Over the years, Marvel has put together an impressive cast of characters that covers pretty much every type of being imaginable. While the most substantial chunk consists of superheroes and mutants, there are a fair few who could be classified as something much larger. Yes, there are well over a hundred Gods in the Marvel Universe, and we are not just talking about those grounded in actual mythology. Stan Lee and company often took inspiration from Greek or Egyptian myths when writing, but they even created brand new deities that exist only in their comics.

Originally founded in 1939 as Timely Comics, the name change happened around twenty years later. At the time, DC was just starting to revive the superhero genre, prompting their main competitor to follow suit. Stan Lee introduced the world to The Fantastic Four #1 and the rest was history. With thousands of published comics and a well-established cinematic universe, Marvel has proven to be a consistent source of entertainment for readers of all ages.

The publisher's catalog is absolutely massive. It really cannot be understated how much Marvel has released over the years. Despite the back-breaking amount of content, here are the most powerful 30 Gods in the Marvel Universe. While it definitely does not hurt, the character does not need to be based on any existing mythology, as long as they can be considered god-like beings.

30 Enchantress

Asgard is going to feature heavily on this list; so, might-as-well launch this countdown with Amora. The Enchantress possess the overwhelming physical traits associated with an Asgardian goddess, including agelessness. While her race is generally happy to tackle issues with a good punch, Amora prefers to take a more subtle approach. Aided by her unbridled beauty, the goddess is a master sorcerer, once capable of charming nearly every man. Across the years, many powerful warriors succumb to her allure, include Skruge the Executioner and Power Man. Unfortunately, Amora disappeared after Loki revolted against Asgard, and she might very well be done for good.

29 Heimdall (Odinpower Version)

Hey, when you are talented enough to temporarily rule Asgard in Odin's steed, then you must be doing something right. As Sif's brother, Heimdall's days were largely spent guardian Asgard's Rainbow Bridge, making him the first line of defense against any potential intruders. Unfortunately, Heimdall did not prove to be strong enough to resist Surtur's advancement, resulting in the destruction of his station. Still seeing value within his servitude, Odin passed along some of his own power to Heimdall, who rebuilt the bridge and got back to work. Impressed with his loyalty and combat experience, Odin picked Heimdall to rule Asgard while he was asleep. During this period, Heimdall possessed the Odinpower, granting him the ability to control cosmic energy.

28 Pluto (Better Known As Hades)

The Olympian god of the Underworld made his first appearance during the mid-'60s, appearing opposite Thor in his 127th issue. For God of War fans, Pluto and Hades are one in the same. Pluto is based on Greek mythology and is the brother of Zeus, Neptune, Hera, Hestia, and Demeter. While the god's stock might not be as high as Zeus or Hercules, Pluto played a crucial role in usurping Cronus and eventually took charge of the Underworld. In the Marvel Universe, Pluto's backstory remains consistent until the fall of the Greek Gods, where he started to stitch together a plan to defeat Zeus. Pluto's actions are motivated by a desire to return to the good old days when humans worshipped the gods and provided the Underworld with a never-ending supply of souls.

27 The Warriors Three (Volstagg, Hogun, And Fandral)

Asgard is home to a race of elite warriors, with even the weakest having god-like powers. The Warriors Three rank among the absolute best and their first appearance arrived within 1965's Journey Into Mystery #119. As close friends to Thor, the likable trio tend to play a supporting role for some of his adventures. The Three have featured in the cinematic universe, although their contributions were rather limited. Volstagg is the party animal of the group, but he is capable of getting serious when required. While he prefers to not speak, Hogun is respected for his wisdom and humble personality. From the three, Fandral is the most likely to feature on the cover of Time magazine, primarily due to his gorgeous blonde hair and winning smile.

26 Lady Sif

Thor's better half, Sif is an Asgardian goddess who once boasted the most eye-catching and gorgeous golden locks in the entire kingdom. Jealous of her friendship with his brother, Loki decided to play a little trick and shaved her bald. In order to make amends, the prankster stole a wig from the Trolls, which ended up turning black. Sif spent the next few millennia training to become a proper warrior, before returning to Asgard. In terms of physical abilities, Sif is extremely strong and immune to all diseases. While her power is rather conventional for an Asgardian goddess, Sif's training and heritage put her a few levels above the average. Odin considers Sif to be the ideal partner for Thor, so, she might one day rule Asgard.

25 Ares

From the God of Warriors to a carpenter, Ares has led a rather complicated existence. As the son of Zeus, the Olympian God did not take kindly to his father's decision to allow humanity to stop worshipping them. While Ares was never quite as treacherous as Pluto, he did occasionally assist his uncle with trying to usurp Zeus. Eventually, the immortal being decided to leave this life behind and traveled to Earth in order to raise his son. Once on the planet, Ares found work as a carpenter and construction worker, before temporarily joining the Avengers. As one would expect, Ares is powerful and well studied in hand-to-hand combat, but his greatest talent lays in his understanding of military tactics and combat engineering.

