by Superman vs. Thor, Who would prevail in a fight: Marvel‘s Thor, the God of Thunder, or DC‘s Superman, the last son of Krypton?
Superman vs. Thor
One of Stan Lee‘s most famous quotes from 2013 was, “The person who’d win in a fight is the person that the scriptwriter wants to win.” He was referring to the idea that anyone could hypothetically defeat anyone if the comic book author created the right circumstances.
However, sometimes it’s just amusing to combine action figures and see who would triumph. But it’s crucial to keep in mind Stan Man’s sage advice and to take it into consideration when doing that.
Let’s discuss methods when we finish our analysis. This effort to predict who will actually win a fight was centered around a spreadsheet, as it is with many other endeavors. The information in this spreadsheet was gathered from a number of comic books, the official DK encyclopedias for Marvel and DC, appearances in movies and television, and, lastly, the official wikis.
All of this is to suggest that there is a lot of information, and even clear-cut solutions are not always as straightforward as they seem.
The Numbers
The numbers are probably a simple place to start, just as with any decent spreadsheet.
The DC and Marvel encyclopedias state that Thor is just three inches taller than Clark Kent, who stands at six feet and three inches. Thor also weighs 640 pounds, as opposed to Superman’s 235 pounds. This does imply that Thor is superior to Superman in terms of weight alone.
Size, though, is not everything.
Skills and Powers
Where the differences really start to matter is in terms of power. Both characters have improved physical prowess, and longevity (which isn’t specifically mentioned for Superman but can be inferred from any fights fans have seen the Man of Steel participate in), and, although it isn’t specifically mentioned for Thor, it may be assumed given his lengthy life, some sort of faster recovery.
Additionally, though not explicitly stated, it might be assumed that Thor, like Superman, is impervious to harm because something so mortal and human-like is probably nothing to a deity. The difference between Superman and Thor is nearly nonexistent, but it should be emphasized that whereas Superman is “invulnerable,” Thor is “near invulnerable.”
In terms of actual powers, the comic book Thor doesn’t have many others aside from one significant one that will be covered in a moment. Superman has X-ray vision, laser eyes, freezing breath, and super speed. Thor is able to summon storms, open portals, and launch energy bolts using Mjolnir. Thor can only fly with Mjolnir, while Clark can only fly.
In some circumstances, both heroes can render themselves completely helpless. Superman can do this by placing himself under a crimson sun, while Thor can do this by returning to Donald Blake, his civilian identity if that choice is available.
When it comes to strengths, the weaknesses differ the most. Kryptonite is weak to Superman, thus if Thor had any, he would triumph in a flash. While Thor lacks a similar flaw, the other character does.
Additionally, Thor has magical skills because of the Odinforce, whereas Clark is susceptible to magic. Given that one of Superman’s two primary physical flaws can be controlled by Thor, this may make for an interesting conflict.
When it comes to powers, Superman appears to be the winner, but Thor does have a little advantage in terms of vulnerabilities.
But what about exercising those abilities?
Why the “Definitive” Answer Isn’t So Definitive in Justice League/Avengers
The JLA/Avengers limited series, created by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez in the early 2000s, featured Superman defeating Thor. Superman, on the other hand, begins by stating that Thor “may be… [the] single toughest opponent… [he’s] ever-” before getting cut off, most likely before finishing the word “fought.”
This may give the impression that the discussion has already come to an end. That’s it; Superman defeated Thor.
But it’s crucial to keep in mind what Stan Lee said. The conflict is presented in a particular setting with particular requirements, all of which were devised by the writer and artist to portray the tale they intended to tell at that particular time. While the story is official canon, as confirmed by Busiek on social media in 2019, it does so in a manner.
The rules of that combat and that crossover, as will be detailed in the following section, were in reality different from those that Superman or Thor would typically confront in a fight.
Yes, Superman has defeated Thor in the past, thus it would be a reason to support Superman, but it is still important to acknowledge.
Is Superman Mjolnir Deserving?
Superman holds Mjolnir in the JLA/Avengers comic book, seemingly implying that he is equally deserving of the hammer as Thor. Actually, Wonder Woman did this in the DC vs. Marvel crossover in the 1990s, thus he is not the first DC hero to do it.
This may give the impression that Clark is deserving, but that isn’t quite the case. Superman tries to lift the hammer again once the battle has ended but is unsuccessful. Thor explains, “There is an enchantment ‘pon my hammer, laid by my father Odin. It is not… Easily lifted by others.”
When Clark replies, “I’ve held it before,” Thor answers, “My father is stern, Superman. But not stupid. A very few worthies have been allowed to overcome the spell, in desperate hours.” To put it another way, at times of need, certain people might momentarily be deserving of receiving the hammer of Thor (imagine a pickier version of the scene with the kids from Thor: Love and Thunder).
Yet, as Thor himself acknowledges, “Perhaps it was but briefly… but it [Mjolnir] was in good hands” while in Superman’s care. Clark gets Thor’s endorsement as someone who is deserving of holding it, even if he is not eternally so.
