The Hulk is arguably the strongest Avenger. He contends with Thor for the top spot.
The Hulk’s incredible strength and fighting ability make him almost unbeatable. Iron Man had to forge a special Hulkbuster suit to contend with the Hulk. In the comics, the Hulk has even torn a planet apart.
Given that amount of power, it’s surprising that Hulk lost to Thanos. How did Thanos beat the Hulk so easily? Much of the explanation comes down to Thanos’s fighting skills. Yet, the Hulk’s anger, or lack thereof, also plays a role.
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How Did Thanos Beat the Hulk in the MCU?
In Avengers: Infinity War, audiences saw the Hulk fight Thanos. The Hulk surprised and drove at Thanos, but the latter turned the fight into a stunning defeat. How?
The primary explanation is that Thanos showed off a superior fighting style that the Hulk could not match. He had the power and ability to beat the Hulk.
The directors of the movie, Joe and Anthony Russo, similarly said that Thanos is “just that powerful.” Thanos’s power and fighting skills won that day over the Hulk, who is “a little more mindless in his fighting style.”
The more skilled fighter appears to win out when strength is about equal.
Marvel fans tend to agree, pointing out that Thanos is a more skilled fighter with better defensive and offensive strengths.
Thanos could also be smarter, and that helps explain his quick defeat of the Hulk.
Although he’s called the Mad Titan, Thanos is highly intelligent. Some contend that he is smarter than Tony Stark, who is considered beyond genius.
Thanos can draw on his intelligence to outwit the Hulk. Bruce Banner is a smart scientist, but when he transforms into the Hulk his rage sometimes gets the better of him.
As this video breakdown reminds us, this is not the first time the Hulk has been beaten by his anger. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Iron Man in his specialized armor defeats the Hulk. The primary reason why is due to Hulk’s anger and rage.
As the Hulk realizes the destruction he created, Iron Man capitalizes on the Hulk’s distracted state. The Hulk calmed slightly and Iron Man landed a crushing Hulkbuster blow.
In his fight with Thanos, so the argument runs, the Hulk may not have been angry enough to win. If the fight had been longer, the Hulk would have defeated Thanos.
Or, if Professor Hulk emerged by this point, instead of in Avengers: Endgame, we may have seen a different outcome too.
Additional commentary has pointed to the goals of the Infinity War movie. Not only would the movie have been shorter if the Hulk won, but Thanos needed to come forward as the most threatening villain.
Because of fighting skills, anger, and movie goals, Thanos beat the Hulk.
Did Thanos Beat Hulk in the Comics?
The Hulk is not only the potentially strongest Avenger. He is also one of the strongest superheroes, especially in the comics.
When the Hulk gets hurt, his power grows, instead of diminishing. That makes him a tough opponent.
Yet, in the comics, Thanos seems to still prevail. In the Thanos v. Hulk storyline they fight multiple times with Thanos winning without the Infinity Stones.
Recent comics also made Thanos stronger than the Hulk. He also has better control of his anger.
In the comics and the MCU, Thanos triumphs over the Hulk.
Did Thanos Use the Power Stone to Beat Hulk?
With a quick win over the Hulk, many fans thought the Power Stone explained how Thanos did it.
Yet, as articles about The Infinity Stone and the directors of the movie said, Thanos did not use the Power Stone to defeat the Hulk.
However, Thanos may have needed it to defeat him. In the comic Thanos Quest, Thanos talks about how he fears fighting the Hulk. He appears afraid to take the Hulk on without the Infinity Stones.
Once Thanos gets the Power Stone, then, it may have given him the extra courage to confront the Hulk. The Power Stone may have provided a psychological advantage that Thanos drew on to beat the Hulk.
In this same comic, though, Thanos beats an opponent considered to be more powerful than the Hulk, the Champion. As with the Hulk, Thanos appears to outwit the Champion.
So, Thanos does not outright use the Power Stone to beat the Hulk but it may have provided some advantage.
Would Thanos Beat the Immortal Hulk?
From the Marvel comics, we have the outrageously strong Immortal Hulk. This Hulk waits inside Bruce Banner until Banner is injured by nightfall, then springs forward with a gamma ray power capable of destroying a planet.
The Immoral Hulk does not die. He comes back to life and reforms himself after his injuries. With such power, how would Thanos fare now?
Some Marvel fans think that this Hulk would win easily. In this scenario, the Mad Titan is no match.
According to the evolution of the Hulk, this would make sense. The Immortal Hulk ranks among the top characters in the Marvel Universe, and he could be stronger than the Cosmic Hulk or She-Hulk–the latter may have unlimited strength and endurance.
Yet, the same fan commentary also points to the opposite conclusion-that any incarnation of the Hulk would lose to Thanos.
This explanation comes back to the fighting style and intelligence of Thanos. Even with immortality, the Hulk appears to fall.
Thanos and the Hulk
The MCU fight placed Thanos as the winner in a fight with the Hulk. Fans may disagree with this outcome, and the comics provide some indication that the Hulk could win.
Yet, Thanos wins out from film to comics. His fighting skills and intelligence combine for an edge over the Hulk.
Todd Wahlstrom is a creative and analytical freelance writer and life-long Star Wars fan who has expanded into writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has written about recent shows such as The Mandalorian and Andor and classic topics like Darth Vader, the Jedi, and Boba Fett. His recent articles include the MCU’s Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor. Todd is the author of a non-fiction book, holds a Ph.D. in history, and enjoys hiking, running, and reading about science.