Few fantasy series in anime have achieved the same level of popularity as Fairy Tail. With demons, dragons, wizards, and more, it's no surprise that it's become one of the genre's most popular franchises.
Speaking of dragons, few have ever been as imposing or powerful as Acnologia. Throughout the original series, his strength was shown to be far superior to that of everyone else, with Zeref, the series' other main villain, being terrified of his power. Having said that, in Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, new dragons known as the Five Dragon Gods were introduced, with power said to rival Acnologia's. The question is whether this is correct.
How Effective Was Fairy Tale Acnologia?
Acnologia is one of the oldest beings in the Fairy Tail universe, having been a First-Generation Dragon Slayer since the magic's inception. Even before his dragonification, Acnologia was a far more fearsome being than modern-day Dragon Slayers. During the Dragon King Festival, he slaughtered any dragon he came across, even those who sided with and fought for humans. What began as a conflict between two factions evolved into a battle to survive Acnologia's onslaught. By the end of the battle, neither side had won, with Acnologia the only true victor. After overusing his magic, he transformed into a dragon and crowned himself the Dragon King, a testament to his destructive power.
Acnologia was a powerful dragon slayer, but little is known about his magic other than the fact that he is a First-Generation Dragon Slayer. Acnologia, also known as the Arcane Dragon, is capable of rendering other dragons half-dead by reaping their souls, and he appears immune to all forms of conventional magic, absorbing any element or magic into himself to replenish or boost his strength. This was due, at least in part, to him devouring and bathing in the blood of the dragons he killed, which may have granted him Fifth-Generation Dragon Slayer abilities. He could even switch between human and dragon forms, allowing him to take advantage of both.
Given how powerful he was, it's not surprising that Acnologia was only injured a few times throughout the series. While Igneel, the Fire Dragon King and one of the most powerful dragons in history, was able to sever one of his arms, Acnologia was able to kill him, demonstrating the disparity in their power. This result may have been due in part to Igneel's power dwindling by the moment during their fight, but it doesn't mean Acnologia didn't win.The only other times Acnologia was shown to be hurt or affected by his opponents' attacks were either when they trapped him on a ship, taking advantage of his intense motion sickness, and during the attack that ultimately killed him, which was a spell that combined the power of seven different powerful Dragon Slayers into one.
Is Acnologia in 100 Years Quest more powerful than the Five Dragon Gods?
The Five Dragon Gods, who live on the northern continent of Guiltina, are easily some of Fairy Tail's most powerful beings. Although they are said to have power comparable to Acnologia's, it is difficult to determine whether they are stronger than the corrupted Dragon Slayer. Originally, these dragons fled to Guiltina during the Dragon King Festival to avoid being killed by Acnologia. They eventually realized, however, that they had grown strong enough to not have to worry about a conflict with him. Instead, the Dragon Gods focused on themselves, keeping each other in check and establishing a balance of power while never actually communicating.
To be able to stop fearing Acnologia's wrath, each of these dragons must possess enormous power, which all of those shown thus far do. Selene, the Moon Dragon God, is possibly the most evil of them all. She can cross dimensions because her power is based on the stars and the moon. Her power allows her to travel between Edolus, Earthland, and even Elentear, a magically rich realm that she was also able to conquer seemingly effortlessly. Despite her strength, she is terrified of the other Dragon Gods' power.
Mercphobia, the Water Dragon God, is capable of splitting the ocean and even moving the sea into the sky. His power is so immense that he can barely control or contain it, to the point where it causes abnormally high tides that sink entire towns and cities. Natsu needed to absorb Ignia's flames in order to stop Mercphobia's rampage, and this was when Mercphobia was already significantly weakened after having his magic stolen. Aldoran, the Wood Dragon God, is quite possibly the largest being in all of Fairy Tail, with the largest city on the continent of Guiltina resting comfortably in the palm of its hand. Capable of "commanding life," he is able to absorb the life forces of those that live on him unknowingly, essentially turning them into nutrients.
Can Acnologia be defeated by the Five Dragon Gods in a fight?
Even with the Five Dragon Gods' strength, it's difficult to believe they could have defeated Acnologia. While their power is said to be comparable, Acnologia had the distinct advantage of being immune to all forms of magic. Aside from the fatal attack, the only time he was shown to be damaged was against Igneel, which was more about brute strength than anything else.
Even if any of the Five Dragon Gods were physically stronger than Acnologia, he could have defeated them by fighting smarter and avoiding too many direct attacks. Granted, this is a big "if," as Zeref stated that Acnologia had been desperately looking for beings who could fight him. This could imply that he never fought to the best of his abilities until the very end. Furthermore, since he was able to conquer the world in an alternate future, he most likely had to kill the Dragon Gods in order to do so. Unfortunately, there probably won't ever be a way of confirming this one way or another, as Acnologia has long since died, but it's important to remember that he wasn't crowned the Dragon King for no good reason.
