Mythology, Religion & Legend — Power Ranking TOP 100
I wrote a book ranking the most powerful gods, monsters, and heroes from world mythology, religion, and legend! The ranking is heavily influenced by my own perspective, but every placement is grounded in the actual lore and episodes from each mythology, so I think it makes for a satisfying read.
In this post, I’d like to introduce some of the characters featured in the ranking. There are many more beyond the ones mentioned here, so if you’re interested in mythology, religion, or legend, I think you’ll enjoy it!
Rank 98: Saint George (Christianity / The Golden Legend)
Overview
Saint George is one of the most famous saints (one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers) in the Christian world. He is also said to have been a real historical person, serving as a soldier in the 4th century, before being captured and martyred during the Roman Empire’s persecution of Christians.
His most famous legend is “Saint George and the Dragon” — the dragon-slaying story.
There are several different versions of the dragon-slaying legend, but the most well-known is set in the city of Silene in Libya (or Syria), where George slew a powerful poison-breathing dragon that lived in a lake near the city.
George pierced the dragon living in the lake with his spear, then led it alive back to the city.
The city fell into chaos, but George told the townspeople that if they converted to Christianity, he would slay the dragon there and then. The people accepted, and George cut off the dragon’s head.
Why This Ranking
I will be honest — there is something genuinely off-putting about a Christian tradition that presents this as a moving saintly legend (did they really need the forced conversion angle?). But I will refrain from commenting on that aspect in this ranking.
In any case, Saint George joins the ranks of the many dragon-slayers found throughout mythology and legend — but he is a rather difficult figure to evaluate.
The main reason is that the dragon’s power is almost entirely undescribed. However, the city reportedly had a population of over 15,000, so if even the armies of a city that size couldn’t defeat the dragon, it must certainly have been formidable.
Additionally, when George was captured by the Roman Empire, he endured various tortures including flogging and being boiled alive in molten lead — yet survived unharmed, reportedly through divine protection. This confirms that he possessed superhuman resistance.
However, he was ultimately beheaded and died, which means he never exceeded the limits of a human hero. Taking all of this into account, I judged this position in the ranking to be appropriate.
