Galactus is one of the most unique and terrifying villains in the Marvel Universe. A cosmic force that consumes planets for energy, the Devourer of Worlds is nearly impossible to defeat on a one-on-one basis.
This John Byrne ditty sees all of Marvel’s brightest and strongest take on the seemingly-unstoppable giant. The result is an incredible battle that ends with Superman becoming Galactus’ new Herald!
1. The Sphinx
The Sphinx is a mysterious, enigmatic adventurer who possesses an ancient knowledge. He has a tendency to talk a lot and gloat in battle, but he is also a proud man who doesn’t take well to insults.
He probed the mind of Richard Rider, aka Nova, in order to find a way to end his existence. Upon reaching Xandar he absorbed all of its accumulated knowledge and drained immense amounts of energy from its planet-sized computer. He was then defeated by Galactus, who drained him of his absorbed energy and plucked the Ka Stone from his brow.
2. Tyrant
Once upon a time Tyrant, once Galactus’ Herald, rebelled against his master and unleashed war across the cosmos. He grew so powerful that he even began using the power cosmic from planetary biospheres to sustain himself!
He kidnapped many heroes and villains, including the Silver Surfer, Terrax, Morg, Beta Ray Bill, Gladiator and Jack of Hearts. However, a fail-safe within the suit of Jack activates and frees these cosmic forces! The battle begins, and they all fight as one! Tyrant is easily defeated. He becomes another victim of the Devourer of Worlds!
3. Thanos
Galactus is a unique comic villain in that he’s more of a force of nature than a dastardly bad guy intent on destruction. But that doesn’t make him any less terrifying.
This cosmic battle pitted the Silver Surfer against Tyrant, who was essentially Galactus’ progeny and rival. In the battle, a team of Avengers (including Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk, Winter Soldier, Black Panther, Hawkeye, and the Wasp) defeated Galactus’ Heralds (Terrax, Waterlord, Stardust, Firelord). Ultimately, the heroes blasted the Devourer of Worlds into the Negative Zone where he starves to death.
4. The Devourer of Worlds
Galactus is often depicted as an unstoppable force of cosmic destruction. But he has also faced plenty of worthy challengers, leading to some of the coolest fights in Marvel history.
For instance, when the Devourer of Worlds shows up in the Ultimate Universe and merges with his counterpart Gah Lak Tus, it takes the combined powers of the entire team to send him away. This battle is full of energy beams, cosmic explosions, and feats of power that even Galactus can’t comprehend. This is one of the most impressive defeats for Big G.
5. The Beyonder
The nigh-omnipotent being that exists outside the multiverse is a formidable opponent, even for Galactus. In 1984’s Secret Wars, the Beyonder kidnaps a number of heroes and villains and sends them to battle on Battleworld, a fictional planet of his creation.
While a lot of Marvel heroes can take on the Beyonder, most can’t defeat him physically. However, there’s one time when the Devourer of Worlds was beaten. It all happened thanks to a very smart hero. Who was it? Find out in this comic.
6. The Avengers
The devourer of worlds is a powerhouse, but even he can be beaten if you have enough firepower. In this insanely epic battle, Galactus takes on Thanos, who proves that he doesn’t need the Infinity Gauntlet to hold his own against one of Marvel’s most powerful heroes.
Squirrel Girl is known as “unbeatable” for a reason, and she handily beats Galactus while convincing him to let Earth go. It’s a cool example of an unstoppable force facing an immovable object. It’s a battle that truly deserves its spot on this list.
7. The Fantastic Four
The Devourer of Worlds has consumed countless planets, but that hasn’t stopped the heroes of Earth from trying to stop him. After a rift opens between the Ultimate Universe and Earth-616, Galactus arrives as Gah Lak Tus, merging with his Ultimate Universe counterpart.
He swats the Human Torch and Thing like flies, but the Fantastic Four decide to lure him to Times Square with their baby, Franklin. They manage to break him out of his psionic bond and then destroy all the remaining bridges to prevent Galactus from eating any more planets.
8. The X-Men
The X-Men face Galactus in a battle that proves being unstoppable doesn’t always mean physically reducing your opponent to a pulp. This John Byrne story shows that intellect can be just as powerful as sheer power when battling Galactus.
As a cosmic entity who consumes worlds to maintain balance, Galactus is an oddly terrifying villain. That’s why it’s so cool that, in this epic six-issue comic arc, the X-Men manage to handily defeat him. A classic, intergalactic fight!
9. The Shiar
The Shi’ar are one of Marvel’s three main extraterrestrial empires – along with the Kree and Skrull. They are ruled by Lilandra, the former betrothed of Charles Xavier.
When the Devourer of Worlds invaded the Ultimate Universe, it took all the power of that universe’s heroes to stop him. In the end, a Hail Mary from Reed Richards (pre-Maker) blasted Galactus with energy amplified by Franklin’s psionic powers. He died, but survived to find new planets. This was the first time that Galactus had lost. Ever.
10. The Kree
For a time, it seemed impossible for anyone to beat Galactus. That is, until Reed Richards came up with a plan. With help from the Shiar, he acquired a device called the Ultimate Nullifier, which could erase objects from existence and even universes.
It almost worked. But when Galactus appeared, he blasted the Human Torch and the Thing like flies. That wasn’t even the end of it. Afterward, Galactus captured the Silver Surfer and turned him into his herald. This was a very bad idea. For more on this battle, see The Avengers Vol. 6.