Some of these characters might be the most deadly in their own worlds, but they might not fare so well when thrust into another world, where even more deadly beings await. The following list will serve not only as a who’s-who of fantasy television, but also as a game of “who would win,” as these are the most powerful characters in all of fantasy television.
10. Percy Jackson
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ (2023–)
Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) is a demigod, the son of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea. In the first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Percy is still discovering and learning about his powers, which gradually get more and more impressive. At only 12 years old, Percy has discovered he can manipulate water and use it for offensive or defensive purposes, as well as literally breathe underwater. Water also bears healing properties for him, instantly restoring his health and mending his wounds.
9. Merlin
‘Merlin’ (2008–2013)
Merlin is an origin story for the wizard Merlin (Colin Morgan), the archetypal crotchety old wizard. He is commonly depicted as having a long, silvery beard, often wearing half-moon spectacles and blue robes adorned with silver stars and moons, along with a matching tall, pointed hat. In this origin series, the powerful Merlin is not some grumpy old fuddy-duddy, but a young man coming to grips with his arcane powers. He discovers he is a sorcerer, able to conjure spells with a wave of his hand.
These spells start out minor, but eventually progress into some truly impressive feats, able to burn structures and raze his enemies to the ground in the blink of an eye. As per Arthurian legend, however, Merlin is ultimately human, and though he has lived unnaturally long, he is not a god, and there are some things that he just cannot do. Regardless, his use of magic is enough to bring most of his enemies to their knees, and he proves to be a valuable asset for the Court of Camelot in his later years.
8. Aang
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005–2008)
Granted, it does take a while for Aang to learn how to grow up and accept his destiny, as well as how to master all four of the elements. But once he is able to bend all four elements, he is undoubtedly the strongest bender in the entire series, able to conjure plumes of fire, torrents of water, powerful gales, and earthquakes on a whim. This might be just an animated show for kids, but its action, along with Aang’s innate abilities, has made it a popular series for adults, too.
7. Daenerys Targaryen
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
With Daenerys in control of three, she causes catastrophic destruction in her conquest across Essos and Westeros. Astride just one of her dragons, she annihilates the city of King’s Landing, destroying the Iron Fleet in the process, and incinerates the Lannister army during the Battle of the Goldroad (one of Game of Thrones‘ best battles). While her dragons are where most of her power comes from, she isn’t nothing without them, as she is still a fierce fighter who refuses to be the damsel in distress, no matter the situation. Game of Thrones contains only some mild magic, but Dany’s power is enough to rival that of even The Night King (Vladimir Furdyk).
6. Sauron
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ (2022–)
He is the original Lord of the Rings, the force that drives much of the strife and turmoil plaguing Middle-earth, and easily manipulates some of the most prominent figures in the world of Arda. He is responsible for destroying kingdoms, starting wars, and forging the One Ring that becomes the primary plot point of the original movie trilogy. All Maiar in the world of Arda are powerful to some extent, but Sauron is, without question, one of, if not the most dangerous of his kind for multiple reasons.
5. Son Goku
‘Dragon Ball Z’ (1989–1996)
Son Goku is a Super Saiyan, a type of superpowered individual found in the universe of Dragon Ball Z. With this ability comes a slew of incredible powers, mainly super strength, but also including super speed and flight, along with the ability to produce energy blasts like the famous Kamehameha. These powers are gained via a dramatic transformation from human form into that of a Super Saiyan, a process usually triggered by extreme emotions like anger, and accompanied by a lot of screaming.
4. Eren Yeager
‘Attack on Titan’ (2013–2023)
Eren Yeager is the protagonist of Attack on Titan, and starts off as an overly ambitious kid with too much anger and a chip on his shoulder. In the first episode of the series, titans invaded his hometown, destroyed it, and killed his mother in the process. Years later, he joins the Scout Regiment, intending to embark on a murderous crusade against the titans, bringing an end to their species once and for all. But it is later revealed that Eren is more than meets the eye.
See, Eren discovers he has the supernatural ability to transform into a titan himself, and a pretty strong one at that. He uses his monstrous form to slaughter other titans, and to give himself an edge in battle. Later, he discovers that he has the ability to control the rest of titankind with his mind, and becomes the Founding Titan, able to manipulate the bodies and minds of other titans, changing their physiology entirely. In short, Eren basically becomes a god by the end of the popular anime series, with the species he loathes so much under his beck and call by the end of it, which makes him a terrifying weapon against his adversaries.
3. He-Man
‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’ (1983–1985)
Prince Adam (John Erwin) is the protagonist of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and is ordinarily just a man. He is of royal blood, true, but initially, he is nothing more than an ordinary person in the varied and fascinating world of Eternia. However, Adam quickly acquires the Sword of Power, which, when held aloft with a spoken incantation, transforms him into the eponymous He-Man, who is said to be the most powerful man in all of the universe.
He-Man might be the most powerful man in his universe, but he isn’t quite the most powerful in the entirety of fantasy television. In any case, he certainly earns his title, as using the Sword of Power bestows him with superhuman abilities. The first of these powers is, of course, incredible strength, as well as speed, invulnerability, and reflexes. But it doesn’t end there. He-Man can also blast his foes with energy, and has even been known to shapeshift once in a while. He-Man is easily one of the strongest characters in fantasy, even if not the absolute most powerful.
2. Lucifer Morningstar
‘Lucifer’ (2016–2021)
Though he doesn’t get a chance to showcase his power very much in the TV show, the implication of who he is is enough. Lucifer, as described in the Abrahamic religions, is the primary force of evil in the world and is seen as a direct counterpart to God Himself. He is a master manipulator, easily able to crush entire kingdoms beneath his feet by way of corruption, and has created numerous vile demons and creatures to do his bidding. Again, while this isn’t always present in the show, just knowing about who Lucifer is and what he does is enough to see him as one of the most powerful characters in all of fantasy television.
1. Lews Therin Telamon
‘The Wheel of Time’ (2021–2025)
Lews Therin died as a result of going mad and drawing in too much of the One Power, dying when he released his magic in one massive, powerful burst. This event, known as the Breaking of the World, completely reshaped the landscape of Earth. Entire continents sank, mountains rose from the ground, rivers and islands formed, and the world experienced a complete and total apocalypse, effectively reverting the survivors of humanity back to the Stone Age. Anyone who can single-handedly cause this much destruction at once is not only the most powerful in The Wheel of Time, but also, arguably, the most powerful character in all of fantasy television.
