Bruce Banner’sHulkmay be the strongest mortal there is, but in the Marvel Universe, there are plenty of gods who are even stronger - and Hulk has fought his share of them. From the Greek pantheon to the One Above All,Hulk is closely connected to some of the strongest mythological forces in existence, testing his strength against near-omnipotent power every chance he gets.
Here are the 10 most powerful gods who are bound up in Hulk lore. While Hulk exists in the vast shared universe of Marvel stories (which contains alotof powerful gods), we’re keeping our entries tothose who have close ties to Hulk, contributing to his lore and/or some of his greatest battles.
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10Kukulcan and the Mayapan
The Hulk Family Fought Off a Godly Invasion Force
Debuting inHulk Volume 2’s issue #53 - from Jeff Parker and Dale Eaglesham - the Mayapan are Marvel’s take on the Mayan gods. Originally humans who were mutated by Terrigen (the substance that empowers Marvel’s Inhumans), the Mayapan later discovered how to gain additional power by stealing the life energy of others, becoming gods. While they were locked away by two of their own number, the Mayapan later emerged in the modern day, abducting and draining heroes including She-Hulkand Hulk’s daughter Lyrato bring back more and more of their pantheon.
Thankfully, the Hulk family - including A-Bomb, Red Hulk and Alpha Flight - were able to fight back against the God King Kukulcan and lock the Mayapan away in a prison for superhumans. The dark gods are still locked up to this day, but sincethe Hulk represents the ultimate energy source for their power, the Green Goliath should watch out when they inevitably break free again.
9Hulk, aka Bruce Banner
Yes, People Worship the Hulk
In the Marvel Universe, the question of what makes a ‘god’ is a thorny one, especially because certain cosmic forces exist outside time and space. However,a lot of people consider Hulk a god, and the evidence is compelling. Hulk is worshiped as a god on both the planet Sakaar and Hulk Planet, wherean entire society of Hulks built creation myths around Hulk after he imbued the planet with gamma energy. Thor has also expressed his belief that Hulk is the first true god to arise from humanity, branding him"Midgard’s God of Wrath"inImmortal Hulk #47, by Al Ewing and Joe Bennet. Marvel’s demonic god the Eldest (on who more shortly) also calls Hulk a god, arguing that"fear has ever been the truest worship."
Whether he currentlyisa god or not, fans know Hulk absolutely has the potential.Immortal Hulkreveals that in the original future of the Marvel Universe, Hulk consumed Metatron (the angelic voice of god) andbecame the next Galactus, destroying the multiverse and ending the cycle of creation. Thankfully, that future was prevented via time travel, but Hulk’s potential to take this terrifying, planet-smashing form is still hanging over his head.
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8Nul, Breaker of Worlds
Hulk Was Possessed by This Dark Asgardian God
During theFear Itselfevent by Matt Fraction and Stuart Immonen, the ancient god known as the Serpent returned to Earth. The Serpent brought with him seven divine hammers which he had imbued with the souls of the demonic gods who had once supported him in his war against Odin. Sadly, Hulk was unlucky enough to be chosen by one of these hammers, being taken over by the spirit of Nul, Breaker of Worlds.
The mythology around Nul was later explored inDefendersby Matt Fraction, Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson. There, Marvel fans learned thatNul is effectively the embodiment of entropy - anything he touches unravels and ceases to be, and his mere presence is enough to cause outbreaks of supernatural events which shatter the sanity of those who experience them. Thankfully, Nul didn’t get to wander Earth for long, but the demon-god’s hammer is currentlyin the possession of Avengers villain Galehaut.
7Nyx and Her Children (Dolos, Apate, Oizys and Hypnos)
Hulk Proved He’s Strong Enough to Kill a God
An ancient force of darkness,Nyx is the goddess of darkness and existed before creation. She later warred with the Olympian gods and was imprisoned by Zeus along with her children, sadly returning to Earth during the events ofAvengers: No Road Home, from Mark Waid, Al Ewing, Jim Zub and Paco Medina. Hulk ended up joining the Avengers to fight back against Nyx, despite being in his ‘Devil Hulk’ persona, who is more intelligent and far crueler than the ‘Savage Hulk’ fans know and love.
Hulk first fought Nyx’s son Hypnos, the God of Dreams, and broke his neck after stealing his horse and sword,showcasing his immense power by killing an ancient god. However, Devil Hulk’s reaction to sunlight (which forced him to transform back to Bruce Banner) gave Nyx an easy way to defeat him. Thankfully, the Avengers were eventually able to beat Nyx after fooling her into defeating her other godly children.
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6Zeus and the Olympians
Zeus Handed Hulk the Worst Beating of His Life
In Greg Pak and Paul Pelletier’sIncredible Hulks #622, Hulk takes on the fight of his life. Hulk attacks Mount Olympus, battling the Greek Gods in order to demand a boon from Zeus - to heal his fractured and injured family.Hulk takes down gods including Poseidon, Apollo and Artemis, as well as beating down an army of ancient Greek monsters, to finally get at Zeus. Sadly, Hulk discovers that in his place of power on Olympus, Zeus is unbeatable, and thefather of the Greek Gods beats Hulkto a pulp then chains him up to be eaten forever by vultures.
