20 Most Powerful Marvel & DC Characters That Can Beat Superman in a Fight

Superman is one of the most iconic and powerful DC characters. He is a Kryptonian with basically unlimited strength, durability, speed, and unimaginable powers. And even though pitting characters against Superman usually ends with Superman winning, he does have some notable weaknesses that can be exploited. 

This is what we’re going to focus on today, as we find 20 DC and Marvel characters that would be able to defeat Superman in a fight. We have to warn you, however, that you are going to encounter plenty of cosmic characters, deities, and magic users. Now, let’s see who has a chance at beating Superman. 

1. Sentry

Now we’re starting our list strong with Sentry. Sentry is well known to be Marvel’s version of Superman, as he is currently one of the physically strongest and most powerful characters in Marvel. Sentry accidentally ingested the Golden Sentry Serum, which granted him the powers of millions of exploding suns. This energy manifested in nearly-omnipotent powers. 

Sentry’s strength is unlimited. There’s practically nothing that can kill him short of breaking reality. He has vast energy manipulation powers and worst of all, he can manipulate objects and biological beings on a molecular level. 

There’s nothing that Superman can do in his fight, especially with Superman’s own arsenal of powers being extremely limited compared to Sentry’s. 

2. Anti-Monitor

Anti-Monitor is the first cosmic being on this list, and yes, he would be able to defeat Superman relatively easily, but not for the reasons that you might think. Hailing from the Antimatter universe, Anti-Monitor is capable of reality manipulation, metamorphosis, dimensional travel, and antimatter blasts, and he is practically immortal and invulnerable and has superhuman strength at his disposal.

His vast energy-absorption power would allow Anti-Monitor to defeat Superman without much hassle, and we know that Superman needs yellow solar energy. Anti-Monitor would be able to drain Superman of his solar energy reserves and empower himself in the process. 

3. Silver Surfer

Silver Surfer is known to be among the most popular Galactus’ Heralds. And even though he has merely a fraction of Power Cosmic at his disposal, this is enough to launch him among the echelons of the most powerful characters. 

With Power Cosmic, Silver Surfer can manipulate almost all forms of energy, elements, and even life itself. He can bend space and time, and he is so durable he frequently survives being munched on by Black Holes. Silver Surfer wins against Superman due to the sheer versatility of his powers. 

4. Mister Mxyzptlk

As a creature from the Fifth Dimension, Mister Mxyzptlk is omnipotent, as the laws of our own dimension don’t really affect him. Mister Mxyzptlk is capable of manipulating reality to a great extent, but did you know that he is also among the most powerful magic users in DC?

Yes, Mister Mxyzptlk uses his magic to achieve near-omnipotence, to manipulate logic and the fundamental laws of nature and the Universe. He is immortal and nearly invulnerable since there is no amount of damage that he can’t heal via magic. He is also able to reconstruct everything and anything through molecular manipulation. 

5. Scarlet Witch

Now, Scarlet Witch is the so-called “glass canon” meaning that she can dish out extreme damage but is not able to tank the damage herself due to her completely human physiology. Then, you must wonder why Scarlet Witch found herself on this list when she is physically inferior to Superman. 

Scarlet Witch is a Nexus Being and able to affect probability, she is also the center point of magical energies in the Universe, but even this wouldn’t prove too much against Superman, like her usage of Chaos Magic, one of the oldest and most reviled forms of magic in Marvel Universe. Scarlet Witch is capable of manipulating reality with her Chaos Magic and capable of summoning a variety of extremely dangerous magic-based attacks. 

6. The Spectre 

The Spectre is the embodiment of God’s wrath on Earth, and due to that, he is nearly omnipotent in nature. Spectre can use Eldritch Blasts, can alter reality, and has superhuman strength and durability, but he also has magic. Yes, Spectre can cast just about any spells imaginable, and he is rightfully considered to be among the most powerful magical forces in DC Universe. 

7. Dormammu

Most famous for being a villain of the Sorcerer Supreme, Dormammu has his own pocket dimension, called the “Dark Dimension,” that answers to his every whim. Dormammu has infinite magical energy at his disposal that he can utilize for various effects. As a creature made out of pure magical energies, Dormammu would have no issue utilizing magic against Superman and draining him of his energy. 

8. Michael Demiurgos

The archangel Michael Demiurgos possesses nigh-omnipotence and divine empowerment, gifted with the power of the Presence himself, making him the second most powerful being in creation after his brother Lucifer and their father, the God of the Covenant.

He has abilities such as omniscience, omnipresence, dimensional travel, disintegration, ectokinesis, and eldritch blasts, and you get why he would be able to not only defeat Superman but quite possibly erase Superman from existence. Remember that Michael had so much energy trapped within him Lucifer managed to create an entire multiverse out of it. 

9. Galactus 

We had the Herald, and now it’s time for the master to make a grand appearance. Galactus is a cosmic being that, in the past, fed on entire planets, but as of recently, he survives on Knowledge alone. Like Superman, Galactus is an energy addict, meaning he doesn’t have nearly as much power if he is starved of that energy.

This doesn’t make Galactus and Superman equal in power; however, Galactus is part of the cosmic order. He has Power Cosmic at his disposal and can drain Superman of his energy completely. 

10. Lucifer Morningstar

Lucifer is Michael’s brother, his other half, and the other character that shares the position of the second most powerful character in DC. Lucifer, like Michael, is pretty much omnipotent, but his power, like Michael’s, has a severe limitation: he can’t create something out of nothing. 

