20 Most Powerful Marvel Characters, Ranked

With the rampant success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the 21st century thus far, the Marvel Comics brand has become one of the biggest titles in modern entertainment. The saga has an enormous catalog of characters throughout its comic book history, with somewhere in the range of 8,000 staple characters marking just the main figures from an extensive, multi-layered universe that has upwards of 80,000 characters in total.

Ranging from the Gods of Norse mythology to superhuman scientists, magical beings, alien warriors, and even to all-powerful celestial entities, the power rankings of Marvel Comics' vast array of heroes and villains has long been an intense topic of debate among the franchise's fans. From iconic heroes of the MCU to some of the deadliest threats the X-Men have ever faced, and to plenty of powerful beings that lurk in the shadows, these characters are the most powerful in Marvel's expanded stories.

20 Kang the Conquerer

First Appearance: 'The Avengers #8' (1964)

Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) is the only character on this list deprived of superpowers, a fact that stands as an ominous testament to his proficiency with technology, his immense knowledge, and his fierce determination. Able to travel freely through time, he poses a unique threat to the Avengers with his ability to acquire futuristic resources and weapons while also gaining tactical information about those he faces.

Additionally, Kang is an outstanding engineer, a masterful politician, and a near-perfect combatant having dedicated an enormous amount of time to perfecting martial arts. On top of all that, he can always summon a vast army of reinforcements from different timelines if necessary with his Variants ready to answer the call. It came as little surprise when the MCU decided to make him the major antagonist following Thanos (Josh Brolin), and while the character's presence may be jeopardized by a recent guilty verdict for charges of assault and harassment against Majors, there are hopes that Kang can be re-cast.

Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania

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19 Vulcan

First Appearance: 'X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1' (2005)

The younger brother to Scott and Alex Summers, Gabriel Summers is an omega-level mutant whose powers far surpass those of his siblings. While he was born to be a slave to the Shi'ar Empire, Vulcan escaped and was taken in by Moira MacTaggart who mentored him, before he was later recruited by the X-Men. When a mission went wrong, and he believed he had been abandoned, Vulcan exacted revenge on all who had wronged him, a frenzy which saw him return to the Shi'ar Empire and usurp the throne.

He also has the ability to control the elements and, on occasion, has even been able to siphon power from other mutants, not unlike Rogue. He's taken on beings as strong as Black Bolt, and has simultaneously fought the X-Men, the Inhumans, and the Starjammers by himself. Having been resurrected following his death at the hands of Tarn the Uncaring, his powers have grown even stronger.

18 Hulk

First Appearance: 'Incredible Hulk #1' (1962)

One of Marvel Comics' earliest and most defining icons, the Hulk is the mutated, superhero alter-ego of Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo in the MCU) who erupts into a violent rage whenever Banner loses his temper. A giant, unstoppable monster of sheer physical strength, the Hulk was an unfortunate byproduct of Dr. Banner's experiments, with the doctor being cursed by the uncontrollable affliction after he was exposed to gamma radiation when an experiment went wrong.

As much as Bruce hates the condition, and as much as it places those close to him in some degree of constant danger, no one can deny that his ability to transform into the Hulk has proven to be quite handy on plenty of occasions. He's fought some of the greatest threats to humanity with his bare fists and lived to see another day. There are other Hulk-type personas in the universe as well, such as Thaddeus Ross' Red-Hulk and Jennifer Walters' She-Hulk.

The Incredible Hulk

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17 Apocalypse

First Appearance: 'Marvel Graphic Novel #17' (1985) (unnamed), 'X-Factor #5' (1986)

Apcoalypse (Oscar Isaac in X-Men: Apocalypse) is technically stronger than the Hulk, something that makes him an essential inclusion on any list adjudging the strongest Marvel characters. In addition to his physical might, he also has a long list of other abilities, such as telekinesis, shape-shifting, and celestial energy manipulation. As a member of the Externals, he is also an immortal subspecies of mutant.

Born in Ancient Egypt as En Sabah Nur, he was one of the first mutants in existence and was initially rejected for his peculiar appearance. Combining his genetic gifts with the technology he discovered in Rama Tut's tomb and on a Celestial spaceship, he soon became the most powerful being on Earth. Apocalypse eventually began enlisting four horsemen to accompany him on his genocidal endeavors. He has crossed paths with the X-Men on multiple occasions, making it all the more disappointing how X-Men: Apocalypse wasted his potential.

