When looking at the incredible abilities of the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Marvel comic books, it begs the question of who is the strongest superhero. Fans have debated on the internet over who would be the strongest in theory, but with as vast as the overall Marvel Universe is, will they ever find out? And, since so many characters have yet to be introduced into the MCU, is it a fair argument?
With so many powerful characters in both the MCU and Marvel Comics, it can be hard to say which superhero would reign supreme. Therefore, this article will combine the heroes in the MCU and the comic book universes.
While there are many more powerful beings than some of the characters mentioned below, it is essential to remember that this list is ranking superheroes only. Therefore, characters such as Death, The One Above All, and The Tribunal will not be discussed as they are not actively engaging in battles unless the cosmic balance is threatened.
15. Venom
With the release of Venom 2 in 2021, fans were given a deeper dive into the mechanics (and abilities) of their favourite symbiote (who is often both villain and hero).
Venom, one of the most formidable and strongest characters in the Marvel Universe, owes his immense power to several unique attributes. His powers consist of the ability to bond with any lifeform due to the nature of its species. Furthermore, the alien lifeform can enhance the abilities of any life form it possesses. He has super speed, strength, agility, senses, and reflexes. Venom (who is immune to Spider-Man’s spider-sense) also has invulnerability, accelerated healing, and the ability to shapeshift all or parts of itself at will. Of course, this grants him stealth, too, as he can blend into his surroundings or disguise himself.
And while all that sounds great, there is still a reason Venom and Eddie Brock are so low on this list. This is because Venom is the weakest among the four symbiotes that made their way to Earth. And in the latest Sony film, Venom could barely hold its own against Carnage. That said, in the comics, he remains a worthy adversary to many Marvel characters.
14. Spider-Man
First appearing in Captain America: Civil War as Tony Stark’s prodigy, Peter Parker is quite young in this iteration of the hero’s story and is still finding his feet. But, when Spider-Man: No Way Home rolled around, his character and abilities were quite fleshed out. And based on the high-level threats he had to face in the most recent film, he easily contends as one of the strongest heroes in the MCU.
Both in the comics and the movies, Spider-Man’s abilities consist of superhuman strength, speed, durability, reflexes, and stamina. Furthermore, he has enhanced senses and accelerated healing. These abilities are enhanced by his Spider Suit, which was designed and gifted to him by Tony Stark (in the comic books, he created this suit himself).
Additionally, his genius-level intellect contributes significantly to his strength, as he invents various gadgets, including the iconic web shooters, to outsmart and subdue his enemies.
If this isn’t convincing enough, then take into account the sheer mental toll saving the world and losing everything he has ever loved must take on the teenager.
13. Loki
As the most powerful sorcerer in Asgard and Thor’s adopted brother, it is no surprise that he has made it this high up on the list. That and the fact that Loki possesses an incredible array of abilities that has more than earned him the title of God of Mischief. At a base level, Loki possesses superhuman strength and outstanding durability.
Furthermore, he has a longer lifespan than any human, which could put him in a position of immortality, depending on how it is looked at. His magical abilities are where he gets many more special powers, such as levitation, telekinesis, pyrokinesis, shapeshifting, teleportation, astral projection, hypnosis, and the ability to shoot damaging energy blasts.
12. Thor
Also known as the “God Of Thunder” and “The Strongest Avenger”, it makes sense that Thor would be on the list. Being near invincible, as an Asgardian, he is already at an advantage as his race of people possesses superhuman strength, durability, speed, and agility that places them far above the human race. There is also his ability to regenerate much faster than the average person if injured. Furthermore, his lifespan extends to that of a human being even though he is not immortal (again, depending on how this is looked at, it could be classified as immortality).
Due to his status as the Son of Odin and essentially the Prince of Asgard, he can control the weather and create thunderstorms. Furthermore, as seen in Thor: Ragnarok, he can deliver powerful blows of electricity when he gets heated. This means that he technically also has the ability of electrokinesis as he can source electricity from his body without the help of Mjolnir. And speaking of which, Mjolnir is just a bonus to his already overpowered abilities.
Although it can be argued that Thor and Hercules are at similar power levels, there is a reason Thor is dubbed the “Mightiest Avenger” (which is code for the most powerful Avenger). Although Thor is not the most powerful Asgardian, he is still the strongest Avenger with his super strength, centuries of warrior training, and the ability to wield one of the strongest weapons in the entire Marvel Universe: Mjölnir. While characters such as Steve Rogers can yield the hammer, Thor has also wielded other weapons such as Stormbreaker, Thunderstrike, and Lightbringer.
