Thor and Captain Marvel literally blasted one another to the other side of the planet when they fought once, so who comes out on top in a brawl?
Captain Marvel has become as well-known as superhero mainstays Iron Man, Thor and Captain America, due in no small part to her blockbuster solo movie and her pivotal role in Avengers: Endgame. Carol Danvers, the human alter-ego of the current Captain Marvel (there were a cool half dozen before her) first appeared as a civilian supporting cast member in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 (March, 1968) and first gained her considerable superpowers in Ms. Marvel #1 (January, 1977). Marvel has crossed paths with the God of Thunder multiple times in the ensuing 43 years, but usually as allies. They're two of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel universe, but which one is more powerful?
Thor and Captain Marvel actually have fought, in Captain Marvel #12 (2019). In that issue - written by Kelly Thompson with art by Lee Garbett - Captain Marvel and Thor literally punch and blast one another from one side of the planet to the other. “You are no match for a god…”, Thor says to Danvers after toasting her with a lightning blast from Mjolnir, “…let alone a god with one of the most powerful weapons in this or any universe.” “I know,” Danvers replies as she disarms Thor by blasting his hammer into deep space. She then not only pummels Thor with blasts of her cosmic power, but later presents his severed head (yep, she went for the head) to the villainous Vox Supreme! A hoax? A dream? A What If scenario? Nope, it was just a clone of Thor’s head. Danvers had stashed the real Thor in a secretive pocket universe for safekeeping while she figured out how to defeat the villain.
So Captain Marvel did indeed defeat Thor, but only a hammer-less Thor. So the answer seems to be: Thor-with-hammer defeats Captain Marvel; Thor-without-hammer loses to Captain Marvel. But can it actually all just come down to Mjölnir? Not really. Thor was holding back a bit because Carol is a friend and he figured she was attacking him because she was “bewitched,” also he was distracted by the fact that Mjölnir wasn’t returning to him when Carol lit him up. Even despite all that, all Marvel was able to do was knock Thor out. In a straight up fair fight, things might turn out differently. If the question is who's stronger just in terms of physical strength, the answer would likely be Thor. But if the question is who is more powerful, things get complicated, considering Thor’s hammer is as much a part of his character as Captain Marvel’s cosmic powers are a part of hers. So this needs a closer look.
Speed: Captain Marvel has been shown to travel at nearly the speed of light, but so has Thor, so that’s a wash. Invulnerability: Thor has survived inside the heart of a neutron star, but Captain Marvel can absorb and redistribute just about any amount of energy, so again this can go either way. Energy: Marvel’s cosmic blasts are on par with Thor’s lightning strikes, tied again. Fighting Skills: Carol Danvers may have military training and experience fighting plenty of powerful foes, but Thor has more than 1,000 years of fighting experience, so this one goes to the Odinson. Intelligence: Thor is by no means stupid, but his ego does sometimes get in the way of clear thinking, whereas Carol’s training and level-headedness give her the edge in this area. Strength: as already established, Thor comes out on top in terms of brute strength. So removing the ties, the results come up -Captain Marvel: 1 (Intelligence) and Thor: 2 (Fighting Skills and Strength). The verdict: Thor is more powerful than Captain Marvel.
Comic fans have been debating which character can beat which character for as long as the books have been around, and this particular debate about Thor and Captain Marvel will no doubt continue long after this analysis. But cross over to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and fans can find a take on the issue from none other than Avengers: Endgame director Joe Russo in a special feature included in the film’s digital release: “She is as powerful, if not more powerful than Thor.” Fans can only hope that one day the question is answered definitively, either on the page or on the big screen.
