Avengers

### Current Members

Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, Thor, War Machine, Spiderman, Ant Man, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Hawkette, Falcon, She-Hulk

### Reserve Members

Valkyrie, Captain Britain, Black Panther, Doctor Strange

### Allies

S.H.I.E.L.D., Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan, Wasp, Hank Pym, Janet van Dyne, X-Men, Champions, Fantastic Four, Avengers Academy, Secret Avengers

## Background

The Avengers were a team of extraordinary individuals with special abilities & the will to do good in the world. The team's purpose was to protect the planet Earth & its people from both domestic and extraterrestrial threats. The group was recognized as a peacekeeping force by the National Security Council of the United States of America, the United Nations Security Council & S.H.I.E.L.D. The team functioned with the peaceful interests of the whole world rather than a specific country or organization.

Over the years, the team continued to operate & experienced many fluctuations in membership as many new members would also be inducted. As the team reorganized their membership roles & communications systems, they also began a program to better investigate threats at large as well as follow-up on completed missions.

As the official ties between the Avengers & the United States government grew, the National Security Council began to take a more active interest in the Avengers' internal affairs. The Avengers then negotiated with the United Nations, earning global jurisdiction by pledging to serve under a U.N. charter.

Despite their recent success in obtaining international trust & the highest level of security clearance, government legislation itself would soon become the very cause of the Avengers' dispersal. The passage of the Superhuman Registration Act split the superhuman community in half with one side led by Iron Man registering with the law while the other led by Captain America rebelled against the new law. Pro-registration emerged victorious & the Avengers were recreated by Iron Man who assembled a new team to abide by the law, while Captain America assembled a group of remaining rebels to operate as "outlaw" heroes.

In the wake of the Skrull's secret invasion, Iron Man was largely blamed for allowing the invasion to happen leading to his ousting as leader of The Initiative, as well as S.H.I.E.L.D. being disbanded. Norman Osborn, formerly known as Spiderman's enemy Green Goblin, was made the new head of national security & created H.A.M.M.E.R. as a successor organization to S.H.I.E.L.D. Norman also assembled a new team of "Avengers" consisting largely of super-villains he had served with in the Thunderbolts program posing as heroes since the majority of then current Avengers refused to follow him.

In the aftermath of Norman Osborn's fall, Steve Rogers replaced Osborn as the head of the superhuman community. The Avengers were properly reassembled, with Tony Stark becoming co-leader with Rogers. The team was also split into two teams, the formalized Avengers & the covert Secret Avengers. When the Secret Avengers was disbanded after completing their missions, the members were absorbed into the Avengers.

## Trivia

* The team is funded by Tony Stark.
* Their famous catchphrase is "Avengers Assemble."

## Notes

* The Avengers belongs to the Marvel Universe.