10 Marvel Heroes Who Defeated Galactus, Ranked By Power

Galactus is one of Marvel’s most powerful villains. He wasn’t always this way, though. Once a scientist named Galan from a dying universe, he witnessed the end of everything and sought to understand its secrets. He survived the destruction, absorbing the energy of creation and transforming into Galactus, a being with incredible cosmic power. Now, he travels the universe consuming planets and building a powerful army capable of defeating even gods. He’s an unstoppable force and a major threat to any world he encounters.

I’ve always been fascinated by Galactus, but even though he’s unbelievably powerful, he’s actually been defeated a surprising number of times by Marvel’s heroes! It’s rarely a straightforward battle where someone just overpowers him, but there are definitely heroes who’ve managed to take him down. I’ve been looking into it, and here are ten of them – some with more impressive victories than others, honestly.

10) Dazzler

Dazzler was Marvel’s attempt to capitalize on the disco craze of 1980 – a rather amusing strategy in hindsight. This mutant superhero could transform sound into laser energy, and she starred in her own comic series for several years, alongside appearances in X-Men and other Marvel titles. In one memorable storyline, Dazzler even faced off against Galactus and managed to temporarily defeat him. While her powers are formidable against ordinary people, she’s vastly outmatched by a cosmic being like Galactus, but she remains a significant force nonetheless.

9) Squirrel Girl

Squirrel Girl is surprisingly popular with fans, and her comic book history includes victories over incredibly powerful villains like Galactus, Doctor Doom, and Thanos. However, she doesn’t actually defeat them through brute force. Her powers are unique: beyond communicating with squirrels and possessing superhuman strength, she has the ability to win any fight. This is usually because she’s so kind and approachable that her enemies end up becoming her friends. So, while she technically has beaten these cosmic threats, it’s not due to overwhelming power, but rather her unusual ability to resolve conflict peacefully.

8) The Ultimates

The team known as the Ultimates managed to overcome Galactus, but instead of destroying him, they transformed him into the Lifebringer, a being who creates rather than destroys. The Ultimates are incredibly strong – Spectrum manipulates all forms of energy, Blue Marvel possesses immense strength and anti-matter abilities, America Chavez can travel between universes and is super strong, and Captain Marvel has both energy powers and super strength. While this is a formidable group, they’re actually among the less powerful entities to have defeated Galactus, especially considering they relied more on strategy than pure physical force.

7) Fantastic Four

Galactus is a recurring villain in Marvel comics, and his earliest battles were against the Fantastic Four. This team often defeats him, and they’re surprisingly powerful – especially Sue and Johnny Storm. The Human Torch can generate incredibly intense heat, rivaling that of a star, while Invisible Woman has demonstrated the ability to damage even Celestial armor (this happened in the 1990s, during the Tom DeFalco and Herb Ryan era, though the specific comic issue is unknown). The Thing is a powerhouse comparable to the Hulk before the Hulk gets truly enraged, and Reed Richards is both brilliant and incredibly flexible. Despite their seemingly straightforward abilities, the Fantastic Four are genuinely formidable, arguably even more so than the Ultimates – none of whom could breach Celestial defenses.

6) The Age of Apocalypse X-Men

“The Age of Apocalypse” remains a beloved storyline among Marvel fans, and many wished it could have gone on longer. That wish was partially fulfilled in a 1996 issue of What If…, which explored what would happen if Magneto had prevented the nuclear disaster at the end of X-Men Omega #1. In this alternate reality, Galactus and the Silver Surfer threatened to destroy Earth, and the X-Men were the only ones who could stop them. Weapon X ultimately defeated the Silver Surfer, while the rest of the team managed to overcome Galactus. This X-Men team included a powerful combination of heroes like Magneto, Rogue, Storm, Quicksilver, Exodus, and Blink, among others.

5) Doctor Strange

Okay, so Doctor Strange is seriously powerful, but let’s be real, his win against Galactus wasn’t exactly a clean sweep. Galactus was already super weak, basically at death’s door, and came to Earth desperate for energy to survive – he was trying to eat the planet! All the heroes fought, and because Galactus was so depleted, they actually had a chance. Then Strange came in and, using his magic, forced Galactus to relive all the lives he’d taken. It completely shattered him mentally, and he passed out. So, it wasn’t like Strange single-handedly beat him, he just delivered the final blow. Still, Strange is one of the greatest magic users ever – he can take down actual gods! – so he absolutely deserves to be considered one of the most powerful heroes out there.

4) Gravity

Gravity is an incredibly powerful being, though he’s not very well known. He once defeated Galactus by utilizing his control over gravity – one of the universe’s fundamental forces. While he’s still learning to control his abilities, he can already create black holes, which are immensely powerful. This level of power was more than enough to defeat Galactus, and despite being absent for a while, Gravity has huge potential as a hero.

3) Silver Surfer

Silver Surfer was crucial in the initial fight against Galactus and has faced him repeatedly since then. He’s even managed to defeat Galactus on several occasions, with a particularly memorable victory occurring in Silver Surfer: Parable – a story widely considered to be Stan Lee’s best writing, featuring stunning artwork by Moebius. As a master of the Power Cosmic, Silver Surfer possesses a level of power that few Earth-based heroes can rival. He’s incredibly strong, controls vast cosmic energy, can alter matter, and move faster than light – making him far more powerful than many people realize.

2) Thor

Thor, the God of Thunder, is an incredibly powerful being who has often defended Earth. While he fought Galactus many times, he couldn’t initially defeat him. After Odin’s death, Thor inherited the Odin Force and became the All-Father, greatly increasing his power. He even served as Galactus’s Herald to fight the Black Winter, eventually using his own thunderous abilities, the Odin Force, and the Power Cosmic to overcome Galactus. This exceptionally powerful form of Thor, known as Cosmic King Thor, was among the strongest versions of the hero, but another hero ultimately proved more capable of defeating the World-Devourer.

1) Franklin Richards

Franklin Richards is unbelievably powerful – he makes even gods look weak. He’s beaten Galactus multiple times, which isn’t surprising considering he’s been creating entire universes since childhood. He first did this after the fight with Onslaught, involving the X-Men, Avengers, and Fantastic Four, and later helped rebuild the entire multiverse after the Incursions with his family. While Galactus is incredibly strong, he’s no match for the sheer scale of Franklin’s abilities.

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2025-12-08 18:13