10 Marvel Characters With the Highest Body Count (and Thanos Is Only #2)

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In the Silver Age, Marvel significantly transformed the concept of superhero comics by infusing human traits into their characters. This shift allowed fans to experience a depth previously lacking in Marvel’s rival publications. The new approach steered both heroes and villains towards unprecedented paths, particularly influencing their behavior. Marvel pioneered anti-heroes within the comic book genre and their villains displayed more overt malevolence through their actions. Battles between Marvel’s heroes and villains are intense, often resulting in substantial casualties on both sides. Readers have been exposed to some gruesome events in Marvel comics, such as mass civilian deaths, and have come across characters who have amassed staggering death tolls.

In Marvel tales, we’ve witnessed some extraordinary occurrences and encountered characters who have immersed themselves in the blood of their foes. These characters consume life as a child might devour chicken nuggets. Over the course of their lives, these ten Marvel characters have annihilated countless beings, with some being cosmic forces of devastation.

10) Romulus

Romulus is one of Wolverine’s oldest enemies, dating back to centuries ago, according to his narratives. He’s been around since Rome was founded and has a long history of violence. Romulus possesses powers similar to those of Wolverine, more akin to Sabretooth, as he sports claws on his fingers rather than the retractable ones Wolverine has, plus super strength. Over the course of his long life, it’s likely that Romulus has killed hundreds of thousands of people.

9) Kang the Conqueror

Although The Avengers have battled numerous lethal adversaries, none can surpass the destructive path left by Kang the Conqueror. Bored with his future, Kang amassed an arsenal and armor, embarking on a conquest of anything within reach. Initially, he had no army; instead, he obliterated everything in sight, eventually subjugating the survivors. With time travel at his disposal, Kang continued his reign of terror across eras, leaving countless deaths in his wake. Regardless of whether they inhabited the past, present or future, Kang has taken the lives of millions. Intriguingly, he’s also managed to eliminate alternate incarnations of The Avengers. Given that the Earth-616 Avengers can stand against him is truly astonishing.

8) Apocalypse

One of the X-Men’s most formidable adversaries, Apocalypse, boasts a staggering death toll as evidence of his ruthlessness. Dating back to ancient Egypt where he clashed with Kang the Conqueror while assuming the identity of Rama-Tut, an Egyptian pharaoh, Apocalypse was shaped by a brutal early life that taught him only the strong endure. Utilizing his mutant abilities to become one of Earth’s most powerful beings, Apocalypse further honed his strength through advanced Celestial technology. With each passing era, he mercilessly eliminated those who sought his downfall. In Okkara, he encountered fellow mutants and aided them in battling the demons of Amenth. Throughout the ages, Apocalypse has continued to wage war, accumulating a death toll in the millions as a result of his destructive tendencies driven by an unrelenting desire for survival and conquest.

7) The Golden Helm of Annihilation

The Golden Helm of Annihilation is the leader of Amenth. Amenth is a part of Otherworld, a micro multiverse of magical dimensions that has been ruled by Merlin and his daughters Roma and Opal Luna Saturnyne for millennia. Amenth is ruled by demonic monsters, and tried to invade the Earth, but was stopped by Apocalypse, his wife Genesis, their children , and the mutants of Okkara. The Golden Helm of Annihilation possesses whoever wears it, its spirit controlling them and putting them at the forefront of an army of demons. The Golden Helm of Annihilation was created during the blockbuster Krakoa Era, where we learned that the Amenthi had been attacking worlds across the multiverse for eons. The Amenthi were one of the most fearsome demonic armies ever, so the Golden Helm of Annihilation has been responsible for countless millions of deaths over the years.

6) Annihilus

Annihilus is the boss of the realm known as the Negative Zone, a force that wreaks havoc like no other. This powerful entity is tough to defeat, almost indestructible, and extremely violent. His most potent weapon is the Cosmic Control Staff, an item granting him access to immense cosmic powers, and the ability to manipulate minds of those in close proximity. By using this power, he created the Annihilation Wave – a horde of creatures from other dimensions similar to himself, which consumed everything they encountered. The Annihilation Wave was let loose across the universe, obliterating entire planets, prompting superheroes and villains of cosmic Marvel to work together in order to halt it. Throughout his extensive existence, Annihilus has claimed billions of lives, and will continue his destructive path as long as he possesses the Cosmic Control Rod.