X-Men: Apocalypse

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16 Thor Odinson

First Appearance: 'Journey into Mystery #83' (1962)

While the MCU films have powered the Asgardian warrior down a bit in order to make full-length features where the bad guys don’t die in thirty seconds, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is incredibly powerful. In the comics, The Norse God of Thunder can destroy planets, control the weather (including summoning lightning bolts), fly through space at the speed of light, and even break adamantium.

Furthermore, he's an immortal being who has the might of his treasured hammer, Mjolnir, behind him as well. Thor has fought the likes of Thanos, the Hulk, the Silver Surfer, and even Galactus. Imbued with the power of his father, Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins), he is one of the most powerful Marvel characters. Perhaps even more importantly though, he can lay claim to being the strongest Avenger.

Thor

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15 Hercules Panhellenios

First Appearance: 'Journey into Mystery Annual #1' (1965)

Another son of a God, Hercules is, of course, the offspring of the Olympian god, Zeus. His presence in Marvel Comics has had a great impact, though the MCU hasn't shown any interest in making him a significant part of the cinematic landscape. The shame is that he is one of the strongest characters in the entire universe, with many leading authorities considering him to be physically the strongest character Marvel has ever created.

While he isn't cosmic, he can survive the vacuum of space and has a resistance to cosmic attacks. Among the greatest examples of his strength is the time he single-handedly moved the island of Manhattan, as well as the legend that he could replace Atlas in holding up the world. He has even beaten both Thor and the Hulk in battle, and wields the power of the Golden Mace and the protection of a cape made from the skin of a Nemean Lion he killed with his bare hands.

14 Dr. Stephen Strange

First Appearance: 'Strange Tales #110' (1963)

Whatever Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) may have lacked in physical prowess and genetic powers he more than made up for with his skill as a sorcerer. After a car accident ruined his career as a neurosurgeon, Stephen Strange embarked on a search for treatment for his injuries. Instead, he discovered Kamar-Taj, the home of the sorcerers who took him in, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and mentored him in their ways.

Dr. Strange would go on to become the Sorcerer Supreme, with his command over magic so powerful that it enabled him to perform feats like levitation, teleportation, time travel, astral projection, dimensional travel, among plenty of other abilities. This has stood him in good stead as he has faced many of the most powerful threats to humanity's existence, including Galactus. In the MCU, the extent of his power has been hinted at in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and What It...?.

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13 Captain Marvel

First Appearance: 'Marvel Super-Heroes #13' (1967)

Not dissimilar to Thor, Captain Marvel's (Brie Larson) power has been toned down for her entrance to the Marvel Cinematic Universe compared to what fans have seen of her in the comic books. Aside from being an incredibly talented fighter pilot capable of interstellar flight, she also has the ability to control gravity and light, and can manipulate and absorb magic and radiation. She is also an astute combatant and an effective spy with a strong understanding of science.

In the comics, she was simply Carol Danvers up until 1976 when she became Ms. Marvel, before finally adopting the moniker Captain Marvel in 2012's 'Avenging Spider-Man #9'. As Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige has said, "Captain Marvel, she is as powerful a character as we've ever put in a movie. Her powers are off the charts, and when she's introduced, she will be by far the strongest character we've ever had."

Captain Marvel

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12 Kallark aka Gladiator

First Appearance: 'X-Men #107' (1977)

Kallark's origin as Gladiator is a story befitting of his immense power, seeing the Strontian compete against a host of other warriors to claim the title. As a result of his success, Kallark has been imbued with the ability to fly and survive in outer space, while also making him incredibly fast, super-durable, and imposingly strong, with his enhancements able to evolve in power as his confidence grows. He can even shoot energy beams from his eyes so intense that they can burn the skin off the Hulk. When he is at the true peak of his powers, he has the ability to destroy entire planets.

Pledging his loyalty to the Shi'ar Empire, Gladiator has defeated the Thing, Hyperion, and Vulcan in combat, taking one of the latter's eyes as a trophy of his victory. Throughout his tenure in Marvel, Kallark has been affiliated with the Annihilators, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the Dark Guardians.

11 Scarlet Witch

First Appearance: 'X-Men #4' (1964)

Wanda Maximoff (Elzabeth Olsen) is an interesting character in terms of the MCU's adaptation of the source material, because the movies and the comic books give her vastly different origins. However, regardless of whether fans consider her to be a mutant, a science experiment, a witch, or some concoction of all three, one thing that is blatantly obvious on screen and panel alike is that Scarlet Witch is a being of immense power.

