Marvel enthusiasts adore their rankings nearly as much as they adore those sneaky post-credit scenes. From the first comics to the films of the present day, one argument never dies: who is the strongest in the Marvel Universe? With gods and goddesses, mutants and cosmic giants, always pushing the limits, the answer only becomes more difficult. So let’s give it a try. Here’s our take on the 10 strongest Marvel characters, based on a combination of comic book achievements and cinematic battles.
10. Thor
Starting is the God of Thunder himself. Thor may scoff at being this “low” on the list, but the reality is, the competition above him is on a whole other level. After all, his record speaks for itself—he’s wielded the Midgard Serpent, fought the Hulk eye-to-eye, and shrugged off cosmic attacks. Within the MCU, he’s withstood the flame of a star, fought Thanos face-to-face, and wielded both Mjolnir and Stormbreaker like playthings. Thor ain’t no slouch—but there are powers in Marvel far beyond even Asgard’s strongest warrior.
9. Hulk
Raw power? No one comes close to the Hulk. Banner’s green persona grows more powerful the more enraged he is, meaning that his physical limit is essentially undetermined. In the comics, he has suspended mountain ranges, halted tectonic plates from tearing apart, and shattered planets apart. Yeah, sure, MCU buffs recall Thanos rapidly dispatching him, but don’t forget the Jade Giant—he’s not done yet as one of the most unstoppable entities Marvel has ever sent to a page or screen.
8. Hercules
Hercules doesn’t always get the spotlight, but in Marvel’s world, he’s a heavy hitter. As the son of Zeus, his strength rivals (and sometimes surpasses) Thor’s. He’s gone toe-to-toe with gods, lifted mountains, and once held up the heavens themselves. Combine that with his durability and healing abilities, and you’ve got one of the hardest heroes to keep down. If you’re planning a cosmic arm-wrestling tournament, bet on Hercules.
7. Ronan the Accuser
Often underestimated, Ronan is much more dangerous than his reputation suggests. In the MCU, he wielded the Power Stone without being instantly vaporized—that alone puts him in rare company. His Kree physiology gives him enhanced strength and durability, and his Universal Weapon is a terrifying tool that manipulates matter, energy, and gravity. More often than not, Ronan loses to clever opponents rather than stronger ones, which says a lot about how formidable he is.
6. Ego
Imagine a living world that can reshape itself at its will—that’s Ego. As a Celestial, his power encompasses entire worlds. He can warp matter, create avatars, and terraform galaxies if left unchecked. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 revealed just how close he came to recreating the universe in his image, only foiled by overconfidence and a well-placed explosive. Ego’s scale is breathtaking, and in another tale, he might’ve rewritten the cosmos.
5. Scarlet Witch
Wanda Maximoff began as an Avenger, but power turns her into something much more sinister. With chaos magic at her disposal, she can warp reality, manipulate physics, and even create life. In WandaVision, she remade an entire town as her dream world, and in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, she destroyed the Illuminati in mere minutes. Her power is linked to her emotions, making her capricious—and that unpredictability makes her one of the most dangerous in Marvel.
4. Thanos
Few names instill terror as easily as Thanos. Without the Infinity Gauntlet, he’s an overpowered force—physically dominating Hulk and repelling groups of heroes in droves. Include the Gauntlet, and he becomes godlike, with dominion over reality, time, and life itself. That notorious snap demonstrated just how lethal he was when his ambition was paired with his power. Thanos is not merely powerful—he’s intelligent, calculating, and relentless, and for that reason alone, he’s one of Marvel’s greatest villains.
3. Arishem the Judge
The Celestials are of their scale, and Arishem is possibly the most intimidating among them. Seen in Eternals, he’s discovered to be responsible (and accountable) for the creation (and destruction) of civilizations. His authority spans galaxies—judging worlds, molding life, and warping cosmic laws at will. When Arishem comes, hero vs. villain is no longer the issue; it’s whether the whole species will survive.
2. Sentry
If you’ve ever wondered what Marvel’s version of Superman would look like, Sentry is the answer. After gaining powers from an experimental serum, Robert Reynolds became a being of almost limitless strength, speed, and energy control. He’s been described as having “the power of a million exploding suns,” and his feats—like overpowering gods or stopping a Hulk punch with one hand—back it up. His greatest weakness? Himself. Sentry’s shadow, the Void, is as evil as he is mighty.
1. The Phoenix Force
The very apex of Marvel’s pantheon is the Phoenix Force. Unlike the rest, it’s not an individual but a cosmic being—the manifestation of life, death, and rebirth. It has the power to destroy worlds, bring the dead back to life, and unravel the very fabric of reality itself. When united with Jean Grey, it is one of the most frightening entities in literature. Whole civilizations have perished in its flames. The Phoenix is more of a universal force than a character—a force of creation and destruction together in an unstoppable entity.
And there you have it: Marvel’s 10 most powerful characters, ranging from godly fighters to forces of nature who rewrite reality itself. You may rank your favorites higher—or plead a case for someone we omitted—but that’s half the fun. In the Marvel Universe, power is always relative and always somebody-else-and-themselves-ahead, and there’s always something or someone stronger lurking just around the corner.