Marvel’s 10 Most Powerful Armored Villains Who Could Challenge Iron Man

Marvel has created many amazing villains over the years. Villains take various shapes and sizes, and much like heroes, an important part of their repertoire is their costumes. While many villains have traditional costumes like superheroes, others follow another trend among superheroes and wear awesome armor. Armored characters have been a part of Marvel since the Silver Age when the publisher created many powerful armored foes to battle Iron Man. However, as the years have passed, even more powerful armored superfoes have debuted. They’ve challenged the heroes in battle, their armor making them more potent than ever.

These armored supervillains run the gamut from powerful cosmic conquerors to more earthbound villains. Sometimes, their armor is the source of their powers, other times it’s just really cool looking. Armored supervillains have played a large role in Marvel history, facing off against the greatest heroes in the Marvel Universe with the added protection and power of fantastic suits of armor.

10 The Crimson Dynamo Was The Russian Answer To Iron Man

Tony Stark’s powerful Iron Man armor was the first in a string of superpowered armor built by Stark and geniuses worldwide. Stark’s place as an American superhero started an armor arms race, and the US’s enemies got into the armor game as well. Iron Man fought many powerful villains in his early years, but the most dangerous was Crimson Dynamo. Anton Vanko created the first Crimson Dynamo armor and battled Iron Man many times, challenging the Armored Avenger like a few others.

The Crimson Dynamo armor had similar capabilities to Iron Man’s armor, although it didn’t share Iron Man’s repulsor beams, which were Stark’s proprietary technology Vanko modified the armor once, creating the Crimson Dynamo Mark II Vanko was killed after defecting, but the Crimson Dynamo would live on, with multiple suits and new operators battling against Iron Man

The Crimson Dynamo became a familiar foe for Iron Man. Every time Iron Man modified his armor, it seemed that a new Crimson Dynamo would appear, ready to battle him. The Crimson Dynamo armors were rarely as well-constructed as Iron Man’s, but they were still quite powerful, allowing the many people who wore them to fight Iron Man to a standstill.

9 The Destroyer Armor Made Anyone Who Wore It A Match For Thor

Asgard was full of amazing weapons, but none were as dangerous as the Destroyer armor. This armor allowed anyone who wore it to become a one-person army, able to take any damage and tear through legions of foes like they weren’t even there. The Destroyer was only used in the most desperate circumstances, and many have worn it over the years, including Thor. However, it’s also been used against the God of Thunder and Asgard, threatening the lives of those who created it.

The Destroyer armor is tougher than adamantium and Uru, the metal that Thor’s hammer is made from, allowing the wearer to take amazing amounts of damage Anyone wearing the Destroyer armor can lift well over a hundred tons, allowing the wearer to smack around the most powerful beings in the Ten Realms The Destroyer armor could fire powerful destructive blasts from its visor and also could manipulate matter, transmuting substances into anything the user wished

Loki often made the Destroyer armor part of his many battles against Thor. It’s always been considered Asgard’s most powerful weapon of last resort, and Thor has been tested by it many times over the years. Not everyone has used the Destroyer armor for evil, but when it is, it’s a weapon unlike any other.

8 The Beyonder Donned Silver Armor When He Decided To Destroy The Universe

The One From Beyond first made his presence known by kidnapping Earth’s greatest heroes and villains and spiriting them away to Battleworld, a hodge-podge creation from worlds around the universe. The One From Beyond didn’t take a human form during this time, and Doctor Doom drained its power. The heroes defeated Doom and the One From Beyond would disappear, but the idea of joining those beings of flesh and blood wouldn’t leave it, so it made itself a male body and came to Earth as the Beyonder.

The Beyonder was immensely powerful, greater than any god The Beyonder never had to deal with human feelings before and found them to be overwhelming at times, especially attraction to others The Beyonder traveled the world trying to find a woman of his stature but couldn’t find one and eventually decided to destroy everything

The Beyonder first wore a snazzy white number when he came to Earth, but that would change when he decided that everything had to go. The Beyonder created silver armor for himself, although it was basically just for show. The Beyonder could make anything he wore indestructible but decided that cool-looking armor fit his mission of destruction better than his white disco wear.