That aside, Thor’s impressive invulnerability also adds to his god-like powers as he has been able to withstand attacks from ancient, powerful threats. And lastly, Thor’s ability to respond with intense, destructive lightning blasts can be pretty useful against bad guys. Thor is a good contender for one of Marvel’s strongest superheroes.
11. Scarlet Witch
Wanda Maximoff is a Sokavian native who was born with the ability of chaos magic. However, following experimentation on Wanda and her brother Pietra, she developed psychic abilities. This eventually led to her becoming a member of the Avengers and showcasing her abilities as one of the more powerful MCU characters.
However, she ultimately became the antagonist of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This is why she is so high on the list, as the abilities showcased in the film showed her taking down most of the Illuminati and Dr Strange barely holding his own against her.
Her psionic abilities allow her the power of flight, telekinesis, telepathy, pathogenesis, mind manipulation (and the ability to create hallucinations at will), and energy manipulation, amongst other things. Furthermore, some of the abilities that come along with her chaos magic are teleportation, reality warping, energy absorption, weather manipulation, astral projection, and even transmutation.
Of course, in Marvel comics, she is much more powerful – some would even argue that she is the most powerful Marvel comic book character of all time.
10. Doctor Strange
Even though he is a human, Doctor Strange possesses some of the most incredible abilities in the MCU (and in the pages of Marvel comic books), easily placing him in first place and earning him the title of the strongest MCU superhero of all time. However, in his display in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the true extent of his abilities is fleshed out. And this can be expected, considering his foe was the Scarlet Witch, who can literally warp reality.
Known as the Sorcerer Supreme, it is already established that he possesses incredible potential as a surgeon before gaining his abilities. Using his incredible intuition and ability to adapt, he quickly becomes a capable sorcerer and Master of the Mystic Arts. He can conjure various spells, bind opponents, and create shields/force fields. He earns the trust of the Cloak of Levitation and can teleport himself and other objects/people via Sling Rings that he conjures up at will.
He possesses the Time Stone, which means he can manipulate time. The ability to see into the future is just one bonus that can be seen in Avengers: Infinity War in an attempt to beat Thanos. Also, his ability to use the Darkhold without too much consequence further proves that he is physically and mentally capable. Finally, the Eye of Agamotto is a further testament to how much stronger Doctor Strange will become in future films, as he now has gained an ability that has made him just about omniscient.
In all honesty, Doctor Strange is probably the strongest Marvel superhero in the MCU at the moment.
9. The Incredible Hulk
The story of Bruce Banner and the Hulk is as well-known as that of Superman; therefore, no introduction is needed for the Green Gamma Giant. But when thinking about the most powerful Marvel characters, the Hulk probably is not one of them. And this could ring true when looking at the fact that his abilities consist mainly of superhuman strength. However, looking at how his powers work, in particular, does beg the question of how powerful he could become.
With Hulk, he transforms based on emotion. Notably, the more intense his anger, the stronger he becomes. Because of this, many fans have theorized that he could become unstoppable if he can tap into a fierce feeling he has not yet experienced. And while yes, that is a possibility, it is still speculation when all is said and done. Compared to other earthly characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, Black Panther, and even the Winter Soldier, the Hulk’s overall power level is much lower, making him one of the strongest Marvel superheroes.
8. Vision
Compared to the MCU version of Vision, he is a much stronger superhero in the Marvel comics. And unlike the version of Vision seen on the big screen, his comic book counterpart does not possess an infinity gem. However, this does not change his origin story: an android created by Ultron to destroy the Avengers.
Sharing the same pattern as Wonder Man, Vision has joined the Avengers and actively defeated countless villains by their side before ultimately being killed by Thanos. His powers consist of super strength, flight and density manipulation (which means he can also phase through solid objects), and his computerized brain. But that does not change the fact that he was beaten by other powerful characters, such as the Scarlet Witch and She-Hulk, which is why he is placed so low on this list.
7. Hercules
In the comics, Hercules is one of the first and most successful Graeco-Roman-based heroes. Being amongst the most powerful characters in terms of physical strength and not to mention his incredible speed, he is on par with even that of Thor. He even wields his version of the hammer Mjölnir. And more often than not, he is compared to Thor. In fact, in a clash between the two powerful beings, neither reigned victorious, as it ended in a stalemate.
Hercules has been an Avenger for a long time, having been a part of the team for decades. However, his current placement as a Marvel superhero on the list is due to Thor wielding more potent abilities.
