Let’s be real—every comic book nerd has had that argument: Marvel versus DC. It’s the superhero equivalent of Coke vs. Pepsi, and at the heart of it all is one fiery question: Can anyone in Marvel defeat Superman? The guy is a flying tank with laser vision and super everything. But even the Man of Steel has weaknesses. Here are nine Marvel powerhouses who could realistically defeat the Last Son of Krypton, counting down from “it’d be one heck of a fight” to “Superman wouldn’t even see it coming.”
9. Absorbing Man
Carl “Crusher” Creel rarely appears on cosmic threat lists, but bear with us. The fact that he can take on the powers of anything that he touches means he’s a walking wild card. Steel, stone, fire, energy—you name the power. Think about him acquiring Kryptonite. Yeah. All of a sudden, he’s got Kryptonite fists, Kryptonite skin, and Superman’s sweating bullets. It’s a very simple fight: Creel just needs to close the distance so he can get a few good shots in, and if he’s become living Kryptonite, that could be all he’ll need.
8. Black Bolt
The Inhumans’ king isn’t famous for his speeches—and that’s sort of the idea. Black Bolt’s voice is so mighty that a whisper can destroy mountains. Let that set in. If he were to let out a full-blown scream, it might destroy a whole city or worse. Superman can be durable, but not “withstand a planet-crushing scream” durable. And if they were stranded on an uninhabited planet or wherever, Black Bolt didn’t need to restrain himself; Superman wouldn’t even last a minute. One word could do it.
7. Cloak
Cloak isn’t the biggest man in the room, but he doesn’t need to be. His strength resides in the cloak, which is a gateway to the Darkforce Dimension. That’s important because Superman gets his power from the yellow sun of Earth. If Cloak engulfs him in that dark nothingness, Clark’s powers dwindle quickly. When Superman’s cut off from solar energy, he’s just a dude in a cape. And given Cloak’s typically ethereal nature, Supes wouldn’t have a lot of means to resist.
6. Hulk
This one’s a classic for a reason. Hulk vs. Superman is the ultimate fight: brute force vs. brute force. But the catch is—Hulk becomes stronger the angrier he gets, and there is no end to that anger. During World War Hulk, he triggered quakes just by walking. If the battle continues, Hulk gets even more deadly. Superman would have to wrap it up in a hurry, or else get a glimpse of a Hulk that’s beyond even his power to halt.
5. Professor X
Charles Xavier is wheelchair-bound, but his brain? That’s a different story. One of the Marvel universe’s most powerful telepaths, Professor X, can call the fight off before it even begins. Superman’s been mind-controlled before, so we know that it can be done. If Xavier wanted to, he could knock out Superman’s mind with a single thought, particularly if he had assistance from something like Cerebro. No punches, no lasers, just lights out. Game over.
4. Doctor Strange
If there’s one thing that bedevils Superman, it’s magic. And no one in Marvel has more magical flexibility than Doctor Strange. He’s the Sorcerer Supreme, after all. He can banish Superman to a pocket universe, keep him in a time loop, or create magical shackles that even Kryptonian might isn’t strong enough to shatter. The world is his oyster, and Superman does not have a good counter to magic. Strange need only cast the correct spell, and voila—gone is the Man of Steel.
3. Phoenix / Jean Grey
Jean Grey by herself is an elite telepath, but with the Phoenix Force? She’s a god. She’s rewritten timelines, destroyed star systems, and returned from death like it’s nothing. Superman can be fast and powerful, but his brain is still a brain, and Jean can shatter it like glass. If she unleashes her full Phoenix capabilities, she could wipe him out of existence completely. And come on, Superman doesn’t have a counter to a cosmic entity that snacks on stars like they are apples.
2. Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards is one of those characters who is a cheat code. He is a kid who can warp reality to his will. This is a child who can generate entire universes as a hobby. If he chose to, he could make Superman’s sun red, depriving him of his powers in a split second. Or he can blink and teleport Superman to a realm where time has no hold. And the most terrifying part? He doesn’t even need to exert that much effort. Reality is his sandbox.
1. Scarlet Witch
Wanda Maximoff heads this list for one good reason: she edits reality as if it’s Tuesday afternoon. Recall “No more mutants”? That wasn’t a threat—she wiped the abilities of all but a handful of mutants on Earth from existence with a thought. Now imagine her directing that same reality warping at Superman. She could warp the laws of physics around him, set the air on fire with Kryptonite, or turn the sun red instead of yellow—all without moving. Compared to someone who can alter reality, Superman doesn’t even have a choice in the issue.
Superman is an icon for a reason. He’s quick, strong, almost unbeatable, and generally finds a way to win. But the Marvel Universe has quite a few wild cards—men and women who don’t play by the rules, don’t fight fair, or don’t have to raise a finger to triumph. When reality, magic, and psychic energy get involved, even the Man of Steel can lose.