This Villain Can Easily Defeat Thanos

The Black Order of Thanos isn’t just powerful—it’s downright formidable, possibly even surpassing the Avengers! 

Among the 6 formidable members, Ebony Maw stands out as the strongest and most trusted lieutenant of Thanos. 

But imagine if we strip away his loyalty—could Ebony Maw become Thanos’s greatest threat?

Rumors and theories abound, and it’s time we explore them. Dive deep with us into this explosive scenario! 

How Strong is Ebony Maw

At first glance, you might underestimate Ebony Maw if you only consider his telekinesis ability. It sounds simple, right? Well, that’s only half of what he can do. 

Ebony Maw’s standout ability lies in his seamless combination of intelligence and telekinesis, allowing him to move and manipulate objects to his will extraordinarily. 

Although Maw’s intelligence might not be heavily emphasized in the MCU, it’s undeniable that he possesses a genius-level intellect to serve as Thanos’s chief strategist and curator.

Furthermore, his intelligence is apparent in his tactical approach, where he employs exceptional situational awareness to enhance his telekinetic and levitation powers. 

This ability enables Maw to navigate the environment and offensively propel a billboard at his opponent without even looking.

As you can tell, Maw appears quite chill during combat, as if he already owns the battlefield.

His telekinesis also gets its own credit when he can alter the trajectory of Cull Obsidian—who is as massive as Hulk—with just a single gentle hand gesture.

A telling comparison is how Thanos and Ebony Maw each faced off against Doctor Strange and Iron Man. 

While Thanos appeared to struggle, Ebony Maw swiftly sent Iron Man flying skyward and quickly tackled Dr. Strange to unconscious.

With this information in hand, it’s challenging to question whether Ebony Maw is stronger than Thanos. Interestingly, it’s worth noting that Thanos was once betrayed by his ally, Ronan – the Accuser.

To examine this theory further, we should analyze scenarios where Ebony Maw could potentially have the upper hand over Thanos.

What If Thanos Faced Off Against Ebony Maw 

As you can glean from the details above, it’s clear that Ebony Maw isn’t one to engage directly in hand-to-hand combat. 

Conversely, Thanos exhibits outstanding speed and strength, as seen in his boxing-style combat against Hulk.

Observing the battle between Scarlet Witch and Thanos, we can infer that Thanos has a significant weakness against magic-related abilities. 

Although Thanos successfully fought Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man simultaneously, their defeat stemmed from engaging in physical and close combat, playing right into Thanos’s strengths. 

In contrast, Scarlet Witch nearly defeated him using her magical abilities by maintaining a safe distance and attacking with force.

Sun Tzu’s words resonate here: “In war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.” Maintaining distance, Maw would certainly have an advantage. 

As a close sidekick, Maw’s intimate knowledge of Thanos and his strategic acumen could significantly aid him.

Additionally, consider the Space Stone. This artifact allows its wielder to manipulate space and teleport. 

Thanos shedding his armor after acquiring the Space Stone and effortlessly stopping Loki’s dagger attack illustrates its power.

With Ebony Maw’s telekinesis, mastering the battlefield environment becomes crucial, and the Space Stone could overtake this advantage.

Thus, the ideal time for Maw to seize his opportunity is when Thanos has not yet acquired the Space Stone. Alternatively, if the Mad Titan has already obtained the Stones, Maw should prioritize detaching the Space Stone first.

Following this analysis, below are two potential strategies for Ebony Maw to effectively confront Thanos:

Way #1: “Tactical” Telekinesis

When Ebony Maw harnesses telekinesis against Thanos, he would be quite reflecting Wanda Maximoff’s tactics during her encounter with the Mad Titan. 

Consider this scenario: Maw could potentially suspend Thanos mid-air, creating a moment of vulnerability. 

If Thanos doesn’t resort to his “rain fire” countermeasure, as he did against Scarlet Witch, Maw might then telekinetically dismantle his internal organs or replicate Scarlet’s near-fatal maneuvers.

Alternatively, maintaining a safe distance in the air could allow Maw to unleash a barrage of long-range attacks. 

This tactical approach leverages Maw’s ability to fly—a clear advantage over Thanos, who lacks this capability. 

Such a fight could very well end in a draw, or more likely, tilt in Maw’s favor as he exploits the aerial advantage and Thanos’s susceptibility to magical assaults.

In essence, if Maw keeps his distance – where Thanos’s brute force becomes less threatening, and smartly utilizes his telekinetic powers, he could very feasibly bring Thanos to his knees. 

Way #2: Counterattack by Thanos’s Swords

Did you catch Thanos’s favorite move in combat? In  ‘Avengers: Endgame,” The Mad Titan reveals that he throws his Uru double-sword at foes out of arm’s reach quite often. 

We’ve seen this during his clash with the Big Three Avengers—throwing the sword while still engaged in combat, much like Captain America with his shield.

But what if Ebony Maw is the one facing this attack? Thanos tosses his blade at Maw, who, quick on the uptake, suspends it mid-air. 

After the throw, Thanos loses his momentum and is rendered unable to move. Then, in a stunning reversal, Maw sends the sword hurtling back, slicing through Thanos—a blade sharp enough to have cleaved Captain America’s shield.

This is the case quite similar to Captain UK – Peggy Carter against Scarlet Witch in the “Doctor Strange in Multiverse of Madness.”

The strategy here is clear: keep a safe distance. As long as Maw stays out of Thanos’ immediate reach and focuses on exploiting his specific vulnerabilities, he could very well tip the scales in his favor.

What do you think? Could this scenario be practical in the MCU? Share your thoughts!