Something is exciting about a character who travels faster than the human eye can follow—and Marvel has plenty of speedsters who’ve left audiences gasping. Whether they’re mutants, gods, Eternals, or one of the many other variations, these characters don’t merely run quickly—they warp the fabric of time, space, and narrative. From old-school heroes to lesser-known titans, here are the top ten speedsters in Marvel Comics, with some honorable mentions who are worth keeping an eye on.
1. Makkari – The Fastest Eternal
When it comes to sheer speed, Makkari is in a class of their own. A member of the Eternals, Makkari chose to sacrifice other abilities to focus solely on mastering speed, and the results are astonishing. Capable of moving at speeds that rival cosmic entities, Makkari’s feats go far beyond most mortals or mutants. Following their resurrection as a prophet of the Dreaming Celestial, Makkari’s connection to speed became even more profound, cementing their place at the top of Marvel’s speed hierarchy.
2. Blur (Stanley Stewart) – Speed Beyond Reality
A Squadron Supreme founding member, Blur has developed way beyond your typical speedster. Capable of phasing out of sync with time, he’s established faster-than-light travel and even utilized his speed for time travel. His epic battle with his universe’s Quicksilver ended in a killer victory, demonstrating that when it comes to pushing the bounds of speed, Blur is one of Marvel’s strongest anomalies.
3. Prisa-38 – Evolutionary Supremacy
One of the Vault Children, Prisa-38, represents what can be done to a speedster through thousands of years of technological evolution. Her ability to manipulate motion on the molecular level means that she can travel at speeds just shy of light without harm to herself or the rest of the world. She once saved more than 43,000 people individually when she was in a disaster and boosted localized space to an age of millions of years in seconds. Should she return to the Marvel limelight, prepare to see her faster.
4. Northstar – Mutant Speedster Extraordinaire
Jean-Paul Beaubier is considered the fastest living mutant by most. He’s reported peak speeds approaching light speed, although his body can’t sustain those for more than a few seconds. Even going at his standard operating speeds, Northstar is lightning-fast in battle, making him an indispensable member of both the X-Men and Alpha Flight. He’s not the glitziest on this list, but as far as regular speed feats go, Northstar is a staple.
5. Scarlet Witch – Magic-Fueled Velocity
Wanda Maximoff is most famously known for reality-bending chaos magic, but due to soaking up skin cells from the Eternal called the Runner, she once had brief access to incomprehensible speed. She’s battled entire wars within the timeframe of a heartbeat. Although her speed is magical and not physical, it’s so powerful that it can match—and even overawe—traditional speedsters when unleashed.
6. Quicksilver – The Classic Marvel Speedster
Pietro Maximoff is Marvel’s poster boy for super speed. Whether he’s hitting Mach 10 or speeding through time-based missions, Quicksilver has been establishing Marvel’s speed since the Silver Age. Although he’s been overtaken by others in recent times, his history—and raw speed—still place him among the fastest heroes in the Marvel Universe.
7. Hermes – God of Swiftness
As the Olympian god of swiftness, Hermes brings godly power and centuries’ worth of mythic ability to the party. He’s had speeds at around Mach 5 and has flight, longevity, and reflexes that transcend human understanding. While appearances are rare, Hermes is a reminder that sometimes the gods truly are faster than humans, super-powered or not.
8. Aurora – Speed and Light in One
Jeanne-Marie Beaubier formerly equaled her twin Northstar’s speed, achieving speeds close to light. Although her abilities have since been toned down, Aurora is still an effective fighter with sonic-speed movements and reactions. In synergistic attacks alongside her brother, she’s still capable of surpassing most villains in the Marvel Universe.
9. Speed (Tommy Shepherd) – The Next-Gen Speedster
One of the new generation members of the Marvel speed family, Speed Shepherd is the biological son of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver’s nephew. Not yet as good as his uncle, he’s getting there. Already able to fly faster than a bullet and vibrate molecules, recent plot developments suggest he’ll be breaking new ground in no time.
10. Quick (Loolo Marshall) – Future’s Fastest
Loolo Marshall established herself in the “Sins of Sinister” timeline as the “fastest being still living.” Although her accomplishments are mostly unmeasured, the mere fact that she outran legends such as Northstar and Quicksilver in her timeline attests to the dormant nature of her potential. As a member of Storm’s Brotherhood, she was handing out killing blows in record time.
Honorable Mentions
- Silk – With spider reflexes, Cindy Moon can avoid danger before it occurs.
- Slingshot (Yo-Yo Rodriguez) – Can burst into speed but always ends up back where she started.
- Black Racer – Lives up to his moniker with velocities on par with the likes of Speed and Aurora.
- Nonstop – A newer addition who’s proving himself with burst-based high-speed movement.
- Hurricane (Ultimate Universe) – Created to match up against Quicksilver, but ultimately came up short.
From the gods’ powers to evolution’s miracles and magic, Marvel’s speediest villains and heroes aren’t running circles—they’re redefining fast. Longtime Quicksilver lover or just discovering speedsters like Quick or Prisa-38, it doesn’t matter—one thing is certain: in the Marvel Universe, the finish line is ever-changing.