Only 10 Marvel Characters Are More Powerful Than Thanos

Image via Marvel Studios Published Aug 7, 2026, 12:06 PM EDT Eddie Possehl is a dynamic and driven writer/director with a passion for the written word and all things film, television, comics, and games. His passion for storytelling led him to establish his own production company in hopes of achieving his dreams. His dedication to his craft has attracted renowned talent like Yuri Lowenthal to collaborate with him on his projects. As he grows and improves, Eddie is a shining example of a self-starter. Sign in to your Collider account For so long, Thanos (Josh Brolin) has been considered the end-all, be-all bad guy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, making him seem extremely powerful in the eyes of most fans. Many non-comic book fans or general audience members may not realize that Thanos actually isn't the most powerful Marvel character in cinema. In fact, there are a few characters more powerful than him and could, honestly, wipe the floor with the primary antagonist of the Infinity Saga. Whether they're a villain, hero, or neutrally-aligned character, these characters see Thanos claiming that he's "inevitable," and they laugh. Some have proven their strength against Thanos already through the likes of movies like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, and some have achieved feats that the Mad Titan simply could not do himself. With the next big villain of the MCU on his way—Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.)—in Avengers: Doomsday, fans may find themselves wondering who'll be powerful enough to face him, and, it's safe to say, if they are more powerful than Thanos, they'll be able to stand up against Doom. Wanda Maximoff (The Scarlet Witch) Image via Marvel Studios If there's a character that has proven themselves more powerful than Thanos in the MCU already, it's the one and only Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), when she got the chance to go head-to-head against him in Avengers: Endgame. When she got her solo match against the man that killed the love of her life, Vision (Paul Bettany), she didn't hold back in the slightest, and it showed. Wanda started giving Thanos a massive magic-fueled smackdown, and it scared the heck out of him. Wanda ripped him so much of a new one that Thanos fired on his own army just to get him out of the situation. It isn't just because of how strong Wanda's chaos magic is, but because she does not hold back, either. She has fewer qualms about morality when it comes to facing villains—ripping Ultron's (James Spader) heart out, attempting to dismantle Thanos piece by piece, almost murdering the young America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez)—so when she fought Thanos, she had no issue not only killing him, but making him suffer on the way there. Few characters have made Thanos genuinely show fear, and this witch is one of them. Alioth Image via Marvel Studios When Loki (Tom Hiddleston) discovers the wasteland universe where all things and people pruned by the Time Variance Authority end up, he also discovers Alioth. This creature is the guardian of the Void and consumes all that comes in its way. As far as audiences have been shown through Loki and Deadpool & Wolverine, Alioth is an unstoppable force. Alioth is considered a trans-temporal entity, which means that it exists across multiple points in time and feeds on time and space itself. It has even consumed entire realities before, as stated in Loki. No one knows the exact extent of Alioth's capabilities, which is what's so scary about the creature. Yeah, Thanos doesn't stand a chance against this thing. Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel) Image via Marvel Studios When Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) first made her appearance in Captain Marvel, Marvel Studios made it very clear that she was going to be one of the strongest heroes in the MCU. With her getting her powers directly from the Space Stone—back when it was considered the Tesseract—she has a similar type of strength to the likes of Scarlet Witch, who also got her powers from an Infinity Stone. Captain Marvel has shown on multiple occasions within the films that she can more than take on Thanos one-to-one. Twice in Avengers: Endgame she restrains Thanos and even takes direct hits on the face from him without so much as flinching. Under the right circumstances, Captain Marvel could most certainly take on Thanos and win. She almost did! Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory? 🕷️Spider-Man 😈Daredevil 🤖Iron Man 💀Punisher ⚡Thor 🛡️Cap FIND YOUR HERO → 01 What drives you to do what's right? Choose the answer that feels most like you. AWith great power comes great responsibility — I protect those who can't protect themselves. BMy faith and my conscience — I believe justice must be served, even in the dark. CLegacy and ego, honestly — but I've learned that others depend on me now. DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay. EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name — I was born to protect realms. FThe values I was raised with — freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully. NEXT QUESTION → 02 It's 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you'd think. ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood. BRunning rooftops in Hell's Kitchen, listening for trouble. CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cold cup of coffee nearby. DStaking out a target I've been tracking for three weeks. ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand. FOn a morning run — I was up at 4, actually. Couldn't sleep. NEXT QUESTION → 03 How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What's yours? AWeb them up and leave them for the police — again. BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside. CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins. DMake sure they don't escape a third time. Permanently. EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end. FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in — by the book, even if it's hard. NEXT QUESTION → 04 How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything. AEssential — my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am. BCritical — the mask protects my mission as much as my face. COverrated — I announced myself to the world and I'd do it again. DI'm a ghost. The less people know about me, the better. EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There's no hiding it. FI don't hide — but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust. NEXT QUESTION → 05 You've lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it. AWith guilt that never fully goes away — it pushes me to do better, every single day. BI channel it into purpose — their memory is the reason I keep fighting. CI buried myself in work for years. I'm only recently learning to face it. DIt transformed me completely. I'm not the same person I was before. EWith warrior's grief — I honour them by fighting with everything I have. FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win. NEXT QUESTION → 06 What's your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are. AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work — and keeps the mood up. BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most. CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation. DI don't do teams. I'm more effective operating solo, on my terms. EThe heavy hitter — I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle. FThe leader — I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind. NEXT QUESTION → 07 Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are. AClearly — I don't kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly. BI try to hold the line, but I've come terrifyingly close to crossing it. CPractically — I do what's necessary to protect people, including hard calls. DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice — the system just won't admit it. EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned — not automatic. FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against. NEXT QUESTION → 08 When you're not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story. ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends. BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets. CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I'm sleeping enough. DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions. ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world — coffee is extraordinary. FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly. NEXT QUESTION → 09 What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of. AThe people I couldn't save — and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow. BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too. CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough. DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I've made my choices. EWhether I'm truly worthy — of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect. FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing. NEXT QUESTION → 10 The battle is lost. You're outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully. ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything. BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat — and keep going. CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan. DI don't accept that it's lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore. ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me. FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it's not over. REVEAL MY HERO → Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed. 🕷️ Spider-ManYou carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing. You do the right thing not because it's easy, but because no one else will. You understand that responsibility isn't a burden you choose — it's one that finds you. Whether it's a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up. Peter Parker's lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn't a slogan to you. It's the code you live by, even when it costs you everything. 😈 DaredevilYou fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free. You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks. You've looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy. Matt Murdock's duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own. Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you. 🤖 Iron ManBrilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem. You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic. You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility. Tony Stark's arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too. You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you're willing to give everything. Because in the end, you're Iron Man. 💀 The PunisherYou've been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What's left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief. You don't ask for forgiveness, and you don't expect gratitude. You see a corrupt, broken world and you've decided to do something about it, consequences be damned. Frank Castle's war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours. Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute. ⚡ ThorPowerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry. You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth. You're larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on. Thor's story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector. You bring the storm when it's needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much. 