Norman Osborn was a wealthy and intelligent industrialist, but his anger and ambition combined to create a dark personality known as the Green Goblin. Osborn’s Goblin Formula gave him superhuman physical attributes and a healing factor. He embarked on a life of crime to become Spider-Man’s greatest enemy before “reforming” as the leader of the government’s Thunderbolts. During the Skrull invasion, Osborn led the Thunderbolts in battle and killed Veranke, the Skrull Queen. Osborn was made head of the Superhero Initiative and took possession of Avengers Tower and everything therein, including Iron Man’s many armors.

Norman Osborn wasn’t able to hack into the most advanced suits of Iron Man armor but was able to get into an older model of armor The Iron Patriot armor allowed Norman to lead his Dark Avengers into battle, making him a powerful presence Osborn didn’t often use the armor’s repulsor rays, preferring to use its flight capabilities to add momentum to the armor’s superstrong attacks

The Iron Patriot armor made Osborn more powerful than ever. Osborn’s scheming brought the Dark Avengers and HAMMER (his version of SHIELD) to the top, but the might of the Iron Patriot armor kept him there. While it wasn’t the most powerful armor, it allowed Iron Patriot to stay the most dangerous person in the US until his hubris destroyed everything he had built.

6 Kang The Conqueror’s Armor Allowed Him To Conquer The Future And Fight The Avengers On His Own

Kang the Conqueror is a descendant of Reed Richards and Doctor Doom. Kang grew up in a time of peace and plenty, which irritated him as he wanted adventure. He used the technology of his time to travel back to the present and became Iron Lad. He helped found the Young Avengers to stop his dark future from happening. Kang would later travel to Ancient Egypt, using his powerful technology to become Pharaoh Rama-Tut. The Fantastic Four defeated him, but the lust for conquest was in him, and he became the Kang the Conqueror. Kang created powerful armor and embarked upon a quest to conquer everything he could. When he had finished in the future, he decided to defeat the only foes he thought could challenge him – the Avengers.

Kang’s armor gave him superhuman strength and had powerful forcefields that made him nearly impervious to harm Kang’s armor’s time travel tech allowed him to create chronal duplicates of himself to help battle his foes The armor could fire powerful concussive bolts and manifest weapons from anywhere in time simply by snapping his fingers

Kang’s armor made his conquests and battles against the superhero of the present possible. Its time travel tech was its greatest weapon, allowing Kang to go anywhere and anywhen as needed. For a time, Kang’s armor allowed him to transfer his consciousness into a new body, allowing him to survive his body’s death. However, Kang felt this was a crutch and destroyed the piece of technology, wanting to return to the pure conqueror he was before. Kang’s armor is very powerful and can teleport futuristic weapons into his hand with a thought, meaning he’s always prepared for any confrontation.

5 Doctor Doom’s Armor Is Ridiculously Powerful

Victor Von Doom first decided to put on armor after he was scarred in an accident when a machine meant to save his mother’s soul from Hell exploded. Doom was among the most intelligent people on Earth and packed his armor with powerful weapon systems. Doom’s armor combined bleeding-edge technology with a medieval visual styling that made it look primitive, belying its power. Doctor Doom used it to become the Fantastic Four’s greatest foe, packing it with weapons and technology no one else had.

Doctor Doom’s armor had the requisite bells and whistles, like super strength, flight, and the ability to fire powerful energy bolts Doom also equipped it with his time travel platform technology and a teleport system that allowed him to return to Castle Doom at any time The armor’s power siphon allowed Doom to drain the power of Silver Surfer, the Beyonder, Aron the Rogue Watcher, and others

Doctor Doom’s armor wasn’t his most potent weapon – that was his mind – but it allowed him to go toe to toe with the most powerful enemies. Many people think that Iron Man’s sleek armor is more powerful, but Doom’s armor has weapons and technology that Tony Stark couldn’t imagine. Its distinct appearance gives it a regal look that Doom loves, and it has allowed Doom to become a top-flight villain. He’s even used his armor to help the heroes when they can’t defeat threats to the universe. None rival Doom and his armor is another factor in why he’s superior.

