‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Confirms A Tragic Detail About Thor That Can Never Be Fixed
Thor is one of the strongest characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is often hailed as one of the big guns of the Avengers due to his prowess. We've seen him nearly kill Thanos and avert the end of the world, fighting God-butchers and monsters regularly, but Avengers: Doomsday (2026) offers something new.
In the most recent trailer, we see Thor challenge Doom only to be easily tossed aside by the villain. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time it has happened, and, if anything, it has solidified that no matter how powerful Thor is, he will always be used to put another villain over in the service of the story.
Thor Doesn’t Hold A Candle Against A Fully Powered Doctor Doom
Avengers: Doomsday has a difficult challenge of formally introducing and establishing why we should be scared of Doctor Doom. While Thanos didn't do much either, we had a handful of moments that teased why he should be feared. But with Doom, it's all based on the way he carries himself.
But his motivation is what makes him so terrifying because nothing can stop him when he sets his mind to something. We don't know Doom's exact plan, but what he does requires immense power that he has to earn or steal, and Thor has to face this firsthand.
As Thor tells him he will beg for a Hell long before he grants it, Doom blocks Stormbreaker and tells him that Hell answers to him as Sentinels awaken, and he states, "For I. Am. Doom." It's hard not to get excited to the point where we forget that Doom easily tossed Stormbreaker and Thor aside, but that simple action is Thor's greatest problem.
Doom Isn't The First Villain To Beat Thor Easily
Thor has made a habit of being incredibly strong and an equalizer in battles. But when it comes to a single powerful enemy, all of his upgrades mean next to nothing. The first example of this came with Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), a villain who had already proved his strength against the Hulk and, with all the Infinity Stones, was nearly impossible to defeat. Thor only stood a chance against him because of Stormbreaker, but by not going for the head, he failed.
Avengers: Endgame (2019) was the next part of this fight, where a Thor who let himself go had Stormbreaker and Mjolnir and still couldn't overpower Thanos. Even overweight and out of practice, Thor should still be a threat against the Mad Titan and, ultimately, he didn't do much to leave a mark.
By far the strangest defeat came against Gorr the God-Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), who, with the Necrosword, could easily kill Gods. But even Thor in his prime couldn't take on Gorr 1-on-1, and it took allies and even powered children to overpower the villain. This all proves that, while Thor is strong, he can never be stronger than the strongest bad guy, and that ultimately hurts the God of Thunder.
Thor Still Struggles With Beating Powerful Villains
Thor is a character who will always be one of the strongest heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and that goes without question. Yet saying he could defeat an Avengers-level villain on his own will always be up for debate. But even if he can't, it's a shame that he's always established as the hero used to show just how strong a bad guy is.
It works well from a narrative perspective to make us scared of bad guys like Doctor Doom, but when used solely against Thor, it whittles down the intimidation factor of the hero. As a result, for however long Thor is in the MCU, unless he gets so powerful he ascends beyond being a hero, there will be a point where seeing him won't feel like a relief.
We love being scared of villains like Doctor Doom, and it says a lot about him when Thor, with all his strength, can't even make him sweat. But eventually, the MCU has to find new ways to establish these foes, because Thor is still strong, and audiences can't afford to forget that in a world of heroes that will never reach his level.
