The Marvel Comics Universe is made up of a huge variety of entities whose powers stretch further than the imagination. From gods and hell-lords to aliens and supernatural entities, there are plenty who want to protect the world, and just as many who seem determined to destroy it. Amongst Marvel’s extensive cast of characters lie a huge number of tricksters, mystic beings, and magicians who threaten the galaxy with untold power. These demons have threatened various realms with Earth-shattering results, leaving only chaos and carnage behind. Let’s delve into the dark side of Marvel Comics and let the terror begin!

10 10. Satannish

A Class Two demon created by Dormammu to infiltrate the Hell-Lords, Satannish is undoubtedly one of the most powerful demons to have threatened the universe – and doesn’t even make the top of our list. A literal embodiment of evil, he is made up of pure magical energy. He is known for granting humans a taste of some of his near unlimited mystical power in exchange for their souls. His powers allow him to open portals between worlds or to create barriers between them, making him an unpredictable threat across all realms.

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Despite his ultimate mystical power, Mephisto killed Satannish, sending his soul to Hell.

9 9. Zarathos

A powerful manipulator of magic, Zarathos is an immortal demon who thrives on the world’s negative energy, feeding upon sin and dark emotions. He has incredible strength, topped by his ability to manipulate hellfire and nature, known to make the earth crack open on a few occasions.

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He’s an intelligent trickster, offering power to humans only to feed upon their power for his own gain. Despite his strength, he relies heavily on the support of his worshippers and can easily be defeated if they abandon him. His rival, Mephisto, successfully tricked Zarathos into bonding with Johnny Blaze, enslaving the demon within the human counterpart, creating Ghost Rider.

8 8. Nightmare

Ruler of the Nightmare World within the Dimension of Dreams, Nightmare has tormented a number of heroes and humans over the years, becoming a familiar foe for Doctor Strange. Entering a person’s dream as they sleep or drawing their astral form to the Dimension of Dreams, Nightmare can manipulate horrors which stick with the dreamer long after they wake and has even been known to take control of people, feeding upon the psychic energies of the sleepers’ subconscious minds. A subsequent creation of dreaming, Nightmare will exist so long as humans dream, only to be defeated by the sleeper fully conquering the fear the demon chooses to manipulate.

7 7. Mephisto

Mephisto has a vast knowledge of the occult and has inherent supernatural powers which he can use to augment his strength, challenging even the limitless power of the Hulk. A dangerous trickster, he possesses the souls of those who willingly hand them over, bargaining with humans for their soul’s ownership. A shapeshifter who can take almost any form – but often prefers to appear as Satan – he has a distinct desire to collect the souls of superheroes because of their purity, most notably trying to obtain the Silver Surfer’s soul. However, the souls he so desperately seeks need to be corrupt before he can take them, which makes collecting souls of heroes more difficult. While he holds immeasurable power, it diminishes the longer he stays away from his own realm, making him easier to defeat.

6 6. Blackheart

An embodiment of gathered evil, Blackheart was created by Mephisto to help the demon attempt to corrupt the souls of superheroes. To help in his mission, Blackheart created and led the Spirits of Vengeance to oppose Ghost Rider on Earth. Like many other demons, Blackheart’s power grew through the evil doings of humans.

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Unlike his creator, Blackheart didn’t need a person’s loyalty or consent to capture their soul. Alongside superhuman power and durability, Blackheart has such immense telekinetic power that he can rip planets apart by sheer force of will. While his powers are on par with his creator’s, Blackheart has no known weaknesses, making him a more formidable foe.

5 5. Surtur

The giant fire demon destined to cross the Bifrost and destroy Asgard to bring about Ragnarök, Surtur possesses apocalyptic-level powers. Older and as powerful as Odin himself, he has proved to be a constant problem and threat to the realm of Asgard. A true force of nature, he is described as having the power of a thousand blazing suns with the ability to impact Earth’s temperature. But Surtur isn’t just a mystical threat. Standing at over 1,000 feet tall, he’s an imposing figure and master warrior. Skilled in using the demon-summoning sword, Twilight, he’s a tough combatant, often challenging Thor’s physical prowess. Such a notorious threat to Asgard, he was unleashed upon the realm in the MCU’s Thor: Ragnarok, successfully fulfilling his prophecy and causing Asgard’s destruction.

4 4. Lucifer

Many demons have posed as Satan to boost their own status, but there is only one true Devil. An Angel of Heaven who degenerated into a demon after being cast down to Hell. Lucifer holds incredible supernatural power, drawing upon power from Hell to strengthen him.

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He cannot be killed, simply regenerating in Hell if his body is destroyed. His only weakness is that he is trapped in Hell, requiring help to escape and take his full-form on Earth. Unfortunately, plenty villains and desperate heroes have been more than willing or tricked by his cunning manipulation to set Lucifer free.

3 3. Shuma-Gorath

An ancient demon made up of sheer power, Shuma-Gorath is one of the primal powers of Chaos. Practically unstoppable and fully omnipotent in his own dimension and able to extend his reach across dimensional barriers, his power and influence has grown to rule over hundreds of dimensions. Due to the vast extent of his power across the universe, humans have never been able to witness his true form. He appears to them as a giant eye with armoured skin and tentacles which he can use to create a ball of reality-destroying energy. He’s the demon that demons themselves fear and can destroy entire galaxies with ease.

2 2. Dormammu

Banished from his own realm to the Dark Dimension, Dormammu was taken in by Olnar who taught Dormammu the ability of expanding their own realm by absorbing pocket universes. Through these teachings, Dormammu became one of the most powerful mystical beings in the entire universe, going on to lead the Dark Dimension himself. Setting his sights on conquering Earth while holding enough power to wipe out Earth-616, Dormammu has cemented himself as the Vishanti and Sorceror Supreme’s most feared enemy. His physical and mystical strength are each immeasurable. It’s believed he had a hand in some of the Earth’s most catastrophic events, and he has previously defeated the Avengers and the Defenders, as well as Eternity itself. Although Doctor Strange has managed to trap the demon in a pocket universe, it is near impossible to completely destroy Dormammu.

1 1. Chthon

Of all the demons in Marvel Comics, none are more powerful than Chthon. Originally an Elder God who ruled over the planets for millions of years, Chthon degenerated into a demon due to his growing desire for power. Living in a dimension he created himself, Chthon is responsible for the creation of many of the universe’s demons. A master of unimaginable dark magic, he authored the Darkhold, a collection of evil spells and incredible knowledge. The threat of total destruction hasn’t stopped dark forces from trying to unleash Chthon and his power on the Earth over the years. Fortunately, Earth is protected from his reach thanks to barriers created by the Earth goddess, Gaea. To manifest on Earth, Chthon is forced to use dark possession and use a host vessel.

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