Thor is one of the strongest Avengers out there, and if he’s done one thing that many other Avengers haven’t done, it involves killing Thanos.
You can make the argument that he would have pulled this off in Infinity War if Thanos hadn’t snapped. But he definitely killed Thanos in Endgame. At least until the Avengers went back in time and 2014 Thanos found his way into the present.
But in what ways can Thor really beat Thanos? As the God of Thunder, he has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. So here are 12 ways that Thor can defeat the Mad Titan.
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1 – Using Stormbreaker
Thor had two trademark weapons during the Infinity Saga: Mjolnir and, later, Stormbreaker. In Infinity War, he helped create the ax by absorbing full-on energy from a star. This allowed the new weapon to generate enough power to kill Thanos.
If Thor wielded Stormbreaker, he would defeat Thanos easily, as implied during Infinity War’s climactic scene.
Even if Thanos enters a one-on-one fight wielding the gauntlet, Thor’s still winning this thing. He only needs to aim for the Stones.
2 – Using Odinforce
Thanos may be a powerful Titan, but as a God, Thor’s powers can go unmatched. This is especially true when he receives the Odinforce, which occurred in the comics.
Once Thor succeeded Odin in taking the Asgardian throne, he also obtained the Odinforce. And while he must go into Odinsleep to recharge after using this ability long-term, it also augments his powers so much that Thanos wouldn’t stand a chance against the God of Thunder.
3 – With Cosmic Psychokinesis
This is a newer power that Thor could not have used to defeat Thanos until he discovered his true origin.
When Thor learned the Phoenix, and not Frigga, was his real mother in the comics, it unlocked his ability to use Cosmic Psychokinesis. This power lets Thor conjure and weaponize an infinite flame with Stormbreaker.
We know there is a possibility that Thor can already kill Thanos with Stormbreaker, as outlined in an above section. But if Thor adds Cosmic Psychokinesis, the odds of Thanos winning this fight just became slim to none.
4 – God Blast
Thanos is so powerful that few attacks can kill him, but Thor’s God Blast is one of those attacks. The God Blast isn’t possible unless Thor is bound to Mjolnir or Stormbreaker, but once bound, he can unleash what might be his most powerful attack on this list.
This attack will kill anything Thor aims it at. So even if Thanos has superhuman durability to the point he’s practically immortal, he won’t survive Thor’s God Blast.
5 – Superhuman Senses
As a God, Thor’s senses are greater than any individual’s. He can hear an opponent coming from miles away and if he has a good vantage point, he will see them.
And while Thanos could use his own superhuman senses, one problem with the Mad Titan is that his ego is so large it’s his biggest weakness.
So while Thor would use these senses to detect Thanos, it’s less likely the Titan would use them, especially given all the times he’s beaten Thor in the comics.
This is a case where Thanos would let his guard down, and Thor would take full advantage of the Mad Titan’s foolishness.
6 – Earth Control
Thor is already well-versed in manipulating the weather, but he is also capable of controlling the Earth element. With his Earth Control, Thor could move entire land masses until he traps Thanos.
And if by any chance the Mad Titan takes flight, the God of Thunder could use the weather as a contingency plan. So whether Thanos tries to battle Thor high or low, don’t expect the Titan to fare well the second Thor moves the Earth.
7- Mind Control
As an Asgardian God, Thor has physical strength that most people can’t match. But his mental strength is also above and beyond that of a mortal human’s. He can resist mind control attacks from an opponent, but he can also evoke the power of his mind onto others.
Against Thanos, Thor might find this to be relatively easy, since the Titan can have an inflated ego. We know the Thunder God can alter memories and thoughts, so this is what he could do against Thanos the minute the Titan gives him the opportunity.
8 – Warrior Madness
Thanos is one of the strongest villains in the MCU, so if he’s going against Thor at full go, the Thunder God may need to enhance his own abilities. Warrior Madness lets Thor augment his durability and strength, and he’ll need both to take down Thanos.
Once in this state, Thor enters what is called a berserker rage, and it could lead him to attack anyone. Therefore, if he were to fight Thanos in this state, it’s best he does so in a one-on-one setting with no one around.
Thor’s Warrior Madness maneuver is so powerful that it’s one reason many believe he is the MCU’s strongest Avenger.
Even when facing someone with Thanos’ size, strength, and experience, Thor would quickly defeat the Mad Titan when he enters Warrior Madness.
9 – Teleportation
This is a power that Thor gets not through Mjolnir or Stormbreaker, but through rune magic. When this power is invoked, the God of Thunder can travel to different dimensions within seconds, which would make it quite tough for Thanos to keep up with him.
Once Thor runs the Mad Titan ragged, he only needs to teleport then reappear behind Thanos, then win this fight either with Mjolnir or Stormbreaker.
While we also know Thanos can teleport using his Space Throne, we don’t know if its range matches Thor’s. But even if it did, few Marvel characters know the Nine Realms better than Thor or any Asgardian.
Therefore, if Thor used teleportation as a method to defeat Thanos, the Asgardian God would hold a distinct advantage over the Titan.
However, if Thanos had the Space Stone, his teleportation range grows substantially. So Thor would have a tougher time against the Titan if the latter possessed this stone in a theoretical fight.
10 – Lightning Strikes
Thor channels many abilities either through Mjolnir or Stormbreaker. And his ability to manipulate weather patterns is one of those abilities.
We often see Thor conjure lightning. Thor could use this power regardless of where he and Thanos are fighting; he could send a lightning blast Thanos’ way at both close and long ranges.
11 – Flight
While Thanos can fly in the comics, Thor too can take to the skies or the cosmos and defeat any opponent, the Mad Titan included. However, Thanos cannot fly in the films.
This would give the MCU version of Thor a massive advantage, allowing him to take multiple vantage points on the Titan to land the best strike possible.
While Thanos is capable of superhuman speed and durability, the God of Thunder can fly faster than the speed of sound and, with his hammer, the speed of light.
12 – If Thanos Had the Infinity Stones
We saw in Infinity War that Thor could have won the fight for the Avengers had he separated Thanos from the Infinity Stones. He had the opportunity to do this, but he drilled Stormbreaker through Thanos’ chest instead of the head.
Had Thor severed Thanos’ head, there’s no way the Mad Titan would have been able to snap. Likewise, Thor could have gone for the arm containing the Infinity Stones and severed it from Thanos’ body, which would have also prevented the infamous Blip.
Sion Fawkes has been covering Star Wars since January 2022, expanding his expertise in Star Wars Canon, Legends, and MCU. When not writing, you can find Sion in the gym or running trails. He also likes watching sports and listening to audiobooks.