50 Most Powerful Marvel Characters

I need a bit of help. I'm pretty confident about my order near the top, but I feel like I need to do some reordering further down the list. It's also possible that I forgot some characters that should be here. I'm trying to focus on 616. I also realize that some of these characters are hard to place on a list like this, because context can change a lot. Let's try to keep this in general power levels. I appreciate your help!

The One Above All

The Living Tribunal

Protege

Beyonders

Eternity / Death

Infinity / Oblivion / Master Order / Lord Chaos

The Phoenix Force

Celestials

Molecule Man

Abraxas

Galactus

In-Betweener

Watchers

Franklin Richards

Onslaught

Cyttorak

Sky Fathers (Odin, Zeus, etc.)

Mephisto

Surtur

Ego

Grandmaster

Roma

Thanos

Silver Surfer

Magus

Dormammu

Dr. Strange

Hercules

Thor

Hyperstorm

Jamie Braddock

Captain Marvel

Vulcan

Black Bolt

New Son

X-Man

Proteus

Gladiator

Apocalypse

High Evolutionary

Adam Warlock

Quasar

Destroyer

Hulk

Magneto

Xavier

Hope Summers

Juggernaut

Legion

Scarlet Witch

Good List

Thanks. I tried to delete this post and put it in the Marvel forum, but it didn't let me.

i actually went through the official marvel handbooks a few weeks ago making a similar list from how everyone's power ratings tallied up. it was pretty much the same as this list, give or take a few (hulk and doctor strange were let down by other attributes, and some kinda obscure silver surfer/quasar baddies ranked high).

You'll never make everyone happy lol. Thor must be higher than Herc. The thing with these list is that it's rare that the person making them bases them off of potential rather than feats. Hulk for one is just a big brawler and is no where near the top in complete and overall power.

I based these off of reading the comics, wikis, marvel site bios, and searching for battle threads with scans and actual references. Most of the conjecture seemed to be based on the argument of where to place Galactus/Celestials/Abstracts and other cosmics based on scans. The easiest thing to do was to base it mostly off of 616.

Galactus fought off most of the Celestials by himself so at full power he's above most if not all of them. They are above Watchers but below the other abstracts. Phoenix I'd also put slightly lower. It can destroy soler systems but it's below a reality warping or abstract . I've always disliked it because it doesn't fit in with the other supreme powers on the top.

Tyrant and Morg should probably make the list.

Ok, here's the new list after all your feedback. Some I didn't put on because they seemed a bit too redundant or obscure. Seriously, it's getting to the point where I'm tempted to just combine like ten characters into a single slot below Galactus that simply says "Power Cosmic". I added magical entities like vishanti on the same line as cytorak, as that seems to be the same basis/origin. Moved some characters around - moved Adam Warlock up, Hercules down. I couldn't bring myself to bring the Phoenix Force down - I know that at its full potential (probably without a host), it sits right up there with the other abstracts. We also know it can defeat celestials and galactus, though some of that is debatable in the specific context of 616. Also, by adding some folks to this list, we lost Hope Summers, Juggernaut, Legion, and Scarlet Witch in the top 50.

Here's the new list:

The One Above All

The Living Tribunal

Protege

Beyonders

Eternity / Death

Infinity / Oblivion / Master Order / Lord Chaos

The Phoenix Force

Celestials

Molecule Man

Abraxas

Galactus

In-Betweener

Watchers

Elders of the Universe

Franklin Richards

Onslaught

Cyttorak - Vishanti - Supreme Magical Entities

Sky Fathers (Odin, Zeus, etc.)

Mephisto

Surtur

Ego

Grandmaster

Roma

Thanos

Tyrant

Korvac

Silver Surfer

Stranger

Magus

Dormammu

Thor

Adam Warlock

Captain Marvel

Hercules

Hyperstorm

Jamie Braddock

Vulcan

Black Bolt

New Son

X-Man

Proteus

Gladiator

Apocalypse

High Evolutionary

Dr. Strange

Quasar

Destroyer

Hulk

Magneto

Xavier

It's really impossible without Marvel just flat out telling us who is more powerful than who and what. Also depends on your deffinition of "powerful". Most fans agree that guys like Hulk and Jugg while very strong and durable are just not very powerful on the overall scale.

I agree. Most of this would be context-based, which is why a lot of it is based on actual battles from scans, not just stats. It's a culmination of what we know as fans at this moment in time. Also, it's just geek curiosity and a slight OCD drive to constantly make lists of the things we like. Obviously not all of us are like that, but I suppose I am, lol.

