# Rank the Avengers (from new movie) by strength **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 1, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406 "2012-03-01T00:09:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/1 "2012-03-01T00:09:37Z")
I haven’t followed comics much since I was a kid 35 years ago. However, I’ve seen all of the movies with the characters in the new _Avengers_ movie. How would you rank them by power/strength? Good guys only. Here’s my take, tell me where I went wrong: [ol] [li]The Hulk[/li][li]Thor[/li][li]Iron Man[/li][li]Captain America[/li][li]Hawkeye[/li][li]Black Widow[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/2 "2012-03-01T00:11:38Z")
I’d put Cap at #3 and Iron Man at #4, but otherwise agree. Hulk is #1 by far, because there is no theoretical upper limit to his strength. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/3 "2012-03-01T00:31:56Z")
3 and 4 depend on if it’s Iron Man or Tony Stark. Iron Man should be much stronger than Cap. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/4 "2012-03-01T00:32:28Z")
Yes, I certainly meant in the suit. ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/5 "2012-03-01T01:09:56Z")
I don’t agree. Black Widow should easily be Hawkeye’s peer, if not superior. And she fights dirty (she’s a spy). And Thor vs. Hulk as a one on one battle should normally be in Hulk’s favor, but Thor’s ability to fly and control of the weather should let him take on more of a variety of foes. So a fleet of aliens outside of Hulk’s jumping range would be more in Thor’s arena. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/6 "2012-03-01T01:57:05Z")
Hawkeye’s projectiles are larger, more dangerous, and have more range. I think he’s got the edge on Black Widow for sheer power. Though if you arranged for them to fight each other, he probably couldn’t hit her with an arrow. He’d have to use one of his area-effect tools. He also pulls a very high-tension bow, so he has to be physically strong. I think it’s in the 150-180 pound range, which is huge. He’s not as strong as Cap, but he could easily twist my head off my shoulders. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/7 "2012-03-01T02:36:42Z")
Thor The Hulk Iron Man Captain America Black Widow Hawkeye The Hulk is strong but he’s no god. I think Marvel has described him as the strongest mortal being in the world. Iron Man vs Captain America. Please. I like Captain America but this is Superman vs Batman. Black Widow vs Hawkeye. Tough one to call. Hawkeye might have an edge in physical strength but we haven’t seen it. Nor have we seen what his unarmed fighting ability is like. But we have seen Black Widow fight so I’m giving her the nod. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/8 "2012-03-01T03:01:48Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The Hulk is strong but he’s no god. I think Marvel has described him as the strongest mortal being in the world. Heh. Just last night I watched a Marvel cartoon movie where Hulk tore the whole of Asgard apart, and all the Asgardian gods together (including Thor) couldn’t even slow him down. They calmed him down in the end, as one always has to if one wants the story to continue. Hulk is far more powerful than Thor. "God"doesn’t really mean anything in the superhero sense - it just means powerful alien superhero/villain. Superman’s not a god, but he can punch Darkseid through a skyscraper. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/9 "2012-03-01T03:35:26Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Heh. Just last night I watched a Marvel cartoon movie where Hulk tore the whole of Asgard apart, and all the Asgardian gods together (including Thor) couldn’t even slow him down. They calmed him down in the end, as one always has to if one wants the story to continue. > > Hulk is far more powerful than Thor. "God"doesn’t really mean anything in the superhero sense - it just means powerful alien superhero/villain. Superman’s not a god, but he can punch Darkseid through a skyscraper. It’s the need for drama. It overrides any consistency (and the fact that a hundred different writers use the same characters doesn’t help). On the one hand, you’ll see the Hulk smack down Thor like it’s nothing. On the other hand, you’ll see the Hulk defeated by the Wasp. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/10 "2012-03-01T03:41:57Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The Hulk is strong but he’s no god. Hulk strongest one there is! ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/11 "2012-03-01T04:02:22Z")
Note that Southern Yankee said STRENGTH. Not “Power” or “fighting ability.” In those terms, that list is perfectly accurate. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/12 "2012-03-01T04:05:54Z")
The problem is that you will never get Hulk fans and Thor fans to agree–each will insist their guy is the strongest one there is. But in the movies, yeah, probably what the OP said, unless they’re playing Thor as weaker than Iron Man. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/13 "2012-03-01T04:08:16Z")
