User blog comment:Marco the Marine Admiral/Laxus' Battle: Another Threesome?/@comment-3290324-20121224035724/@comment-5036235-20121226024253

@Eddie:

It's not only possible but highly probable that Laxus was stronger than Jellal pre-timeskip. Conza has say almost all I wanted to say in his previous post. Though the Thunder Palace and Fairy Law didn't work, they sure did cost great amount of magic power (the truth is that the Thunder Palace did knock Erza, Mirajane and all other FT mages down), not to mention that he has just battle against Mystogan and Erza before fighting Natsu and Gajeel. Also the title of Ten Saint Wizards doesn't mean anything unless you think Jura could beat Gildarts before the 7-year lag.

IMHO Laxus was stronger than Jellal pre-timeskip, but in the 7 years Jellal has surpassed him, though he did a 3-month special training it just shortened the gap.

So, Laxus > Jellal Pre-timeskip and Jellal > Laxus Post-timeskip, that's my point of view (the gap isn't big, they are on the same level at anytime). Actually I checked mangafox and most people there hold the same opinion as me. =)

@Conza:

As Hades stated, he might have already been defeated by Lightning Fire Dragon's Roar without that enormous heart. He has to take of the eyepatch limiter to face off that monster Natsu.

As for Zero, I can't agree more that he was way underestimated!! He is a genius like Jellal and since is twice as old as Jellal, he is much stronger than the young wizard.

Dragon Force Natsu could effortlessly stomp Jellal, one of the Ten Saint Wizards, however he wasn't able to lay a finger on him without using his plot armor Metsuryuu Ougi even after Dragon Force is activated (as seen in the manga). I do like Jellal and Laxus, but I have to admit that they are both no match for Zero at all.

In the filler arc, Gildarts had to use "Crushing the Evil, Spreading the Truth", one of his most powerful attacks, in order to defeat only a string of Zero's hair.

Some people on the Mangafox forum thought that Zero was inferior to Laxus, Jellal or Gildarts, but actually it would be an extremely tough job to defeat Zero even if the three team up. The only one who could defeat Zero is Hades - only if he unleashes Demon's eyes.

Zero > Dragon Force Natsu > Hades with the eyepatch > Makarov > Gildarts > Laxus, Jellal, Bluenote, etc.