Now this is a showdown we’d pay to see: Hugh Jackman’s feral crime-fighting hero up against Josh Brolin’s iconic supervillain – the Wolverine vs. the Mad Titan. We’re getting goosebumps just thinking about it. Plenty of heroes have tried, even more have failed — so could the Wolverine defeat Thanos in a fair fight? Well, it’s complicated.
First we have to define what we mean by fair, but if you’re looking for the short answer, then no. Sorry Wolvy fans. If Thanos is in possession of the Infinity Gauntlet, then there’s not much anyone could do to take him down, least of all Wolverine.
Apart from his healing factor, adamantium skeleton, and claws (which we admit is a lot) — Logan is a man. Thanos on the other hand is an Eternal. Godlike, immortal, and insanely powerful, he’s pretty much unbeatable. BUT, what if ol’ Thanos is caught without his precious Infinity Gauntlet? Once things are a little more level, how does this hypothetical fight go down?
Before we decide, let’s take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages these iconic characters have working for them.
Wolverine
Wolverine is like a cockroach, the guy can’t be killed. He’s been shot, stabbed, burned, blown up, drowned, disintegrated, and dismembered — no matter what, he’s still kickin’, and you can thank his healing factor for that. Wolverine’s ability to recover from just about any injury is a truly mind-blowing power. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
Next is his adamantium skeleton. Stronger than vibranium, Wolverine’s bones are literally indestructible. With that extra durability and strength, Wolverine is able to take on the most powerful foes with ease. Not to mention the fact that his claws are covered in the stuff. Meaning that even when he has nothing to fight with, he can still start slashing.
Finally, and this is one of his more underrated attributes, Wolverine — as his name would imply — has enhanced reflex and sense. Due to his animalistic nature, he runs faster, jumps higher, and doesn’t quit. He is a master tracker, and his sight and smell are also the stuff of legend.
The only disadvantage Wolverine really faces in any scenario actually ends up being one of the advantages we mentioned above. His metal skeleton. That adamantium coating poisons his body, causing his healing factor to work overtime, killing him from the inside. Wolverine is also — not so surprisingly — super heavy. So water is a massive problem. All Thanos would have to do is take a quick trip to the beach, and goodbye Wolverine.
Speaking of…
Thanos
Does Thanos need an introduction? He’s one of the most powerful Marvel characters of all time. Full stop, hands down, period. He possesses superhuman strength, speed, and endurance. He is a master of hand-to-hand combat, beat the purple pants off of Hulk once or twice, and houses a genius-level intellect. With a resume like that, it’s a miracle anyone ever took him down in the first place.
Thanos is also master tactician, meaning his ability to command a battlefield is essentially unmatched. He thinks like a solider, and that mindset has done him wonders throughout his time torturing Earth’s mightiest heroes.
Did we mention he also has a slight healing factor, is resistant to poison and disease, and psychic powers don’t really work on the big guy either. Oh, and he’s dating Death. They aren’t Instagram-official we don’t think, but what a relationship that must be.
The biggest weakness Thanos has working against him is his own ego. It’s his hubris that gets in his way. Thanos is a classic narcissist, and thinking that no one could possibly defeat him in the first place is eventually how he’s always defeated.
We’d like to mention that YouTube channel Comics Explained did a fantastic job explaining both of these iconic characters.
So, now that it comes down to it, could Wolverine defeat Thanos?
Yes, and no. If Thanos didn’t have the Infinity Gauntlet then their fight would be fairly even. Sure Thanos is stronger, but Wolverine can’t really be killed. His indestructible nature would allow for him to keep coming back at Thanos, wearing the Titan down until an opening for victory presented itself.
On the other side of that coin, Thanos is a mad genius. All he would have to do is find a way to turn Wolverine’s adamantium skeleton to his favor and their fight would be over before it even started. He could drown him, magnetize him, melt him down — you name it, Thanos would find a way to make it happen.
In the end hypothetical fights like this are fun to think about regardless of outcome, but since we don’t like to take sides with universe-killing hypocrites, we’ll come right out and say that Wolverine would defeat Thanos — eventually.