How strong is Galactus? Fantastic Four villain powers & weakness explained

Christopher Baggett
Galactus in Marvel Comics

Galactus is almost certainly making his way to the MCU soon, but will the devourer of worlds represent his Marvel Comics counterpart or something completely different? 

With the MCU’s Fantastic Four on the horizon, it seems like Galactus cannot be far behind. The devourer of worlds has long been a threat to the Earth and a recurring foe for the Fantastic Four to vanquish. 

The World Devourer makes his debut in Fantastic Four #48 alongside his herald, the Silver Surfer. Since then he’s gone on to appear multiple times in various comics and events over the years. 

Though often portrayed as a foe, Galactus remains a necessary evil of sorts. Regardless, his sheer power and intimidating presence make him one of Marvel’s most memorable and challenging monsters. 

Galactus powers in Marvel Comics

Physically, Galactus is as literal a powerhouse as you can get. According to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Fantastic Four, he stands just shy of 29’ and weighs just over 18 tons, though this can vary. He’s also inhumanly strong, fast, and durable. 

Galactus and the Silver Surfer
With heralds such as Silver Surfer, Galactus scours the cosmos, feeding on planets.

Thanks to the Power Cosmic, Galactus is also nigh-omnipotent and invulnerable, for all intents and purposes. The Power Cosmic also grants him a host of surprising abilities. He can heal and rebuild anything, from wounds he received to rebuilding entire planets. 

But perhaps most surprising is his genius-level intellect. The Cosmic Awareness would have made him intelligent as it is, but he was smart beyond the capacity of human understanding even before his transformation. His technical know-how, coupled with his intense energy powers, makes him a force to be reckoned with. 

Galactus weaknesses in Marvel Comics

While Galactus is a terrifying force and universe-level threat, he’s still not really a cosmic being. Galactus was originally Galan, a genetically engineered warrior from the planet Taa. Any attack that would compromise the Power Cosmic runs the risk of reverting back to Galan. 

Galan of Taa
Without the Power cosmic, Galactus will revert to a mortal form.

There is also the issue of his hunger and how it relates to his power. While he is strong, Galactus constantly hungers, and the life force of planets is all that can truly sustain him. If he goes long enough without feeding, his powers can be severely weakened. 

Galactus is also not immune to some of the greatest weapons in the galaxy. He’s historically terrified of the Watchers’ ultimate weapon, the Ultimate Nullifier. He has also been shown to be as susceptible to the Infinity Gauntlet as anyone else in the Marvel Universe. 

That’s all we have for now about Galactus, but for more Marvel Comics and Fantastic Four news, stick with Dexerto

About The Author

Christopher Baggett started writing about comics on the Internet when he was 14 years old. Since then, he's written professionally for a host of sites, including ComicsBeat, Comic Book Resources, and The HomeWorld. He's most knowledgable about the legacy heroes of the '80s and '90s that he grew up with and believes Wally West is the best Flash - and he'll fight anyone over it. For tips, news, press and more, contact Christopher at christopher.baggett@dexerto.com