It is worth noting, however, that in a 2019 comic Thor: The Worthy, silhouettes of seemingly both Superman and Wonder Woman are shown holding the hammer.
So, it’s fair to say that Thor has the Mjolnir advantage over Superman.
How Do They Fare Against Proxy Heroes?
It’s always a good idea to examine several battles between the same opponents to see what patterns develop and who tends to win more frequently in order to refute the Stan Lee scriptwriter argument.
However, since Superman and Thor are published by different comic book companies, there aren’t many instances of them clashing compared to one another. In order to at least achieve some results, one must use “Proxy Heroes.” This is not an official phrase, but it accurately describes the part that other heroes with comparable skill sets will play in this debate.
There are various characters, including Hawkeye and Green Arrow from Marvel and Quicksilver and The Flash from DC, who are comparable to a character from the other company. This isn’t meant to suggest that one character is always a parody or ripoff of another (though in some situations it very obviously is), but rather that these characters are similar in terms of their skills and prowess.
Consequently, one can consider how Thor fared against Hyperion (a large, hulking, flying man with super speed who can shoot energy beams from his eyes) or how Superman fared against Shazam (a mythology-based hero with super strength, magic, and lightning powers who can revert to a weaker version of himself with a simple task).
Hyperion was declared to be theoretically stronger than Thor in the Heroes Reborn event, and an alternate version of Hyperion has been observed to destroy Thor in that realm (for more information, read this breakdown). In that same contest, Thor did, however, finally triumph over Hyperion. Again, in order to tell the particular story being shared, the settings created by the writer and artist demand diverse outcomes.
Shazam has lost to Superman a few times, on the other hand. But in a few noteworthy battles, Clark did it by covering Billy Batson’s mouth as he transformed back into a child, stopping him from regaining power. If the Donald Blake regulations weren’t in effect, Thor wouldn’t have this option until he was removed from Mjolnir for long enough to turn mortal and Superman was able to stop him from obtaining Mjolnir back. But since Shazam and Thor cannot be compared directly, some of that is offset.
The Mighty Thor versus Supergirl
Supergirl, played by Kara Zor-El, and Mighty Thor, played by Jane Foster, are not merely “female versions” of Superman and Thor Odinson; rather, they are complete, original characters in their own right.
Supergirl has been said to occasionally be stronger and faster than her cousin (again, the Stan Lee quote comes into play; this can change depending on what the writer and artist want), and The Mighty Thor sees her mortal form weaken every time she picks up the hammer and dons the armor, so they do not necessarily represent their male counterparts exactly.
However, it is still important to evaluate how the two heroes compare since doing so can help put the Superman vs. Thor argument into perspective and give fans more information to think about in regard to the Asgardian vs. Kryptonian controversy.
Jane is powered up and stands five feet and nine inches tall, compared to Kara’s five feet and five inches. Additionally, according to the Marvel Wiki, Kara weighs 120 pounds whereas a powered-up Jane weighs 450 pounds. Similar to their male counterparts, the Asgardian clearly outperforms the Kryptonian in terms of these physical characteristics.
One of the main contrasts between them is that Kara has had her skills and abilities since she first came to Earth when she was a teenager, whereas Jane was an adult the first time she lifted Mjolnir. Normally, this difference wouldn’t pertain to the Superman vs. Thor argument. Despite the fact that Superman and Thor both grew up with their superpowers, Kara unquestionably has more experience than Jane.
It’s interesting to note that Clark and Jane had to learn about their new world as they went along, whereas Thor Odinson and Kara both grew up in the alien realm that gave them their talents. One of the few commonalities where the counterparts are reversed is that one.
In the end, a comparison between Supergirl and The Mighty Thor would require its own page, but the details provided here provide useful context for the Thor vs. Superman argument.
Who Wins the Race?
Superman would prevail unless Thor had Kryptonite on hand, despite the fact that both Superman and Thor have strong arguments and have been shown to be a very even match.
Extrapolating both characters’ strengths and talents, Superman does appear to be superior, especially considering that all of them originate from him, as opposed to several deriving from objects like Mjolnir or the Odinforce.
But as always, different circumstances from various producers will produce various outcomes. It’s fun to read comics because there are so many different ways that writers and illustrators may play with their characters, creating interesting new scenarios.
This is all to say that this may be disproved one day by a brand-new comic, which would then be refuted decades later in another story.
FAQs
- Who is the strongest Thor or Superman?
Generally speaking, Superman appears to be stronger than Thor, especially in older iterations of the DC Universe. He has achieved a variety of incredible feats of strength, like pulling planets and punching people into space.
- Can Superman break Thor`s hammer?
No doubt. Superman possesses unfathomable strength that could destroy a hammer like Mjolnir. Let’s examine some of the incredible feats that The Man of Steel has completed in comic books.
- Who is faster Superman or Thor?
Superman does, however, have the advantage of being faster than Thor. It’s not because Thor is a slow-moving slug; rather, the Flash is the only superhero who can outrun Supes, as their race in comic book mythology makes very evident.
