After years of teasing, Marvel Studios has finally introduced Mephisto to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as an incredibly powerful and terrifying villain that only a few heroes will be strong enough to face. First seen in Marvel Comics back in 1968’s Silver Surfer #3, Mephisto, based on the Mephistopheles of Faust legend, is a haunting demonic supervillain who rules over Hell and has come to blows with many heroes over the years. Despite being one of Marvel’s most prominent and notable villains, Mephisto was absent from the MCU until 2025’s Ironheart series.
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In the almost six decades since his debut in Marvel Comics, Mephisto has been fought by many heroes, some of whom have proven strong enough to best the villain and bring him to his knees. His live-action incarnation in Ironheart, however, seems even more influential and manipulative than his comic counterpart, raising the question as to who might be powerful enough to defeat him. His Marvel Comics history and the power levels of some of the MCU’s most notable heroes prove that several characters have what it takes to face Mephisto.
7) Peter Parker’s Spider-Man
At first glance, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) might not seem strong enough to take on a villain of the magnitude of Mephisto. However, the demon has become one of Spider-Man’s longest-running and most prominent enemies during his Marvel Comics career, opposing the wall-crawler many times, and not always coming out on top. The MCU’s Spider-Man showed real growth, strength, and determination in Spider-Man: No Way Home, especially when taking on multiversal antagonists, including the murderous Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe). This could have perhaps set Peter Parker up to come face-to-face with Mephisto in 2026’s upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
6) Thor
By way of sheer might and power, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) would surely be strong enough to take on the likes of Mephisto. As the ruler of the Hell dimension, Mephisto clearly has a handle on some magical abilities, but Thor also harnesses magic to increase his Asgardian power. Thor is a literal god, Mephisto is not. Mephisto could get the upper hand through his manipulations, however. Thor has shown himself to be susceptible to mind control and influence – the Scarlet Witch gave him a vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron, so Mephisto could best him in a similar fashion.
5) Adam Warlock
2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 finally brought Marvel’s iconic cosmic hero, Adam Warlock, into the MCU. The level of power the juvenile Adam (Will Poulter) showed off in Vol. 3 was incredible. Empowered thanks to the High Evolutionary’s (Chukwudi Iwuji) engineering and the Sovereign’s strive for perfection, Adam Warlock surely has the power to take on Mephisto, though, again, it’s unclear how protected Adam would be from Mephisto’s influence, however. It would be great to see Adam Warlock return to battle Mephisto in the MCU’s future, since the cosmic hero doesn’t yet have a confirmed future.
4) Robert Reynolds’ Sentry
One of the MCU’s newest heroes, introduced in 2025’s Thunderbolts*, is Robert Reynolds’ Sentry (Lewis Pullman), and he’s also one of Marvel’s most powerful characters. Reynolds received an experimental super-soldier serum at the behest of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and while this gifted him incredible powers, it also unlocked his dark half – the Void. He easily mowed down the Thunderbolts, so Mephisto would certainly struggle to take down the Sentry or the Void, too. Pullman has been confirmed to be returning to the MCU, so a battle between Mephisto and the New Avengers could be on the cards.
3) Doctor Strange
While he’s commonly seen battling Spider-Man in Marvel Comics, Mephisto is also an ever-present threat in the stories of Doctor Strange. In the MCU, Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is one of the most significant magic-users, a mentor to young sorcerers, and a thorn in the side of many magically-empowered antagonists, including one who already has a confirmed connection to Mephisto. Strange bested Dormammu in 2016’s Doctor Strange, and Mephisto is widely regarded to not be as strong as the Dark Dimension’s ruler, despite his comments in Ironheart, so there’s no doubt Doctor Strange could take down the demonic supervillain.
2) Wanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witch
There are few characters in the MCU, heroes or villains, who are more powerful than Wanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witch. Her ability to bend reality to her will means Mephisto’s power pales in comparison, and we might actually see a battle between the pair come to fruition in the MCU. The Scarlet Witch and Mephisto have a long and storied history in Marvel Comics, most notably surrounding Maximoff’s children, Billy and Tommy, who were created using pieces of Mephisto’s demonic soul. The Scarlet Witch has gone up against some formidable villains in the MCU, and Mephisto could be next.
1) Franklin Richards
He hasn’t yet made his official MCU debut, apart from in trailers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but Franklin Richards will give Wanda Maximoff a run for her money, perhaps becoming the MCU’s newest most powerful character. Immensely powerful with reality-warping and psionic abilities, Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), has unmatched power. There’s no way Mephisto would be able to handle Franklin Richards on his best day, and with the young character making his debut in July 2025, he could grow up to become the biggest thorn in Mephisto’s side.
What MCU characters do you want to see battle Mephisto after his Ironheart debut? Let us know in the comments!
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Image courtesy of Marvel Studios.
