The Marvel Comics universe is vast and full of supervillains, superheroes, and antiheroes. However, the characters that stay with fans are those who are the strongest, fastest, and toughest to get rid of. Even mere mortals like Wilson Fisk receive legendary status because villains like him are too stubborn to let go of the superheroes they hound.

Thanos is an Eternal who was born a Deviant mutate, which means there aren't many supervillains stronger than him. The Mad Titan surpasses almost everyone in terms of power; however, there are some supers who are even stronger than him (although not by much). Even so, for readers who want to know, "who is stronger than Thanos?", there are a few contenders.

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Updated on January 30, 2022 by Scoot Allan: Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have already seen a bit of the strength on display from the Mad Titan known as Thanos when he took on the Avengers. However, comic fans have seen him take on even larger cosmic threats like Mephisto and Kang the Conqueror, along with more powerful heroes and villains over the years who've proven they're stronger than Thanos. However, he can still sometimes outwit and outplay them through manipulating events to take the win.

15 Mephisto Is One Of The Rulers Of Hell Who Bargains With A Number Of Heroes And Villains

Mephisto

Mephisto is the Prince of Darkness (aka a ruler of all the miserable demons in hell). Many fans know him from Ghost Rider because he's the one who allows people to take The Spirit of Vengeance. Fans have also frequently debated about how a Mephisto vs. Thanos showdown would play out on the big screen.

Being a deity, Mephisto has a plethora of powers that range from manipulating space and time to being so strong that no one has actually ever beaten him in the comics. Considering how he seems to hold his powers back, Mephisto is likely someone who is stronger than Thanos.

14 Adam Warlock Has Frequently Taken On The Mad Titan And Won

Adam Warlock Cover

One of Thanos' greatest enemies in the Marvel universe was also one of his biggest allies at times, which demonstrates the kinds of power available to the being known as Adam Warlock. He was created to be the supreme being, although he's continued to evolve over the years to increase his abilities.

Alongside powerful telepathic abilities, enhanced cosmic senses, and an understanding of Quantum Magic, he has the ability to absorb and manipulate energy. Adam Warlock is often one of the first in line to stop Thanos and has even wielded the Infinity Gauntlet like the Mad Titan, further showcasing the abilities of the being formerly known as Him.

13 Ikaris Is A Fellow Eternal With A Multitude Of Incredible Abilities

Marvel Comics' Ikaris using his eye beams

Thanos was born as an Eternal from Titan, although he was a Deviant mutate who quickly separated himself from the rest of his family to follow his own dark path. There are also Eternals on Earth with Ikaris being one of the most powerful members and also one of the group's leaders.

Ikaris has an incredible level of strength, powerful energy beams, the ability to fly, and enhanced speed, all of which make him one of Marvel's many Superman-like characters. While there are many strong Eternals that could challenge Thanos, Ikaris has the most powerful array of abilities to help him deal with the Mad Titan.

12 Squirrel Girl Has Already Proven She Can Best Thanos In Combat

Thanos Loses To Squirrel Girl

Who is stronger than Thanos? Well, it might surprise some comic readers that the unbeatable Squirrel Girl is considered one of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel Universe, which is based on the caliber of villains she's been able to defeat over the years. This powerful list of villains includes Thanos, although the battle frustratingly happened off-panel.

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Squirrel Girl is a mutant with the ability to communicate with and control squirrels, although she also gained the proportionate strength and agility of a squirrel. This may not seem like much, but Uatu the Watcher confirmed that Squirrel Girl did in fact defeat the real Thanos, which proves her incredible abilities.

11 Hyperion Is An Incredibly Powerful Alien With Numerous Abilities

Hyperion standing with explosion behind him.

There have been a few different versions of the incredibly powerful character known as Hyperion, which range from heroic to villainous. However, all have proved to be a dominating force in the Marvel Universe. He first appeared alongside the Squadron Supreme, which was an alternate reality take on the Justice League.

Hyperion has incredible strength and durability, the ability to fly, and a devastating atomic vision. Sadly, his quick temper makes him an incredible threat, and he'd undoubtedly give Thanos a run for his money.

10 Nate Grey Is A Strong Reality-Altering Mutant From Another Reality

Nate Grey appearing to the X-Men during the Age of X-Man event

The powerful mutant named >Nate Grey hails from the Age of Apocalypse reality, and his incredible telekinetic and telepathic abilities continued to grow and evolve over the years. He ultimately became a shaman for mutantkind with powers that allowed him to first traverse the multiverse. He later powered up again to create his own reality in the Age of X-Man event.

Nate Grey has faced off with some incredibly powerful enemies over the years, and Thanos might not have enough power to match the overpowered X-Men. It might take the reality-manipulating power of the Infinity Gauntlet to keep up with Nate Grey's constantly-growing abilities.

9 Michael Korvac Is An Android From The Future Who Gained Incredible Cosmic Powers

All the Avengers fighting Korvac in the Korvac Saga

Michael Korvac has had an indescribable journey. He went from being a mere human to having the kind of powers a God would be proud to bear. He gained his powers after going through a technical upgrade before he gained the Power Cosmic and became as strong as other cosmic beings.

