There are plenty of formidable Devils in the Chainsaw Man universe. Each of these monsters is capable of world-ending devastation if there's enough fear associated with their names. Some names that come to mind include the Gun Devil, the Devil Hybrids, the Four Horsemen, and the Primal Fears. However, fans have needed to speculate for a long time on the strongest Devil. A few concepts for a Devil among Devils were passed around, but nothing would be concrete without the author's input.
Chapter 146, "Chainsaw Man War," finally provided the input fans sought. This chapter confirmed that the Death Devil, the eldest sister of the Four Horsemen, was the single strongest Devil in the series. Many fans guessed Death would at least be one of the highest-leveled Devils, but this chapter validated those suspicions. Additionally, the arrival of this Devil is said to be the start of an apocalyptic scenario that will lead to the end of humankind. It's going to take drastic measures on Chainsaw Man's side to stop this Devil from bringing an end to humanity. The only way to stop this all-powerful Devil is with a similarly all-powerful Devil.
How Chainsaw Man Devils Get Their Power
In Chainsaw Man, Devils are born based on different concepts. They can embody everyday things, like animals, to abstract concepts, like the cosmos. There may be a Devil for everything a person can think of. A Devil's power is based on how feared they are. For example, a Chicken Devil or a Tomato Devil would be weak because nobody fears those things. Scarier things, like weapons or the concept of eternity, make for a more powerful Devi. Some Devils increase fear of themselves through notoriety, like the Gun Devil or Chainsaw Devil; conversely, becoming loved or admired (however it may happen) would weaken them. The highest-level Devils are based on primal fears, like darkness or falling; these Devils aren't known to have been defeated. The scarier the concept of their existence is, the greater their power.
The Four Horsemen all hover around the top of the Devil hierarchy. These Devils are named for the same concepts as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the Book of Revelation, including War and Famine. These Devils are so powerful that one of them, the Control Devil, sought to "save the world" by using the Chainsaw Devil to eliminate the others. All these things that make Devils strong have led to the Death Devil, the eldest sister among the Four Horsemen, being the strongest. One could argue there are scarier concepts than death, especially in a world like Chainsaw Man, where the mortality rate is so naturally high. However, Chainsaw Man sticks with the idea that death is dreaded above everything else – it comes for everyone, it can't be stopped, and it's the end. Even if some people find certain concepts scarier than death, having it as an ultimate enemy is justifiable and credible. If she's like the primal fear Devils, she's invincible.
What Is the Plan for Beating the Death Devil?
Ordinarily, death would have to be left alone. As tragic as dying is, it's a natural part of life that happens to everyone. The best anyone can do about it is to make the most of their time among the living. However, Chainsaw Man's story is approaching a doomsday scenario. According to the Nostradamus's prophecy, humanity will go extinct in July 1999. The Death Devil will be the one to herald this apocalypse. While the prophecy can't be changed, Fami is convinced actions can be taken to change its meaning and save humanity. As such, defeating her eldest sister, at least in this scenario, is necessary for everyone to continue living. The Horseman can always be reborn anyway.
The Chainsaw Man Church has devised a Machiavellian, if evil, scheme for beating the Death Devil. They had an estimated 350,000 people around the world enter a contract with who they assumed to be the Justice Devil in exchange for power and being transformed into their desired form. However, the Devil they contracted with was the Fire Devil, which turned them into mindless Chainsaw-Man-like Devils. These pseudo-Chainsaw Men went on a rampage and attacked civilians. It was all part of Fami's plan – to make the world fear Chainsaw Man (and war), thus creating a force powerful enough to counter her eldest sister.
Fami's plan will likely work, as morbid as it may be. Even if all the pseudo-Chainsaw Men are stopped, they will have caused enough death, destruction, and chaos to instill the fear of Chainsaw Man in humanity again. This would also undo all the fame and adoration that weakened Chainsaw Man in Part I. Whatever the conclusion of the crisis, the result should be a Chainsaw man who is more powerful than ever before. Of course, this part of the plan is targeted at Chainsaw Man. A similarly gruesome plan may be employed to ensure the War Devil is also strong enough to fight her sister. It will result in more deaths, but it's the only way Fami can think of to save humanity.
Are There Any Other Devils Who Can Beat Death?
The Death Devil is hailed as the "super-duper strongest Devil with the name feared most of all," there may be other Devils who can stand up to her. If Makima's battle with the Darkness Devil is anything to go off of, the Horsemen can be backed into a corner in an extended fight with the Primal Fear Devils. Of course, death is likely classified as another Primal Fear, so that weakness doesn't count for much. However, this confrontation proved that neither the Primal Fears nor the Horsemen are unbeatable. Death being both would make her strong but not invincible. Several concepts people find scarier than death in the real world. For example, part of what makes death so frightening is the lack of understanding of what happens after one dies; in other words, the unknown gives death its fearful power over people. Some people find the pains of living hard to face – anxiety, depression, grief, failure, humiliation, etc. Some of these concepts are enough to torture a person and feel like "a fate worse than death."
Additionally, there could be Devils based on the power system Chainsaw Man has established. If there's a Devil for virtually every concept, there should be a Devil of Devils or a Fear Devil. Such Devils would represent their kind and thus be superior to all others, including the Death Devil. Unfortunately, since Chapter 146 already confirmed the Death Devil is the strongest, the manga likely won't get this meta. It will probably stick to its pre-established plan of relying on the Chainsaw and War Devils to become strong enough to beat this supreme Devil. There could be a few more wild cards thrown into the mix (like the other Horsemen and Devil Hybrids), but it will be up to Denji and Asa to save the day again.
