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7 Strongest Characters in Marvel Comics Who Could Beat Superman

Superman is one of the most formidable heroes in the history of comics. Over the years, readers have seen some amazing feats from a variety of heroes, but it often feels like the Man of Steel is the one that everyone else is measured against. The Kryptonian hero has pulled off some fantastic things over the years, and he’s defeated basically every villain that has ever stood in front of him. He’s traveled across universes, meeting with some of the most powerful characters ever, and has always been able to hold his own. “Holding his own” is putting it nicely, because Superman has proven to be more powerful than nearly anyone he’s ever faced.

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Of course, he’s not invincible. Heroes and villains all over comics have been able to defeat him, including characters from Marvel. These seven Marvel characters are the most powerful who can beat Superman, heroes and villains with power on another level.

7) Doctor Doom

Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Doctor Doom’s Marvel’s greatest monster, and anyone who thinks he can’t beat Superman isn’t paying attention. Even if he wasn’t a master of magic who also happens to be smarter than just about anyone, his armor allows him to drain the energy of all manner of gods and cosmic beings. If he could do it to them, he could do it to the Man of Steel. As far as power level goes, Doom isn’t nearly as powerful as some of the godlike beings on this list. However, he’s still formidable, and he’s proven that by defeating and outsmarting some of the most powerful and intelligent beings out there.

6) Dormammu

Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Dormammu’s mystical abilities give him the key to defeating the Man of Steel. While magic isn’t a one-hit win against Superman, Dormammu’s mastery of the mystic arts, as well as his army of powerful demonic entities, would give him the keys to defeating the Kryptonian. Dormammu is basically a god in the Dark Dimension, and has spent eons mastering every bit of magic that he can find. While the Dread Lord isn’t technically divine, he’s still monumentally powerful, and one of the most potent beings in the Marvel Multiverse.

5) Molecule Man

Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics

The Molecule Man is possibly the most powerful human ever, having reached a place where he’s somewhat beyond many gods in power level. He can control the building blocks of matter, and his power is so great that it has to be split up among the infinite copies of him throughout multiverse. He can blink and uncreate basically any being out there, and can be fashioned into a universe-destroying bomb. He’s played an important role in some of Marvel’s most important event comics, battling some of the most powerful beings ever like the Beyonder. If he wanted to, he could create his own universe, showing just how powerful he really is.

4) Mephisto

Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Mephisto is way more powerful than he gets credit for. He’s not the Devil, but he is one of the most powerful beings out there. He has his own hellish dimension and demons, but his true power has nothing to do with either of those factors. Basically, the demon lord can give anyone anything they ask for in exchange for their soul. His reality altering powers allow him to stitch the histories of alternate universes together (this is how he was able to get rid of Spider-Man’s marriage โ€” he found a universe where they never married and stitched that history into the 616 universe), and that’s honestly just the beginning. Mephisto has finally made his MCU debut, after years of fans begging, showing the world just how truly powerful he is on the biggest stage ever. However, comics fans have always known just how potent the character is.

3) Thor

Thor flying away from Asgard with members of his cast behind him
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics

We’ve seen some powerful versions of Thor over the years, but there’s always been a question about whether he can beat Superman. As far as it goes, it seems that Superman has a much higher strength level than Thor (although I’ve heard that this has changed over the years), but the Norse god’s other powers put him over the Kryptonian. I’m not one of those people who think that the Odinson can beat Supes a hundred percent of the time, but he’s definitely one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe who can beat Kal-El. Thor isn’t just the God of Thunder, but has become the lord of Asgard, with all the extra requisite power that gives him. He’s a “skyfather” now (what leaders of godly pantheons call themselves in the Marvel Universe), and one of the most potent beings in the cosmos.

2) Galactus

Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Galactus is one of the most ancient beings in the Marvel Multiverse. He was a scientist in the last iteration of the universe, investigating the end of all things. He would end up caught in the cataclysm that ended all of existence as he had known it, and was reborn in the next universe as the master of the Power Cosmic and the World-Devourer. Galactus doesn’t have his own realm or anything like that, but he’s beyond the vast majority of gods in the universe. A fully fed Galactus is all-powerful and can defeat nearly anyone, and even at his most hungry, he’s still more powerful than most gods out there.

1) The Beyonder

Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics

For a long time, the Beyonder was the most powerful being in the history of the Marvel Universe. The One from Beyond has power greater than every god, and was able to overpower beings like Galactus and Thor with but a thought. It was later learned that he was just one of a race of beings who existed outside of the multiverse. Beyonders are truly superlatively powerful; gods wish they had the powers of Beyonders. They are some of the most powerful beings in comics, let alone the most powerful in the Marvel Universe.

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