🛡️ Captain AmericaYou believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will. You don't bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard. Steve Rogers didn't become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you. Your strength isn't in your fists; it's in your refusal to compromise what's right, no matter the cost. In a world full of people taking the easy road, you're the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ Dormammu Image via Marvel Studios First appearing in Doctor Strange in 2016, Dormammu (Benedict Cumberbatch) was immediately cemented as one of the most powerful beings in the MCU. Residing in the mysterious Dark Dimension, Dormammu is—as far as the audience knows—unkillable and was only able to be bested by Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) by mental trickery, not power. The many times in which the giant entity kills Doctor Strange show off just the kind of immense power he has. Dormammu can seemingly manipulate magical energy from the Dark Dimension endlessly; he's immortal, can bestow some of his power onto others, and even has telekinesis. Dormammu rules the Dark Dimension, and would rule any battle against Thanos, too. Arishem Image via Marvel Studios While some people did not end up seeing Eternals or ended up having mixed thoughts about it, it has one of the coolest villains in the MCU, by far. The one and only Arishem the Judge (David Kaye), the Prime Celestial, is a being that is noted to have created the very first sun, bringing light to the entire universe. He also happens to be the originator of intergalactic law as a whole. That's not as impressive as the fact that, as the Prime Celestial, he has the power to manipulate the Power Cosmic, is immortal, has cosmic awareness, the ability to create life itself, has telepathy, telekinesis, matter and element manipulation, construct creation, gravity generation, and so much more. Arishem's power is seemingly endless, meaning dealing with Thanos would be child's play for him. Uatu (The Watcher) Image via Marvel Studios While his kind had made a cameo before—many, actually, if Stan Lee being an agent of them counts—audiences were officially introduced to The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) in Marvel Studios' animated series, What If...? It's here where they get to see just how large the extent of The Watcher's power lies. An omnipotent being who can see every universe in the Marvel multiverse, The Watcher was even able to take on the already powerful Infinity Ultron (Ross Marquand), holding off his blasts and going toe-to-toe with him across the multiverse. He's pretty much immortal, can teleport across the multiverse, and, most notably, can manipulate the cosmic energy of the Marvel universe. If one isn't already aware of the power-scaling of the Marvel universe, the Power Cosmic is quite easily one of, if not the most powerful, forces in the multiverse. So, the fact that The Watcher can manipulate it and use it mid-battle puts him even higher than one would already assume him to be. On top of that, he can also manipulate time and space. While Thanos may have the Reality Stone when he wields the Infinity Gauntlet, he stands pretty much zero chance against The Watcher. Infinity Ultron Image via Marvel Studios Another incredibly powerful character to come out of What If...? is the fearsome Infinity Ultron. This character is the unholy embodiment of everything powerful in the MCU. Infinity Ultron came to life with the writers not only giving Ultron the completion of his goal in Avengers: Age of Ultron—in which he forged the Vision body in hopes of using it for himself—but also going beyond that and getting a whole new, near-indestructible armor and all of the Infinity Stones. So, not only does he have his trademark genius-level intellect, but he has the power of some of the universe's most powerful artifacts. Marvel Studios clearly wanted an overly powerful villain for their big What If...? finale, and boy did they succeed. Infinity Ultron is genuinely brimming with strength, and it's even shown in his introduction episode that he kills Thanos with one laser beam at base form, splitting him in half right down the middle of his body (it's honestly super brutal). If that isn't proof enough that he is stronger than the Mad Titan, then what is? Galactus Image via Marvel Comics Even people with lighter knowledge of the Marvel universe—growing up on animated shows, etc.—know who Galactus is. Recently, the cosmic entity and certified nightmare made an appearance in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, played by none other than Ralph Ineson. Simply put: Galactus is the devourer of worlds. He doesn't necessarily have maliciousness in his heart, but simply hungers and must feed on matter to survive. This indifference makes him an incredibly interesting type of antagonist for Marvel heroes. Regardless of that, though, the fact that he can literally devour worlds makes him absurdly powerful—almost immeasurable. The Sentry/Void Image via Marvel Studios When it comes to Marvel, if someone is looking for a character similar to Superman in power scale, they need to look no further than the ever-powerful and unstable Sentry (Lewis Pullman). This recent addition is arguably the most powerful MCU hero to date, and the proof is in his inclusion in Thunderbolts*. But it's not just his Sentry side that's strong; his negative side, The Void, is even stronger and most certainly a million times more dangerous. In the third act of Thunderbolts*, Void is seen warping almost all of New York City into a negative pocket universe—yes, he created a pocket universe—and absolutely nobody can do anything to stop him. This version of Sentry has zero qualms about hurting and killing, either, meaning he would not hold back against Thanos. Not even a little bit. Death Image via Marvel Studios The comic characters of Death and Thanos have quite the connection in the source material. Despite what people saw in Avengers: Infinity War, in the comics, Thanos wanted to wipe out half the universe to gain the affection of Lady Death—being madly in love with her. So, people were pretty dang excited to see her when she finally made her MCU appearance in Agatha All Along, played by Aubrey Plaza. When it comes to power-scaling, it's hard to really scale the likes of Death, because she's not just an average character, but the embodiment of death in the Marvel universe itself. If she wanted Thanos to die, she'd need to simply will it to happen. A character like this is arguably immeasurable in power, which puts her so unbelievably far above Thanos. Agatha All Along Release Date 2024 - 2024-00-00 Cast Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Okwui Okpokwasili, Debra Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone, Aubrey Plaza, David Payton, Emma Caulfield Ford, David Lengel, Asif Ali, Amos Glick, Elaine Valdes, Paria Akbarshahi, Chau Naumova, Bethany Curry, Athena Perample, Alicia Vela-Bailey, Britta Grant, Marina Mazepa Showrunner Jac Schaeffer Seasons 1