Galactus, the Devourer of Words, is a living manifestation of cosmic power. After Galan of Taa was chosen by the Sixth Cosmos to absorb the heavenly deity’s power, he was reborn into an all-powerful god of destruction. However, Galactus’s strength is not infallible and even gods can be brought down. Despite his overwhelming might, the Devourer of Worlds has been felled by Marvel’s heroes numerous times.

Truly, Galactus is a beast unlike any other. While he doesn’t rank as powerful as Marvel’s abstract entities, the Devourer of Worlds isn’t that far away from ascending to his full cosmic potential. However, underneath the Power Cosmic, Galan of Taa is still a man. Despite bearing no malice to the planets he consumes, Galactus’s ego seeps through his godly persona. When faced with the greatest heroes the Earth has ever seen, he frequently overlooks their collective capabilities. The Devourer of Worlds may be near-unparalleled in power, but these ten defeats prove Galactus isn’t as powerful as he may seem.

1 The Ultimate Nullifier Erases Anything From Existence

Fantastic Four #50 (1966) by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

When Galactus arrives at Earth to dominate the planet’s forces, his herald, the Silver Surfer, tries everything he can to stop his master. To no avail, Galactus easily triumphs over his cosmic lackey. However, while Galactus is kept distracted, the Human Torch finds an opportunity to sneak aboard Galactus's ship. Inside, Johnny finds one of the few weapons capable of destroying Galactus: the Ultimate Nullifier. First created by the Watcher Emnu, the Ultimate Nullifier is a small device with the magnificent power to erase anything from existence.

When used to its full potential, the weapon could wipe out an entire universe within moments. When the Fantastic Four get ahold of the machine, they threaten the cosmic god to leave Earth. Galactus pensively agrees on the condition that the Fantastic Four return the Ultimate Nullifier. True to his word, Galactus leaves Earth with his tail tucked between his legs. However, with both his powers and the Ultimate Nullifier in his possession, Galactus would not stay away for long.

2 The Asgardian All-Father Kills Galactus

Thor #6 (2020) by Donny Cates and Nic Klein

Before there was the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus was preceded by an eldritch entity called Black Winter, the Devourer of Universes. After consuming all of the Sixth Cosmos, Black Winter chose Galan to be his herald. Through Black Winter’s meddling, Galactus was cursed with the eternal hunger he still carries. Eons later, Black Winter returned for his herald to begin a Multiversal scourge that would consume the current Cosmos. To escape his cosmic progenitor, Galactus flees to Asgard and chooses Thor as his next herald.

Thor begrudgingly aids Galactus, but when the All-Father discovers Galactus’s true purpose as Black Winter’s herald, the God of Thunder is outraged by Galactus’s deceit. The Asgardian King strips Galactus of the Power Cosmic, sentencing him to death for his countless crimes against life. While Galactus lies on the brink of death, the vestiges of Black Winter attempt to reclaim his herald. However, Thor uses Galactus’s empty husk as the shell for a cosmic bomb, killing both Galactus and Black Winter.

3 Thanos Conquers the Devourer of Worlds

Infinity Gauntlet #5 (1991) by Jim Starlin and Ron Lim

Following his resurrection by Lady Death, Thanos embarks on a blood-hungry quest to obtain all six Infinity Stones and destroy half the life in the universe. Despite the heroes’ best efforts, Thanos successfully forms the Infinity Gauntlet, promptly evolving into a god-like being. With the universe’s most powerful artifacts at his whim, Thanos tore his way through the universe, defeating any who stood in his way, including cosmic forces. Soon, the universe bowed to Thanos’s power.

An all-out war against the Mad Titan breaks out, threatening to unravel the universe completely. As Thanos tears through the opposing forces, he finally faces the Devourer of Worlds and Marvel’s other cosmic gods. Together, they combine their heavenly powers to take out the tyrant but only succeed in powering Thanos further. Thanos once again calls upon the powers of the Infinity Gauntlet to trap Galactus and the cosmic gods in an eternal prison as a decoration above Thanos’s throne.