Updated List:

The One Above All

The Living Tribunal

Protege

Beyonders

Eternity / Death

Infinity / Oblivion / Master Order / Lord Chaos

The Phoenix Force

Celestials

Molecule Man

Abraxas

Galactus

In-Betweener

Watchers

Elders of the Universe

Franklin Richards

Onslaught

Cyttorak - Vishanti - Supreme Magical Entities

Sky Fathers (Odin, Zeus, etc.)

Tyrant

Mephisto

Surtur

Ego

Grandmaster

Roma

Thanos

Korvac

Silver Surfer

Stranger

Magus

Dormammu

Thor

Adam Warlock

Captain Marvel

Hercules

Hyperstorm

Jamie Braddock

Vulcan

Black Bolt

New Son

X-Man

Proteus

Gladiator

Apocalypse

High Evolutionary

Dr. Strange

Quasar

Destroyer

Hulk

Loki

Juggernaut

surtur is higher

I can't see X-man nor Sentry. I also wonder if the celestials are not more powerful than the Phoenix Force.

X-Man is in there, right below New Son and above Proteus. Not sure where to put Sentry. Right below Thor? We don't really know Sentry's limits yet.

Also, Celestials are about the range of the other abstracts if not a step lower. Galactus can beat individual Celestials, and Phoenix (not even full on natural Phoenix Force) can beat Galactus.

The problem with this sort of thing is that Marvel has so many obscure characters it's really impossible to come up with anything. Almost all of the characters we're familiar with wouldn't make the top 50. That and no one will ever agree on the order. I'll give you a list, it's in no exact order. Feel free to do with it what you will. But it will add a lot of names that are missing.  
  

1. One Above All
2. The Living Tribunal 
3. Nemesis the Infinity Being 
4. Eternity / Infinity 
5. Death / Oblivion 
6. Mikaboshi 
7. the Phoenix Force 
8. First Fallen 
9. Pro tégé
10. Scathan the Approver
11. Sise-Neg
12. Alien Entity 
13. Mad Jim Jaspers / Scarlet Witch (HoM)
14. Legion 
15. Abysss
16. Dweller in Darkness
17. Edifice Rex
18. Hunger
19. Le Bete Noir 
20. Goblin Force
21. Master Order / Lord Chaos 
22. Anthropomorpho
23. Job Burke 
24. He Who Remains
25. Shuma-Gorath
26.   Vishanti (Oshtur, Agamotto, Hoggoth) 
27. Chthon 
28. Galactus 
29. Abraxas 
30. Uni-Lord
31.   Zom 
32. Roma
33. In-betweener
34. Korvac
35. Stranger 
36. Gaea 
37. Set 
38. The Seven Friendless (Enmity, Expediency, Eulogy, Epiphany, Entropy)
39. Celestials 
40. Franklin Richard
41. Proemial Gods (Tenebrous of the Darkness, Aegis Lady of all Sorrows, Diableri of Chaos, Antiphon the Overseer, Brio of Life)
42. The Octessence (Balthak, Cyttorak, Farallah, Ikonn, Krakkan, Raggadorr, Valtorr, Watoomb) 
43. Mistress Love / Master Hate 
44. Eon / Epoch 
45. Hawk God 
46. Origin 
47. Tiboro 
48. Llan 
49. Uni-Mind 
50. Zuras 
51. Kronos 
52. The Watchers 
53. The Fallen Stars (Adam K’ad-Mon, Cleito, Evenor, Mr. Termineus, Sorrow) 
54. The Elders of the Universe (Grandmaster, Champion, Runner, Ego, Gardener, Collector, Contemplator, etc.) 
55. Shaper of Worlds 
56. Time Twisters  
57. Kubik 
58. Kosmos 
59. Zalkor 
60. Count Abyss 
61. Beyonder 
62. Molecule Man 
63. A tum the God Eater 
64. Hyperstorm 
65. J amie Braddock 
66. Proteus Piecemeal 
67. Dormammu 
68. Shou-Lao the Undying 
69. Dragon of the Moon
70. Terminus 
71. Magus 
72. Jonz Rickard 
73. Alfie O’Meagan 
74. Umar 
75. Surtur 
76. Ymir 
77. Mangog
78. Sky-Fathers (Zeus, Odin, Osiris, Izanagi, Vishnu, Manitou) 
79. Hell-Lords (Mephisto, Satannish, Thog, Blackheart, Nightmare) 
80. Ego the Living Planet
81. Onslaught  
82. Deathurge 
83. Atlez / Atleza 
84. Kulan Gath
85. Adversary 
86. Shadow King 
87. Dream Queen
88. Mikhail Rasputin
89. Anomaly 
90. Death Gods (Hela, Pluto, Seth)    

Yeah then put Venom at 50 since he can do everything Spiderman can plus more.... Fan boys ugh.