Still, this wouldn’t be as important in his fight against Superman since he has plenty of other stuff going for him, like biokinesis, chronokinesis, dimensional travel, elemental control, flight, immortality, invulnerability, magic, resurrection, pyrokinesis, reality alteration and loads of other powers. 

11. Cyttorak

Now you’ve probably noticed the theme, to be eligible for this list, you need to be at least a cosmic being or insane magic user, and Cyttorak is both. Well, he isn’t exactly a cosmic being as much as he is a demon with vast and almost unlimited magic potential. Cyttorak is also super strong and nearly indestructible. 

12. Batman

Now before you roll your eyes, obviously, Batman is not nearly powerful and physically strong enough to even come close to hurting Superman. He doesn’t have magic, and he is not a cosmic being (allegeldy), but Batman proved himself to be dangerous for Superman over time, almost as Darkseid did. 

Batman doesn’t have magic potential or molecular restructuring, but he does have his intelligence and Contingency Plans. Batman created Red Kryptonite by exposing Green Kryptonite to sample radiation. This Red Kryptonite makes Superman’s skin transparent and causes him great pain and unable to utilize his yellow solar radiation. For all it means, without the ability to power himself, Superman is as good as defeated. 

13. Franklin Richards

Franklin used to possess a vast array of powers, including telepathy, telekinesis, energy projection, reality warping, matter manipulation, time travel, psionics, precognitive dreams, and fundamental forces manipulation. He has demonstrated the ability to create pocket universes and is considered a “Universal Shaper” by the Celestials.

However, after experiencing a power depletion of unknown origin, he became fully depowered as a child. Still, back when he was at the peak of his powers, we have no doubt that young Franklin would be able to erase Superman from existence with a snap of his fingers. 

14. Doomsday 

One of the most shocking storylines in the DC Universe is ‘The Death of Superman.’ What separates Doomsday from the rest of the characters on this list is that he is the only one to technically kill Superman and the only one who did it with his sheer physical strength.

Doomsday is extremely dangerous because of everything you throw at him. He eventually learns how to deal with it and returns stronger than ever before, and even though Superman is capable of dishing out serious damage, both physically and energy-based in nature, it’s not enough for Doomsday. When it comes to Doosmday, we don’t have to think in the theoretical sense. He already defeated Superman and attempted to numerous times after.

15. Beyonder

The original Beyonder was considered the most powerful being in the multiverse, surpassing Cosmic Entities like the Living Tribunal and Eternity.

He possessed reality-warping abilities on an almost infinite scale, vast psionic powers, teleportation, matter manipulation, energy manipulation, superhuman strength, durability, and a regenerative healing factor. Beyonder would have no trouble dealing with Superman with a power set such as this one. 

16. Darkseid

You were probably wondering when Darkseid will show up. For a very good reason, Darkseid is one of the most iconic villains in the DC universe. He is a New God and multiversal entity of pure evil, possessing immense power, enhanced intellect, immortality, invulnerability, regeneration, superhuman speed, stamina, and strength. He wields the Omega Effect, a cosmic energy field that allows him to fire Omega Beams from his eyes, manipulate time and space, and possess cosmic awareness. In his True Form, Darkseid can manipulate powerful dark energy capable of killing even the mighty Quintessence. 

And even though Superman might stand some chance against Darkseid’s avatars, Darkseid’s true form is far beyond the reach of the Man of Steel. 

17. Adam Warlock 

Adam Warlock was created to be the most advanced and perfect specimen of a human being. And even though he is physically strong and vulnerable, this is not the reason why he would be able to defeat Superman. 

Adam Warlock would be able to face Superman due to his vast magical potential, which he partly owes to his unity with the Soul Gem. He has a power set vastly superior to that of Superman and insane reality-altering powers. Adam Warlock frequently faced some of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe and rightfully put them in their place. 

18. Shazam

Now there is a lot of debate being held about whether Shazam is truly equal to Superman in every way, but we do know that Shazam does have one major advantage that exploits Superman’s weakness – magic. 

Shazam has been imbued with the powers of several gods by the Ancient Wizards. He is fast, has godlike strength, unparalleled wisdom, and durability, and he has magical lightning. Don’t get me wrong, Superman would prove that he has the physical upper hand, but Shazam might be able to take him down with his electricity-based attacks. 

19. Odin

Odin is among the most powerful Asgardians due to his use of “Odinforce.” Odinforce is a vast reserve of magical energy that allows him to access insane powers, including transporting the entire human race to an alternate dimension, reading minds across dimensions, projecting force blasts, manipulating matter, erecting powerful force fields, altering size, granting powers to others, and compressing an entire planet’s population into a single being, such as Mangog. 

Odin might not be the most prominent conventional spell caster, but since we’ve fairly recently stated that Thor ultimately would lose to Superman, we had to add another powerful Asgardian that we know on this list. 

20. Doctor Fate

Doctor Fate is probably among DC’s most popular magic users, which is why he showed up on this list. Kent Nelson is mostly able to deal with Superman due to his Helmet of Fate. With the helmet, he gains enhanced telekinesis, flight, invulnerability, superhuman strength, and the ability to cast spells, including phasing and photokinesis.

Without the helmet, his powers are reduced to basic telekinesis and few spells he can cast on his own, however, but what are the odds of him facing Superman without it? 

Who do you think would be able to defeat Superman? Let us know in the comments below!