Thanos has proven himself to be one of Marvel's most powerful villains, both onscreen and in the pages of comics. Besides already being one of the universe's strongest beings, his acquisition of the Infinity Gauntlet and all six of the Infinity Stones all but ensured his diabolical plan: wiping out half of all life in the universe with a snap of his fingers and forever solidifying his legacy as an almighty force of reckoning.
While The Avengers (and various other comic characters) have defeated him before, it was never necessarily an easy task. That's why we think some DC characters should get the chance to face him, as the rival company has more than enough worthy opponents for the Mad Titan.
We're not saying these are the top 15 strongest DC characters overall, but they are 15 of the best candidates to bring down Thanos. So, without further ado, let's get ready to rumble.
15 Superman
As one of DC's strongest superheroes, it stands to reason the Man of Steel had to be on this list.
Drawing his power from the Sun, Superman possesses unmeasurable strength and speed, which he could use to knock Thanos out in one punch. Or, if the situation (and fanbase) permits it, maybe he could save the Avengers a trip through the Quantum Realm by reversing the Earth's rotation.
14 Doomsday
Speaking of Superman, we also can't forget the only being strong enough to end his life (at least, temporarily). Doomsday is the result of a twisted experiment where an alien child was repeatedly destroyed before having its remains cloned as a stronger, angrier creature.
Since Doomsday went on to defeat Darkseid, who is basically DC's Thanos, it makes sense he would eventually be strong enough (if he wasn't already) to take on the Mad Titan.
13 Braniac
While Thanos is insanely strong, he is also an excellent tactician. So, having someone who can outwit the big purple guy would be just as great as having someone with tremendous strength.
Fortunately, alien cyborg/android Braniac possesses both traits. However, it's his 'twelfth-level intellect' that really defines him, providing him with vast knowledge, advanced technological skills, and even the ability to transfer his consciousness into other beings. Stop hitting yourself, Thanos!
12 Doctor Manhattan
As the only Watchmen character with actual superpowers, there is no doubt Doctor Manhattan is the best choice for taking on Thanos. And, despite being the result of a scientific accident, the Mad Titan would do best not to underestimate him.
Besides being immortal, he also has simultaneous sight of the past, present, and future, and is capable of reassembling both matter and reality.
11 Lucifer
Facing off against an immortal ruler of Hell would be bad enough, but encountering one who stepped down due to boredom means Thanos would be in for an underworld of trouble.
Before DC's New 52 reboot made him less powerful, Lucifer Morningstar was limited only by God's power. However, since he could still mold any form of matter into anything (including abstract concepts like time), he could change the Infinity Stones into puny pebbles.
10 Mister Mxyzptlk
The Reality Stone is nothing compared to what this mischievous little imp can do. Hailing from the fifth dimension, Mister Mxyzptlk possesses the power to warp third dimensional laws and break the fourth wall.
However, he does have one weakness. If Thanos could get him to say or spell his name backward, he would be sent away for 90 days. Plus, he rarely takes situations seriously and would spend more time annoying Thanos than harming him.
9 Trigon
Thanos may be the Mad Titan, but Trigon is pure evil. Ending lives since birth, this insanely-powerful demon has enslaved countless worlds. He also has the power to reshape planets, open wormholes, and resurrect the dead.
On top of all his cosmic power, he's also practically invincible and would easily have Thanos cowering in fear.
8 Parallax
If we're going to mention fear, we can't leave out Parallax, an ancient being of yellow light and representation of fear. By assuming the form of whatever scares its victim most, Parallax can easily take control of them.
What exactly is Thanos afraid of? Probably Deadpool, since he has stolen Lady Death away from him before.
7 Anti-Monitor
When the DC Multiverse was born, the cosmic being Monitor was created alongside the positive matter universes. However, his counterpart resided within the anti-matter universe, striking fear into the rest of the Multiverse.
Being responsible for more deaths than any other DC villain may sound difficult, but it was all too simple for Anti-Monitor. After absorbing the anti-matter around him, he went about consuming other universes, which would make Thanos a mere toothpick in comparison.
6 Despero
Villains with third eyes always seem to pose major threats, and Despero is no exception. Hailing from the planet Kalanor, he uses his extra eye for telekinesis, mind control, and casting illusions. He also has immense strength and growth abilities to back himself up thanks to the mystical Flame of Py'tar.
If Thanos ever met him (and survived), he'd find out quickly where this powerful baddie got his name.
5 Spectre
While he does resemble Doctor Doom, this god-like hero easily puts his powers to shame.
Police officer Jim Corrigan's life was unjustly ended by thugs. However, after being denied entry into the afterlife, he returns to Earth for vengeance as the supernatural Spectre. Since he possesses the power to manipulate time, matter, and reality, we're so glad he only targets criminals. Though, this does make Thanos the perfect next entry for his hit list.
4 Doctor Fate
Forget Doctor Strange, because if Thanos ever came in contact with this master of magic, he'd refrain from simply labelling him a wizard.
Through the Helmet of Fate, the Doctor is granted invulnerability, telepathy, super strength, the power of flight and, of course, the ability to cast powerful spells. The list of things the Doctor could do to Thanos is near-endless.
3 Eclipso
Believe it or not, Spectre was actually a replacement for another wrathful entity, albeit one who literally embodied the Wrath of God.
Eclipso's unimaginable strength is only a small part of what he can do, as his weather-controlling abilities were powerful enough to cause Noah's flood. If that's not enough, he can also corrupt anyone who comes in contact with him, changing them into his personal slaves.
2 The Presence
Despite being arguably the least intimidating figure on this list, The Presence is possibly the most powerful. Why? Because he's God. Yep, that's right. This is DC's representation of the Abrahamic God, and he's just as powerful as one can imagine.
If he's capable of destroying the likes of Eclipso and Spectre, we bet he could take out Thanos with a snap of his fingers (no Infinity Gauntlet required).
1 Decreator
If The Presence is God, then Decreator is his opposite, which makes sense given it came into existence upon him saying, "Let there be light!"
Decreator is summoned by the Cult of the Unwritten Book and, while virtually unstoppable, it can only be slowed down as it destroys everything around it. If Thanos were to stand in its way, the only thing inevitable about him would be his demise.