Thanks. However, I think I'm going to stay away from putting characters that are bit too obscure in my list. I might even shave my list down more to involve more well-known and active players.

@Yai_Inn: You have put my Marvel knowledge to shame! Are the obscure ones a bunch of Dr. Strange characters?

Some of these characters are so obscure they are only used as deus ex machina or other plot devices. I'm only using recurring characters through multiple books. I don't feel like it needs to be retitled, honestly.

@Yai_Inn Most of those are already on my list - some are so obscure I'd rather not. Also, some just don't belong, or if they do, they should be at the very very bottom, like Shadowking. Xavier is at the bottom and he can and has beat Shadowking.

Edit: Xavier was on the list. He got pushed off by some additions.

@cbnnexus said:

Some of these characters are so obscure they are only used as deus ex machina or other plot devices. I'm only using recurring characters through multiple books. I don't feel like it needs to be retitled, honestly.

You might consider using power level categories. Having characters like the Hulk (planet buster at max) on the same list as the Octessence (multiversal forces) just confuses matters. Think of both the extent of influence of power and the level of comprehension of the actor:

1. Omniversal

2. Multiversal

3. Universal

4. Galaxy

5. Solar System

6. Planetary

At some point just above "Solar System" characters go beyond the normal way of conceptualization and are more like personifications of abstract concepts or embodiments of fundamental cosmic functions. Skyfathers, for instance, serve mysterious mythological roles that impact their associated planets and peoples in ways that are difficult to measure. Reality warpers are also hard to compare. HoM Scarlet Witch was influencing forces beyond her own comprehension, but it rippled out and affected even the Kree. I wouldn't put her in the Universal category though, I'd say she can intentionally affect things at a Planetary level. Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet was especially scary because he gained Universal powers while retaining his selfish egoic drives and self-understanding. That's why the Universal abstracts and cosmics fought him. He was a threat to Universal balance and function at that point.

"He's got so many vulnerabilities its not even funny, Spider-Man can't defeat any on the list he would be around 51 though...Venom not so close any person like Banshee or a girl who can yell pretty loud can beat him, its so sad if not then he would around 50 or 51...if its Eddie that is." sigh... He IS NOT highly powerful OVERALL. He's powerful within the human level meaning that he is one of the most powerful to not have mental,mutant,god, or cosmic powers but HE IS NOT the 50th most powerful on Marvel! Maybe 150th..___Yeah he can defeat anyone of the list because it's a comic and fake but it sure WOULDN'T make any sense for him to defeat a celestial, now would it?

@Malonius Good points. Thanos with the IG would be just under TOAA in my opinion. Nothing could stop him. He literally beat most of the abstracts in one fell swoop. If he'd wanted to, he could have broken the universe, all realities, etc. *sigh* Death's a bitc*.

As far as categorizing, I'd have to split up or make separate lists, and since some of them are borderline and rely on context, I don't think I'll be doing that. But really good point. That would be the most thorough way to do it.

@cbnnexus said:

@Malonius Good points. Thanos with the IG would be just under TOAA in my opinion. Nothing could stop him. He literally beat most of the abstracts in one fell swoop. If he'd wanted to, he could have broken the universe, all realities, etc. *sigh* Death's a bitc*.

As far as categorizing, I'd have to split up or make separate lists, and since some of them are borderline and rely on context, I don't think I'll be doing that. But really good point. That would be the most thorough way to do it.

And I would agree with your earlier point about not including obscure characters who only had like one appearance. I'm sure there's a billion Silver Surfer and Dr. Strange characters from the 60s and 70s who appeared one time with the power to threaten the universe or dimension or whatever before getting beaten down and forgotten about by even the writer.

Anyone could do what Thanos did with the IG though. Give the IG to Aunt May and she is slapping the Hulk around.

I completely updated the list with a bit more research and help from folks like @Yai_Inn and @Malonius. I left off a lot of the characters from Yai's list simply because they were in only one or two comics in say, the 70s... and they never returned. Here's the update:

The One Above All

The Living Tribunal

Protégé

Beyonders

Eternity / Death

Infinity / Oblivion / Master Order / Lord Chaos

The Phoenix Force

Celestials

Molecule Man

Abraxas

Galactus

In-Betweener

Watchers

Scarlet Witch / Mad Jim Jaspers

Hyperstorm

Stranger

Tyrant

Dormammu

High Evolutionary

Elders of the Universe (Grandmaster, Champion, Runner, Ego, Gardener, Collector, Contemplator, etc.)

