Angry Birds 2 -- What is wrong with Terence? (the big guy)

Looking for something to do on my daily commute I have taken to playing Angry Birds 2 on my cell phone (Android if it matters).

Somehow I think I am using Terence wrong. He is the big bird meant to bully his way through structures (which he does easily on his first use where the game shows you how to use him).

Since then though when I shoot him at structures he gets stopped almost immediately. He barely goes through anything. Wood is about the only material he flies through but even that has stopped him. Most of the time he runs into mixed materials and just halts after breaking a wall or two.

What am I missing? Or does he just suck?