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How was Thanos able to beat the crap out of the Hulk?

Video Kojima

Video Kojima

Banned
Apr 5, 2020
2,541
In the beginning of Infinity War, we see Thanos beating the Hulk in a fist fight. Knocking him out entirely. This has always bothered me. It makes me enjoy the movie less every time I watch it
I was looking forward to the Hulk dominating Thanos. I figured that when this fight would happen eventually, that Thanos would have to outsmart the Hulk, and that it would be impossible for him to beat the Hulk man to man.

I thought Hulk was unbeatable strength-wise? Did they just weaken the Hulk because otherwise, Thanos' plan wouldn't work because the Hulk would have effectively destroyed him?

In End Game, Cpt.Marvel actually almost beats Thanos hand-to-hand combat. He has to use an infinity stone to beat her. Is she stronger than the Hulk as well?
 
Fergie

Fergie

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
3,886
England m8.
Hulk wasn't angry enough.


Really though Thanos stomps Hulk anytime but MCU Hulk is a big jobber. Guy's been nerfed big time.
 
Khasim

Khasim

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,260
Hulk was defeated by Iron Man in Age of Ultron, and Thor in Ragnarok. Iron Man straight up knocked him out. MCU Hulk is nerfed AF.

MCU hero power ranks are Hulk < Iron Man < Thor < Captain Marvel
 
ThereAreFourNaan

ThereAreFourNaan

Member
Nov 8, 2017
13,320
Thanos was just kinda born stronger than the Hulk.

The measure of all power in comic books is how hard you can punch.

That's why Thanos is in charge of the galaxy or w/e, because he can punch very stronk

It all makes perfect sense
 
CaviarMeths

CaviarMeths

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
10,655
Western Canada
Hulk is basically the Worf of the MCU, honestly. It sucks, but as long as they're not allowed to make a solo Hulk movie, I'd rather they just focus on Banner and let the bad guys beat up Hulk sometimes.
 
Hollywood Duo

Hollywood Duo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
42,691
In the MCU Captain Marvel is definitely more powerful than Hulk. I'm not sure it's even a close competition either.
 
Kinketsu

Kinketsu

Member
Nov 17, 2017
1,999
It seemed to me that he wasnt expecting to get rocked. He got slapped around so quickly he didnt have time to get angry enough to get strong enough to do much about it. He has been knocked out by Iron Man and beat up before by Thor, so I guess it is not impossible in the movie world.
 
Alien Bob

Alien Bob

Member
Nov 25, 2017
2,513
He's stronger and had technique, it was pretty obvious. Carol is also way, way stronger than Hulk, yes. MCU Hulk isn't really all that strong, at least compared to the cosmic folk.
 
DieH@rd

DieH@rd

Member
Oct 26, 2017
10,727
Din't he already have infinity gauntlet with purple gem taken from Xandar at that point? He added Loki's blue gem at the end of that sequence.
 
LinkStrikesBack

LinkStrikesBack

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
16,508
Hulk wasn't even strong enough to take Thor, when he was a real low point and without a asgardian weapon in Ragnarok. He's up above all the other Earth based heroes, but when it comes to space fights, Thor, Captain Marvel, Thanos all could and in some cases have, handed his ass to him.
 
Cross

Cross

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,089
MCU Hulk has yet to unlock his full potential... and probably never will as long as Universal still has his rights.
 

Deleted member 442

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
2,431
You ever watch wrestling, OP?

A good way of showing how strong a new heel (bad guy) might be is to have them beat up a fan-favourite babyface (good guy) in a one sided manner when they first turn up.
 
Plinkerton

Plinkerton

Member
Nov 4, 2017
6,104
Trying to think about "power levels" in the MCU is meaningless. The strength of individual characters will always be determined by what the story requires at that point.

At the start of IW, they're trying to establish how big a threat Thanos is so having him beat up a character who's already established to be incredible strong works for the story.
 
FaceHugger

FaceHugger

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
13,949
USA
I am sorry upfront because I cannot remember which podcast I heard it on, maybe one of Kevin Smith's, but the word was from the Russo brothers that it was because though Thanos may or may not have been as strong as the Hulk, he knew how to fight with all of that strength and how to keep a cool head. If you notice during the fight Thanos turns a blow and strikes Hulk in the arm, and Hulk gives him this confused, almost defeated look like "what the hell is going on?". I think that pretty much explained the entire fight.
 
Bitanator

Bitanator

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,076
Seemed like Hulk on the first avengers was appropriate level of power, instead of making him stronger, they weakened him down strength wise. Wish they did right by him
 
mbpm

mbpm

Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,002
It's pretty apparent Hulk wasn't the unstoppable force after Thor beat (the new and improved too) Hulk in Ragnorak. After that he was kind of just used as comic relief for the most part
 

Deleted member 81680

Banned
Sep 24, 2020
828
DieH@rd said:
Din't he already have infinity gauntlet with purple gem taken from Xandar at that point? He added Loki's blue gem at the end of that sequence.
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RunningMan said:
This. I never thought the scene was weird because he had the power stone. If he didn't have it then yes, him being knocked out by thanos would be silly.
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Dan Thunder said:
Thanos was using the Power Infinity Stone when he fought Hulk.
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The power stone never lights up so he wasn't using the power stone to beat Hulk. Every time he uses a stone it lights up.
 
grand

grand

Member
Oct 25, 2017
25,272
In universe, Thanos had the power stone

In reality, the writers simply had to write around Hulk & Thor multiple times in Infinity War & Endgame as both were too strong to allow the plot to actually happen
 
mbpm

mbpm

Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,002
Also tbh Thanos handed Hulk's ass worse in the comics iirc so I was expecting this to happen.
 

ThLunarian

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,547
Hulk is severely powered down in the MCU and it stinks. I wish they had done more to establish that he was in a compromised state during that battle, but he actually wasn't; that was supposed to be Hulk at his peak, and it just seems wrong that he got taken down so easily.

I get that it was a scene intended to establish the threat that Thanos posed. And sure, he had the Power Stone (although they don't do anything to suggest that the power stone is helping Thanos in any way). It still rubbed me the wrong way.
 
Bard

Bard

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
12,644
As somebody who dislikes the Hulk this is one of the best parts of the movie to me.
 
Volimar

Volimar

volunteer forum janitor
Member
Oct 25, 2017
39,200
Hulk is strong, but Thanos is strong and a great fighter. And yeah, in the comics Thanos has beaten the Hulk a lot though at times he goes out of his way to avoid confrontations with him.
 
Dan Thunder

Dan Thunder

Member
Nov 2, 2017
14,187
UltraInstinctSSJ said:
The power stone never lights up so he wasn't using the power stone to beat Hulk. Every time he uses a stone it lights up.
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You're right, just looked it up and apparently even the Russos say he wasn't using it at that point in the commentary. Guess that was why there was never a rematch in Endgame as he'd probably just get the floor wiped with himself again!

Seems a bit convenient to me how his strength fluctuates as required given that Hulk had just fought against a 30-40ft long Asgardian wolf!
 
TheGhost

TheGhost

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
28,137
Long Island
That was the start of the downfall of the character. Can't believe we are stuck with Ruffalo-Hulk now. Last good Hulk was Ragnorock
 

The FuzzPig

Member
Oct 31, 2017
268
The hull fight has neither really bothered me, I just put it down to Thanos was roughly the same strength, probably slightly stronger, but more importantly he knew how to fight, if you watch where he punches first, straight for the chin.

What I've always wondered though, is how he beat Thor, was he forced to use the power stone or not?
 
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