The Most Powerful Marvel Character: 15 Strong Contenders

The top of the power pyramid, the One Above All is essentially the god of Marvel. This cosmic entity created everything in the Marvel multiverse. Its power is limitless, and it answers to no one.

If there's a single character that defines omnipotence, this is it.

This three-faced judge oversees balance in the multiverse. The Living Tribunal ranks just under the One Above All and exists to enforce cosmic law. It has overruled entire universes and stopped powerful beings from disrupting reality.

The son of Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) and Susan Storm, Franklin is a mutant with the ability to manipulate matter, create universes, and warp reality.

Even at a young age, he's outclassed cosmic entities and is a wildcard in Marvel comics.

When Jean Grey merges with the Phoenix Force, she becomes one of the most powerful Marvel characters ever. This cosmic being can destroy and resurrect entire planets, manipulate energy and life, and create space/time warps to travel through the time.

X-Men fans know: Full-power Jean Grey is terrifying.

As the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange is the master of magical abilities in the Marvel Universe. With spells that can manipulate reality, time, and energy, he defends Earth from inter-dimensional threats no one else can handle.

His power levels shift, but he’s always among the strongest characters.

Wanda Maximoff’s ability to manipulate reality makes her a true force. She famously rewrote the entire universe in "House of M" and erased the powers of most mutants. Her powers come from a mix of chaos magic and mutant DNA—a potent, unpredictable blend.

Formerly a herald of Galactus, the Silver Surfer wields the Power Cosmic. He can manipulate energy, fly faster than light, and has near-infinite durability.

A tragic figure with unmatched cosmic abilities, he walks the line between god and mortal.

Based on Norse mythology, Thor is a god in the Marvel Universe. With Mjolnir, he commands storms, channels cosmic energy, and battles beings across the galaxy. At full power, Thor can hold his own against cosmic titans.

Carol Danvers has superhuman strength, flight, and the ability to absorb and manipulate energy. Her binary form allows her to tap into full cosmic abilities, making her one of Earth's heroes with galactic-level power.

Don't let the rage fool you—or actually, do. The angrier Hulk gets, the stronger he becomes. In some versions, he's capable of shaking reality itself.

World Breaker Hulk, Maestro, it doesn't matter; he's among the most powerful heroes ever born on Earth.

Whether it's Johnny Blaze or Robbie Reyes, Ghost Rider channels the power of hell itself. With the Penance Stare, he can force enemies to feel the pain they've inflicted. His supernatural strength makes him more than just a cool skull on wheels.

Yes, you read that right. Squirrel Girl has canonically defeated some of the most powerful beings in Marvel, including Thanos and Galactus—usually off-panel and with tongue-in-cheek humor. But a win is a win.

Owen Reece can manipulate matter and energy on a molecular level. That means he can rebuild or destroy anything, including reality. Once considered unstable, he became vital to the Secret Wars storyline.

An obscure but terrifying mutant, Mad Jim Jaspers can bend reality in ways that rival even Scarlet Witch.

He once became so powerful that an alternate version warped his entire universe beyond recognition, necessitating that universe’s complete destruction to stop him.

The Mad Titan isn’t just about the Infinity Stones. Even without them, Thanos has immense strength, intellect, and combat ability. Add the Infinity Gauntlet, and he becomes capable of wiping out half of all life in the universe—which he did.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.