# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/41 "2012-03-02T20:46:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Yes, his big schtick is bow and arrow. He’s got a few trick arrows. > > … Sadly, he seems to lack a boxing-glove arrow. Pity. ---
**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, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/42 "2012-03-02T20:52:05Z")
He can make up for it by getting a heroin-addicted sidekick. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/43 "2012-03-02T21:07:13Z")
Hulk has to be #1 for this movie because in one of the trailers, this one: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gegU39tMbW4/maxresdefault.jpg "Marvel Avengers Assemble Superbowl 2012 Official Trailer | HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gegU39tMbW4) Loki tells Stark, “I have an army.” Stark says, “We have a hulk.” Not “We have Thor.” Also I was going to mention the Hulk Vs Thor movie to as a point that Hulk is stronger than Thor but it’s already been mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/44 "2012-03-02T21:25:26Z")
> [@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. > [@Cubsfan](#): > > Best comic book cover ever. That sounded so awesome I went looking for the cover and found it and a couple of the Hulks other feats of strengths. A pretty awesome article with pictures of the events being described. [http://www.bamkapow.com/the-incredible-hulk-s-most-amazing-feats-1399-p.html](http://www.bamkapow.com/the-incredible-hulk-s-most-amazing-feats-1399-p.html) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/45 "2012-03-02T21:32:28Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > He can make up for it by getting a heroin-addicted sidekick. Dude, too soon. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/46 "2012-03-02T21:38:40Z")
Hulk \*has \*to be the strongest, because being the strongest is the only thing he’s got going for him. Thor can do other things besides be strong - control the weather, strategize, \*talk \*- but strength is basically the only tool in the Hulk’s toolbox. ---
**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, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/47 "2012-03-02T21:58:19Z")
Hulk hammer! All world nail! ---
**Author:** ![GovernmentMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GovernmentMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GovernmentMan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/48 "2012-03-02T22:40:55Z")
I don’t know about Hulk’s current incarnation but for the longest time Thor has been the top Earth-based hero He’s more powerful than Hulk > [@Alessan](#): > > Hulk \*has \*to be the strongest, because being the strongest is the only thing he’s got going for him. Thor can do other things besides be strong - control the weather, strategize, \*talk \*- but strength is basically the only tool in the Hulk’s toolbox. Oh yes, Quicksilver must be faster than The Sentry because speed is all he has. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/49 "2012-03-02T22:53:38Z")
> [@GovernmentMan](#): > > Oh yes, Quicksilver must be faster than The Sentry because speed is all he has. I don’t know who those are. See, I don’t actually read comic books. I do, however, love comic-book movies, and looking at it as a movie, from a purely dramatic standpoint, the Hulk has to be the strongest. Otherwise, he’s redundant. ---
**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, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/50 "2012-03-02T23:11:01Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Is Hawkeye still deaf? > > I can’t keep the constant reboots straight, so I gave up. > > Regards, > Shodan > [@Methyl\_Ethyl\_Death](#): > > He certainly wasn’t deaf in the Thor movie. Well, even when he’s “deaf” in the comics, he’s not completely deaf and can compensate for it with what’s apparently the world’s best hearing aid (guess being friends with some of the best scientific inventors in the world has its perks). I’m not sure if he’s deaf anymore. It’s possible they restored his hearing after killing him off and bringing him back, but I was falling out of the hobby by the point they were bringing him back. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/51 "2012-03-02T23:14:20Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > That exact formula tends to spoil any _Justice League_ cartoon that features Superman and Batman. The former is going to get taken out by something high-voltage or high-tech or high-magic, and it’ll be up to Batman to save the day. Don’t talk shit on The Bat. Just don’t. ---
**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 2, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/52 "2012-03-02T23:16:53Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > …the Hulk has to be the strongest. Otherwise, he’s redundant. Not if you need two guys in the Class 100 range. > [@Shodan](#): > > Is Hawkeye still deaf? > > I can’t keep the constant reboots straight, so I gave up. Hawkeye was really hard of hearing after the case in his miniseries, and wore hearing aids from that point on. I assume that hasn’t happened yet for the movie version. In the comics, presumably it’s still at a correctable level of damage, being a product of one incident of acute nerve trauma. I’m not sure how much anyone has mentioned it, other than Mark Gruenwald and writers in books he edited. