Captain Marvel has been flying high across the Marvel universe since the late ’60s. Over the years, whether we’ve known her as Carol Danvers, Mar-Vell, Binary, or even Ms. Marvel, she’s clashed with a seriously tough lineup of enemies. These villains range from cunning masterminds to full-blown cosmic threats. There have been some who’ve all but removed her from existence, and others who simply made it complicated enough to leave a lasting impression. Let’s then dissect the 12 strongest villains that have ever battled Captain Marvel, listed from sneaky threats to those that could rebuild galaxies.
12. The Supreme Intelligence
This isn’t merely some alien head in a jar. The Supreme Intelligence is essentially the brain trust of the Kree Empire, consisting of the most intelligent minds they’ve ever had, all combined into one super-being. It’s got mental abilities such as telepathy and telekinesis, not to mention a level of cosmic awareness that allows it to remain ten steps ahead. Carol has defeated it before, including a nasty encounter with a variation named Vox Supreme, but this foe is all about the long game. Every time it gets defeated, you just know it’s plotting its next move.
11. Ove
Ove’s the warped product of an unwanted power couple—Namor and Amora, the Enchantress. That’s Atlantean durability, Asgardian magic, and a huge ego. He tampered with time travel and attempted to one-up Carol, believing he could outwit the future. But Carol sent him running and deprived him of his powers. Despite all the skills, his immaturity and dependence on his domineering mother keep him from being an actual unstoppable force.
10. Star
Ripley Ryan, alias Star, began by attempting to do the right thing, then had power go directly to her head. Having leeched some of Captain Marvel’s abilities, she became a wildly unstable force. She’s volatile, combative, and perfectly happy to sacrifice allies once things get ugly. Her volatility is the thing that makes her so dangerous—she’s got enough steam to match wits with Carol, and you never quite know what she’s going to do next.
9. M.O.D.O.K.
With a moniker like Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing, M.O.D.O.K. isn’t subtle. Originally designed by A.I.M., this giant floating head possesses enormous mental abilities—mind control, psychic blasts, and telekinesis, to name a few. He plays dirty, too. M.O.D.O.K. doesn’t discriminate against who he double-crosses as long as it serves his purposes. He’s been a nuisance in Carol’s life more times than she can count, and he uses brains as well as brawn to terrorize her and the Avengers.
8. Nitro
Nitro is well-known for one thing more than anything else: he’s the guy who murdered the first Captain Marvel, Mar-Vell. His exploding abilities make him a terror. He can explode and reassemble again and again, making him a hassle to deal with. And if that were not enough, he also perpetrated the Stamford incident that initiated the Civil War saga. This man’s destruction is in a package—wherever he is, catastrophe strikes.
7. The Brood
Picture the Aliens from the films, but creepier and deeply integrated into Marvel history. The Brood are insectoid parasites that infect other creatures to spawn more of them. They’ve got claws, toxic stingers, and a collective consciousness that makes them frightful in groups. Carol’s fought them on multiple occasions, including one memorable battle in which she didn’t even possess her abilities. That ought to give you an idea of how deadly they are.
6. Doomsday Man
The U.S. military originally constructed Doomsday Man, a giant robot to survive in space, war, and really anything you can throw its way. A.I.M. later took him and refurbished him to destroy Ms. Marvel. He’s constructed like a tank and packs just as punchy a blow, but Carol isn’t a slouch either—she ended up outwitting him and entombing him. Defeating him wasn’t so much about brute strength; it was about really good strategy.
5. Deathbird
This deadly Shi’ar warrior is as skilled as she is vicious. Deathbird’s wings aren’t just for show—she can fly with incredible speed, and her combat skills are nothing short of elite. She was sent after Carol by M.O.D.O.K., but she’s held her own since then, using high-tech javelins and advanced tactics to keep Captain Marvel on her heels. She’s the type of competitor who doesn’t necessarily hit you head-on—she’s clever, deadly, and always thinking a few moves ahead.
4. Titannus
Titannus is sort of the Skrulls’ version of Captain America—except worse, wilder, and much less heroic. Due to the Skrulls’ testing, he’s equipped with super-strength, speed healing, and a whole lot of anger. He destroyed half of Tokyo just to make Earth’s heroes notice. It normally takes a whole superhero team to take him down, and even then, it’s never a walk in the park. Titannus is brute strength with an attitude.
3. Ronan the Accuser
One of the most well-known Kree warriors in existence, Ronan has the abilities to live up to the name. As a cybernetically augmented soldier, he’s already a physical giant. But after he acquired the Black Vortex—a cosmic powerhouse of an artifact—he took it to a whole other level. He could warp reality based on people’s internal guilt, turning their guilt trips into actual prisons. With or without that enhancement, Ronan is always a danger to Captain Marvel and anyone else who gets in his way.
2. Yon-Rogg
An old enemy and fellow Kree warrior, Yon-Rogg, has been involved with Carol Danvers since the beginning. He is manipulative, calculating, and has personal agendas that drive him forward. Throughout the years, he’s fought her in various forms—sometimes in a technological overload, sometimes in sheer power, and always with that condescending attitude of superiority. His intimate understanding of Carol’s past makes his attacks personal—and that makes him deadly.
1. Moonstone (Karla Sofen)
At the top of the list is Karla Sofen, known as Moonstone. Once a psychiatrist turned supervillain, she pilfered the alien Moonstone and developed amazing powers—flight, energy projection, intangibility, and super strength. She’s battled Captain Marvel numerous times, both physically and mentally, and frequently attempts to use Carol’s self-doubt and insecurity against her. Moonstone’s not only physically powerful—she’s strategic, manipulative, and ambitious. She’s everything an elite villain needs to be.
Captain Marvel’s enemies are as powerful and dynamic as she is. From the cosmic geniuses to the technologically augmented assassins, they’ve each tested their limits in various ways. And whether it’s emotional betrayal, intergalactic combat, or mind games, these villains do their part in defining the legacy of one of Marvel’s strongest heroes.