24 Bor

Odin's father and hardly the nicest of guys, Bor went from the King of Asgard to one of Loki's unwitting pawns. Possessing near unlimited power, this god aided in the formation of the universe, and his son's kingdom should largely be credited to Bor. While he thought Odin everything he knows, the father and son argued constantly over mankind's place in the world, with the former threatening to destroy Earth. After an adult Loki captured Bor within a trap, Odin betrayed his father and took his place as ruler of Asgard. Assisted by Hela, the trickster revived Bor but warped his mind to see nothing but destruction and monsters, resulting in a fight to the end against his grandson. The contest was closely fought, but Thor proved victorious in the end.

23 Loki

Tom Hiddleston has really helped sell Loki to the masses, ensuring that Thor's adopted brother continues to play a part in the movies. Raised by Odin and Frigga, Loki is actually the son of Laufey, King of the frost giants. After defeating them in battle, Odin discovered a baby and adopted him into the family. While his strength pales in comparison to Thor, Loki is a master manipulator and sorcerer, arguably the most powerful in Asgard. The prankster's bag of tricks includes shape-shifting, astral projection, energy blasts, and hypnosis; making him a great addition to any party. Loki might seem charming - which probably has more to do with Hiddleston than the actual character - but he is driven by an inferiority complex. The god would give anything to best his brother.

22 Bast

As long as the sun keeps ticking, Bast is unlikely to run out of power. A relatively recent addition, with the first full appearance occurring in 1999's Black Panther #5, this teleporting deity deserves more recognition.  Worshipped as the Panther God, this being is based on Egyptian mythology and ranks among the oldest members of the Ennead. Bast was worshiped in the city of Bubastis as the goddess of pleasure, although she did also possess a male form. Empowered with superhuman strength and durability, Bast's greatest positive is its ability to empower others, giving rise to a capable army. While the goddess preferred to take on the form of a black panther, she did occasionally transform into a humanoid.

21 Balder

Prophecies tend to be a bit of a bummer, especially when they predict that your demise will trigger the end of times. Balder the Brave is Thor's half-brother and a capable warrior in his own right. Since prophecies foretold that Balder's passing would trigger Ragnarok and the destruction of Asgard, Odin and Frigga bestowed the power of invulnerability to the Asgardian. With the exception of weapons coated with mistletoe - presumably, because kryptonite was already taken - Balder could not be harmed by any living or inanimate object. Like any Asgardian, Balder is strong, fast, and durable; but, he is also the God of Light. This allows him to summon an incredible beam of hot light that can melt fortresses made of ice.

20 Thor

Within Asgard, genetics determine someone's potential. On paper, Thor has the same powers as nearly every other warrior, but he has Odin and Gaea's blood running through his veins. Admittedly, not the sharpest nail in the woodshed, Thor is renowned for his incredible strength, resistance, and endurance. As the son of the powerful Odin, Thor received training in hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship. Wielding Mjolnir, an indestructible hammer forged from Uru metal, Thor is dangerous enough to stand toe-to-toe with nearly every character in Marvel's history. Odin's son is far from just a tank character, as Mjolnir can also be used to open portals to other dimensions and summon lightning bolts. Depending on the situation, Thor has access to an array of additional tools, like the Belt of Strength, that can provide a temporary advantage in battle.

19 Hela

In this case, we are not referring to Cate Blanchett's version, as she only holds a passing resemblance to her comic-book counterpart. First appearing in Journey Into Mystery #102, Hela is the offspring of Loki and Angrboda, a sorceress giantess, who would eventually impress Odin enough to be granted her own kingdom.  As ruler of an underworld that houses souls which did not pass in battle, Hela is capable of extracting an Asgardian's soul from its body. This process is meant to only be done when their mortal shells are about to expire, but she can perform the same act on perfectly healthy warriors. Mortals would immediately perish if they were to come in physical contact with Hela. Combined with her physical abilities, this goddess has proven to be a more than worthy foe for Zeus and Thor.

18 Seth

Conqueror and a god of Heliopolis, Seth used his ability to transform into a giant serpent to create a cult of followers. Initially assumed to be the son of Osiris and Isis, Seth actually wanted to usurp the former. Surprisingly, the serpent was powerful enough to defeat the gods, even cutting Osiris down to fourteen little pieces and scattering them around Egypt. The Heliopolis gods are physically powerful and immortal, but their strength does not rival that of Asgardians. Seth might not be able to bench press as much as Thor, but he has a few tricks up the sleeve that gives him an edge. For one thing, as the God of the non-living, Seth can trigger someone's passing with a mere touch and commands legions of demonic creatures. For this god, astral projection and hypnosis require practically no effort.