5) The Builders

Jonathan Hickman’s run on Avengers/New Avengers was simply magnificent, masterfully blending the science fiction elements of the Avengers and the Marvel Universe into a captivating narrative. During this period, readers were introduced to the enigmatic race known as the Builders. Known as the oldest race in the multiverse, the Builders played a crucial role in shaping existence itself – from planet formation to the very structure of the universes.

The Builders deployed Engineers, Alephs, and Voids throughout the universe, using them to create new, powerful species while also eliminating weak ones. As catastrophic events known as Incursions began, the Builders launched a genocidal campaign aimed at eradicating every being within the 616 universe. This war was devastating, leading to the deaths of countless billions as entire worlds were annihilated.

Working alongside the empires of the cosmos, the Avengers managed to shift the tide of this conflict and halt the destruction. However, the Builders’ wrath resulted in the loss of an inconceivable number of lives.

4) The Celestials

Prior to the emergence of the Builders, it was widely believed that the enigmatic Cosmic Titans were the ancientst beings in the universe. Wandering through space, these colossal entities manipulated the elements that form life. Over time, the Cosmic Titans cultivated various lifeforms across the cosmos, yet they also annihilated numerous civilizations deemed too feeble to endure. As depicted in “Earth X” and incorporated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, these Cosmic Titans are born within planets, emerging when they reach maturity. This process often results in the loss of billions of lives on those inhabited worlds. The Cosmic Titans view their actions as justified, continuing to exterminate as long as they remain active.

3) Galactus

From the perspective of a devoted admirer:

In the grand tapestry of cosmic existence, I find myself in awe of one being – Galactus. Predating even the current universe, this titan was once Galan of Taa, a scientist who bore witness to the end of all things. As he immersed himself in the energies of creation, he transformed into Galactus, the guardian of the Power Cosmic.

Galactus is not merely a force of nature; he embodies balance, systematically consuming one planet after another. While not every planet harbors life, those that do supply him with more energy and sustain his existence for longer periods. In truth, Galactus has been eradicating planets as long as the universe itself has endured.

The tragic toll of lives lost to Galactus’s insatiable hunger is unfathomable. Although I cannot quantify it definitively, one might reasonably infer that his death count surpasses even that of Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet. To illustrate, humanity has existed for roughly eight billion souls since its inception; mirroring this on a universal scale, there may be an equivalent number of deceased conscious beings. However, I must stress that my estimation remains conjecture, as I lack irrefutable proof to support it.

2) Thanos

Thanos is widely recognized as one of the deadliest characters within the Marvel Universe, responsible for countless numbers of fatalities. While some might choose not to include the casualties from ‘Infinity Gauntlet’, given that all those deaths were later reversed, it’s undeniable that Thanos has been annihilating planets for a considerable amount of time, resulting in trillions of deaths. Known throughout the universe as an unparalleled murderer, every intelligent being trembles at his presence, aware that their chances of surviving are slim if he appears, unless teams like the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, or Silver Surfer happen to be near enough to intervene. Personally, I do consider ‘Infinity Gauntlet’ as part of Thanos’ tally, adding to the already immense death toll, thus cementing his status among the most lethal characters in comics.

1) The One Below All

The One Below All represents the counterpart of the One Above All, serving as the antithesis in the Marvel Multiverse. Unlike the One Above All, which is the supreme force of creation, the One Below All embodies destruction – it’s chaos personified. Over time, it has granted power to numerous beings to bring about universal devastation.

In “The Immortal Hulk,” we witness the demise of the universe as the Hulk transforms into a destructive agent of the One Below All, obliterating planets with his mighty punches. The One Below All exists primarily for destruction and has claimed more lives than anything else. In essence, one could argue that every other destructive being on this list is merely an extension of the One Below All, suggesting that all their destructive acts are attributable to it.

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2025-09-10 18:20