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Marvel superheroes are more than capable of working on their own. However, more often than not, they end up joining a superhero team finding a sidekick who will fight by their side. After all, having another individual nearby is useful, both for combined power and for the sake of companionship. As a result, various Marvel superheroes have had a lot of sidekicks over the years.
Some have faded into obscurity, while others managed to become superheroes in their own right and are no longer just sidekicks. Whatever the case, not all Marvel sidekicks have the same strength. The best of the best are not only popular among fans, but are also so powerful that villains shouldn't underestimate them.
10 Lockheed
Multiple superheroes have pet sidekicks who help them when the situation goes south; for example, Crystal's transporting dog Lockjaw. However, Lockheed is easily one of the most recognizable animal sidekicks, since he's a dragon. Kitty Pryde found Lockheed during a mission, and these two formed a bond.
Even though she and Lockheed can't talk with each other, the dragon still helps his human friend whenever she needs it. As far as pets go, Lockheed is an impressive one — and not just because he can breathe fire.
9 War Machine
In the MCU, War Machine might come across as a sympathetic, but ultimately a weaker version of Iron Man. However, there's more to James Rhodes than meets the eye. Unlike his best friend Tony, Rhodey actually has extensive military training and possesses a lot of strength.
His intelligence and military experience also help him to keep calm in a crisis. And it helps that War Machine's armor has multiple guns that allow Rhodey to defeat his enemies. Even though he has no special powers, underestimating James Rhodes isn't a good idea.
8 Sam Wilson
Just like another famous former sidekick, Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson started his superhero journey as Captain America's sidekick. His abilities are different in the MCU and in the comics, but he's powerful in both.
The comics show Sam actually communicating with his falcon Redwing, while in the MCU, Sam uses technology to fight crime and has no special powers. Despite that, he was good enough to become the new Captain America. He's resilient, honorable, and intelligent — all the qualities Cap should possess.
7 Jubilee
As one of the X-Men, Jubilee has the added advantage of having special powers. What's more, in the comics, she learned how to be a hero from the best: Wolverine himself. Jubilee's power strengthened over time, and she can use it to knock out her enemies.
Wolverine also taught Jubilee how to fight, which helped her hone her skills. The reason why Jubilee doesn't rank higher is that her impulsivity can slow her down, and she never really became a stand-alone hero like other sidekicks.
6 Toro
One of the lesser-known sidekicks is Toro, who has the same set of powers as the superhero Human Torch. Toro is immune to fire and alongside Human Torch (not Johnny Storm), he learns how to control his powers.
He's been around for a long time, since the 1940s. Even though Toro eventually died in the comics, he managed to save the world in the process, which was no easy task. Sadly, many today don't remember his sacrifice.
5 Riri Williams
Unlike other characters who have already appeared in the MCU, not everybody might be familiar with Riri. In the comics, this brilliant and highly intelligent young student decided to build her own Iron Man suit. Not only did she succeed, but she also got the attention of Tony Stark, who started training her himself.
Riri's intelligence puts her on the same level as heroes who are a generation or more older than her. The only problem is Riri can be quite impulsive and stubborn. She doesn't always think things through, but it's only a matter of time before she becomes more mature and even a greater superhero than she already is.
4 Bucky Barnes
The MCU and the comics portray Bucky Barnes very differently at the start of his career. The comics portray him as a young guy, not much more than a child, who fights alongside the Captain and only later goes on to become the infamous Winter Soldier. In the MCU, though, Bucky is an adult just like his best pal Steve Rogers.
While Bucky was a good soldier even before he underwent the transformation and became Winter Soldier, it's only afterwards that he becomes a real threat. His new power makes him incredibly strong and fast, similar to his friend. As Winter Soldier, Bucky has no problem with killing people, which is a line many heroes don't want to cross.
3 Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel mostly works on her own, but she has also teamed up with older, more experienced superheroes, and functioned as their sidekick for a while. Despite her young age, Ms. Marvel is easily one of the most powerful Marvel sidekicks.
She can shape-shift, which gives her an advantage both in her civil and superhero life as it helps her hide her true identity and protect her family. She can also stretch her body, has superior strength, and heals faster. In the comics, Kamala has still a long way to go before she can be one of the best, but she has the potential to do it.
2 Groot
It's easy to forget that Groot is technically a sidekick to Rocket Raccoon, since he draws so much attention to himself. But Groot is easily one of the more powerful sidekicks in the Marvel comics.
He's more intelligent than people give him credit for (despite his limited vocabulary), but it's primarily his strength that makes Groot a force to be reckoned with. Groot's determination to protect those he cares about, as well as his ability to survive fights that would kill others, makes him a powerful figure.
1 Viv Vision
The MCU underpowered him, but in the comics, Vision is easily one of the most powerful superheroes — and his daughter Viv takes after her dad. She can do everything her father can and has the same set of powers, which includes super strength, durability, solar beams, and others.
Even though Viv isn't on the same level as Vision, she's still young and already one of the strongest teenage heroes. As a result, she could easily take on the world in the future should she so decide.