10 Most Powerful Gods in the MCU, Ranked by How Much of a Threat They Are

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has no shortage of gods, deities, and cosmic beings, many of whom wield unimaginable power. But not all gods are created equal, and some are far more dangerous than others. While a few divine figures use their strength to protect realms or restore balance, others pose existential threats to entire worlds, multiverses, or even time itself. From ancient mythological icons to cosmic entities born in other dimensions, the MCU has steadily expanded its pantheon, and with that comes a growing list of characters who could end civilizations if left unchecked.

We take a look at some of the strongest gods in the MCU, and we use the term god loosely as the universe keeps on adding new powerful beings. Whether it’s a god who commands death, one who manipulates time, or a being so large it sleeps beneath the Earth, each of them poses different threats. Some may not have the screen time to show their full potential, but the threat is still there.

10

Loki

Played by Tom Hiddleston

Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the God of Mischief, started as a villain in Thor who tries to usurp his brother’s throne. Despite all his misdeeds, he then grew into one of the MCU’s most complex and beloved characters. A variant of Loki who escaped during the Avengers‘ Time Heist joined the Time Variance Authority (TVA), and uncovered the truth behind the multiverse.

Loki’s strength is not only from magic and illusion, but also his cunning intellect. He bested the heroes numerous times and still lived to tell the tale. His character is always unpredictable. In Season 2 of Loki, he becomes one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse, holding the timelines together and acting as the guardian of existence itself. His new title as the God of Stories makes it even more powerful than before. However, with such glorious purpose and responsibility at his hands, Loki is no longer a threat as before. He no longer wants to cause chaos, but he now works to prevent it.

9

Ikaris

Played by Richard Madden

Ikaris (Richard Madden), the most powerful Eternal, plays a central role as both protector and enforcer of Celestial Arishem’s (David Kaye) will. With the ability to fly, shoot cosmic beams from his eyes, and unmatched strength among his peers, Ikaris is effectively a god among humans. He was even worshipped as a god in ancient times, inspiring the tale of Icarus. He carries himself with duty, even when it puts him at odds with the rest of the Eternals.

Ikaris may not be a god in the traditional sense, but for us mortal humans, he is one. In the final showdown in Eternals, he nearly defeats the entire team, demonstrating that none of them can match him in a direct fight. If he had chosen to fight for Earth instead of the Emergence, the outcome would’ve been very different. His raw potential cements him among the strongest godlike beings in the MCU. His loyalty to his duty made him a dangerous threat. If Ikaris met the other heroes, the battle would be incredibly epic.

8

Thor

Played by Chris Hemsworth

Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the God of Thunder, is one of the original Avengers with godlike physicality and lightning powers. Ever since his first appearance, he has battled gods, aliens, monsters, and even other Avengers. With his trusted weapon Mjolnir, which can only be lifted by a worthy person, and his upgraded axe Stormbreaker, he has faced Hela (Cate Blanchett), Thanos (Josh Brolin), Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), and saved the people of Asgard. With the deaths of his family, he is also a hero who has been put through the craziest and most devastating situation in the whole MCU.

Thor may have the muscles, but it’s his resilience and adaptability that solidify his power. He’s taken on world-ending threats and has survived battles that few others could. With Stormbreaker capable of summoning the Bifrost and channeling vast cosmic energy, Thor sits among the top tier of MCU powerhouses. He’s also a seasoned warrior with centuries of experience, making him a strategic as well as a physical threat. The most obvious example of his might is his entrance into the Wakanda battle in Avengers: Infinity War. Despite his fun demeanor, he is a major threat to all the Avengers’ enemies.

7

Zeus

Played by Russell Crowe

Zeus (Russell Crowe), the king of the Olympian gods, is introduced in Thor: Love and Thunder as a decadent, powerful figure who commands fear and obedience among other gods. He rules over Omnipotence City, where gods from across the universe gather. Though he initially appears more showman than warrior, his brutal attack on Thor and his ability to control lightning make it clear that Zeus is no lightweight. His iconic Thunderbolt weapon, later wielded by Thor, is a symbol of his divine authority.

Despite his flamboyant demeanor, Zeus remains a god with raw power and immense influence, making him one of MCU’s strongest characters. His survival after being impaled and his command of other gods hint at a deep reserve of strength. Zeus’s full capabilities remain a mystery, but his lore in Greek mythology suggests an equal or an even greater power than Thor. With his son Hercules (Brett Goldstein) now in the fold, audiences have not seen the last of Zeus. In a universe increasingly populated by god-tier beings, Zeus represents the old guard, and he is still dangerous and unpredictable.

6

Khonshu

Voiced by F. Murray Abraham

The Egyptian moon god Khonshu (F. Murray Abraham), plays a central role in Moon Knight, choosing Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac) as his vessel. Khonshu grants him supernatural strength, healing, and access to the Moon Knight persona, which comes with an incredible mystical armor. While morally ambiguous, Khonshu sees himself as humanity’s protector, even as he clashes with other gods and bends reality to maintain his influence.

