Debates as to who the strongest character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is have raged for years. With each new movie, there is a character that changes the hierarchy of power. Whether that is pitting Captain Marvel against the likes of Thanos, or the Incredible Hulk against Thor Odinson.
The powers of certain characters cannot be understated, and Thor: Ragnarok battled and joked about who the strongest Avenger was out of Hulk and Thor. With Thor: Love and Thunder introducing The Mighty Thor, the debate now rages on as to who is stronger out of the two Thors: Odinson, or Jane Foster.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
The Weapons Of Thor
So far in the MCU, Thor has possessed two mighty weapons. First, there was Mjolnir, the trusted hammer of Thor that was destroyed by his sister, Hela, in Thor: Ragnarok. Mjolnir could only be lifted by those who were worthy to wield the power of Thor. It’s capable of devastating lightning strikes, as well as packing a real punch, with its small size and easy ability to swing it around.
The other weapon, Stormbreaker, is an axe forged from a star. The weapon is like Mjolnir and is capable of flight, creating lightning strikes, and summoning the Bifrost. It inhibits jealousy towards Mjolnir as if sentient. When Jane claims Mjolnir, it has the new ability to turn into deadly shards, all while Thor watches on in jealously. This round goes to Mighty Thor.
Feats Of Strength
There are many ways that strength can be measured. Through physical strength, like how much he can lift, and the emotional strength of showing compassion towards his enemies, Thor exhibits intense strength. One only has to look at the biceps of Thor to understand that. Throughout all of the movies that Thor has appeared in, he has shown great physicality.
Mighty Thor also has great physical strength and shows a great deal of agility and flexibility in battle. Her powers were not shown to be at the forefront of the movie, as the action was scarce. Yet, her compassion helps Thor to learn how to open his heart. Even so, this round will have to go to Thor Odinson.
Great Wisdom
Intellect is just as important as brawn. As a leading astrophysicist and the world’s foremost astronomer, Doctor Jane Foster proves to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that she is a genius. She is also the creator of the Foster Theory and a premiere expert on Asgard. Jane proves herself as one of the smartest women on Earth, and it helps her as Mighty Thor to understand the greater cosmic scope from outside the planet.
Thor is often presented as dumb, and brutish, favouring strength and one-liners over an intellectual resolve. He does have smart moments, but not many that do not end with him slamming his axe down to solve conflicts. For this round, Mighty Thor wins, as she is smarter and holds more wisdom.
Tragedy Of Loss
What makes a character powerful, is seeing how they can overcome grief. A character’s journey is always paired with pain and great suffering. As a mortal woman, Jane lost her mother to cancer, but in the MCU, not much else is known about how much she lost or how she was affected by Thanos’ actions.
Thor, a god who has been alive for over a thousand years, has experienced the loss of friends, allies, his mother, his father, and his brother. Thor has lost almost everyone he has ever loved, and to see him still worthy, and still happy, is a feat in itself. Therefore, Thor Odinson wins this round.
Experience
Despite only having the powers of Thor for a few days, Mighty Thor proves herself worthy of Mjolnir and as a capable fighter. She already knows how to wield the hammer, and has been able to fly around the world twice in only a few seconds. However, she is a little inexperienced when it comes to world-ending threats and bad guys. She had never faced a bad guy before and Gorr being her first makes for quite a challenge.
Thor, on the other hand, has encountered a great deal of bad guys during his tenure in the MCU. His experience makes him more confident and cocky in his abilities to win. Whether he is tussling with an old friend, Hulk, or fighting a fire dragon, Thor seems more capable in the realm of bad guys, so this round goes to Thor Odinson.
Death Comes
Through the power of Mjolnir, Doctor Jane Foster can change into the Mighty Thor. The downside is that Mjolnir drains her mortal strength, as to make the magic more powerful for the hammer. This crux is what kills Jane, and she gives her life to help Thor’s battle against Gorr.
With Jane’s death, Thor learns to keep his heart open, rather than close it for a love that is gone. Thor can wield both Mjolnir and Stormbreaker without dying, or it causes him to strain his health. It is unfortunate, but the fact that being mortal is what kills Jane for being Mighty Thor makes the original Thor Odinson more powerful.
Conclusion: Thor
When it comes to the most powerful character out of Mighty Thor and Thor Odinson, the latter comfortably wins. Thor Odinson has proven himself as the most powerful due to everything that he has been through during his eight MCU appearances. He has lost his family, his home, and his weapon, but always comes out stronger than ever.
Despite Mighty Thor being just as powerful, as she has the powers of Thor, it is Odinson who wins based on fighting experience, hardships, and how, against all odds and even with the loss of Jane, he is still just as strong and eager to keep up the fight against evil.
Thor: Love and Thunder is currently in theaters.