Earth's Mightiest Heroes stand as the planet's first line of defense against the most powerful threats in the universe.

Unlike many Super Hero teams, the Avengers have largely embraced a highly structured dynamic, with a leader/chairperson who charts their collective path in battle and in peace. Almost all of the founding members have taken their turn as the team's leader, with Captain America, Iron Man, and the Wasp emerging as arguably the Avengers' most gifted commanders. When necessary, the Avengers have also held court-martials to discipline members who stepped out of line. Not even the founding members were immune, as Hank Pym/Ant-Man faced expulsion from the team he helped create.

For most of their existence, the Avengers have also operated with government oversight as the officially sanctioned heroes of the United States of America, as well as a broader mandate under S.H.I.E.L.D. and the United Nations. The primary Avengers team has largely continued to maintain those ties, while the splinter groups have tended to operate under their own authority.