Khonshu’s power is mystical, manipulating the night sky and even healing fatal wounds. Khonshu’s powers, however, have faded, and he’s not as strong as before, evidenced by how difficult it was for him to defeat Ammit (Saba Mubarak) during his battle near the pyramids. With his diminishing powers, Khonshu becomes a threat through deception and wages war against his fellow gods to achieve his goals. He represents a darker god where not only physical powers are important. Although Marc seemingly becomes free of Khonshu at the end of the series, audiences may be seeing more of him in the future.

5

Ammit

Voiced by Saba Mubarak

Though imprisoned for centuries, the Egyptian goddess of judgment and devourer of souls, Ammit, is eventually freed by Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke). Her mission is to purge the world of evil before it happens. Ammit does not believe in redemption or second chances. Instead, she judges the worth of souls preemptively and consumes those deemed impure.

Ammit’s ideology is extreme and dangerous. Empowered by her followers and through Harrow as her avatar, she can tip the scales of life and death for millions at once. Ammit represents a terrifying version of divine justice: preventative, absolute, and lethal. Added with her powers, she can easily overpower other Egyptian gods. Her towering, crocodile-headed form in the Moon Knight finale and her god-to-god battle with Khonshu highlight her imposing presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

4

Sentry

Played by Lewis Pullman

Technically a man-made god, Sentry is created through experiments signed off by CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Robert Reynolds (Lewis Pullman) is a troubled individual who signed up for a human trial experiment, only ending up with immense superpowers that are greater than all the Avengers’ members combined. He has a limitless array of powers, from super strength, flight and telekinesis ability.

However, his dark side, the Void, represents an equally powerful and destructive alter ego, able to send people to a dark place filled with their own trauma. With his powers, Sentry easily outpowered the Thunderbolts* and The Void managed to put the entire city in fear. His duality makes him a fascinating character to explore in terms of moral ambiguity and cosmic power. Sentry isn’t just strong, but he’s a walking weapon of mass destruction who wrestles with his own existence. He is set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday and audiences will see how much he is a threat to Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) or even the Avengers.

3

Hela

Played by Cate Blanchett

Hela storms into Thor: Ragnarok with one of the most commanding villain entrances in the MCU. The Goddess of Death and firstborn of Odin (Anthony Hopkins) was banished and removed from Asgardian history by her father. After Odin’s death, she returns to reclaim her rightful place on the throne of Asgard. Wielding her conjured blades, Hela destroys Mjolnir with a single hand and lays waste to Asgard’s armies, including Thor’s Warrior Three buddies, Fandral (Zachary Levi), Hogun (Tadanobu Asano) and Volstagg (Ray Stevenson).

Hela was only stopped when Ragnarok was unleashed by Surtur (Clancy Brown). Even with Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Valkyrie’s (Tessa Thompson) help, Thor and Loki could not defeat her directly. If Asgard had not been sacrificed, Hela likely would have gone on to conquer realms beyond. She’s a reminder that not all gods are benevolent. Despite only appearing in one film, and unlikely to return, Hela is one of MCU’s most memorable and powerful villains. It does help that Cate Blanchett is playing the goddess, and left as lasting an impression in just a single film.

2

Arishem and the Celestials

Voiced by David Kaye

The Celestials are ancient, godlike cosmic beings responsible for creating stars, planets, and even life across the universe. Arishem the Judge, the most prominent among them, appears in Eternals as the being who tasks the Eternals with guarding humanity. However, the Eternals are there not to protect Earth, but to ensure it reaches a population level that can birth another Celestial from the planet.

The Celestials exist on a level far above conventional gods, controlling cosmic processes like creation and destruction. Unlike other gods who focus on morality or conflict, Celestials are forces of nature, operating with a cold, objective detachment. The birth of a Celestial poses the biggest threat, as it will destroy the planet where a Celestial is birthed from. As seen in Captain America: Brave New World, a Celestial is made up of the strongest metal ever discovered: Adamantium. This shows that even when a Celestial is frozen, it has the capability to shake up things in the ever-expanding Marvel Universe.

1

Dormammu

Voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch

Dormammu (Benedict Cumberbatch), the ruler of the Dark Dimension, is enormous, ethereal, and completely detached from human concepts of time or morality. He is the first enemy that Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) must defeat in the first Doctor Strange movie. When Dormammu threatens to engulf Earth into his dimension of eternal chaos, Strange outwits the cosmic entity by trapping both of them in a time loop, eventually forcing Dormammu to bargain for peace just to escape the endless repetition.

Dormammu’s strength lies in his scale and invincibility. He is immortal, omnipresent in his own dimension, and beyond mortal comprehension. He effortlessly destroys Strange countless times and only agrees to stop because he’s annoyed, not defeated. He is still a threat looming on the sidelines, waiting to come back. He is still an invincible, interdimensional being who could easily annihilate Earth or the multiverse. He’s a threat on a scale beyond time and space, which keeps him at the top of the list.

NEXT: The 25 Most Powerful Cosmic Characters in the MCU, Ranked