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/53 "2012-03-02T23:18:19Z")
That’s also John Byrne’s rule - if you only do one thing, you get to be the best at it. Even in comics, Hulk is much _stronger_ than Thor. During _Fear Itself_… [spoiler]Thor admitted that he could never really beat the Hulk, and that’s after Thor killed a souped-up Thing\* with a single blow \*Soon to be healed by Franklin Richards[/spoiler] [This site](http://www.leaderslair.com/gammapeople/hulksmashes/hulksmashes.html) provides excellent rundowns of Hulk vs (whoever) fights if anyone’s interested. In terms of strength, Southern Yankee is spot-on. I’d say Thor is more _powerful_, but he’s not as strong. Likewise, Black Widow could beat Hawkeye by employing a strategy of “sneak around and shoot him in the face,” but she’s not as strong as him. ---
**Author:** ![GovernmentMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GovernmentMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GovernmentMan)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/54 "2012-03-03T00:01:33Z")
> [@shy\_guy](#): > > That’s also John Byrne’s rule - if you only do one thing, you get to be the best at it. Which is a rule broken all the time. Superman and Thor are stronger than the majority of characters whose only power is superstrength. > [@shy\_guy](#): > > Likewise, Black Widow could beat Hawkeye by employing a strategy of “sneak around and shoot him in the face,” but she’s not as strong as him. Isn’t she stronger? Marvel wikia says she has peak female strength. They’re about the same. ---
**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 3, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/55 "2012-03-03T01:51:01Z")
Is there anyone in Marvel who, canonically, has _normal_ human strength? It seems like all of the badass-normal heroes have “peak human strength”, and then you’ve got literal cripples like Professor X, but without really anyone in between. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/56 "2012-03-03T02:25:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is there anyone in Marvel who, canonically, has _normal_ human strength? It seems like all of the badass-normal heroes have “peak human strength”, and then you’ve got literal cripples like Professor X, but without really anyone in between. > **[Strength Scale](https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Strength_Scale)** > > The purpose of this Strength Scale is to, eventually, put all the characters of the Marvel Universe in order, by raw physical strength. This includes the amount of weight each listed character can lift over his/her head with arms fully extended... ---
**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 3, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/57 "2012-03-03T03:21:06Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Don’t talk shit on The Bat. Just don’t. I’m not, I’m just criticizing the crummy writing that ends up following that formula over and over. There was an otherwise excellent straight-to-DVD movie called _Justice League: The New Frontier_ with two critical flaws: 1- The “villain” was a mysterious ultrapowerful entity of no established origin, limitations or weaknesses, and 2- Superman got taken out in the opening seconds of the final battle, leaving it to others, including Batman, to solve the problem. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/58 "2012-03-03T17:19:36Z")
> [@GovernmentMan](#): > > Isn’t she stronger? Marvel wikia says she has peak female strength. They’re about the same. In the movie there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of this. In the comics she’s the beneficiary of the Infinity Formula. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/59 "2012-03-04T01:32:34Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is there anyone in Marvel who, canonically, has _normal_ human strength? It seems like all of the badass-normal heroes have “peak human strength”, and then you’ve got literal cripples like Professor X, but without really anyone in between. Yes, but they’re the boring normal characters that serve supporting roles, not the flashy colorful characters people are buying the books for! ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406/60 "2012-03-04T12:54:33Z")
I think with most fictional characters this invariably varies along with the needs of the plot. If you need a cold hard ruling you need to go to an RPG. Anyone have access to the Marvel RPG character stats? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rank-the-avengers-from-new-movie-by-strength/614406.md?page=4)