Elder Gods (Gaea, Chthon, Set, Oshtur, etc.)

Cyttorak, Vishanti (Oshtur, Agamotto, Hoggoth)

Sky Fathers / Earth Gods (Odin, Zeus, Amatsu-Mikaboshi, etc.)

Surtur

Hell-Lords (Mephisto, Satannish, Thog, Blackheart, Nightmare)

Fear Lords (D'Spayre, The Dweller-in-Darkness, Kkallakku, Lurking Unknown, Nightmare, Nox, Straw Man)

Onslaught

Franklin Richards

Roma

Advesary

Adam Warlock / Magus

Mangog

Thanos

Power Cosmic (Silver Surfer, Korvac, Morg, Firelord, Terrax, Air-Walker, Stardust, Red Shift, etc.)

New Son

Proteus

Jamie Braddock

Thor

Sentry

Vulcan

Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell)

X-Man

Black Bolt

Gladiator

Apocalypse

Dr. Strange

Quasar

Legion

Destroyer

Magneto

Pretty good. You're going by highest possible potential or best feats or just standard level? I'm not complaining either way because it looks like you have all the main ones I'd pick and the order isn't a big deal with a lot of these since they all can counter eachother with whatever their best skill/power is.

@cbnnexus: Pretty good. What about Shao-lao the Undying (and maybe some of the other Iron Fist mystical characters)? Also, I think you'd want to have Hyperion on there if you have Gladiator. Genis Vell? All the characters towards the bottom like Black Bolt and Magneto are where you'll end up with the most debate. There are a lot of characters in the Planetary to Solar System busting range who you could reasonably debate as being more or less powerful. The people in the Heralds/Annhilators range and below. Also, I'd feel it necessary to put the human reality warpers in their own category. They might have the power but I wonder about whether they have the comprehension to fully wield their power.

Oh yeah...what about Dr. Doom!?!? How can you have Apocalypse but not Doom? See what I mean about the lower end of this scale?

1. The One Above All

2. Pre-retcon Beyonder

3. Living Tribunal

4. Chaos King

5. Chaos War Herc

6. Eternity/Infinity

7. Zom

8. Shuma Gorath

9. Chthon.

10. Death

11. Molecule Man

12. Legion

13. Mad Jim Jaspers

14. Demogorge

15. Arishem

I'm pretty confident that these are top 15

You'd also be wrong .. Dr.Doom or Apololyps...hmmm..Apocalypse has celestial tech and mental powers and can shape shift and like a bazzillion other things that he hardly ever does when it counts. I think Apoc is more powerful but if Dr.Strange gets on the list due to magic then Doom is on the list for sure being that he is nearly Strange's equal in magic.

@Malonius said:

@cbnnexus: Pretty good. What about Shao-lao the Undying (and maybe some of the other Iron Fist mystical characters)? Also, I think you'd want to have Hyperion on there if you have Gladiator. Genis Vell? All the characters towards the bottom like Black Bolt and Magneto are where you'll end up with the most debate. There are a lot of characters in the Planetary to Solar System busting range who you could reasonably debate as being more or less powerful. The people in the Heralds/Annhilators range and below. Also, I'd feel it necessary to put the human reality warpers in their own category. They might have the power but I wonder about whether they have the comprehension to fully wield their power.

Very valid points here I think.

There is no reason behind your thinking other than being a fan boy. "Spider-man could develop magic or cosmic powers" um yeah he's a comic book and Aunt May could become the Silver Surfer. There is no point to fighting you and nor am I fighting over it, because you don't know what you're talking about. You can say 'he could' about anyone IT's Fiction' of course he 'could' but that is not his standard level of power now is it.. 150 is no where near as dumb as trying to put him on a god level.

@Enosisik & @Malonius Well, Apocalypse is one of the most debated characters in terms of powers. There are so many variables in battles with him it's hardly even worth the time. Theoretically, he has limitless strength potential, some form of immortality, extremely durable, limitless shapeshifting abilities, energy projection, and even some mental abilities that are so ambiguous I couldn't even list them. I think the cause is that he's been poorly and inconsistently represented lately in comics. According to his powers, feats, and stats, he is quite up there. I still refuse to put him anywhere near Thanos level, though I think he could have the potential if writers chose him to be.

Doom is also ambiguous. Everything I've read puts him around Magneto's level when push comes to shove. He's just a hell of a lot smarter than Mags. I'll have to do more research on Doom.

