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Warning: Contains Spoilers for Ultimates #11!!
In my mental Rolodex of unbelievably strong superheroes, Hulk is always near the top of the list, but Ultimate Thor just stole his spot for good. For many people in the Marvel Universe, surviving a single punch from Hulk is out of the question, and defeating him is a completely untouchable fantasy. That’s not the case for the Asgardian, and he’s proven he’d come out victorious.
The Hulk walks away because Thor allows it.
In Ultimates #11, by Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri, Thor and his Asgardian allies deal with one of Loki’s more extensive schemes as the Trickster God reigns over the land. It’s a grim setup, but it creates the perfect stage for Ultimate Thor to showcase exactly how much of a God he is. Let me put it this way: he doesn’t disappoint.
The God of Thunder defeats Loki to the tune of vanquishing millions of frost giants single-handedly. While the Hulk is incredibly strong, he’s not on the level of defeating millions of frost giants at once, which makes me believe Thor could destroy him.
By Defeating an Army of Millions, Thor Proves He’s Stronger Than Hulk
Ultimates #11 by Writer Deniz Camp, Artist Juan Frigeri, Colorist Federico Blee, and Letterer Travis Lanham
Claiming that Thor is outright stronger than the Hulk leaves a lot of room for nuance and debate, and I know there will always be individual instances that back up a counterargument. Different versions of the characters exist across multiple timelines, and not everything stacks up the same way all the time. That said, I am confident in stating that the Hulk, in a typical scenario with his standard powers and strength, simply doesn’t measure up to an army of millions of Frost Giants. Thor didn’t just survive millions of Frost Giants; he defeated them completely alone.
In this particular tale, Loki used this massive army to help subjugate multiple mythical, magical, and gifted races of people and secure his own seat on Odin’s throne. The Frost Giants aren’t paltry foot soldiers; they’re massive, they’re powerful, and I struggle to believe Hulk could cut the same path through them that Thor managed to do. We’re not talking about a regular superhero. We’re discussing a literal God, and Ultimate Thor taps into that in every sense to gain his victory. As strong as Bruce Banner’s transformation makes him, Hulk is not the equivalent of millions of Jotunheim’s best.
Thor Already Killed Hulk in Another Timeline
Avengers: Twilight Proved Thor is the Ultimate Victor
Rather than build my case for Thor based on pure speculation and potentially arbitrary comparisons, let’s look at the facts. Thor already killed the Hulk. In Avengers: Twilight, a timeline built upon a bleak future for the Avengers after superheroes were outlawed, and the Red Skull cunningly took everything over, Thor proved that he’s always had the power to kill the Hulk. Granted, the setup for this death wasn’t a battle between the two, where the God of Thunder defeated his former teammate with sheer might and determination. Instead, it was the final favor between two old friends. friends.
Bruce Banner and the green giant he shares his life with had long been used as a weapon, yearning to finally break free. Thor granted this request, revealing in mere seconds that he had always had the power to kill the Hulk. As heartwrenching as that moment was, it showed me that the only thing stopping Thor from obliterating the Hulk is his choice. Time and again, Thor has opted not to use his full power. The truth is, every time they’ve clashed, Thor has held the Hulk’s life in his hands. The Hulk walks away because Thor allows it.
Few People Match Hulk’s Strength, But Thor Outpaces Him
From Shattering Planets to Defeating the Phoenix Force: Why Thor Triumphs
Rest assured, the battle against the Frost Giants and Thor, quite literally killing Hulk, are far from my only pieces of evidence that work in the God of Thunder’s favor. Thor has also shattered planets and sent them out of orbit, not just with ease, but by accident. He’s thrown Galactus off course and even knocked out the Phoenix Force during one of the heated battles in Avengers vs. X-Men. In my eyes, Thor has proven himself time and time again, and his accomplishments across many timelines serve to back up what Ultimate Thor pulled off against Loki’s massive army. This wasn’t a fluke.
Both Thor and the Hulk are capable of monumental shows of strength. Don’t get me wrong. Hulk takes on many different forms, many of which are nothing short of terrifying, and he’s held his own against (or defeated) practically every powerhouse in the Marvel Universe. So much of the character is tied up in the concept of strength that it’s difficult to accept that Thor wields enough power to overcome him, but at this point, I see it as the cold, hard truth. Thor could kill the Hulk, and defeating millions of Frost Giants is irrefutable proof that he’d win.
Ultimates #11 is available now from Marvel Comics!
“}]] Thor has what it takes to defeat the Hulk. Read More