4 Knull’s Ultimate Weapon Can Fell Galactus

Thor: God of Thunder #23 (2014) by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribiƈ

In the far-off future, previously ravaged by Gorr the God Butcher, Thor’s three granddaughters, the Goddesses of Thunder, serve the universe as heroes just as Thor did thousands of years prior. Earth’s population has been decimated, leaving the planet ripe for a future Galactus's consumption. However, King Thor still re Midgard fondly and has tried to preserve the planet. When Galactus targets Earth, King Thor retrieves Knull’s first symbiote, All-Black the Necrosword, and bonds with it. Meanwhile, the Goddesses of Thunder have tried to dissuade Galactus to no avail.

In the aftermath of the fight, both Thor and Galactus die, leaving behind a newly revitalized Earth and the Goddesses of Thunder.

Thor eventually arrives to protect his grandchildren but is swiftly felled by the rival god. As Thor feels the impending presence of Galactus’s maw upon Earth, Thor calls upon Mjölnir and arrives in time to save his kin and violently beat Galactus to a pulp. However, the cosmic titan refuses to back down. To defeat his enemy once and for all, Thor gathers his All-Black-infused Thor-Force and blasts the energy into Galactus. In the aftermath of the fight, both Thor and Galactus die, leaving behind a newly revitalized Earth and the Goddesses of Thunder.

5 Galileo and Michelangelo Defeat the Devourer

S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (2010) by Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver

To defend ancient Earth from a growing number of monstrous threats, some of the world’s earliest powers, including Apocalypse and that era’s Moon Knight, banded together to create the Brotherhood of the Spear. Motivated by the motto “This is not how the world ends,” it was these heroes' duty to save the Earth from these frequent apocalyptic events. When Galactus arrives at Earth in the year 1582, Michelangelo and Forever Man, a future version of himself, team up to create a machine capable of destroying Galactus.

Using what limited technology they have available at the time, the machine is designed to harness the latent power in humans to create a singular attack of cosmic proportions. However, the device comes at the cost of the human lives whose power it draws on. When Galactus finally touches down on Earth, Galileo activates the machine and absorbs the Brotherhood of the Shield. In a singular strike, the weapon unleashes a devastating blast of raw power. Galactus is driven away from Earth out of fear of humanity’s potential.

6 Galactus Is Launched Into the Negative Zone

Galactus the Devourer #6 (1999) by Louise Simonson and John Buscema

Once again, the Earth becomes subject to Galactus's never-ending hunger. Now accompanied by his new herald, Red Shift, Galactus has become a more unruly threat than ever before. Without the Silver Surfer to guide Galactus’s hunger, his path of carnage has become unpredictable, and all life is on the menu. Together, the Fantastic Four, Avengers, Starjammers, and various alien species fight to destroy the Devourer of Worlds once and for all. Some of the greatest militaries in the galaxy are summoned to lay siege to Galactus’s ship while the heroes look for a weak point in the god’s defenses.

Seizing their opportunity to strike, the heroes use Galactus’s Elemental Converter against him. While Galactus bestially holds back the strike force, the team ignites the weapons long enough for Reed Richards to open a portal to the Negative Zone. Overwhelmed by the full blast of his own weapons, Galactus stumbles long enough for the Silver Surfer to reach his previous master. Silver Surfer leads his ex-master into the portal, trapping Galactus behind to starve and die. The heroes rejoice, but the Surfer is left with an uncertain sense of sadness.

7 Doctor Doom Asserts His Dominance Over Galactus

Fantastic Four #8 (2019) by Dan Slott and Aaron Kuder

In one of Doctor Doom’s many schemes to overthrow the world, he sought to prove his dominance by felling one of the universe’s most powerful forces: Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. However, Doom has only just returned to the seat of his throne and faces a violent resistance who wishes to see Latveria free from his grasp. When one of the rebel fighters, Zora Vukovic, secretly defects and s Doom’s side, she inspires him to resume his plans for global conquest.