She is considered to be a nexus being, meaning she possesses the power to affect probability and change the course of the future. Amid a litany of other abilities, Maximoff can alter the fabric of reality itself, something MCU fans saw her do in WandaVision and again to an even greater extent in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. In the comics, she even de-powered over 90% of the world's mutant population.

WandaVision

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10 Hope Summers

First Appearance: 'X-Men (Vol. 2) #205' (2007)

A relatively new installment to the Marvel comic books, Hope Summers was the first mutant born after Scarlet Witch killed many of the world's mutants or stripped them of their powers and abilities. Another Omega-level mutant, Summers was considered to be a significant threat to the world, so her adoptive father, Cable, took her to the distant future where she was trained to the point that she was ready to go back and face the modern world.

As her powers began to manifest and evolve, Hope activated five new mutants and would later reverse the effects of M-day (Scarlet Witch's attack on the mutants), coming to be viewed as the salvation of her kind. With her ability to absorb the powers of other mutants and keep their abilities permanently, without stripping the source mutant of their powers in the process, Hope could be a being of unlimited power. Her volatile connection to the Phoenix Force also saw her defeat the Scarlet Witch.

9 David Charles Haller aka Legion

First Appearance: 'New Mutants #26' (1984)

An Omega-level mutant who just so happens to be the son of Charles Xavier (famously played by Sir Patrick Stewart in one of the best superhero performances), the only apparent limit to Legion's powers was his own, fractured psyche. Marred by a dissociative identity disorder (DID) that formed after he watched his step-father get killed, Legion is effectively just one of many personalities David has developed, with each one being in control of a different ability he possesses.

Throughout the comics, David has demonstrated proficiency in powers including pyrokinesis, telepathy, super strength, super speed, super healing, time travel, mind control, and even reality alteration, not unlike Scarlet Witch. At the absolute peak of his powers, David would be able to alter time and reality on a cosmic scale. A television series, Legion, was developed by Noah Hawley and ran for three seasons from 2017 to 2019 with Dan Stevens in the titular role.

legion

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8 Kevin MacTaggart aka Proteus

First Appearance: 'X-Men #119' (1978)

Yet another Omega-level mutant (these guys are pretty powerful), Kevin MacTaggart was the son of Dr. Moira MacTaggart and was specifically capable of warping reality. However, that wasn't where his abilities met their limits, as he could also teleport anywhere in the Marvel universe and Multiverse, generate force fields, manipulate molecules to some degree, and even terraform planets with a single thought. He is also one of the few beings in the comics capable of traveling to the Astral Plane.

In his natural form, Proteus is a being of pure energy with practically no weaknesses. While metal can disrupt his energy fields, he is still able to impact metallic substances when he warps reality. The only other thing that slows him down is his need to possess human hosts to sustain himself, but each new victim he claims sees his power increase.

7 Sentry

First Appearance: 'Sentry #1' (2000)

While it is a little bit of a simplification, Sentry is basically Canada's equivalent of Captain America (Chris Evans). He also boasts arguably the best and most underrated origin story of all Marvel's heroes, starting out as Robert Reynolds, a troubled man battling anxiety, depression, and a debilitating drug addiction when he ingests an experimental serum after stumbling upon a secret lab. As per the comics, Reynolds gained the power of a million exploding suns, becoming Sentry, a being classified as being an Omega-level threat.

Included among his many powers is immense strength, light-speed flight, telepathic powers that far exceed those of Professor X, and the ability to resurrect the dead. He even managed to defeat She-Hulk, Thor, and Captain Marvel at the same time. When a dark mirror version of himself emerged and wreaked havoc, Sentry accepted it as part of himself and the two forces merged, creating an even more powerful being possessing some deity-like powers. Steven Yeun was going to portray the character in Thunderbolts before dropping out due to scheduling conflicts.

Thunderbolts

6 Franklin Richards

First Appearance: 'Fantastic Four Annual #6' (1968)

The son of Fantastic Four members Reed Richards and Susan Storm, Franklin Richards possesses powers far greater than his parents and the rest of the Fantastic Four team. An Omega-level mutant, classified in terms of future potential as the most powerful mutant in the Marvel Universe, he is capable of altering reality and creating pocket universes with a mere thought.

Like many of the most powerful beings in Marvel, Franklin can manipulate molecules, but he is also capable of time travel, telekinesis, telepathy, energy projection, precognition, super-durability, and astral projection. He has defeated Celestials and is viewed as having power equal to, if not greater than, the masters of the universe. Here's hoping Franklin gets his MCU debut alongside his parents in the franchise's upcoming Fantastic Four movie that will see Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby star.

