In a universe filled with teams, it’s easy for it to quickly become full of leaders. In an attempt to better understand leadership in the Marvel Universe, I’ll look at a list of twelve leaders and a breakdown of their styles, skills, and weaknesses when it comes to handling control of a team. There are plenty more that could be examined and if enough people request, I’ll work on another of group of different leaders.
Captain America – First off, he has leader in his name just like another individual on this list. It’s easy to take orders from someone titled “Captain.” Beyond just a title, Steve Rogers is a brilliant tactician with a solid moral compass. Not only can his teammates trust that Rogers has several contingencies when diving into battle, but also that he doesn’t take his actions casually and without serious forethought to determine if action is even necessary. He is not rash; he is patient. He goes out of his way to encourage and support the weakest links of his team. It is undoubted that Captain America is definitely Marvel’s strongest leader.
Star-Lord – Peter Quill is a bit of a difficult leader to understand. For one, he is not above telepathically manipulating individuals he deems vital to his team’s rank. He is also blasé when compared to most other Marvel leaders, typically not taking his role seriously at times. With that said, he is definitely a leader who leads by example in battle. He may not have the highest morality, but he is courageous and tenacious. Quill also understands his teammate’s capabilities and knows how to utilize them best in combat even if he’s taken action without the proper forethought. He is often irresponsible and enjoys illegal activity a bit too much (more in the tradition of Robin Hood and less a common thug).
Storm – A stoic and level headed leader, Storm is potentially the X-Men’s most underrated leader. Unlike others among her team, she is not merely concerned with the future of mutantkind, but with all of humanity. She takes the kindness other leaders lack and uses it tactically to not only win the battle but to also ensure the victory of the hearts of those who witness the battle. With that said, she is not a push over, and still demands and expects the best from her team and pushes them to prove their worth to her. Although she is level headed, it is still possible to provoke wrath from her, which is detrimental to the focus of her fury. Unlike others, she does not lose focus or tactical advantage at those points.
Cyclops – Cyclops attempts to promote a calm, cool, thoughtful demeanor, but most of his teammates know this is merely a front. He is quick to anger especially when his leadership is called into question, which most likely implies he took leadership control because that was expected of him, but not what was actually best for him. He is strong when it comes to surrounding himself with talented or potentially talented teammates, and for better or worse he does push them to push themselves and test their mettle. Due to his hotheadedness and the callous exertion of his team, he sets himself up to be a villain even when attempting to act for the greater good. This can cause even righteous intentions to be second guessed which is damaging to team morale and end goals.
Professor X – While Charles Xavier seemed to have the best intentions in mind, his ability to mask ulterior motives and immoral actions led to more dirty secrets than he could hold onto and ended up ruining his ability to properly hold the respect of those he led. Prior to that point, his appearance of upstanding morality and desire for the common good made him a pivotal and successful leader. His superhuman power of telepathy allowed him to not only push his teammates just up to their breaking without pushing them over the edge, but also allowed for him to heal those pushed too far by less upstanding leadership. In the end, his illicit affairs overshadowed the positive he accomplished and made him an ineffective leader. He is more or less the Richard Nixon of the Marvel Universe.
Black Bolt – It is easy to be assumed a greater leader when one is royalty, but that does not leave one faultless. Black Bolt is stoic and thoughtful in his actions potentially due in the largest part to going through Terrigenesis. He is also fiercely loyal to the people whom he rules and sees their safety as his chief concern. On the negative, being pensive does not always mean one takes the best course of action. Far more often than he’d wish, certain decisions of his have come back to haunt him (Maximus and Hulk as two examples). His choices also eventually led him to unceremoniously hand his throne over to his wife in an attempt to stop Thanos which has had even more unintended and wide spread repercussions than just the absconding of his kingship. He does have a great leadership skill in that he always leads by action, often doing more than he expects from his subordinates. His loyalty is also fierce and can extend beyond his subjects in certain circumstances.
Captain Marvel – Again, with that title in an alter-ego it is expect that one is a strong leader. In that way, Carol Danvers has earned her title beyond just a military ranking. She has the capability to be gentle and stern to those she is leading and generally knows what is required to receive the best from her people. She is a strong tactician who knows how to use whatever individuals she is leading to gain the upper hand in any situation, no matter their abilities. Her greatest flaw is self-doubt, but she masks this weakness and does not allow those around her to see this and second guess her leadership. She is merciful in battle, but with her strong military background also understands when mercy should not be granted. She can be rash, but typically not quick to anger, more so when leading a team than flying solo.
Mr. Fantastic – Not satisfied with being one of the smartest people in the world, Reed Richards also spends his time as the defacto leader of the Fantastic Four. As a leader, his role is much more of a family head than that of the typical superhero team role. He still typically leads less compassionately and more with arrogance. It is important to recognize that arrogance does not reflect ignorance, as although his team’s adventures often follow his unintentional consequences of his scientific endeavors, it is also his intelligence which sees them through safely. Being a family he typically is not above reproach when it comes to his errors, but his true loyalty to his family and friends breeds the same back to him in the end. His intelligence leans him towards excessive forethought and he is not prone to rash action even when his family is threatened.
Cable – A strong military mind from a dystopian future, Nathan Summers is a strong leader though not always one appreciated by fellow super-humans. He has a “by any means necessary” philosophy which often puts him at odds with those who he should be working alongside. He typically has a singular focus which causes him to appear stubborn or even slightly unhinged, but this gives him an unparalleled tactical advantage against most enemies. He has a keen insight into finding those who would not only be an asset to his mission, but also to the point where they can compromise typical heroic morality to accomplish the team’s goal. Most of his strengths typically put him at odds with others who should be his allies thereby making his strengths also his greatest weakness.
Doctor Doom – Royalty like Black Bolt and Black Panther, Victor Von Doom shares certain qualities as those two but at the same time is vastly different. Doom is surprisingly loyal to his subjects, while at the same time being ruthless to dissidents, rivals, and enemies. This breeds respect from him on multiple levels for multiple reasons. Like his archenemy Reed Richards, Doom is one of the smartest people in the world which gives him a level of arrogance often appropriately backed up by a rarely matched intelligence. Due to his ruthless ways he is typically seen as a violent villain, but in his mind the ends justify the means as he sees himself as the only possible solution to save the future of mankind from themselves. Typically viewed as villainous, his hubris is typically his downfall when juxtaposed against his rivals.
Maria Hill – Hill is a brilliant tactician, has flexible morality, and an apparent bottom bank roll for the S.H.I.E.L.D. operations. These three facets make her a formidable enemy, and strangely effective leader. Her leadership, much like her predecessor Nick Fury, hinges on her ability to find the right person for the job and manipulating them if required to accomplish her goal. If she’s playing against a deck of fifty-two cards she is going to make sure she has fifty-two aces hidden up her sleeve, and that’s if she doesn’t just shoot the dealer and steal the pot. She’s capable and able to do what has to be done to complete the objectives at hand. She is thoughtful prior to action, and never goes into a situation without exit strategies.
Wolverine – James Howlett is often seen as a loner or a berserker on a team, but his surprisingly compassionate side and tenacity makes him an admired and respected leader when the situation requires. His fierce nature in a fight and loyalty towards his friends are reciprocated by those following his lead. His understanding of his own sins along with his ability to penitently bare them gives him a unique and trusting bond with those on his team. Unlike other leaders he doesn’t have a deep need to lead which often makes long stretches of time without him reigning on a traditional team. Although in those lulls he is app to lead young mutants as a teacher, at least prior to his death.
