Since 2011’s Thor, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been bringing its cosmic universe to the big screen. Especially with sequels upon sequels and plots that cross over between multiple franchises, it is difficult enough to write a story that spans galaxies, but weaving it all together in a way that grabs the audience requires more storytelling finesse.

When dealing with powerful deities, it’s all too tempting to make them perfect. While their strength makes them amazing, it’s their flaws that make them interesting. It doesn’t take an encyclopedic knowledge of the MCU to enjoy these movies, but for the fan who cares about every last bit of connective tissue, this lore holds up to intense scrutiny, and there are 60 years of comic books to prove it.

Updated on November 16th, 2022 by Jordan Iacobucci:

The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand its hierarchy of power. The recently-concluded Phase 4 has introduced countless new characters to the franchise, many of whom sit at the top of its power scale. Certain titles, such as Thor: Love and Thunder, have even introduced brand-new gods to the franchise, many of whom will have an important role in projects to come.

29 Rapu

Rapu is an arrogant god depicted in the opening scene of Thor: Love and Thunder. He cared little for those who worshiped him, laughing at their turmoil when his followers were wiped out. He is also Gorr the God Butcher's first victim, being stabbed in the neck by his newly acquired Necrosword.

While Rapu does appear to have the power to sustain an oasis for himself and his followers, he exclusively uses his abilities for his own gain. And, while he evidently managed to kill the former owner of the Necrosword, he fell quite easily to Gorr's attack, indicating that he was far from the strongest god in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

28 Dionysus

Dionysus is one of several gods deleted from Love and Thunder's final cut, appearing in Omnipotence City alongside his father Zeus. Dionysus is the Greek god of wine, theater, and indulgence, and was meant to appear to Thor and his companions before they attend Zeus's audience among the other member pantheons.

While the Dionysus of Greek myth is certainly more formidable, the MCU's version of the character is decidedly weaker, coasting off of his father's success and living a soft life in Omnipotence City. The Greek god makes little display of power and wouldn't stand a chance if faced with a god of higher caliber.

27 Falligar

Falligar the Behemoth is the patron god of the fictional Falligarians, whose rotting corpse is seen when Thor and Korg discover it left behind on the battlefield. Lady Sif later confirms that it was Gorr the God Butcher who killed Falligar, with Thor later lamenting that he was "one of the nicest gods you'll ever meet."

While Falligar's comic book counterpart is a known champion of the Tournament of Immortals, there is very little backstory for the MCU version of the character to establish just how powerful he really was. However, given that he was felled by the God Butcher, it would appear that he is far from the power level of other gods in the MCU.

26 The Collector

The Collector, played by Benicio Del Toro, first appeared in the mid-credits scene of Thor: The Dark World, where viewers first learned of his obsession with collecting artifacts from all over the galaxy. The Collector is also known as Tanaleer Tivan and is classified as an Elder of the Universe.

While Elders aren’t technically Gods like Thor or Odin, they can be just as strong. The Power Primordial, an energy produced by the Big Bang, fuels all Elders of the Universe - allowing them to manipulate cosmic blasts, transfigure themselves and others, and some even have abilities of telepathy and precognition.

25 The Grandmaster

Jeff Goldblum brings the Grandmaster to life in Thor: Ragnarok. This Elder of the Universe uses his power to demonstrate his superiority and ego. Described by Goldblum as a "hedonist", the Grandmaster rules the planet, Sakaar, a world full of institutions and populated servants to do his bidding and play his games.

In the comics, The Grandmaster, also known as En Dwi Gast, is known for his abilities as a master strategist and tactician. He’s a beneficiary of the Power Primordial as well, using it to set up elaborate traps and schemes to cause havoc in the universe. The film version of the character seems a little bit less calculating, but still every bit as dangerous if pushed too far.

24 Peter Quill

Star-Lord, the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, is the son of Ego the Living Planet, as viewers learned in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. This makes Chris Pratt’s character half-celestial and half-human so long as he is on Ego's surface.

While Star-Lord is portrayed as having incredible powers, these are nonetheless lost when he and the Guardians are forced to kill Ego in order to stop his master plan. It appears as though Quill's powers can no longer exist with Ego gone, making him more human than ever.

23 Lady Sif

The most common gods in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are the Asgardians. Among these is Lady Sif, a companion of the Warriors Three and close counselor to Thor. Jaimie Alexander plays Sif, faithfully depicting her as a strong warrior and loyal friend.

While Sif is portrayed as being stronger than the average Asgardian, she is never seen to have powers on the level of the ruling family. It would appear that her abilities are instead relegated to superhuman strength and agility, making her a fearsome warrior, but far from the most powerful god in Asgard.

22 Valkyrie

Valkyrie, a.k.a. Brunnhilde, made her debut in Thor: Ragnarok, portrayed by Tessa Thompson. Val is a terrifyingly tough, hard-hearted heroine who comes around to Thor’s side only after some convincing from the Hulk. When she finally does, she aids in their escape from the Grandmaster’s gladiator complex and, years later, becomes king of Asgard.

While Valkyrie possesses a talent for fighting and seems to have superhuman strength, she does not have the cosmic power necessary to place her in the higher tiers of godly existence in the MCU. She could certainly hold her own in a fight against certain other gods, but others would quickly overpower her.

21 Frigga

Frigga was the wife of Odin and the queen of Asgard, as well as Thor and Loki's mother. She often succeeded where her husband failed when it came to parenthood, managing to forge lasting bonds with both of her sons before her death at the hands of Kurse in Thor: The Dark World.

Unlike the other members of her family, Frigga's power set seems to be quite limited. With the exception of illusion casting, an ability she taught Loki, Frigga does not seem to possess any other powers worthy of an Asgardian goddess. However, it is hinted that Frigga has certain other magical capabilities, though none are ever depicted onscreen.

