In the world of superheroes, there are many powerful beings with incredible abilities. However, one character stands above the rest when it comes to pure power: One-Above-All. As the supreme being in the Marvel multiverse, One-Above-All possesses unlimited power and is considered to be omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.
Who is One-Above-All?
One-Above-All is the creator of the Marvel multiverse and all life within it. First introduced in Doctor Strange #13 in December 1974, One-Above-All is depicted as a celestial, omnipotent entity that wields infinite power. As the supreme being of Marvel, One-Above-All represents the writers and editors of Marvel Comics. While rarely making direct appearances, One-Above-All is known to manipulate events within the Marvel multiverse to guide the overall narrative.
Other names and aspects associated with One-Above-All include The-One-Above-All, Above-All-Others, All-Powerful, and Fulcrum. One-Above-All exists beyond the Marvel multiverse, on a plane of existence beyond time and space. This grants One-Above-All the ability to warp reality on a universal scale with minimal effort.
Powers and abilities of One-Above-All
As an omnipotent being, One-Above-All is all-powerful with no limitations. Some of the signature powers and abilities of One-Above-All include:
- Omnipotence – Unlimited cosmic power surpassing all other beings
- Omniscience – All-knowing with infinite knowledge and wisdom
- Omnipresence – The ability to be anywhere and everywhere simultaneously
- Immortality – Eternal existence above life and death
- Invulnerability – Cannot be harmed by any external force
- Reality Warping – Ability to change the laws of physics and alter reality
- Cosmic Awareness – Consciousness of all cosmic occurrences
- Telepathy – Ability to read minds across the multiverse
- Telekinesis – Ability to manipulate all matter and energy with the mind
- Teleportation – Can transport anywhere instantly
In essence, One-Above-All wields infinite cosmic power on a scale beyond measure. As the supreme being of Marvel, there are no powers greater than that of One-Above-All within the Marvel multiverse.
Feats of power
While rarely intervening directly, One-Above-All has demonstrated incredible feats across the Marvel comics:
- Created the Marvel multiverse and all alternate realities within it
- Designed the fundamental laws of physics, nature, and logic
- Effortlessly defeated cosmic entities like Eternity and Infinity
- Empowered cosmic beings like the Living Tribunal and Beyonder
- Brought heroes back to life like Thor and Hercules
- Liberated souls from demonic possession by Mephisto
- Defeated Thanos while he possessed the Infinity Gauntlet
- Prevented the destruction of the Marvel multiverse
- Merged separated universes back together
- Revived wiped out realities like Earth-616
No task or feat is impossible for One-Above-All given infinite power. Even cosmic entities like Eternity and Infinity are subservient to One-Above-All’s will. The full capabilities of One-Above-All are unlimited by definition.
One-Above-All versus other Marvel cosmic beings
While extremely powerful in their own right, all other cosmic Marvel entities pale in comparison to the supreme power of One-Above-All. Here is how some of Marvel’s most powerful cosmic beings stack up against the infinite might of One-Above-All:
| Entity | Power Level |
|---|---|
| Living Tribunal | Nigh-omnipotent |
| Beyonder (pre-retcon) | Nigh-omnipotent |
| Eternity | Universal |
| Infinity | Universal |
| Death | Universal |
| Oblivion | Universal |
| Mephisto | Skyfather-level |
| Thanos (w/Infinity Gauntlet) | Multiversal |
As demonstrated in the comics, One-Above-All far exceeds any other entity within the Marvel multiverse. Even near-omnipotent beings like the Living Tribunal and Beyonder are subservient to One-Above-All. Unique across Marvel, One-Above-All sits supremely above all else in power and authority.
One-Above-All versus other omnipotent beings
By definition, there can only be one supreme omnipotent being within a fictional universe. As such, One-Above-All has no equals in power within the Marvel multiverse. However, comparisons can be made to similar omnipotent entities in other fictional franchises:
| Omnipotent Being | Franchise |
|---|---|
| The Presence | DC Comics |
| The One Above All | Marvel Comics |
| Zeno | Dragon Ball |
| Creator | Image Comics |
| God | Supernatural |
| Lord of Nightmares | Slayers |
Each of these beings reigns supreme in their respective fictional universes. While omnipotent within their own domain, they equal each other in the sense that omnipotence cannot be exceeded or surpassed. Much like how there is only one Abraham Lincoln in the real world, there is only one supreme being of absolute power within a fictional continuity.
Appearances in Marvel comics
Given One-Above-All’s supreme status, direct appearances are extremely rare. Most often, One-Above-All operates through cosmic intermediaries like Eternity or the Living Tribunal to carry out their will. Some notable cameo appearances include:
- Fantastic Four #511 – Manifests before Thing to grant him cosmic powers
- Marvel: The End #5 – Battles Thanos possessed by the Heart of the Infinite
- Sensational Spider-Man Vol 2 #40 – Frees May Parker’s soul from Mephisto
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 #18 – Returns life to killed Abstracts
- The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol 2 #21 – Discusses purpose with the Beyonder
These brief cameos offer glimpses into the abilities and nature of the supreme being within Marvel. One-Above-All’s showings are limited given their infinite scope of power.
Conclusion
One-Above-All stands unchallenged as the supreme cosmic being in Marvel comics. As the absolute omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent force, One-Above-All wields infinite power that supersedes all other entities. While rarely intervening directly, One-Above-All’s abilities shape the underlying fabric of existence within the Marvel multiverse. As the ultimate expression of the Marvel writers, One-Above-All guides the overarching narrative from their transcendent vantage point above all of reality. Within the internal continuity and logic of Marvel, there are none above One-Above-All.