Animated series by their very nature tend to have very little basis in reality, and this can lead to characters appearing somewhat overpowered in their abilities. The Simpsons is no exception, as despite being grounded in a more realistic setting (American suburbia) than many other animated television series, it still features its fair share of exaggerated moments, which can lead to characters displaying amazing skills or resilience.

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These characters have proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with on many an occasion, providing a challenge for those who cross their paths. While most of these characters occupy the town of Springfield, some exist merely within the show's in-universe cartoons and comics, and others even inhabit more fantastical locations such as the realm of Hell and even outer space.

Abe Simpson

Abe Simpson hold an iron to his head in The Simpsons.

Perhaps the most unlikely entry on this list, Abraham Simpson had lived quite the life before becoming a resident of the Springfield Retirement Castle. During the Second World War, Abe was responsible for the deaths of many Nazis and U.S. troops as a part of the military force known as the "Flying Hellfish" and even came close to killing Hitler twice.

During this period, Abe also demonstrated the unique ability to tame sharks, to the point where he was able to ride on their backs and tame them to swim in formation. He would later become known as a professional wrestler known as "Gorgeous Godfrey," one of the most feared in Springfield. Even during his golden years, he competed in the Senior Olympics and won the hurdles event with ease, proving his extraordinary skillset.

Radioactive Man

Radioactive Man and Fallout Boy pose with the city behind them in The Simpsons.

Occupying the pages of Bart Simpson's favorite comic series, Radioactive Man displays a considerable amount of power during his appearances in the show. As Radioactive Man's comic book origin reveals, the hero possesses incredible super-strength, flight, increased vision, and the ability to produce nuclear heat rays from his eyes.

Radioactive Man has also been shown to be so strong that he can toss people directly into the sun, and he has also "recovered" from his own death on numerous occasions, suggesting a certain level of invincibility at play. It would take a considerably strong individual to stop this nearly indestructible superhero.

Sideshow Bob

Sideshow Bob in his prison uniform sits at a brown chair in The Simpsons.

One of the most formidable characters within The Simpsons is without a doubt Sideshow Bob, who fans still know surprisingly little about. Bob has attempted to kill his rival Bart a number of times, and yet despite his attempts being repeatedly foiled by the child troublemaker, he still somehow manages to escape the confines of Springfield Penitentiary on a continued basis.

Sideshow Bob has demonstrated a wide array of abilities during the series, such as hypnotism, DNA alteration, and voice impersonation, and has even survived his own death by developing a pair of gills so he could breathe underwater. Bob has also displayed a considerable level of political power by becoming the mayor of both Springfield and the Italian village of Salsiccia, proving to be a truly unstoppable force.

Homer Simpson

Homer eats potato chips while floating in space in The Simpsons.

Having undertaken a staggering number of occupations, Homer Simpson is easily one of the most indomitable figures in Springfield. Homer has been everything from an astronaut to the C.E.O. of the Nuclear Power Plant, and at one point he became a significant political figurehead as the mayor of New Springfield when half of Springfield's residents decided to form their own town.

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The father of three is also capable of withstanding several cannonball shots to the stomach, and in the episode "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish," he survived eating a poisonous fugu fish. It seems nothing will ever stop the remarkable feats of Homer Simpson.

Hank Scorpio

Hank Scorpio blasts his fire gun in The Simpsons.

Also considered one of The Simpsons' most stylish characters, Hank Scorpio is not someone to cross. Introduced in the episode "You Only Move Twice," Hank is easily one of the most powerful characters in the show's history, having not only acquired a villainous lair that would make many James Bond villains jealous, but also the entire East Coast of the United States.

Hank's level of genius superiority has seen him able to construct a giant laser satellite, which he uses to destroy the Queensboro Bridge in New York, and also possesses his own army of evil henchmen, who manage to successfully kill the show's clear James Bond parody Mr. Bont. Scorpio's presence in the show may have been short-lived, but he comfortably established himself as one of the show's strongest characters.

Devil Flanders

Split image of Devil Ned talking to Homer at the fridge & Devil Ned waving his hand in The Simpsons.

On his own, Ned Flanders may be one of the show's biggest pushovers, but combine Flanders with the Devil and he soon becomes a force to be reckoned with. In "Treehouse Of Horror IV,"  Devil Flanders lays claim to Homer's soul - something which some Simpsons viewers claim still makes no sense about the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes - after the bumbling patriarch unwisely chooses to eat a forbidden donut.

Devil Flanders' capabilities include the ability to create portals to and from Hell, change his form to a larger, more devilish figure, and transport the Grim Reaper himself over to the Simpsons' reality to oversee Homer's case regarding the ownership of his soul. To represent the jury, Devil Flanders is able to bring various historical figures back to life, truly cementing his status as one of the show's most powerful figures.

Mr. Burns

Mr. Burns at his desk and Smithers standing beside him in The Simpsons Movie.

Mr. Burns may seem a weak and frail old man, but in reality, he holds a considerable degree of power. As the owner of the Nuclear Power Plant, Mr. Burns has full control over Springfield's power grid, meaning that he could send the residents into a permanent blackout at the press of a button. He also holds considerable wealth and possesses his own army of guard dogs he frequently unleashes to chase away unwanted visitors.

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Perhaps the episode that most demonstrates his crazy power levels however is the two-parter "Who Shot Mr. Burns," which reveals his possession of a machine capable of blocking out the sun. The sheer scale of the machine as well as the amount of energy required to power such a device would be truly immense, making Burns' efforts here truly Herculean.

Professor Frink

Professor Frink doing an ultrasound in The SImpsons.

As Springfield's most prominent scientific figure, Professor Frink's vast amount of academic intellect easily makes him one of the town's most unstoppable individuals. Frink has an unbeatable IQ of 197 and is the only resident who is aware of what a cube is, suggesting that he is easily the most knowledgable individual in the series.

Frink's vast knowledge has seen him become the inventor of an astonishing amount of contraptions, including a hover bike, a time machine, and a runaway house. Frink's supreme technical capabilities resulted at one point in his creation of a sentient robot servant called Floyd, cementing the professor's status as Springfield's most intellectually intimidating resident.

Itchy & Scratchy

Itchy holds a spoon as Scratchy's severed head serves as a bowl for dip in The Simpsons.

Bart's favorite cartoon animals Itchy and Scratchy are also among  The Simpsons' most overpowered individuals. As the lead characters of the in-universe animated series "The Itchy And Scratchy Show," the pair have demonstrated incredible resilience as well as some of the most destructive capabilities seen on the show.

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Itchy's murderous tendencies towards Scratchy have seen him commit such heinous acts as ripping out the loveable feline's intestines and pulling out his eyeballs with comparative ease, while Scratchy has died at the hands of the cartoon mouse on countless occasions only to return seemingly resurrected in the next episode. These truly exceptional abilities easily place the animated pair among The Simpsons' most powerful creations.

Kang And Kodos

Kang and Kodos salivate as Homer stands between them in The Simpsons.

Often seen floating above Earth in their spacecraft, Kang and Kodos originate from the planet Rigel 7 and are much more technologically advanced than the residents of Springfield. The cackling extra-terrestrial duo is capable of everything from opening portals to their home planet thousands of lightyears away to destroying the entire universe.

On two separate occasions, Kang and Kodos have taken over Springfield: in "Treehouse Of Horror II" when Lisa's wish for world peace goes awry, and in "Treehouse Of Horror VII" when they take U.S. presidential candidates Bob Dole and Bill Clinton captive, and Kang becomes President of America. Both scenarios end with humanity enslaved, proving Kang and Kodos's true might over Springfield's population.

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