10 Greatest Avengers Of All Time

4. Thor

The Marvel Universe is home to a great many beautiful and inventive mythologies, but none are more stunning in their scale than that of Thor's.

The brainchild of Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and Larry Leiber, the Odinson has been at the forefront of Marvel's comics since his first appearance, and has been synonymous with the Avengers for over 50 years. That in itself is an impressive legacy, and though it's perhaps arguable that the best Thor stories don't even involve the Avengers, there's no denying the team loses something without the God of Thunder amongst its ranks.

Gifted command over the elements of thunder and lightning, Thor isn't only one of the strongest Avengers, but also one of their most noble. He's experienced such growth since his initial appearance, transforming from a headstrong warrior into a true leader, and there's no better place that illustrates that journey than in the Avengers.

It's where Thor's development can best be seen, and in contrasting from his more epic Asgardian tales, they serve an important purpose.