10 Most Powerful Avengers Villains Ever

9. Norman Osborn

Osborn, whilst traditionally a Spider-Man villain (as we all know), spent a couple of years tangling with the New Avengers. After somehow finding himself a position heading up the Thunderbolts (during Warren Ellis' amazing, if brief, run), he weaselled his way into Nick Fury's old chair as director of the U.N.'s premier worldwide security force following the Skrulls' failed Secret Invasion.

Commonly known for his increased strength and craziness in his Green Goblin persona, the real power that Osborn wielded came to the fore during his so-called Dark Reign - control of Earth's peace-keeping task force, built from the ashes of S.H.I.E.L.D., known as H.A.M.M.E.R. He installed many of his old Thunderbolts buddies as the Dark Avengers, and began the Cabal, consisting of Loki, Doctor Doom, Emma Frost, Namor and the Hood, keeping them all under control by threatening them with the Sentry's dark alter-ego, the Void.

Between an army of Osborn loyalists and the power of the Void and the Dark Avengers at his command, Osborn was near-untouchable. Any time the Avengers tried to go up against him, they were painted as unpatriotic. He fought a PR war against the heroes, which would have ended spectacularly badly for them if Osborn hadn't allowed himself to get manipulated by Loki into attacking Asgard. Which would never sound like a good idea to anyone who wasn't insane and thought they were a goblin.