Nur Farzana
He may be a god, but Thor has more than his hands full battling Malekith and the Dark Elves in Thor: The Dark World. So formidable is the enemy that he has to resort to begging for the help of his enemy half-brother Loki to vanquish the villain.
Just imagine the kind of reinforcements this hammer-wielding hero would need if he ever had to come up against some of his Marvel Universe pals instead.
At UrbanWire we pit Thor against 4 other superheroes:
1. Spider-Man
2. Iron Man
3. Captain America
4. Hulk
Then we made our verdict.
Thor
Weaponry:
Undeniably, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the son of the Allfather of gods (Odin Borson), deserves a gift befitting a deity. Not that he needs any more power atop his immense strength and nimbleness of course, but his Mjolnir hammer can always come in handy.
With the capability to travel on its own to find Thor, alter Earth’s climatic conditions using electromagnetism and, of course, the power to shatter even the hardest surface, this is indeed 1 impressive tool to have.
Woman:
But of course, behind every conqueror, lies the subject of his devotion. Far from a plain Jane as her name suggests, Jane Foster is one heck of a beautiful woman with a humble disposition as a nurse. She’s both Thor’s backbone and weak link who develops feelings for Dr. Donald Blake (a.k.a Thor’s human self) early on in the show. The romance soon takes on the form of an odd love triangle between her, Blake and Thor (when he falls for her without revealing his superhero identity). Her presence is so integral to Thor that he promises her he’ll return for her one day.
Weakness:
Because “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor”, the hammer can be your foe as easily as your friend, the moment it lands in the hands of say an adopted brother hell bent to do you harm.
War history:
A long-standing battle with his half-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) turns into a war of the world (with the bitter fight on going for 3 movies) when these 2 brothers stand on good and evil grounds respectively. With a deadly match between the 2, we have to admit that when it comes to family feuds, things can get nasty.
Scorecard:
Weaponry: 2 stars
Woman: 3 stars
War history: 2.5 stars
Total: 7.5 stars
Spider-Man
Weaponry:
A barely visible squirt of a web feels so flimsy against Thor’s almighty gift. But consider how it not only bears his weight as he flies Tarzan-style from building-to-building, it’s also strong enough to hold up a tram full of children plummeting into the river after the Green Goblin uses Spidey’s (Peter Parker) affection for Mary Jane and his innately righteous nature against him. In that scene, Spider-Man is forced to choose between saving them and the love of his life (Mary Jane Watson, played by Kirsten Dunst). However, we’ll say that what gets this hero far is his quick-thinking on his feet and agility to make things work to his advantage.
Woman:
Even before Peter became Spider-Man or Mary Jane’s feelings start to blossom for him, they established the core of all relationships – friendship. She’s the typical popular, hot chick that Peter falls in love with at first glance. However, before dismissing her as another victimized heroine, she shows her courageous streak and resilience when continuously staying by his side despite the number of danger she faces. It’s also precisely because she’s so deserving of his love that she can either make or break him.
Weakness:
Ironically, his alter ego Peter Parker’s kind and giving nature is his greatest shortcoming. With conflicts in his romance with Mary Jane and a dark existence trying to bond with him in Spider-Man 3, he becomes a prey of evil desire and vengeance. He finds it tricky to pull away from the mysterious presence (he almost succumbs to it), which made his weakness possibly the greatest pitfall among the others’.
War history:
Though his nemeses have been comparatively mightier, Spidey never loses a fight. For example, Green Goblin, with lasting power and sturdiness and Lizard’s ability to grow a limb that was cut off (hence making it exhausting to kill him). With the intention to induce Peter to join him in his evil conquest, the first on-screen fight with Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) only comes after Spidey decides to use his power for good of mankind, hence rejecting Green Goblin’s offer. Nonetheless, our hero never fails to deliver – surviving even at the brink of death and even pulling a brick wall over his enemy.
Scorecard:
Weaponry: 1 star
Woman: 3 stars
War history: 2 stars
Total: 6 stars
Iron Man
Weaponry:
Clothes make the man, and in this case, the hi-tech armor doeth the same for Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), transforming the billionaire playboy into Iron Man. In the third sequel, the suit can even leave him to reassemble on someone else.
Woman:
His love interest is none other than his secretary, Pepper Potts, who’s the only one who can tame his conceited self. She knows his work at the back of her hand and balances his dynamic self with a more low-key attitude. Yet, what’s commendable about the blonde beauty is her deep understanding of who he is – which is why she remains his vulnerability. Despite his countless array of gadgets, they don’t hold a torch against his strongest weapon – her.