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He traveled back in time to face a combined force of the Avengers and the original Guardians of the Galaxy, who he could've eradicated with a snap of his fingers. Thanos isn't a cosmic being; instead, he's just another mortal who's very hard to kill. Therefore, Korvac is someone who is stronger than Thanos and sits above him in the pecking order.

8 Abraxas Is The Abstract Embodiment Of Destruction Who Stands As Eternity's Equal

Abraxas vs Galactus from Marvel Comics - An entity who is stronger than Thanos

Abraxas is the definition of destruction. He came into existence through anti-matter and is another God whose true capabilities will never be known (unless he goes up against someone as equally strong).

He's not evil. Instead, he's just doing the job for which he was created. The limitless powers Abraxas is able to gain make him another unbeatable foe for Thanos. It's unlikely The Mad Titan would even be able to scratch Abraxas in a battle.

7 The Phoenix Force Is A Cosmic Being Tasked With Destruction And Rebirth That Empowers A Sentient Host

An image of the comic cover for Phoenix Song: Echo #1

The Phoenix force is a huge deal in Marvel Comics. However, for some reason, it isn't given the attention it deserves. It's a cosmic force capable of eating away stars and destroying galaxies single-handedly.

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Over the years, many mortals have wielded the power of the Phoenix force. Some have used it for good while others have craved power. If Thanos ever goes up against the Phoenix force, chances are he'd end up taking it away for his benefit. However, if he gets on the wrong side of this cosmic force, it wouldn't end well for him.

6 Surtur Is A Fire Demon And The Ruler of Muspelheim Who Is Fated To Destroy Asgard During Ragnarok

Surtur

Surtur "the doom of Asgard" is an absolute demon who can destroy planets with one blow. This is thanks to his incredible stature and huge sword, and his burning body provides an extremely intimidating look.

The thing is, Surtur has powers equal to a God, so it isn't a surprise that his strength level is way higher than Thanos's. However, The Mad Titan could possibly defeat him by using his genius-level intellect.

5 The Power Cosmic Of Galactus Gives Him An Edge Over Almost Every Character In The Marvel Universe

Galactus

The consumer of planets, Galactus, is a celestial being who cannot be touched by most of the superheroes or supervillains in the Marvel Universe. He's the kind of God who roams around the universe looking for things to eat, and coincidentally, his powers tend to increase with every planet he swallows.

His existence dates back to the time the universe came into existence, which means someone like Thanos doesn't come anywhere near to him in terms of raw strength. The two have had many pitched battles over the years, although the Power Cosmic of Galactus often gives him the edge over almost every character in the Marvel universe.

4 Doctor Doom Is A Brilliant Ruler With A Powerful Suit Of Armor Who Has Taken On Cosmic Threats

Doctor Doom

One of the best supervillains in the comics and one of the biggest reasons why fans want to see the Fantastic Four on the big screen is Doctor Doom. He's the brilliant ruler of Latveria who locked himself in a high-tech suit of armor to aid in his lifelong grudge against Reed Richards.

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Doctor Doom is an absolute nightmare to come up against because he's a master of mystic arts, has genius-level intellect, and to top it all off, can easily fight someone like Thanos in a one-on-one battle. He can also time travel, which makes him even more dangerous, and he's beaten the Mad Titan in Marvel Comics already.

3 The Dread Dormammu From The Dark Dimension Is A Supernatural Entity With Incredible Powers

Dormammu artwork in Marvel Comics

One of the strongest magical entities of the cosmos, Dormammu's real powers are nothing short of incredible. A celestial being from the Dark Dimension, Dormammu pretty much owns his own universe and has such a grip over reality that he can change anything a mortal sees in front of their eyes.

He also owns an army of headless demons, which makes him a greater threat. Unlike Thanos, Dormammu doesn't need the Infinity Stones for endless power; he already has it in his grasp.

2 The Beyonder Is Being From Another Dimension With Reality-Altering Powers

the-beyonder-marvel

This guy is a being who basically rules the multiverse. He's not a part of a single universe; instead, he literally knows what's going on inside the multiverse. There's no stating or guessing the kind of powers Beyonder has in his locker.

However, one thing is for sure: he's not the regular kind of Marvel supervillain. He's a God who likes to play with the little things he's had a hand in creating. Basically, Thanos is just another toy for him to manipulate.

1 Franklin Richards Used His Incredible Abilities To Help Recreate The Multiverse

Franklin Richards using his abilities to create monsters

The child of Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic, Franklin Richards has unlimited access to physics-defying powers, which range from being capable of creating his own universe to destroying planets out of sheer boredom.

Because he's a child who doesn't know his true potential, he remains a danger to the Marvel Universe. Thankfully, he's not evil (in the main timeline), but Franklin could do absolutely anything, so there's no telling how easily he'd take care of Thanos.

NEXT: How Tall Is Thanos? & The Tallest Characters In The MCU Ranked