Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.The Fantastic Four: First Steps has finally been released, and with the final Marvel Cinematic Universe movie of the year comes a few incredibly powerful characters. The MCU’s 2025 movies have been great for the franchise in terms of how they have forever changed the power scaling debates. In Captain America: Brave New World, Harrison Ford’s Ross turned into Red Hulk.

Then came Thunderbolts*. Throughout the film, it would be revealed that Lewis Pullman’s Bob had two different super-powered sides. As Sentry, he was essentially the MCU’s Superman, able to take on all the Thunderbolts without breaking a sweat. As the Void, the character can turn others into shadows on the pavement and exploit their darkest fears with his psychic powers.

On the TV side of the MCU, Ironheart introduced Sacha Baron Cohen’s Mephisto, the powerful demon who performs surprising feats, including a resurrection. By the time The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ ending arrives, MCU fans have been introduced to plenty of powerful characters, with Sue Storm and Franklin Richards being the notable additions to the franchise’s heroes for future MCU movies.

As for the film’s antagonists, both Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer and Ralph Ineson’s Galactus live up to expectations. Seeing an antagonist like Galactus finally get his due on the big screen after having looked like a cloud in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer was a treat. That leads to a comparison with the MCU’s biggest villain, Thanos.

Galactus’ Powers Explained

The Fantastic Four Movie Villain Is A Cosmic Enтιтy

Galactus is the main villain in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The MCU movie does a phenomenal job of showing the character’s might and sheer size. While there have been many debates about the character’s size from what has been shown of him in trailers, I maintain that Galactus is not small in the MCU. There is an explanation for that.

When the Fantastic Four come to Galactus’ ship, the villain absolutely towers above them, showing just how frightening he is. On Earth, Galactus can’t be as big as he truly is, as that would make it incredibly harder for him to take Franklin Richards, which was the character’s goal. Like in the comics, Galactus possesses the Power Cosmic in the MCU.

That gives him the ability to change size at will. The Fantastic Four: First Steps also keeps his Devourer of Worlds reputation intact, as the movie shows how Galactus has devoured multiple planets before making his way to Earth. Galactus also has a healing factor, judging by how he recovers from his eyes being burned by the Human Torch quickly.

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Galactus also has super-strength that exceeds that of many of the MCU’s most powerful characters. He easily swung The Thing into space. Galactus existed before the universe that the MCU’s Fantastic Four are from even came to exist, so his immortality is another strength. He also has telekinesis, moving the Silver Surfer and Franklin Richards with his mind.

Thanos’ Powers Explained

The Infinity Stones Give Him A Major Boost

As for Thanos, the MCU showcased all the villain could do in two Avengers movies, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. While the Infinity Gauntlet is the biggest source of Thanos’ power, he is not helpless without it, far from that. At the start of Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos made quick work of the Hulk in a straight fight.

That said, the Infinity Gauntlet, even when it just had a couple of Infinity Stones in it, does make Thanos an infinitely stronger character. Thanos was able to break down a moon and use its fragments as projectiles in a fight. Thanos was able to reverse time and take Vision’s Infinity Stone. Teleportation, the creation of illusions, and more were among his powers.

Galactus Is More Powerful

The Villain Is The One Still Alive Out Of The Two In The MCU

When all is said and done, I’m convinced that Galactus would be victorious in a fight with Thanos in the MCU. It is worth noting the fates of both MCU villains. Thanos wiped half of the universe in Avengers: Infinity War, being killed by Chris Hemsworth’s Thor early in Avengers: Endgame after he had been weakened by destroying the Infinity Stones.

Then, a version of Thanos in nearly full power was defeated by the Avengers in Endgame, with Iron Man outsmarting him to take the Infinity Stones. In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the team tries to outsmart Galactus. From everything shown and how he has essentially stopped all crime in New York, Reed Richards might be smarter than Tony Stark.

However, Galactus was able to see the ruse and avoid falling into the trap before the Silver Surfer got involved, and Sue Storm used all her power to push him through the portal. Galactus was not killed by the heroes; simply sent to the edges of the universe. However, Thanos and his army were snapped out of existence by Iron Man.

In a fight between the two, Galactus and the Power Cosmic easily defeat Thanos if he does not have the Infinity Stones. If the situation were different and Thanos had the Infinity Gauntlet, the fight would be closer, but Galactus would still win. Captain Marvel nearly made Thanos lose at full power, after all.

How Powerful Is Galactus Compared To Other MCU Characters?

The MCU Has Many Powerful Heroes & Villains

As for other MCU characters who could be compared to Galactus, it seems like The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ Franklin Richards could grow to become more powerful than him. Galactus did want Franklin to take his place, and even as a baby, he was powerful enough to resurrect Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm.

The Scarlet Witch can rewrite reality, Loki controls the multiverse, Sentry/The Void is scary, Captain Marvel’s Binary form makes her nearly indestructible, and yet I can’t see any of them directly killing Galactus. The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ villain is a cosmic enтιтy and a force needed for the balance of the cosmos. Perhaps Aubrey Plaza’s Death could compare.