Fantastic Four (2025)

5 Owen Reece aka Molecule Man

First Appearance: 'Fantastic Four #20' (1963)

Starting out as a lowly lab technician clambering for recognition, Molecule Man was the aftermath of Owen Reece when an incident occurred as he was trying to fix an atomic-powered device. The freak accident gave Reece the ability to control molecules which, in turn, gave him the ability to control practically anything. While his first instinct was to take over the world, he soon found that his powers were hampered by lingering psychological issues stemming from his relationship with his mother.

His ambitions grew as he learned of his link to the Beyonders and their universe, discovering that they orchestrated the lab accident to make him a walking bomb capable of destroying the universe when he dies. He worked with Doctor Doom to thwart the Beyonders' grand plan. Ultimately, Molecule Man has the ability to destroy everything in existence. The watcher, Uatu, has proclaimed Molecule Man to be the most powerful being in the Marvel Multiverse.

4 Cosmic Pantheon (Infinity, Oblivion, Death, Eternity)

First Appearance: Each Listed Below

The cosmic giants that are the personification of all creation and destruction, Marvel’s cosmic pantheon of abstract entities represents concepts that are difficult for the human mind to grasp. Oblivion pre-dates existence as he represents the primordial void from which the Multiverse began (and will eventually return to), while Infinity, Death, and Eternity were born with the creation of the universe.

While individual beings within Marvel may possess the power to destroy and even create whole universes, Marvel's cosmic pantheon represents the universe itself, stripped of human flaws and focused on the perpetuation of the abstract concepts they embody. While Eternity and Infinity are forces of creation and expansion, Death and Oblivion counterbalance their power by ruling over destruction. Their presence has been teased in the MCU, though beings of such immense power would be difficult to adequately incorporate in such a story world.

3 The Living Tribunal

First Appearance: 'Strange Tales #157' (1967)

Created by Stan Lee and Marie Severin to make a teasing appearance in 'Strange Tales #157' before being more wholly explored in the following issue, the Living Tribunal is an interdimensional entity responsible for overseeing the balanced functioning of the entire Multiverse. Contrary to Marvel's cosmic pantheon, the Living Tribunal is not bound to a single universe, but rather exists across the Multiverse all at once.

With his authority bestowed upon him by One Above All, the Living Tribunal has the unique ability to converse with the all-powerful entity as its truest servant and most trusted representative. He can resolve conflicts between cosmic entities and bar mortals from endangering existence itself. The Living Tribunal is so powerful that he can even nullify the powers of the Infinity Stones in unison.

2 The Beyonder

First Appearance: 'Marvel Super Heroes Secret War #1' (1984)

A being whose origin stems from beyond the Multiverse, the Beyonder is an interdimensional alien who is not bound by the rules of Marvel's main reality, making him even more powerful than the Living Tribunal. With a simple thought, the Beyonder can displace an entire planet, change the rules of physics, and even destroy the entire universe. That’s why the Beyonder was presented in Marvel Comics as the most powerful being to ever exist.

Introduced by James Shooter and Mike Zeck as part of 1984’s fan-favorite arch “Secret Wars,” he remains one of the most overpowered beings ever created for Marvel Comics, so much so that ensuing comics needed to retcon and reduce his powers by some margin to make him an interesting combatant. With the MCU's Avengers: Secret Wars still in the works, many fans have high hopes that the Beyonder will get the movie treatment.

1 One Above All (Multiverse)

First Appearance: 'Fantastic Four #511' (2004)

Objectively the most powerful character in the Marvel comic books, One Above All was introduced in Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo's 'Fantastic Four #511' as the universe's version of God. An omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent being, One Above All can also be seen as a representation of the human mind, the ultimate power that, in a fictional sense, is responsible for all creation itself.

While there are a number of Marvel characters who can alter the very fabric of reality, the One Above All is the fabric of reality itself, responsible for creating not only the Multiverse, but also the Omniverse – that means the Beyonder’s reality as well as every single other reality ever conceived and created. It is the greatest creative force ever, and is said to be more powerful than every single one of its creations combined. While the One Above All's only weapon is classified as being love, the entity can take the form of One Below All, a demonic entity that uses hate to achieve its terrible, destructive goals.

NEXT: Every MCU Movie, Ranked from Worst to Best

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