MCU: Here Is What Makes Thanos So Powerful

Marvel cinematic universe introduced us to plenty of villains from all walks of life, but one that will go down in history as the greatest is Thanos. His character development is not the only memorable thing about him, however, as he is also one of the strongest villains we’ve ever seen grace the silver screen. We all know that cinematic versions of certain characters tend to be a lot weaker than their comic book counterparts, and while this was true with Thanos as well, the difference wasn’t as much as when it came to other characters. Due to that, we decided to explore why Thanos kept a large portion of his comic book might. Let’s see what makes Thanos more powerful in the MCU than other characters, even without the Infinity Gauntlet.

Thanos is powerful and strong in the MCU due to his Titan origins, incredible intelligence, cybernetic enhancements, and, in large part, equipment. Thanos also had centuries of combat experience before he set his sights on Infinity Stones. These factors allowed Thanos to face the Earth’s mightiest defenders, mostly unharmed. Because Thanos was able to be severely injured only by weapons of special origins, it’s clear that he is near the top when it comes to the hierarchy of power.

Now that we’ve covered, in short, what made Thanos a force to reckon with, it’s time to analyze how that exactly applies to the MCU. If you’re interested in more, stay with us and keep reading!

In the MCU, Thanos was a Titan meaning that he was superpowered from the start

MCU changed Thanos’ origin story slightly. There is no mention of the fact that he is an Eternal / Deviant hybrid like he is in the comics. Instead, he hails from the moon Titan, inhabited by a race of extremely advanced superpowered beings. As a Titan, Thanos’ physiology differs greatly from pretty much every else.

Thanos can lift far more than an average human, with the strength being functionally limitless. Despite his bulky presence, he is taller, more durable, faster, and more agile. This is something that Thanos was born with, and even in his weakest form, he could overpower the non-superpowered Avengers like Hawkeye and Black Widow, who were skilled and trained fighters.

Thanos is among the smartest characters in the MCU

Perhaps the most lethal thing about Thanos was his intelligence. We know that Thanos warned the leaders of Titan upfront about what would happen when the population peaked. We also know that they made him out to be a fool instead of actively working on a solution. Thanos was right, of course, not because he was nihilistic from the start but because he noticed all the necessary patterns and made some vital calculations.

Thanos dedicated his whole life to advancing life across the Universe. It just happens that he took the wrong way to reach his goals. Only by diligent research did he learn about the Infinity Stones and where they might be.

He was also a master strategist and a formidable tactician who managed to take control of countless planets. So, how does this make him dangerous and powerful?

Due to everything stated, Thanos could always be a few steps ahead compared to the Avengers. He never did anything “on the fly.” He was a highly rational and meticulous villain who hated to leave anything to chance.

Thanos was enhanced because he hated weakness

Despite having superior physiology from the start, Thanos worked on improving his body. It is unknown to what extent he enhanced himself with technology, but it is clear that he used enhancements to empower himself and the parts of himself that he considered “lacking.” His obsessions with cybernetics resulted in almost all of his children receiving implants.

This is most visible when it comes to Nebula, who was forced to undergo “cybernetic improvements” every time she lost against Gamora. This resulted in Nebula taking on a robotic appearance.

And while Gamora’s and Thanos’ implants aren’t as visible as they are there, Thanos never misses an opportunity to upgrade himself if it turns out that an aspect of him can be considered “weak.”

He has centuries of combat experience

Thanos’ unnaturally long lifespan allowed him to accumulate knowledge and skills in almost all armed and unarmed combat forms. He is a brilliant strategist and a commander and has the necessary skills to back this up.

Before he set his sights on Infinity Stones, Thanos managed to conquer countless planets and decimate half of their populations with his Chitauri army. He did this to achieve his goal of “balance in the universe,” but he likewise took some enjoyment in this as he loved being challenged and he loved to dominate.

Think of the best fighters in the MCU and imagine them with centuries of experience in warfaring and access to the finest technologies in the Universe. This is what Thanos is, which leads us to our next point.

Thanos had access to the most lethal weapons and equipment

Not all of Thanos’ strengths are due to his physiology, intellect, or skills. He also had an entire army of destructive alien beings and access to some of the most powerful technologies in the Universe.

Most of Thanos’ equipment was made from undisclosed metal, but from everything we’ve seen, he wielded some of the most powerful weapons in the Marvel Universe. His double-edged sword was capable of deflecting blows from Mjolnir and Stormbreaker. It also managed to shatter Captain America’s vibranium shield, and all of these weapons are considered among the most powerful in the MCU.

Thanos’ armor was equally strong, being able to tank the full damage of Hulk’s blows. He also relied on massive starships with plenty of destructive potential.

In short, Thanos had access to technology far superior to what Avengers had at the time, and things got only worse when he started collecting the Infinity Stones one by one and reaching a godlike state capable of manipulating reality itself.

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