6. Sentry
Marvel’s The Sentry stands out as a character of profound complexity and intrigue. First introduced in The Sentry #1 in 2000 by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, Robert Reynolds, a.k.a the Sentry, is a character whose narrative depth has captivated fans. With a backstory involving a potent serum that grants him god-like powers, Sentry’s abilities range from limitless superhuman strength to molecular manipulation, making him one of Marvel’s mightiest heroes.
However, it’s his psychological battle that truly defines him: Reynolds constantly grapples with his darker alter ego, the Void, an entity of immense destructive power and the antithesis of Sentry. This dual nature injects a rich layer of psychological drama into his storylines, distinguishing him in the superhero genre. The Sentry has played pivotal roles in major Marvel arcs, such as World War Hulk and Siege, often as a member of groups like the Avengers.
Now that Steven Yeun has exited the role, it will be interesting to see how the MCU moves forward with a new actor in place.
5. Jean-Grey
One of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel Comics universe, and the most powerful X-Men, is easily Jean Grey. She is an omega-level mutant with the ability to read minds and telekinesis. Although some people argue that she has died many times and keeps getting brought back, she becomes stronger with each resurrection. With this in mind, her superhuman abilities easily make her one of the most powerful superheroes in the entire world.
That being said, her power scale grows even more when the power of the Phoenix force is taken into account. The Phoenix is revealed to be an alien entity that allows her already incredible powers to take on cosmic potential. Whether she loses control of the Phoenix or is entirely in control, she is able to obliterate enemies with the flick of a finger and control matter on a molecular level. She can even create force fields with her mind that can hold back incredible energy blasts. The power of the Phoenix enhances her already unbelievable psionic abilities.
4. Silver Surfer
His first appearance in The Fantastic Four comics later made the Silver Surfer one of Stan Lee’s favourite characters. At first glance, he looks pretty strange with a surfboard in space, but upon getting to know the entity a bit more, it becomes apparent that he is one of the more powerful beings in the Marvel Comic Book Universe. He is first introduced as Galactus’ herald before he gains his freedom and travels the cosmos, helping those in need. And with the Power Cosmic by his side, he is nearly unstoppable. And, in Volume 149 of Marvel’s What If…The Silver Surfer Possessed: Infinity Gauntlet; it is him wielding the Infinity Gauntlet with all the infinity stones.
3. Captain Marvel
Carol Danvers was first introduced as Miss Marvel back in the 1960s as a hero who possesses the power of The Kree. She was then experimented on by The Brood, which made her already cosmic-level power grow, turning her into a character known as The Binary. With this newfound form, she can tap into the power of a white hole, allowing her to manipulate energy. This means that she can control gravity, heat, and the entirety of the electromagnetic spectrum. With an ability this powerful, it is astounding that she is only third on this list for non-comic book fans.
While she is one of the most powerful characters in the comic books, her powers have been weakened in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2. Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock’s ranking as the second can easily be explained by the fact that he was powerful enough to replace The Living Tribunal after The Beyonders killed it to restore the universe (that Adam accidentally destroyed in the first place). However, more than this might be needed to convince some hardcore Marvel fans.
So, in addition to his already cosmic-level abilities, he possesses super strength, flight, and cosmic projection. He also has a direct connection to the Soul gem and, in turn, the entire Soul Dimension, an ability gifted to him by High Evolutionary. This means that he can channel the entire Soul Dimension. Not to mention, he gets more powerful with each resurrection, which eventually leads to him gaining the ability to create wormholes and super speed.
Unfortunately, again, the MCU version of the character doesn’t compare to the Marvel Comics version in terms of strength and power.
The strongest Marvel superhero of all time goes to…
1. Franklin Richards
When looking at the incredible abilities possessed by Adam Warlock, it can be quite difficult to imagine a being much stronger than that. But funnily enough, the strongest being in the entirety of the Marvel Comic Book Universe is a human child by the name of Franklin Richards. He is also an omega-level mutant and the son of Reed and Sue Richards. This character is even more special because he unlocked his powers before reaching puberty, unlike other mutants. Furthermore, although his age is never explicitly stated, he has impressive control of his abilities as early as seven during the events of Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #2.
It is no competition that Franklin Richards is the strongest Marvel superhero of all time, as his abilities consist of warping reality and bending time. He has successfully made replicas of the universe he resides in (yes, as a child) and even created one in which he is an adult with Galactus as his herald. His abilities are already limitless as a child, and there is no telling how much stronger he will become as an adult.
Who do you think is the strongest Marvel superhero of all time?
For a broader look at powerful characters, check out our comprehensive list of the 15 Most Powerful Characters in the Marvel Universe.