Hulk is strongest one there is, and he’d certainly beat Thor in an arm-wrestling match if he were angry enough. But strength is pretty much _all_ he’s got. Thor is much more versatile, while still being strong enough to do just about anything he wants strength-wise. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/14 "2012-03-01T04:21:02Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > I think it’s in the 150-180 pound range, which is huge. Even huger - 250 lb ( just looked it up 😉 ). It was actually a plot point in a [mini-series](http://www.asitecalledfred.com/comics101/images/2004/sep22/weak.jpg). Wiki claims Captain America can bench 1100 lbs. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/15 "2012-03-01T04:26:51Z")
I admit I’m not even sure where current canon puts their backstories. I know Asgard and Thor were recently returned after being gone for a while and sorta rebooted. Both Thor and Hulk have beaten the Sentry, and I thought they were saying for a while that the Sentry was the top superhero in terms of power. I also remember something about Hulk being able to draw upon the gamma radiation in the wild (sorta like Flash draws on the speed force, I guess) which would give him as much power as there is gamma radiation. I haven’t read much new Thor so I don’t know how much Asgard power he can draw on. Hulk is the bigger name now and that counts for a lot. The bigger name always wins in a neutral comic. The name in the title wins otherwise. That’s the only piece of continuity that Marvel has kept since the beginning. Iron Man’s new suits are much more powerful than ever. He came up with machines that took out Hulk. He’s like Batman, a winner when he’s prepared and he can pull weaponry out of his rear transistors whenever he needs to. Has he incorporated adamantium or vibranium in his suits? If not, why not? Get the Black Panther to send over some land lease goodies. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/16 "2012-03-02T01:00:15Z")
Hulk and Thor start off at about the same strength but madder Hulk gets stronger Hulk gets with no known upper limit. Thor does have access to a belt which doubles his strength, but again, Hulk is strongest one there is! Iron Man depends on which suit he’s rocking, but usually will be significantly weaker than either of those other guys. The other three are “merely” peak human strength level. I’d put Cap slightly above Hawkeye, but either of them is going to be stronger than Widow just in terms of having more muscle mass. If Hawkeye was on the Pym particles and going into Goliath mode, he’d be stronger than Cap. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/17 "2012-03-02T01:06:57Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Hulk and Thor start off at about the same strength but madder Hulk gets stronger Hulk gets with no known upper limit. That’s always been how I’ve read it, too. I’m reminded of the original “Secret Wars” series, in which a sufficiently-motivated Hulk was able to hold up an entire mountain, which had been dropped on top of a group of the heroes. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/18 "2012-03-02T02:51:41Z")
I don’t know the comics, but I saw the recent trailer where they are all standing in a circle. Ironman has powered armor. Thor has his hammer. Hulk is strong. Captain America has his indestructable shield. Hawkeye has a bow. I don’t know much about him, other than a few seconds of Thor, but I’ll presume his arrows do cool stuff. Then Black Widow is holding a pistol. HUH?!? 😕 Now, I understand the need for gender equity, and certainly have no problem with Scarlett Johannsen in a tight outfit to support (heh) that role. But, a _pistol_ among all those cool costumed superheroes? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/19 "2012-03-02T03:15:48Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > That’s always been how I’ve read it, too. I’m reminded of the original “Secret Wars” series, in which a sufficiently-motivated Hulk was able to hold up an entire mountain, which had been dropped on top of a group of the heroes. He wasn’t happy about it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/20 "2012-03-02T03:24:54Z")
> [@HubZilla](#): > > Hawkeye has a bow. I don’t know much about him, other than a few seconds of Thor, but I’ll presume his arrows do cool stuff. Yes, his big schtick is bow and arrow. He’s got a few trick arrows. His original background is that he was a low-level villain who decided to go straight and joined the Avengers when most of the original members retired. His new background is he’s a black-ops agent that Nick Fury recruited for the Avengers. Based on his appearance in _Thor_, it appears the movies are going with this version. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406.md?page=2)