4 Apocalypse’s Celestial Armor Is Nearly Impregnable

En Sabah Nur’s mutant powers manifested thousands of years ago in Ancient Egypt. He battled Rama-Tut and eventually found a cache of Celestial technology and weapons. En Sabah Nur’s powers gave him complete control over his molecular structure, superhuman physical abilities, psionic powers, and more. The Celestial tech made him even more powerful. He took in the Death Seed and became the Evolutionary Caretaker of the Earth. Apocalypse was born on this day, and the world would tremble. Part and parcel of this new position was his powerful Celestial armor.

Apocalypse’s armor allowed him to survive anything thrown at him It was able to withstand blows from Thor, and the God of Thunder was tricked into enchanting his ax so that it could pierce Celestial armor The armor has taken many shapes over the years, and Apocalypse’s powers have allowed him to control it as easily as he controls his molecular structure

Apocalypse’s armor became a trademark for the mutant villain. Its protective capabilities and the added power it gave him made Apocalypse a force to be reckoned with like no other. Apocalypse became the X-Men’s most deadly foe for years and conquered the world in multiple alternate futures, all because of the boost his armor gave him. It remains one of Earth’s most potent suits of armor, a masterpiece of Celestial engineering.

3 The High Evolutionary’s Armor Added To His Great Power

The High Evolutionary is an underrated villain in the Marvel Universe. Herbert Wyndham’s intelligence allowed him to master the genetic sciences, create animals as intelligent as humans, and even create living beings from basically any living material. The High Evolutionary did many experiments on Mount Wundagore, and the haunted reputation of the mountain partly comes from his creations. The High Evolutionary also created Counter-Earth, a world that orbited the sun in the opposite position as the Earth, peopled by his creations. The High Evolutionary modified his genetics to give himself great power, but that was only one weapon in his arsenal. The other is his armor.

The High Evolutionary’s armor has a variety of capabilities and protects its wearer against all manner of attacks The armor has an automatic defense system to protect the High Evolutionary at all costs. If that fails, the armor can clone him and bring him back to life The armor is equipped with genetic manipulation technology like his Evolutionizer, allowing him to change anyone he fights on a whim

The High Evolutionary has the power and intelligence to be a top-notch villain; his armor is the icing on the cake. While it certainly doesn’t have the power of something like Apocalypse’s armor, it is second to none when it comes to allowing its wearer to survive anything. The fact that he’s lost so much with such potent armor is always a surprise, as someone with various powers and defenses should be more successful.

2 Galactus’s Armor Is Very Distinctive

Galan of Taa witnessed the end of his universe. As the last survivor, the Sentience of the Universe came to him and fused with him. On that day, Galan became Galactus, Devourer of Worlds. Galactus gained the Power Cosmic and began his lonely life, traveling the new universe as it expanded while he devoured planets to sustain himself. Galactus is a cosmic giant, and there is little in the universe that can hurt him. However, Galactus wears armor to make him even more powerful.

Galactus designed his armor, creating it from unknown materials The armor allows him to regulate and control his energy; without the armor, he would be a being of energy Galactus’s armor can survive anything and even if something can kill Galactus, his armor will remain

Galactus isn’t often considered an armored villain, but his armor plays a very important role in his existence. He doesn’t need it, but it allows him to interact with the universe in a way he otherwise wouldn’t be able to. There’s also an intimidation factor to it; his distinct armor is known and feared the universe over.

1 The Celestials’ Armor Allow Them To Interact With The Universe

Galactus isn’t the only cosmic being whose armor allows him to touch the universe in ways he wouldn’t be able to otherwise. The Celestials also wear towering suits of armor. The Celestials are among the most powerful beings in creation; underneath their armor, they are powerful furnaces of conscious cosmic energy. The Celestials are voracious for knowledge, especially about the building blocks of life in the universe, and they use their armor to experiment on all forms of life.

Celestial armor has proven to be nigh indestructible Each Celestial crafts their armor to fit their role The Celestials are multiversal beings, existing in all universes at once, and it’s unknown whether their armors are the same in every universe

The Celestials can do pretty much anything anyone can imagine. Most forms of life in the multiverse owe their existence to the Celestials, and they’ve survived multiple iterations of the multiverse as a species. It’s impossible to say whether Celestials die, but the only surefire way to defeat a Celestial is to destroy its armor, which has proven nearly impossible. Celestial armor is next-level protection in the most literal sense, allowing them to become the top of the multiversal food chain.