Galactus vs Khonshu: Marvel Reveals Which God Is Strongest and It's Not Close

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for What If…? Galactus Transformed Moon Knight #1

Marvel has delivered an epic confrontation between Galactus and Khonshu, the patron deity of Moon Knight, and made it clear in the process that the Devourer of Worlds unequivocally comes out on top as the more powerful of the two. When Galactus offers Khonshu the privilege of being his herald, the dark god rejects him – but in the showdown that follows, he is no match for Marvel's OG cosmic antagonist.

What If…? Galactus Transformed Moon Knight #1 – written by Alex Segura, with art by Scott Eaton and Chris Campana – finds Galactus seeking appoint a new herald to his service. Like with the other What If…? comics of the same premise, Galactus has chosen a unique Marvel character never before touched by the Power Cosmic.

However, unlike most mortals, Khonshu has no interest in bowing before another god. When offered the position of herald, Khonshu takes offense, unleashing a rapid fury of godly blows. However, Galactus is on an entirely different level than the God of the Moon could ever hope to achieve.

Marvel Confirms That Khonshu Is No Match For Galactus, As The Cosmic Villain Takes Down The Elder God

What If…? Galactus Transformed Moon Knight #1 – Written By Alex Segura; Art By Scot Eaton & Chris Campana; Ink By Cam Smith & Roberto Poggi; Color By Rachelle Rosenberg; Lettering By VC’s Clayton Cowles

The disparity in power between Marvel’s Earthly gods and its cosmic gods is incalculable. The gap in power level between a mortal and a god is great. The gap between a god and an Elder God like Khonshu is even greater. Yet the gap between an Elder God and a cosmic god such as Galactus is beyond comparison. Khonshu, like most living things, was born to two parents into a preexisting world. As the son of Atum, the most powerful of the Elder Gods, Khonshu is a miraculous deity whose power directly sways the direction of mortal existence.

However, Galactus was born from the death of a multiverse. Chosen by the Sixth Cosmos to absorb its energy and be reborn as the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus is a cosmic construct . He is a shapeless being who appears in familiar forms to lessen the mental toll of looking into what cannot be defined. Galactus is a force that ripples the fabric that holds Earth-616 together, while Khonshu merely manipulates the forces of the Earth. As Moon Knight says in the issue’s narration, “Gods are unprepared for death. It’s not something their kind is used to. It’s unfathomable.”

Khonshu Is To Galactus What Mortals Are To Khonshu, Clarifying Marvel Comics' Cosmic Hierarchy

The Elder Gods Are No Match For The Power Cosmic

In the fight, Khonshu quickly learns his place, yet his persistence lasts until the very end. As Galactus swells in siz e to engulf the Moon God with his mass, he looks upon his failed herald only to dismiss him as a “godling” before killing the minor deity. No god of a lower status has the power alone to defeat Galactus. Without the Power Cosmic to embolden them, the Devourer will always maintain the advantage. Even Elder Gods like Atum or Chthon would fizzle under the might of Galactus.

Certainly , Galactus isn’t infallible. Certain artifacts like the Infinity Gauntlet and All-Black the Necrosword have done their damage against the god. However, these instances are far and few between. In a measure of pure strength, Galactus will always tower above those stationed below him in the pyramid of power that defines the Multiverse. Just as Khonshu may look down on mortals, Galactus looks down on Khonshu with the same feeling of indifference. Maybe instead of consuming planets or knowledge, Galactus can supplement his endless hunger with unruly gods in the future.

What If…? Galactus Transformed Moon Knight #1 will be available January 15, 2025 from Marvel Comics.