17 Cronus

Once the Sky Father of Olympus, to his dismay, Cronus learned that the apple did not fall far from the tree. Aided by the always manipulative Gaea, the Titan defeated Ouranos, his own father, to become the head honcho. Fearing that the same faith awaited him, Cronus consumed his children at birth, before Rhea grew sick of his dining habits and birthed Zeus on Earth. This deception brought an end to the Titan's rule, with Zeus and his siblings usurping Cronus and locking him away in the Tartarus. Mostly a bit part player, the Titan did get his moment to shine after a battle between Ares and the Hulk weakened his prison. Cronus took the fight to Zeus but ended up suffering a second defeat. His power pales in comparison to his son's, but Cronus should still not be taken lightly.

16 Surtur

Older than Odin and made of fire, this massive creature is dangerous enough to elicit fear from the powerful Asgardians. Technically, Surtur is a demon and not a god, but his abilities are comparable to the latter. This mystical being is based on Norse mythology and is mentioned in the Poetic Edda and Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda. Focusing on Marvel's version, Surtur is the Monarch of Muspelheim and possess vast knowledge of ancient wisdom. While some would assume that his fiery body would be enough, he tends to go to battle armed with Twilight, his trusty Sword of Doom. To avoid spoiling Thor: Ragnarok for those who have yet to see it, Asgard's future is directly impacted by Surtur's existence.

15 Atum

Honestly, that picture is really worth a thousand words. Otherwise known as the God Eater, Atum was birthed by Gaea to bring down the Elder Gods, with a special focus on Set. As such, Atum was the first of a new line of gods, and he proved to be more than up to the challenge. Once the job was completed, Atum took his place as Egypt's Ra and sired the Ennead. In his base form, Atum cannot be considered a huge threat to most of the strongest gods, but he can also transform into Demogorge. As seen in this entry's picture, this version is a huge monster capable of consuming gods and demons. Serving as nourishment, their powers are passed on to Atum, greatly increasing his overall strength. Theoretically, Demogorge's potential is limited; but, whenever possible, Atum tends to avoid this transformation.

14 Ego

Yes, having Kurt Russell portray it in a movie definitely improved Ego's street cred. Formed within the Black Galaxy, this living planet started out as a small mass before gradually evolving over millions of years. Is Ego a god? Well, it is a being so large that an entire civilization existed upon its surface. Far from a huge fan of physical confrontation, Ego is a philosophical entity that often wondered what purpose it served within the cosmos. Capable of overpowering Galactus, at-least when Ego was no longer confined by logic or intelligence, the planet can digest living beings into its body. Destroying the mass does not necessarily result in the destruction of Ego, as his consciousness is capable of living on within thousands of fractured pieces.

13 Hercules

With the exception of an astonishingly angry version of the Hulk, Hercules is the strongest character in the Marvel Universe. Keep in mind, we are just talking about pure physical prowess, as there are other ways to win a battle besides punching really hard. Classified as the Olympian God of Raw Strength, Hercules leaves up to his reputation. There is almost no limit to his superhuman strength, but he does fall behind in other departments. In terms of speed and intelligence, Marvel's power grid places Hercules as a measly 2, while he has practically no magical abilities. It could be argued that Zeus' son is a one-trick pony, but Hercules is well-versed in many different combat styles and weapons; so, he is capable of changing it up.

12 Zeus

Apparently, Kratos really rode his luck when battling the Skyfather of the Olympian gods. After defeating Cronos, Zeus ascended to Olympus' highest throne and ruled over the gods. When it comes to deities, on paper, Zeus seems rather run of the mill. He possesses superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes, durability, and stamina; but, nearly every god can boast of the same qualities. As the ruler of Olympus, Zeus is just better at everything. Sure, Ares might be strong, but he is not Zeus-strong. Beyond his formidable hand-to-hand combat skills, Zeus can manipulate magic to a frightening degree, allowing him to forge lightning bolts from the flames of Olympus. If his overwhelming physical attributes were not enough, Zeus is also a highly intelligent entity capable of precognition.

11 Amatsu-Mikaboshi

This story goes back billions of years. Amatsu-Mikaboshi existed in a formless world shrouded in darkness before the Shinto gods Izanagi and Izanami decided to rain on his parade. They populate his kingdom and gave rise to a slew of new gods known as the Amatsu-Kami, an act that annoyed Mikaboshi. The future Chaos King tried to extract revenge but was overpowered and forced to retreat to the netherworld. Flash-forward a billion or so years, Mikaboshi rose from the ashes to try and take over Olympus. With Ares unwilling to help, Zeus and friends were quickly overpowered and Olympus seemed destined to fall. The kingdom was saved by Ares and Alexander, but the Japanese god did take Zeus down with him. This victory happened long before Mikaboshi achieved his strongest form as the Chaos King.