The life of a superhero is complicated by nature. It's full of difficult conundrums, and the Avengers have faced more mysteries than most. But this plays into one of Marvel Comics' key storytelling techniques. A good mystery keeps the audience engaged and gives those famous characters a strong narrative direction.
Luckily for Avengers readers, most of the time those significant mysteries have satisfying conclusions. But the biggest secrets and reveals influence the development of these leading characters. These Avengers-level mysteries have to be impactful and reshape the Marvel Universe.
10 Who Is Avenger Prime?
Throughout the Avengers Forever narrative, Robbie Reyes has been bringing together some of the most powerful members of the Avengers, from across the multiverse. But a mystery lies at the heart of this story. These mightiest heroes battle Mephisto.
However, there is an integral force missing from the team that could be the difference maker. That force is Avenger Prime, who was not identified to Reyes until his eventual arrival in battle. Avenger Prime was an iteration of Loki. In every universe, the God of Mischief was the key to the formation of the Avengers. The reveal made complete sense and demonstrated that any Loki could be redeemed.
9 Why Did Captain America Join Hydra?
One of the darkest twists in Marvel history saw Captain America join Hydra. Change was coming in the Marvel Universe, but no one could have predicted that Steve Rogers himself would switch sides. The shocking revelation came when Cap uttered those two infamous words: "Hail Hydra."
Captain America's transformation into Hydra Supreme shook the Avengers and led to the Secret Empire narrative. But many heroes simply couldn't understand the betrayal. The mystery of Cap's ideological shift was eventually unraveled. A version of Red Skull had used the power of the Cosmic Cube to rewrite Steve Rogers and thus reality alongside him. This clarification protected the original image of Captain America as a symbol of hope.
8 Who Is A Skrull?
The Secret Invasion storyline seemingly left no hero untouched. Paranoia was rampant throughout the Marvel Universe and the Avengers felt the brunt of that distrust. The reveal that alien Skrulls were hiding among their roster created a brand-new mystery of identity and intent.
No Avenger could tell if they were a sleeper agent themselves, or whether the ally they fought beside was secretly an invader. Although technology helped identify the real Skrulls thus putting an end to the mystery, the psychological impact of the invasion was severe. Trust was certainly thin after Avengers like Spider-Woman were imposters.
7 Who Supports The Superhuman Registration Act?
The Civil War storyline pitted the superhero community against one another. After a disaster in Stamford that killed hundreds of innocents, Iron Man headed up an avenging team dedicated to a new superhuman registration act. Captain America opposed the governmental decision and created an underground resistance.
Team Iron Man and Team Cap both had their secrets to hide. In such a stressful time, mysteries began to emerge about each hero's genuine position on the political matter. There were turncoats and moles on each team. Spider-Man choosing to switch sides only enhanced the distrust in the group and opened up questions about team allegiances.
6 Who Are The Dark Avengers?
The Dark Avengers were one of the most brutal examples of the team. Led by Norman Osborn during the Dark Reign era, the premise behind the team was to create a roster that could entirely be controlled by the former Green Goblin. It was largely made up of villains, but the public didn't know that.
The Dark Avengers were a mystery to the very people they supposedly swore to protect. Who these costumed crime fighters actually were was kept a secret, to hide the corruption at the core of the team. But with members like Moonstone, Daken, Bullseye, and Venom on the roster, it's no surprise that their genuine personalities couldn't be hidden forever.
5 Who Was Dissembling The Avengers?
A series of attacks were aimed at the Avengers, with the team slowly being dismantled from within. The Avengers Dissembled storyline was a major mystery, as no one could predict who was behind these violent actions. A zombielike Jack of Hearts explosive killed Scott Lang in an attack on Avengers Mansion.
Doctor Strange pieced the evidence together to come to a startling conclusion. The magical sabotage of Iron Man, Vision, and She-Hulk all led back to the Scarlet Witch, who could also be credited with Jack of Hearts' resurrection. Wanda was struggling to cope with the loss of her twin sons and lashed out in response.
4 Who Are The Thunderbolts?
The Thunderbolts were replacements for the Avengers and Fantastic Four, and are thus intrinsically linked to the Earth's mightiest heroes. Led by a disguised Baron Zemo, the unit was supposedly going to protect and serve its community.
Zemo had actually created the team to infiltrate the superhuman world from within. The rest of the roster was built on the backs of villains like Beetle, Fixer, and Screaming Mimi. Zemo revealed his true intentions once the Avengers returned from their rumored demise, putting an end to the charade. But some of those villains changed, unsure whether they wished to return to a criminal life.
3 Why Is The Squadron Supreme Replacing The Avengers?
Coulson and Mephisto surprisingly joined forces to replace the Avengers. They changed the world and made people forget about the Avengers. Instead, they used the Squadron Supreme as the key peacekeeping force.
The Squadron Supreme were mostly corrupt and were not the heroes that were promised. But Blade began to unravel the mystery of what had happened to his reality. He knew something had changed and began to reform the Avengers to put things back as they should be. Although some might not have remembered the previous world, the story demonstrated that in every reality they had the hearts of heroes.
2 What Happened To Reality?
Reality is a truly complex concept to dive into, but Scarlet Witch has no problems shaping the world as she sees fit. The House of M storyline focused on the X-Men, but it didn't ignore the impact on the Avengers.
There was a mystery afoot; what had happened to the reality that the Avengers knew? With a resistance forming which was made up of many Avengers members, and a series of heroes awakened to the truth, Wanda's days were numbered. Doctor Strange's magical talents were integral for the Avengers to understand what had happened and dissect the heartbreaking truth of Wanda's actions.
1 What Were The Illuminati?
For years there had been a secretive force pulling the strings from behind the curtain. The Illuminati were a mystery to most people in the superhero community. Only a select few knew of its existence and its members, which included characters like Stephen Strange, Professor Xavier, T'Challa, and Reed Richards.
The Illuminati had to stay hidden so that they could guide the Avengers and protect the world from astronomical threats. They made significant mistakes, such as the banishment of their teammate, Hulk. When the Illuminati forcibly entered the light, the Avengers felt betrayed. This unaccountable group was too ego-driven to be effective. The Illuminati mystery only protected their self-interested schemes.