Warning! Spoilers ahead for Silver Surfer Rebirth #3!
It's clear to fans that Thanos is one of the most powerful beings in Marvel Comics, especially when controlling the insane power of the Infinity Gauntlet. He's also one of the cruelest, as seen in his toxic relationship with his daughter Nebula. However, many of Thanos' most memorable feats are the sole result of the Gauntlet, which raises the question: is Thanos still a threat to Marvel's heroes without the cosmic superweapon?
During Jim Starlin and George Pérez's classic story The Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos proves he's one of the deadliest threats in the Marvel Universe. He performs a number of evil deeds without even trying. As the MCU exemplified, Thanos wipes out half the life in the universe; in the comics, he does this to sate the appetite of his beloved Mistress Death. During his courtship of Death exhibited in Starlin and Pérez's monumental story, the Mad Titan turns Wolverine's skeletal system into sponge, locks Cyclops' head in a cube, and shatters Captain America's vibranium shield. While these feats seem impressive, Thanos only achieved this with the Infinity Gauntlet.
In Ron Marz and Ron Lim's Silver Surfer Rebirth #3, Thanos proves he's not only a powerful adversary without the Infinity Gauntlet, but possibly more dangerous as well. When Nebula surrounds the Mad Titan with an army of robots, Thanos unleashes a massive energy field, destroying everything around him. Only one survives, and Thanos epically blasts it without even looking. Throughout all of this, Thanos barely moves or even flinches. Later on in the issue, Thanos ruthlessly chokes Nebula to death, proving he's still one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy. Even though he doesn't have omnipotence in Silver Surfer Rebirth #3, Thanos demonstrates that he more than makes up for not having the power of the Infinity Gauntlet when trying as hard as he can.
During Starlin and Pérez's epic tale of Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet, it's clear that he isn't trying as hard as he could. While he has near omnipotence, it goes to his head and actually makes him want to fight effortlessly. Of course, Thanos manages to wipe out half of the universe and take out many of Earth's heroes in viciously creative ways. Nevertheless, the Mad Titan eventually grants himself the power of Eternity, which leads to his downfall. When Thanos becomes a cosmic entity in the sky, outranking the Celestials, he does so hastily. He forgets to transfer himself entirely as a deity, overlooking his drooling body on the ground, opening a chance for Nebula to steal the Infinity Gauntlet.
Arguably, Thanos' main flaw is also his greatest strength. His yearning for power makes him one of the most ambitious powerhouses in Marvel Comics, but the power often goes to his head. When Nebula steals the Infinity Gauntlet from the Mad Titan's lifeless body, it proves that Thanos is at his strongest when he wants power, not when he has it.
