The 7 Most Iconic Alien Races in Marvel, Ranked

In the vast Marvel Universe, countless alien worlds are teeming with life. These aliens can take on many shapes and forms, from reptilian to insectoid. Most of them have highly advanced civilizations that enable intergalactic travel, allowing them to either explore or conquer other worlds. Several of these races made first contact with Earth thousands of years ago and are intrinsically tied to the evolution of humanity and its various subspecies. Marvel’s heroes often must battle against extraterrestrial invaders that seek to add Earth to their galactic empires. However, there have also been alien races that desire only to protect humanity and the rest of the universe. Whether they are identifiable by their entire civilization or just by specific members, these are the most influential and popular alien races in the Marvel Universe.

From invaders to observers, Marvel has no shortage of bizarre and memorable extraterrestrial lifeforms scattered across the cosmos. And of course, many of these races find their way to Earth to have epic encounters with the planet’s protectors.  

7) Brood

The Brood, a terrifying race of bug-like aliens, are widely regarded as the universe’s first galactic predators. Like a swarm of locusts, they invade planets to strip them of their natural resources while devouring their native inhabitants. The Brood are a hive-minded species that follow the orders of its queen. Incredibly savage and sadistic, they take great pleasure in killing with their razor-sharp teeth, claws, and stingers. Their most unsettling attribute is their method of reproduction. The Brood don’t repopulate by breeding, but by infecting other species with their eggs. The host’s mind and body then transform into that of a Brood. If the host has any powers, the newly developed Brood will inherit them. The Brood are easily one of the most nightmarish creatures the Marvel Universe has ever produced.

6) Shi’ar

The Shi’ar Empire is one of the largest empires in the Marvel Universe, as millions of worlds fall under its banner. The Shi’ar, descended from avian species, are easily identifiable by the feathered crests that crown their heads. The Shi’ar live in an imperialistic and militaristic society on their home world of Chandilar. They have no concept of creativity or art and will execute anyone who dares to express such ideas. A team of superpowered Shi’ar warriors called the Imperial Guard protects the empire’s ruler. The Shi’ar have come to blows with the heroes of Earth on many occasions, but there are a select few within the empire who wish for peace. Queen Lilandra is a close ally of the X-Men. She is also a love interest of Charles Xavier, aka Professor X. Lilandra and Charles even had a daughter, Xandra, who is the current ruler of the Shi’ar Empire.

5) Celestials

The Celestials teeter on the line between aliens and gods. A race of near-omnipotent cosmic beings that have existed since the very first universe, they are responsible for the creation of the entire Multiverse. The Celestials are so powerful that they can easily destroy planets and warp reality. With their god-like abilities, the Celestials travel the universe to judge and experiment on lower lifeforms. They always create two sub-species from the natives: Eternals and Deviants. Eternals are everlasting and benevolent, while the Deviants are ever-changing and cruel. Much of Earth’s history was shaped by these highly advanced aliens. The Celestials are even responsible for the creation of mutantkind, which emerged as a result of an experiment conducted on ancient humans. The Celestials are some of the most powerful and influential alien races in the Multiverse.

4) Kree

The Kree, a scientifically advanced race from the planet Hala, are an imperialist and militaristic society with an empire spanning thousands of star systems. They are ruled by the Supreme Intelligence, a supercomputer comprising the greatest minds in the Kree Empire. The Kree have been at war with the Skrulls for thousands of years, and unfortunately, Earth is often in the crossfire of this bloody conflict. The Kree also experimented on early humans, creating the super-powered subspecies known as the Inhumans. The most recognizable member of the Kree species is Mar-Vell, the original Captain Marvel, who served as a hero on Earth for many years before his death, ultimately passing his mantle to Carol Danvers.

3) Watchers

For every action that occurs across the Marvel Universe, the Watchers will always be there to observe and record in the pursuit of knowledge. One of the oldest races in the universe, the Watchers are nigh-omnipotent beings from the planet Luminous. Despite their god-like abilities, they swore an oath never to interfere in the grand scheme of the cosmos and are thus restricted to only watching events unfold from the sidelines. However, the Watcher of Earth, Uatu, who grew to care about the people of earth and formed strong bonds with heroes like the Fantastic Four, has frequently broken his oath of non-interference to protect humanity from catastrophes such as the arrival of Galactus.

2) Skrulls

Have you ever wondered if an impostor replaced someone you loved? It’s this primal fear that the Skrulls represent. First appearing in 1962, the Skrulls were among the first aliens depicted as invading planet Earth. A reptilian species originating from the planet Skrullos, the Skrulls are renowned for their mastery of shapeshifting. They can mimic a person’s appearance down to the molecular level. Their elite soldiers are called Super-Skrulls, who can replicate the powers of multiple heroes and villains at once. The Skrulls’ most impactful story was Secret Invasion, in which they successfully infiltrated and replaced hundreds of superheroes, villains, and world leaders over several years. While the invasion was ultimately foiled, the seeds of distrust the Skrulls left behind forever altered the Marvel Universe.   

1) Symbiotes

Through stories like Spider-Man’s “Black Costume Saga” and legendary characters such as Venom and Carnage, the Symbiotes are the most memorable alien race in the Marvel Universe. They were created at the beginning of the universe by the eldritch God of Darkness, known as Knull, to be his loyal soldiers. However, the Symbiotes rebelled and trapped their creator on the planet Klyntar. Subsequently, the Symbiotes spread out across the cosmos, with some acting as benevolent peacekeepers, while others were sadistic agents of chaos. Symbiotes are an amorphous, liquid-like species that bond with other organisms, transforming them into mighty warriors. In this form, they can produce razor-sharp teeth, claws, and large tendrils to ensnare their opponents. The personalities of the Symbiote and the host can influence each other, potentially resulting in them becoming either forces for good or evil. With their remarkable ability to merge with anyone, the Symbiotes have offered some of the most impactful and epic stories Marvel has ever created.

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