The Unlikely Dragon Ball God Who Made Thanos' Snap Look Soft
Few fictional characters can rival the MCU's Thanos (Josh Brolin), especially after he obtains the Infinity Gauntlet and snaps half of the universe's life out of existence. However, "Dragon Ball Super" introduces one such character whose power is comparable to Thanos' and makes the Snap seem insignificant.
Gods become a staple of Dragon Ball as soon as the original series' Piccolo Jr. Saga introduces Kami. From that point on, Goku gradually meets increasingly important deities, from King Kai to Beerus. The strongest character introduced in all of Dragon Ball is a god named Zeno. Whereas Beerus is in charge of the universe containing Earth and countless other planets, Zeno commands the multiverse, which consists of 12 universes in Dragon Ball canon.
That number used to be larger. At one point, there were 18 universes, but Zeno eliminated Universes 13 through 18 on a whim. His capabilities first factor into "Dragon Ball Super" when Goku summons him to witness the destruction caused by Zamasu in an alternate future timeline. Zeno's solution is to wipe everything in that timeline clean, leaving behind a blank void. Then, during the Universe Survival Saga, Zeno pits eight of the 12 universes against one another, intending to erase each defeated universe. He destroys seven universes during this saga, only for Android 17 to wish them back into existence at the tournament's end. Nevertheless, Zeno has technically eliminated at least 13 universes and one alternate timeline.
Zeno's indifference is what makes him so brutal
Key to Thanos' character in the MCU is the fact that he cares about the state of the universe. He cares so much, in fact, that he stops at nothing to obtain each Infinity Stone and carry out his plan to eliminate half of all life. He firmly believes this act will improve the conditions for everyone and everything remaining. Zeno, by comparison, doesn't care about much of anything, making his world-destroying capabilities all the more intimidating.
At the start of "Avengers: Endgame," Thanos has resigned himself to a quiet life on a remote planet because his plan worked and he desires no further bloodshed. Zeno, meanwhile, doesn't care about winning or losing — he once destroyed six universes because he felt like it. Then, in the Universal Survival Saga, he eliminates seven of his eight chosen universes simply for his own amusement. Whereas Thanos is driven by a clear goal, nothing motivates Zeno beyond his mood. Theoretically, Zeno might one day decide to eliminate the entire multiverse, and as its highest deity, no one could stop him. His powers and the indifference with which he wields them make Zeno an exponentially greater threat than even the mighty Thanos.