Ben 10 began his self-named series as a 10-year-old boy who gained access to a variety of different monster forms via a device called the Omnitrix. The alien forms on the Omnitrix ranged from those that moved at incredibly high speeds, to those that had extra limbs, and Ben utilized every one to fight an entire roster of bad guys.
Over the years Ben and his Omnitrix have gotten stronger, making him arguably one of the strongest cartoon characters on television. Even so, there are plenty of characters that could still go toe to toe with him in a fight, and just as many who’d want to avoid facing him and any of his Omnitrix forms.
10 On His Level: From Steven Universe’s Steven Universe
Steven Universe isn’t a formidable foe in just physical strength or magical ability alone, his mental fortitude is also unmatched by most. Having gone through a multitude of difficult situations that all snowballed from losing his mother, Steven is one of the most formidable cartoon foes.
But just like any good hero, Steven’s heart is big and pure, which is what sets him apart from other strong characters. He’s always willing to leap into action to defend even the most dastardly villains, his empathetic nature often overtaking his senses.
9 Nowhere Close: Gravity Falls’ Dipper Pines
Dipper may be a fan of strange goings-on and end up in situations far too wacky for him to comprehend, but that doesn’t mean his strength is any crazier than the average 13-year-old boy. He has plenty of guts, a large amount of curiosity, and a willingness for adventure, but he doesn’t have any magical transformations or powers.
That doesn’t necessarily count Dipper out completely. His math ability is next to none and he can solve complex equations in his sleep, so while he may not be able to go toe to toe with Ben, he could stump him in a trivia contest.
8 On His Level: American Dragon’s Jake Long
The American Dragon himself, Jake Long’s arduous journey from normal teenage boy to the magical dragon guardian of America has taught him many priceless skills and plenty of invaluable life lessons. Just like Ben, Jake takes on another form when he transforms into a dragon, and gains all the fun perks to go with it.
And also like Ben, Jake is a young boy who had the weight of the world pressed upon his shoulders – and became a better person for it. Kids their age wouldn’t be able to handle so much responsibility, but Jake pushes through.
7 Nowhere Close: Flapjack The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack’s Flapjack
Some characters can be strong, but just not as strong as a character like Ben, Flapjack is simply weak – ironically that’s one of his most endearing traits. Naive, gullible, and overly friendly, Flapjack is a recipe for disaster in all the best ways.
There’s a reason his show is aptly named The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack because that’s exactly what happens ninety-nine percent of the time. Luckily for Flapjack, he always has Bubbie watching over him, so learning to be independent and strong isn’t high on his priority list.
6 On His Level: Voltron: Legendary Defender’s Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane
Compassionate, kind, and genetically enhanced, Shiro was an incredibly strong leader even before the events of Voltron: Legendary Defender. Known as an exceptionally skilled pilot and champion of the Galra arena, Shiro has been through enough to last ten lifetimes.
In difficult moments, Shiro was always the person the rest of the Paladins would turn to for guidance. Anybody can have personal strength, but he can provide that same strength to those around him, making him particularly formidable. Whether opponents catch Shiro on his own or with his family, they’re likely to lose.
5 Nowhere Close: Adventure Time’s Lumpy Space Princess
The apathetic princess that loves nothing more than telling people to “lump off,” Lumpy Space Princess, LSP, is strong in the Adventure Time universe, but strength alone doesn’t put her on the same level as Ben.
Completely lacking any drive or motivation to do anything, and actively pulling stunts that harm other people to remain the center of attention, LSP has a lot of growing to do before she reaches hero status.
4 On His Level: Powerpuff Girls’ Buttercup Utonium
Sheer power in a pint-sized package, Powerpuff Girls‘ Buttercup has the might of someone ten times her size and twice as old. She has no problems beating down the villains that cross her path every day, still maintaining a normal life in-between.
While she tends to be hot-headed and fiery, Buttercup is surprisingly level-headed when it comes to battle, especially if it involves saving someone in need. Despite being the toughest of the trio, her heart is just as golden.
3 Nowhere Close: The Regular Show Mordecai Michael Peterson
Appropriately reflecting the title of the show, Mordecai is completely and utterly regular. Laidback and patient, Mordecai is the more balanced one out of him and his best friend Rigby and is considerably better at social situations too.
He has plenty of flaws though, like his inability to express his emotions or the way he takes care of Rigby as if he wasn’t capable of taking care of himself, but that’s what makes Mordecai so normal. Being regular isn’t bad, it just means Mordecai isn’t going to defend galaxies anytime soon.
2 On His Level: Danny Phantom’s Danny Fenton
This titular protagonist gained a multitude of special abilities after becoming a half-human, half-ghost hybrid during a lab accident, and has chosen to protect his town and family ever since. Danny barely flinched at the chance to help his loved ones, even though it’d put him in harm’s way.
He still has all the problems a teenage boy would have to deal with though, like struggling around his crush and keeping his grades up, which makes it even more impressive that he remains such a powerful hero.
1 Nowhere Close: Rick & Morty’s Jerry Smith
While Jerry is slowly improving as a person on Rick And Morty, transforming from a sniveling coward to a man who’s willing to fight a super-genius for his family, he’s still leagues behind his son, let alone anybody else.
On the show, Jerry isn’t a villain, but he certainly isn’t a hero either. He often fails to be selfless or compassionate and tends to put his own needs above those of the group. Viewers don’t blame Jerry for not liking Rick, but they do blame him for failing repetitively due to his actions.
About The Author
