With Fantastic Four: First Steps marking the live-action debut of Galactus, excitement is swirling among fans of the cosmic side of Marvel. Known as the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus stands among the most powerful entities in the Marvel Universe. Yet even a being of his immense power hasn’t always come out on top. In fact, every time Galactus was defeated in Marvel Comics, it became a major moment—often shaking the very foundations of the universe. From gods and titans to mere mortals with the right tools, let’s revisit the most unforgettable times Galactus was brought to his knees.
Galactus’s First Defeat: Fantastic Four #50
Galactus’s first defeat occurred in the iconic Fantastic Four #50. In this storyline, Galactus arrives to consume Earth, but even the cosmic observer known as the Watcher cannot sit idly by.
Breaking his vow of non-interference, the Watcher secretly informs the Fantastic Four of a powerful weapon hidden on Galactus’s own worldship. Johnny Storm volunteers to retrieve it, returning with the legendary Ultimate Nullifier.
When Reed Richards presents the weapon to Galactus, the cosmic entity immediately recognizes its danger. Even Galactus trembles at the power of the Ultimate Nullifier, which can erase an entire galaxy in a microsecond. Reed threatens to use it, and the Watcher supports the claim.
Galactus ultimately relents. He demands the weapon be returned and promises to leave Earth in peace. Honoring his word, he vanishes into the cosmos, sparing the planet—for now.
Thanos Defeats Galactus Using the Infinity Gauntlet
Fast forward to the Infinity Gauntlet storyline, and we see Galactus fall in an even grander fashion. By issue #5, Thanos has already acquired all six Infinity Gems, granting him absolute power.
The most powerful cosmic beings—including Master Order, Lord Chaos, Eternity, Mephisto, the Celestials, and Galactus—confront Thanos. But with omnipotence in his grasp, Thanos easily obliterates them one by one.
Galactus is dismissed like a minor inconvenience as Thanos imprisons every cosmic being above his throne. It’s a chilling moment, as Thanos declares himself the supreme being:
“I am Thanos. I am Supreme.”
This wasn’t just a defeat for Galactus—it was a cosmic humbling for everyone.
The Beyonder Swats Galactus Like a Fly
In Secret Wars (1984), Galactus meets his match against the omnipotent Beyonder. The Beyonder teleports Earth’s greatest heroes and villains to a new planet called Battleworld and commands them to fight.
Galactus, uninterested in playing along, attempts to confront the Beyonder directly. His goal? Beg the Beyonder to end his eternal hunger for consuming planets.
But as he ascends to plead his case, the Beyonder casually swats him away like a fly. Captain America watches in awe while Professor X confirms what they all witnessed:
“Even Galactus is less than a fly.”
This moment cements just how incomprehensibly powerful the Beyonder is—and just how far Galactus can fall.
Thanos Knocks Galactus Down Without the Infinity Stones
Yes, Thanos defeated Galactus again—this time without the help of the Infinity Gauntlet. In another confrontation, Thanos warns Galactus about a trap, pretending to help him. When Galactus turns to attack, Thanos unleashes a devastating energy blast.
The force of the blast hurls Galactus through his ship and out into space, landing on a moon. It’s so powerful that Galactus’s iconic helmet is knocked off, revealing his glowing red eyes as he snarls:
“Full alert. Immediately locate and destroy Thanos of Titan.”
This showed that while Thanos couldn’t outright kill Galactus without the stones, he could still hold his own and humble him physically.
Thor Kills Galactus: Thor (2020) #6
In Donny Cates’ 2020 Thor run, the God of Thunder takes Galactus down in the most brutal way possible.
Thor becomes Galactus’s new Herald as they prepare to fight The Black Winter, an ancient force of death. However, Thor soon learns that Galactus manipulated him, stealing power under false pretenses.
Furious, Thor attacks. Galactus tries to fight back with the Power Cosmic, but Thor absorbs it. He delivers an epic speech:
“I am the son of Odin, king of Asgard, ruler of the ten realms, god of thunder and storm. And you… you are the errand boy of a hailstorm.”
Thor then throws Mjolnir, charged with cosmic and storm energy, directly into Galactus’s chest. The strike obliterates Galactus, reducing him to a skeleton before his armor collapses to dust.
It’s one of the most jaw-dropping Galactus moments in all of Marvel history.
Galactus vs. Four Celestials: Fantastic Four #603
In Fantastic Four #603, Galactus takes on four Celestials. He manages to defeat one—but the remaining three don’t take kindly to that. They merge into a Super Celestial and, with a single gesture, annihilate Galactus. His body crashes down to Earth.
But the story doesn’t end there.
In Fantastic Four #604, Franklin Richards—one of the most powerful mutants in existence—revives Galactus with a single command:
“Rise, rise to me, my Galactus.”
Franklin then uses Galactus like a pet, commanding him to attack and defeat the Super Celestial. It’s one of the wildest displays of power in Marvel Comics, and a true reversal of roles: Galactus goes from destroyer of worlds to obedient weapon.
