost Rider.

Although other symbiotes have appeared on this list, including Venom, this iteration of the symbiote has by far the most control, guided by Flash Thompson's morally righteous heroism. Even bigger than Venom is the Thunderbolts

addition of a Ghost Rider
. Like Satana did with the time-traveling Thunderbolts, Johnny Blaze brought a level of raw supernatural strength this could easily put any of the team members in their place.

It's hard to ignore the group's destructive tendencies, but when it finally comes down to pure strength, these are the strongest. Rays yet.