Wearing a mask is an important part of protecting someone's identity, especially when this person is a superhero trying to save the world from villains constantly. Although this idea doesn't apply to every hero like Hawkeye, Black Widow and even Thor from Marvel, many others want their superhero identity to be separate from their civilian one.
A mask ensures that their identity will remain a secret, as well as their personal life, family and friends. Many heroes prefer to hide their true selves behind a mask, so they can live normal lives out of their super suits, and these are some of them.
10 Daredevil
Matthew Murdok is not an ordinary lawyer. He was blinded as a kid by some radioactive subsistence and had to learn how to rely on his other senses to survive on his own, especially after the death of his father. With newly heightened senses, he was trained under Stick and became New York's vigilante by night.
He wears a mask that usually covers the top half of his face, which also matches the rest of his suit, to ensure his identity remains a secret. Known as the "Masked Man", or "Daredevil", being a blind superhero is always a nice surprise for his enemies who tend to underestimate him.
9 Ant-Man
Scott Lang, played by 90s heartthrob Paul Rudd, was once a convicted thief who committed a couple of crimes to pay for child support. As a desperate father who wanted visitation rights to see his daughter Cassie, he didn't have a choice but to play the role of a bad guy. After meeting with Hank Pym and his daughter Hope van Dyne, Scott received an opportunity to change the outcome of his life by becoming Ant-Man.
Becoming Ant-Man was the best choice as he managed to aid the Avengers during the Blip period and teach them about time travel, which saved the world. Ant-Man's s mask (or helmet) is part of his overall technologically advanced costume that allows him to shrink to a tiny size and have increased strength, agility, and toughness.
8 Ms. Marvel
Kamala Khan, a student from Coles Academic High School, is a fan of Captain Marvel from the Avengers and often cosplayed as her. Kamala never knew she possessed Noor Dimension powers until her grandmother's bangle awakened them after wearing it. With her new mutant-hybrid abilities, she began protecting her city of New Jersey and was named Night Light by her fans.
Waleed's blue vest became her super suit and her best friend, Bruno Carelli, made and gifted a matching mask to hide her identity, so she could still have a normal life by day.
7 Moon Knight
Marc Spector is known under many names depending on his dissociative identity disorder. From the cab driver Jake to the millionaire Steven Grant, Marc can be anyone outside his suit. However, he is best known as Moon Knight, a hero who fights for justice and comes to aid those who wander in the night.
His name, suit, and crescent moon mask serve as a reminder of the Moon god Khonshu, who had revived him when he was an abandoned mercenary. He fights in this god's name ever since.
6 Captain America
Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans) was a frail man who wanted nothing more, but to join the U.S. Army and participate in World War II. Unfortunately, his physical body wasn't strong enough, and he got rejected. After seeing Project Rebirth looking for volunteers for their new serum, he participated without hesitation and became super strong. Not only did he become an important symbol for America as Captain America, but he helped win the war right before getting lost at sea and being left frozen in time for decades.
Upon his awakening, he became the first Avenger. Captain America once wore a mask during the war to hide his identity from enemy soldiers, but after everyone found out who he was, it became an aesthetic choice and reminder of his past.
5 Deadpool
Wade Wilson, a trained assassin and mercenary hired to dispose of certain enemies, almost lost everything due to cancer. Looking for hope and a way to survive so he could live his dream life with his girlfriend Vanessa, Wade participated in a superhuman enhancement project called the Weapon X program. The project and multiple other tests (which came later) succeeded in stopping his cancer from spreading thanks to his new regeneration ability, but not without being physically scarred. His mercenary lifestyle never ended, and he became Deadpool.
The fan-favorite comedic wears a mask for two known reasons. One, to hide his disfigured face, and second, it was easier for the artist to draw a unique mask (like Spider-Man) than an actual face.
4 Black Panther
T'Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, is the son of the Wakanda King. After his father died in a bombing, T'Challa got chosen to be the next heir to the throne and the next holder of the Black Panther Mantle. T'Challa, obsessed with revenge, went after the wrong attacker and joined Tony Stark's side before returning home to protect his people.
T'Challa's suit is made of vibranium, a lightweight material that protects him from various damages caused by bullets and other weapons. The suit also gives him heightened agility, speed, and durability among other things. His feline mask completes his costume and also protects his face from harm.
3 Spider-Man
Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, was a teenager living in New York with a passion for photography and science, depending on the source. He lives with his aunt and uncle after being left an orphan. After getting bitten by a radioactive spider, he became the fan-favorite Spider-Man who protects his city.
Peter Parker wears a red mask with big white eyes to hide his civilian identity from his villains and enemies. This way, he can still be a regular teenager and a superhero without much disruption in his life.
2 Wolverine
James Howlet, aka Logan and Wolverine, is a mutant born with retractable blades in between his knuckles who helped Professor Xavier lead the X-Men and train the future mutants. He participated in many wars and fights before retiring due to his healing ability failing.
Wolverine also wears a mask to hide his identity so that his civilian self may live normally away from dangers and the eyes of potential enemies. His iconic yellow and blue mask and costume first made an appearance in the Incredible Hulk Comic. These colors became his trademark until Hugh Jackman became synonymous with the hero.
1 Iron Man
Tony Stark's Iron Man was the face of the Avengers and a beloved hero by many fans. As a former billionaire and CEO of Stark Industries, he was one of the most intelligent men in the world. After all, he was the one to create the Iron Man suit along with its famous helmet/mask.
His mask is one of the most iconic features of his suit, among other things, due to J.A.R.V.I.S (an artificially intelligent system) that provides him with many abilities during combat and is voice-activated.