Weakness:
With invincible suits as a staple in all 3 movies and a mountain of money from his family business empire (Stark Industries) just like Batman/Bruce Wayne, Iron Man’s pretty untouchable. His Achilles heel lies in his egoistical nature and lack of team spirit, which already created friction with Thor in The Avengers.
If he can loan the suit to his girlfriend, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) to save her, it can also be acquired by someone less worthy and more scheming. However, it’s fair to assume it’s easier to lose a hammer than a well-equipped suit. Plus, you can trust Stark to fit the suit with anti-theft abilities.
War history:
The criminal target’s an unknown terrorist corporation called the Mandarin (Iron Man 3). His threats come in the form of videos and when Iron Man challenges the operation, all hell breaks loose. Sadly, the mastermind turns out to be a drunk paid to front the group, which leaves little for the epic fight we’re pining for.
Scorecard:
Weaponry: 4 stars
Woman: 3 stars
War history: 1.5 stars
Total: 8.5 stars
Captain America
Weaponry:
Armed with an impenetrable shield that offers 360-degree protection, and acts like a boomerang, Captain America (played by Chris Evans) can take on Thor’s hammer any day. While the shield’s an impressive weapon to have, Iron Man deserves credit for this snazzy creation, and his potential to invent more gizmos makes him the worthiest contender.
Woman:
He may be “reborn” as a new man, but after the death of his beloved, Sharon Carter, he hasn’t quite found his footing in the love arena. That is, until Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) comes along. The 2 shares a flirty, not-quite-defined relationship, arousing inquisitiveness towards the pair. And if Black Widow’s really the rebound girl (and new love), we can just imagine how perfect it’ll be if they were conquering evil side by side.
Weakness:
In his hunger to join the army as a soldier, Steve Rogers readily volunteers himself for an experiment that produces an army of superhuman soldiers. Born with a scrawny built, he was initially bullied but his newfound superstrength finally allows him to achieve his dream. However, his love life (or lack of it) makes him the subject of seduction easily (even to Black Widow). To make matters worse (or better), his irresistibly hot body that developed in the lab makes us wish he’ll have a happy ending like the rest of them.
War history:
Taking on Red Skull (a human body with demonic features) in a spaceship hurtling towards Earth definitely raises the bar for epic hero-villain battles. The punches equates to a real fight that can break out between 2 ordinary men in our time, making the scenes relevant and more exciting to watch.
Scorecard:
Weaponry: 2.5 stars
Woman: 1 star
War history: 3 stars
Total: 6.5 stars
Hulk
Weaponry:
His supersonic strength makes him the envy of many men. What’s more, Hulk (Bruce Banner) is able to move at 300 mph and with his immense weight, is able to apply 14 tons of pressure. What’s formidable is, he doesn’t need to rely on high-end tech tools or ultra-shield protection to save him from the clutches of his enemy. He just needs to get furious.
Woman:
Betty Ross (played by Jennifer Connelly), also a researcher, is not only the apple of his eye, but manages to reduce him back to human physique. Unfortunately, their relationship does not last.
Weakness:
Hulk is also an amalgamate representation of resentment, wrath and terror, feelings we’re all too aware of. In a way, he’s a living example of our own rage, making him more identifiable than Thor (seriously, how do you relate to the son of God). While his Hulk mode is useful for fighting off villains, it can also be tricky to get him to simmer down. Hence comes the question: How do you make him stop when the anger gets overloaded?
War history:
A prominent battle and a tough antagonist for Hulk is The Abomination or Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth). He’s twice as strong but unlike Hulk, is unable to switch back to human form. He considers Bruce the reason why he’s like this (especially because the transition isolates him from his ex-wife). Yet, Hulk – like a true hero – manages to defeat him with his ruthlessness.
Scorecard:
Weaponry: 2 stars
Woman: 1 star
War history: 3 stars
Total: 6 stars
Our Verdict
Successful in life and love, Tony Stark’s truly to be envied and deserves the top spot among the assembled heroes here. Needless to say, his intellect and innovations mean that whatever super powers he has will not only not fade with time, but are certain to be enhanced alongside the never-ending march of technology.
Even with his inflated ego, we’re still drawn to his narcissistic personality. He somehow makes it work with his uncanny choice of words – “I’m Tony Stark. I build neat stuff, got a great girl, occasionally save the world. So why can’t I sleep?” Insomnia and “anxiety attacks” may trouble him, but these imperfections make him all the more human.
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