As thanks for her inspiration, Doctor Doom gifts Zora with the Power Cosmic and dubs her Latveria’s new champion. Now imbued with divine power, Zora also serves a second purpose as a beacon to draw Galactus to Earth. When Galactus arrives at Earth, Doctor Doom unleashes a series of weapons called the Big Bang Cannons. These gigantic cannons alter the Devourer’s atomic structure, causing him to fuse into Mount Doom. With Galactus defeated, a new era of Latverian prosperity follows.

8 The Fantastic Four De-Power Galactus

Fantastic Four #520-522 (2005) by Mark Wade and Mike Wieringo

When Sue Storm is captured and her powers turned into a weapon by insidious forces, Reed Richards makes a snap decision to swap Sue’s powers with the Human Torch’s. While Sue is saved, swapping the heroes’ cosmic powers sends a shockwave through the universe, attracting Galactus to Earth once again. Galactus, pleased by Johnny’s new powers, imbues the hero with the Power Cosmic and claims Johnny as his new herald. Galactus had waited too long between meals and had grown hungered and weakened.

Galactus is drained of his power, shriveling in size until only his massive armor remains.

The rest of the Fantastic Four, now teamed with Quasar, arrive to help free Johnny from his service. Together, the collective of heroes exhaust Galactus until he cannot continue to fight. Finally weakened, Johnny, Quasar, and Reed Richards blast Galactus with the full might of the Power Cosmic. Galactus is drained of his power, shriveling in size until only his massive armor remains. From the cavernous husk of his previous form, Galan of Taa emerges from the rubble, free from his eternal hunger.

9 Doctor Doom Becomes the Devourer of Worlds

Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Comics Magazine #10 (2001) by Erik Larsen and Ron Frenz

While the Fantastic Four are sidelined in a ruthless fight for survival against the Frightful Four, Doctor Doom uses this opportunity to seek Galactus’s power. Doom scours the universe until he finds the Devourer of Worlds. While Galactus remains occupied in his conquests, Doom prepares a machine powered by the Cosmic Cube to steal Galactus’s power for himself. Catching the god off guard, Doctor Doom unleashes the full might of his invention. Soon, the Power Cosmic is stripped from Galactus and transferred to the Latverian King.

As Galan crawls out from his armor, Doom mountains above. The Latverian King boasts that “This day, Doom rules over all.” As the new Devourer of Worlds, Doom lays waste to the Earth, devastating everything within his path. Unlike his predecessor, Doom enjoys the slaughter. However, Reed Richards steals the Cosmic Cube back from Doom. Using the Cube’s power, Doom is stripped of the Power Cosmic, which promptly returns to Galactus. While his defeat may have been temporary, Galactus still found himself under Doctor Doom’s proverbial and literal boot.

10 Squirrel Girl Defeats Galactus Through… Friendship?

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #4 (2015) by Ryan North, Erica Henderson, and Chris Giarrusso

Squirrel Girl is undeniably Marvel’s most powerful hero. Despite her laid-back goofy nature, Doreen Green always seems to prevail over her opponents with the magnificent powers of a squirrel. From Doctor Doom to Fin Fang Foom, Squirrel Girl has stomped them all. However, her first major threat was originally at the hands of Galactus. The Devourer of Worlds has set his eyes on Earth, leaving Doreen Green, for inexplicable reasons, to face the cosmic power alone. While it happens off-page, Doreen subdues her foe, claiming that it wasn’t all that hard.

When Galactus awakes, Squirrel Girl does what she does best, and makes a friend. Galactus and Doreen bond over light chatter, but the god still remains set on consuming Earth. However, as Galactus departs, Doreen sneaks into his ship and deeply psycho-analyzes the cosmic villain. Appealing to his humanity, Doreen locates a moon teaming with nut-filled trees for Galactus to consume instead. To thank Doreen for her service, Galactus gifts her with a trading card and officially declares the two friends.