At least in a physical fight, Hulk has never taken the kind of beating that Zeus handed out, though he acknowledges that he always knew Zeus would destroy him. Thankfully, Hercules and the Hulk family broke Hulk free, touched by his intent to sacrifice himself for their good. With theGreek Gods recently reborn as the Dark Olympians- now more powerful than ever and obsessed with conquest -Hulk may well be heading for a Zeus rematch soon.
5Thor Odinson
Hulk’s Godly Rival Goes Back to the Beginning
While Thor may have his own corner of Marvel lore, he’s also inarguably one of Hulk’s greatest rivals, turning up again and again to trade blows with the Jade Giant. Hulk and Thor have disliked each other since 1963’sAvengers #1, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Hulk is just a little too similar to the monsters Thor grew up fighting, and it’s clear the God of Thunder has long been jealous about Bruce Banner’s superior strength. That discomfort wasn’t helped by 2022’s ‘Banner of War’ crossover, where the two traded powers,allowing Hulk to wield Mjolniragainst its owner.
In current comics,Thor has inherited Odin’s All-Power, becoming near omnipotent… at least against every threat but the Elder Gods. Usually, he’d be a little further down this list, but at the moment, Hulk would be advised to stay out of his way.
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4Gaea
Thor’s Mother Considers Hulk Her Son
In Marvel lore, Gaea is Thor’s biological mother and the embodiment of the natural world. Gaea considers all monsters her children, but has a particular fondness for Hulk. This is both because she considers the Marvel team the Defenders as her personal heroes (with the core members of Hulk, Doctor Strange, Silver Surfer and Namor), but also because she considers him the planet’s greatest monster. InHulk vs. Hercules: When Titans Collide #1(by Greg Pak, Fred van Lente and a range of artists),she refers to Hulk as"the newest, most perfect, and now most beloved of her own fierce children."
Gaea is the last surviving member of the Elder Gods- the deities beyond deities who were the first beings to ever exist. Even Odin considers her an equal, and sought her out as a mate so that Thor would have power beyond all other Asgardians.
3The Mother of Horrors and the Eldest
The Creator of Every Marvel Monster Wants Hulk’s Power
A recent addition to Hulk lore, the Mother of Horrors is the one being in existence not created by Marvel’s supreme being, the One Above All. The Mother of Horrors was imprisoned beyond time and space by the One Above All, but not before creating her children, Eldest and Udru.Eldest went on to beget many of the monsters in Marvel lore, and is able to tap into the Mother of Horrors' power to command everyone from Man-Thing to the Moloids.
Eldest’s ultimate goal is to use Hulk’s power to unleash the Mother of Horrors, who has yet to emerge from her cosmic prison. However, given thateven the Eldest was able to shrug off Hulk’s strength, Bruce Banner should beveryscared for when her mother emerges. Eldest and the Mother of Horrors were both introduced in Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Nic Klein’sIncredible Hulk Volume 4.
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2One Below All
Marvel’s Ultimate Force of Evil Is the Source of Hulk’s Power
When the One Above All discovered the existence of the Mother of Horrors, he was so repulsed that he manifested a new aspect - the One Below All.This monstrous entity is the Hulk to the One Above All’s Bruce Banner- a creature of unlimited hate and loathing, which exists to stop the cycle of creation and plunge the multiverse back into the primordial void. As fans saw in Al Ewing and Joe Bennett’sImmortal Hulk, the One Below All planned to use Hulk to do this, possessing Bruce Banner and using him to destroy every planet in the cosmos.
That series ended with Hulk locking the One Below All away in its home, the Below-Place, theoretically powerless now that it was no longer able to connect to living beings and use them as pawns. However, later events suggestthe Green Door to the Below-Placewill open once more, and the One Below All will again be able toinfluence those transformed by gamma energy, which is a mystic force emanating from the Below-Place itself.
1One Above All
Marvel’s Ultimate Being Created the Hulk
Marvel’s supreme being, the One Above All is a force of infinite creation and protection, existing to continually expand the multiverse. Hulk finally gets to reckon with the One Above All inImmortal Hulk, asking why he was created just to suffer and cause pain.The One Above All’s mysterious answer implied Hulk has a vital role in the final fate of the Marvel Universe, which may have been to lock away the One Above All’s darker half, the One Below All. The One Above All has often been treated as a metaphor for the creators behind the scenes at Marvel Comics.
While theOne Above All and the One Below Allare technically the same being, they have different forms, minds and missions - just as Bruce Banner and the Hulk do. The two actively work against each other, with the One Above All safeguarding the multiverse and the One Below All fighting to end it forever. In offering forgiveness to his nemesis the Leader - who had become the new avatar of the One Below All - Hulk seemingly decided their latest clash in the favor of the One Above All, but the battle will continue as long as the multiverse exists.
Those are the 10 most powerful gods inHulklore, including the two most powerful entities in the entirety of Marvel lore - let us know in the comments below which other gods should appear on this list, and who you think should be higher or lower in our ranking.