20 Heimdall

Heimdall is the gatekeeper of the Bifrost in Asgard, who serves as a loyal companion of Thor in his endeavors, both as prince and king. Portrayed by Idris Elba, Heimdall is eventually killed by Thanos in the opening scene of Avengers: Infinity War.

Heimdall is shown to be quite adept at wielding his oversized sword, making him a cunning foe in the heat of battle. Moreover, he has the power to see virtually any soul anywhere in the universe, making him a useful watchman for Asgard and its king.

19 Tawaret

Tawaret is the Egyptian goddess of fertility and life, depicted as a hippopotamus. She makes her first appearance in Moon Knight, where she acts as Marc Spector and Steven Grant's guide through the Duat to their afterlife in the field of reeds.

Tawaret is not portrayed as being particularly powerful, though she is shown to have the ability to take over the bodies of human beings as necessary, just as the other Egyptian gods do in the series. However, with Layla El-Faouly now acting as her avatar, named the Scarlet Scarab, fans will certainly see more of Tawaret's powers in future projects.

18 Hathor

Hathor is one of the main goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon who is often associated with fertility, love, music, and the protection of women. Her avatar, Yatzil, is among the council of the Egyptian gods seen in the first season of Moon Knight.

While Hathor is implied to be incredibly powerful in the events of Moon Knight, she is never shown using her powers, making it difficult to ascertain just how strong she is. However, given that her avatar is quickly dispatched by Ammit upon her return, it seems likely that Hathor is not quite as powerful as she and the other gods would have others believe.

17 Isis

Isis is a member of the Egyptian Ennead and the goddess of motherhood, magic, death, healing, and rebirth, among other things. She and her avatar are briefly seen during the events of Moon Knight, where they take part in the council convened by Khonshu.

While Isis is one of the highest-ranking members of the Ennead, she is unable to defend her avatar from the power of Ammit, signifying that she, like the other Egyptian gods, has grown weaker over time, failing to measure up to the other pantheons depicted in the MCU.

16 Khonshu

Khonshu is the Egyptian god of the moon, vengeance, and travelers in the night, who plays a vital role in the creation of the Moon Knight. During the events of Moon Knight, Khonshu selects Marc Spector and, by extension, Marc's alternate personalities, to be his avatar.

While Khonshu is implied to have grown weaker over the years, relying more and more on his avatar to do his bidding, he is still immensely powerful compared to mortals. He is even shown to be capable of turning back the night sky thousands of years, proving that his abilities have not entirely faded.

15 Horus

Horus is one of the most famous Egyptian gods, whose falcon-headed visage is commonly depicted in hieroglyphics. He makes a brief appearance in Moon Knight via his earthly avatar among the other members of the Ennead, though the god is officially considered a member of this group in Egyptian mythology.

Like the other gods that make up Moon Knight's Ennead, Horus is unable to imbue his avatar with enough power to defeat Arthur Harrow and Ammit in the final episodes. His avatar is killed and Horus is not heard from again in the series, implying that there is little left for the god in the future of the MCU.

14 Ammit

Ammit is a vengeful Egyptian goddess associated with death and judgment, often depicted as having a crocodile head. She acts as the primary antagonist of Moon Knight, using Arthur Harrow as her avatar in order to return from her exile and wreak havoc on humanity.

Unlike the other Egyptian gods in the series, Ammit does not play by any rule book, doing whatever she pleases. This aids her immensely in her coup, allowing her to kill the avatars of the Ennead and nearly destroy all of humanity in the process. While she is eventually defeated, it is clear that she possesses enough raw power to bring down all the other gods in the Egyptian pantheon.

13 Osiris

Osiris is most commonly known as the Egyptian god of the dead and makes an appearance in Moon Knight via his human avatar, who presides over the council of the Ennead. However, Osiris's avatar is overpowered and defeated by Ammit when she emerges in the final episodes of the season.

Osiris is given a lofty place among the other gods in his pantheon, proving both his power and his seniority. Although he was defeated by Ammit, it is important to note that Osiris is one of the principal Egyptian gods, and certainly won't stay down for long.

12 Bast

Bast is a figure from Egyptian mythology, known as the goddess of protection and pleasure, most often taking the form of a cat. She serves an extra degree of importance in the MCU, however, as the patron saint of Wakanda and, more specifically, the Black Panther. The humanoid figure of the goddess also makes a silent cameo in Omnipotence City during the events of Thor: Love and Thunder.

Though Bast herself has had little screen time in the MCU, the effects of her actions therein cannot be understated. It is she who gave Bashenga, the first Black Panther, the power of the heart-shaped herb, allowing for the protector of Wakanda to be truly born.

11 K'uk'ulkan (Namor)

Namor is the king of the underwater civilization of Talocan and one of the strongest characters in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Though he is truly a mortal mutant, his people refer to him as K'uk'ulkan, meaning "the feathered serpent god," which is an actual figure from Mesoamerican mythology, implying that Namor may indeed be considered a god or, at the very least, the avatar of a god.

As seen in Wakanda Forever, Namor is incredibly powerful. Not only does he possess extreme strength and the ability to fly, but he also grows stronger when connected to water. Unless disconnected from water of any kind, Namor is shown to be nearly invincible, making him one of the most powerful Earth-bound beings in the MCU.

10 Loki

Tom Hiddleston's Loki is one of the most prominent gods in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the Norse god of mischief, he is shown to have a penchant for playing tricks, always playing every side of a conflict to ensure that he makes it out on top.

While Loki is not as strong as the other men in his family, some of his variants, particularly Classic Loki, have proven just how powerful the god of mischief can be. His ability to conjure matter out of thin air is not to be discarded, potentially making him one of the most powerful beings in the universe.