Throughout history, humans have looked to the sky and, next to them, for a hero. Legends and mythologies tell about beings or people with mystical powers. With the invention of film comes the manifestation of characters who are now considered “overpowered” or “OP.” These characters can be gods, but they can also be humans with extraordinary abilities. Additionally, an overpowered character could be otherworldly or futuristic like an alien or humanoid. Among overpowered characters, the commonality is they’re often on a mission to either protect or destroy.
Some overpowered characters are superheroes who were gifted or born with their powers, like Steve Rogers or Superman, while other overpowered characters are villains like Megatron or Sauron. But franchises or comic book heroes aren’t the only overpowered characters in film. Sometimes an overpowered person is someone like Scott Pilgrim, who’s only overpowered by his love for a classmate. Or there are characters like V from V for Vendetta, who is human, but highly trained in taking on a group of warriors. Just as overpowered characters can be human or alien, some characters like Imhotep or The Mask are practitioners of magic of imbued with magical powers.
20 The Terminator — The Terminator
One of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most iconic roles is The Terminator in the Terminator franchise. A cybernetic assassin from the future who can disguise himself as an organic life-form. He is the epitome of an overpowered character.
19 Neo — The Matrix
Neo is one of the most powerful in The Matrix franchise because of his telekinetic abilities that are powered through his own will to do them. Additionally, Neo’s martial arts techniques are near futuristic. Considering his physical and mental powers, Neo is an overpowered character you don’t want to cross.
18 Steve Rogers / Captain America — MCU
An asthmatic who fought bullies twice his size and jumps on grenades is a headache of a friend. But the MCU‘s Steve Rogers’ morality is why he became Captain America. He is an otherwise ordinary human injected with a serum that would heighten his mental and physical abilities. Captain America isn’t necessarily on a mission, but when he has an assignment, he certainly makes it his personal task.
17 King Kong — King Kong
One of the few animals to be an Overpowered character is King Kong. Due to his massive size and fighting skills, Kong is a mighty force. He has taken on creatures like a T-Rex and walked away triumphant with barely a scratch!
16 The Mask — The Mask
Stanley Ipkiss from The Mask is an insecure and overworked bank employee who stumbles upon a mask imbued with magical powers. While Stanley himself isn’t overpowered, who he transforms into while wearing the mask is an overpowered character. He has the abilities of cartoon characters where he essentially bounces back from being run over or can drop anvils on people.
15 Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader — Star Wars
As a child, Anakin Skywalker was a self-taught mechanic, but it was his natural abilities with The Force that caught they eye of Master Qui-Gon Jinn. During his Jedi training throughout Star Wars, Anakin showed prowess with a lightsaber. Between his physical and metaphysical abilities, Darth Vader became a feared person in the galaxy.
14 Sauron — Lord of the Rings
One of the most overpowered villains in all film history is Sauron from Lord of the Rings. He was originally known as Maia, the creator of the One Ring. When he died, his life force became tied to the ring, and he transformed into a fiery eye that oversaw Mordor, the land at the foot of Mount Doom.
13 Imhotep — The Mummy
According to Looper, the character of Imhotep in the 1932 film The Mummy was created by famed screenwriter Nina Wilcox Putnam. In the remake starring Brendan Fraser, the story of Imhotep was much deeper. He was able to manipulate the elements and creatures through will alone.
12 Metro Man — Megamind
In Megamind, the hero of Metro City is Metro Man. He is a Superman-adjacent character with an intoxicating charisma. Like Superman, he is overpowered due to his super speed, ability to fly, and X-ray vision.
11 Jason Voorhees — Friday the 13th
Of the villains in horror-slasher films, Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th is one of the most formidable. From his domineering physical appearance to his skills with a machete, he is an overpowered character on par with Darth Vader. However, it isn’t just his skill set that makes him overpowered: he’s also indestructible which is the ultimate power up.
10 Beetlejuice — Beetlejuice
When Barbara and Adam die and haunt their house in Beetlejuice, they encounter plenty of scary creatures. But it’s Beetlejuice who is the scarier. His powers of transformation and reality manipulation make him an overpowered character you definitely shouldn’t run into if you can avoid him.
9 Constantine — Constantine
In Constantine, John Constantine is a broody superhero and occult expert. His powers include the ability to expel demons possessing people and traveling between Earth, Heaven, and Hell. He is considered to be overpowered because he is able to communicate with demons and angels in their original form, meaning they do not need a human vessel to be heard by him.
8 Bruce — Bruce Almighty
Typically, communicating with God is a one-way street. But Bruce (Jim Carrey) in Bruce Almighty is imbued with God’s powers. At first, he uses them for his advantage, but quickly sees how he can help others. He is one of the few overpowered characters whose intentions change upon the realization of the power they wield.
7 Megatron — Transformers
Leader of the Decepticons and hater of humanity, Megatron is virtually indestructible. He is the ultimate alien and overpowered for this reason. Even if he were destructible, he’d still be a formidable fighter as his strength is beyond that of Optimus Prime in Transformers.
6 Clark Kent / Superman — DCEU
Superman might be from the planet of Krypton and put in a position of being a superhero, but he is an overpowered character nonetheless in the DCEU. Among his powers are super speed, ultra strength, and laser-vision, though at the center of his powers is his bodily control when he’s emotional.
5 Percy Jackson — Percy Jackson & The Olympians
The son of a human woman named Sally and the Greek God Poseidon, Percy Jackson is born with his powers in Percy Jackson & The Olympians. His main powers are his genius intellect, strength, and speed. But as a demigod, his powers in cytokinesis and elemental manipulation are what make him overpowered.
4 Scott Pilgrim — Scott Pilgrim vs The World
When Scott meets Ramona in Scott Pilgrim vs The World, he falls head over heels for her. But in order for her to commit to him, he must defeat her seven exes who have superhuman abilities. Among his powers are understanding, love, and his fighting style, which mimics that of a video game character.
3 Van Helsing — Van Helsing
Everyone knows about Dracula and the legend behind him, but the unsung hero of the novel is a vampire hunter named Van Helsing. As Cultura Colectiva explains, the fictional character is inspired by Ármin Vámbéy, a famed traveler, and Paracelsus, an alchemist and astrologist. In the film starring Hugh Jackman, Van Helsing is a contentious monster hunter who easily can take on Dracula, Mr. Hyde, and werewolves.
2 V — V for Vendetta
Disenfranchisement can be a huge motivator in someone becoming a hero. In V for Vendetta, V is considered a terrorist for his attempts to take down a dystopian government led by corrupt individuals. His powers include a genius intellect, super stealth, and master swordsmanship.
1 The Invisible Man — The Invisible Man
While fear might be in what can be perceived, the Invisible Man is more terrifying than any monster or creature imaginable. Plenty of overpowered characters are the results of a scientific mishap, but The Invisible Man is the scientist who suffers the mishap. In addition to being invisible, he is also highly intellectual, which aids in his ability to manipulate others.
