Before the Avengers came together, 7 Marvel superheroes were already active.

Avengers weren't the first superheroes on Earth!

The 21st century began on January 1, 2001. In this era, the Avengers were formed. The Avengers Initiative was introduced in 2010 (although Iron Man premiered in 2008, the Initiative was disclosed in 2010), but the team was officially established in 2012.

However, prior to the 21st century, the Marvel cinematic universe was teeming with superheroes; they just hadn't crossed paths yet.

So, who were the Marvel superheroes active before the 21st century?

1. Eternals

Eternals have been present on Earth since 5000 BCE, during humanity's earliest civilization. Long before superheroes emerged, they protected humanity from Deviants.

Subsequently, as Deviants were believed to have been completely eradicated, the Eternals retreated into hiding. They no longer participated in human conflicts until the events depicted in the film Eternals unfolded.

2. Thor

Did you know that Thor is approximately 1000 years old? He's believed to have been born around 964 - 965 CE. As an Asgardian, it's no surprise that the God of Thunder's lifespan far exceeds that of ordinary humans. Consequently, Thor is the oldest superhero among the Avengers.

It's only in the 21st century that Thor actively engaged in defending extraterrestrial beings, following his punishment by Odin in 2011.

3. Steve Rogers

Captain America seems to be the first artificially enhanced hero in the Marvel cinematic universe. He also played a significant role in combating HYDRA during World War II, facing off against Red Skull.

Unfortunately, at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger, although Steve Rogers defeated Red Skull, he had to pay a heavy price for this victory. He was forced to crash a plane off the coast of Greenland. While everyone believed he had sacrificed himself, the truth is that Captain America was frozen for decades in the Arctic Ocean.

Steve Rogers was frozen starting from 1945 when World War II ended and was only discovered in 2011 by SHIELD. Thus, Steve Rogers remained frozen for 66 years and still survived.

4. Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne

Ant-Man operated before the 21st century. However, during that time, the one wearing the Ant-Man suit was not Scott Lang but Hank Pym.

It could be argued that Ant-Man wasn't considered a superhero but rather a SHIELD operative. Hank Pym, along with Janet van Dyne (his wife, known as Wasp), operated for a long period when Captain America was still frozen and Captain Marvel had yet to appear.

However, Janet van Dyne disappeared in 1987, and thereafter, Hank Pym seemed to be less active.

5. Captain Marvel

The primary setting of Captain Marvel takes place around 1995. Vers (Brie Larson) is an officer of the Kree Starforce, suffering from amnesia.During a rescue mission, Vers is captured by Skrull forces. She escapes their captivity and lands on Earth.

Here, she gradually discovers her true identity as Carol Danvers - a former US Air Force pilot. However, she only returns to Earth after the events of Infinity War because prior to that, she was busy finding a new home for the Skrull race.

7. T'Chaka

T'Chaka is the father of T'Challa, the first-generation Black Panther warrior. The movie Black Panther depicted T'Chaka's image in the 90s when he wore the Black Panther suit and encountered his brother - N'Jobu.

However, T'Chaka remained loyal to Wakanda's tradition of isolation, so it seems that no one outside the world knows about the existence of Black Panther and Wakanda's Vibranium attire.