Warning: contains spoilers for King in Black #1!
Who would win in a fight: Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, or Knull, the King in Black? Since the latter burst onto the scene in Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman’s Venom run, this has been a question on fans’ minds. The problem was that readers only knew scant amounts about Knull and his origins and powers, but now after the first issue of King in Black, it looks like there just may be a definitive answer.
Both Galactus and Knull are supremely powerful entities in the Marvel Universe. The two are capable of destroying whole planets, and in Galactus’ case, he must in order to feed. Galactus and Knull both predate the current Marvel Universe – Galactus was the last survivor of the preceding universe, and Knull was the primal darkness before creation. And both of them are representative of some aspect of existence: Knull is the embodiment of the void, and Galactus represents balance. But they are on opposite ends: Galactus seeks, in his way, to balance creation whereas Knull wishes to take the universe back to the darkness before the first light. With these opposing philosophies, a conflict between the two is almost inevitable… so who would win?
Galactus and Knull’s power is cosmic in nature, with each capable of laying waste to whole planets. The Celestials are considered some of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe – often held up as supremely powerful – but both Knull and Galactus have shown the ability to defeat them. Galactus must be fully charged to do so, and while Knull’s combat with the Celestials wasn’t shown, King in Black #1 showed he had seemingly used symbiotes to bend them to his will. Knull also has the ability to change shape, a trait Galactus lacks. Since Knull was able to take control of Celestials, the question must be asked: can Knull do the same to Galactus? It might seem so, but remember Galactus is more powerful than the Celestials and will not fall as fast.
Knull also uses weapons such as his Necrosword, which has slain many cosmic beings, and is likely a weapon that could harm Galactus. Galactus himself uses weapons, such as the Ultimate Nullifier, and his power has been shown to be effective against Knull. In Silver Surfer: Black, the Surfer uses the last of his power, which seems to at least harm Knull. This power was gifted by Galactus, who the Silver Surfer has fallen to in the past, suggesting that at full charge, Galactus could likely defeat Knull.
Sadly, that’s unlikely to happen, as Knull’s real advantage is his army of symbiotes and Grendel dragons. While Galactus has employed single heralds in the past, and they are powerful, Knull’s army is enough to blot out the sun, and they come with the ability to latch onto and control even powerful superhumans. If Galactus had consumed several worlds, and Knull couldn’t call for back-up, the Devourer of Worlds might just triumph if he could keep out of reach of Knull’s Necrosword. But in any real-world fight, Knull has the weapons, assistance, and even raw power to topple Galactus. Sadly, it looks like the heroes of Earth will need another solution to end the threat of the King in Black.