For the most part, these are based on published feats and stats - so, highest potential. Normally I wouldn't even have Scarlet Witch on a list like this. It was painful putting her on the list, but the potential is there for multiversal power.

@BlueLantern1995 Spider-Man is one of the most loved, if not the most loved and well-known Marvel superhero. However, he has no place on this list.

Also - this list is made from current stats for the most part. If a character is dead, too obscure, or redundant, I have tried not to include them. I only included Onslaught because of the published hints of his return. Notice that I did not include Jean Grey, whose potential even without the Phoenix Force is considered theoretically incalculable. As of this moment, she's dead, or at least one with the Phoenix Force. It would be redundant.

Spider-Man is awesome, but unless the writers (TOAA) decide to grant him a major, major power boost, he will not be on this list. Until he has that power published in a 616 Marvel comic, he will never be on this list. Again, this is not a "favorites" list, it's a "most powerful" list.

That's what I've been saying ... Spider -man is a great fighter but he doesn't just have any god like powers. To human yes but not when you consider that almost everyone in comics has super reflexes. Look at it like this , the webbing is a weapon not a power or natural ability . Without that he's a fast guy who is very strong and had his 'spider sense' aka intuition. Beast is super strong , super smart, super fast, and has super senses.... See they are right around the same level of ability although Spider-man may be better at these things they still have the same powers. Now take someone who can do most of that plus can fly... Or is stronger or has some other ability other than just those things..who is more powerful over all? Let's say Wonder-man and Vision.. Wonderman is stronger, he can fly, he is nearly indestructible. He is more powerful than Spider-man... It doesn't matter who would win in a fight .... The topic is who has more power' not who would win! Vision , again can fly, super strong and smart and can change his destiny ....he's more powerful than Spider-man... That's the topic.. Batman 'can' beat Superman ... He's not more powerful than Superman..,

@BlueLantern1995 said:

I do realize that, all I'm saying is he is in the Top 100...he could dodge most attacks...he is definitely not in the Top 50 but is in Top 100...that's all I'm sayin. He is not a tank though he could dodge the Hulk for a long time...I'm not saying he should be in the Top 50...that would be insanely stupid however I do see him in the Top 100. As I said its what he can dodge not what his hits are like or anything like that just what he can dodge. Again not Top 50 but rather Top 100 that's all I'm sayin.

He could very well be in the top 100. Maybe.

@Malonius said:

@cbnnexus: Pretty good. What about Shao-lao the Undying (and maybe some of the other Iron Fist mystical characters)? Also, I think you'd want to have Hyperion on there if you have Gladiator. Genis Vell? All the characters towards the bottom like Black Bolt and Magneto are where you'll end up with the most debate. There are a lot of characters in the Planetary to Solar System busting range who you could reasonably debate as being more or less powerful. The people in the Heralds/Annhilators range and below. Also, I'd feel it necessary to put the human reality warpers in their own category. They might have the power but I wonder about whether they have the comprehension to fully wield their power.

Shao-lao - I could find no real references to the actual power levels other than its been resurrected sixty some odd times. I'm not even finding many wikis or battles or anything that gives reference to an active character.

Genis Vell - Dead as of right now as far as I can find.

Hyperion - not 616. The zombie version just doesn't count, lol.

Side note: Should Deadpool be #1 since he can communicate directly with the reader? :P

why is LT over Protege

@tensor said:

why is LT over Protege

I remember doing a lot of research on that. I think his role is more to maneuver than to directly affect. Most of these abstracts, including the LT, serves only as a tool for "the fulcrum". In other words, he serves a specific role. In this case, he needed Scathan to judge. Then LT simply absorbed Protege into himself. Done. Goodbye Protege.

In fact, by my own standards, Protege shouldn't even really be on this list.

@BlueLantern1995: Hey man I love Spidey and think he'd be like Captain America, Iron Man, and Prof. X all rolled into one if he was allowed to mature 10-20 years over time within continuity, but I think you are getting at something different than the point of the OP's list. Spider-man is generally considered to be the top of the Street Levelers in terms of power. With prep (including tech and calling in all the favors he's owed around the 616 Marvel U), I agree that Spidey could beat many opponents well above his weight class, maybe even Planetary level threats, but that still doesn't make him powerful in the sense of this list.

Yeah top 100 MAYBE... And that's a low top 100 , like 90's... And again no it doesn't make him more powerful. If Prof-X doesn't mind wipe Spider-man then he just simply didn't use his full power... Spider-man isn't more powerful. All you've said is would should could and clearly no one agrees with you so yeah let's wrap this up.