The Marvel Cinematic Universe is slated to introduce some incredibly powerful characters soon, many of which would have been undoubtedly helpful against Thanos in the Infinity Saga. The upcoming slate of MCU films will be re-organizing the power structure of the franchise like never before, expanding the universe with the introduction of The Fantastic Four and more supernatural heroes like Blade. Had they been there for the Infinity Saga, there’s little doubt that the two major battles against Thanos and his army might’ve gone very differently.
It’s not the most far-fetched thing in the world to imagine heroes and villains working together to stop Thanos. After all, other bad guys live in the universe too, and they likely wouldn’t be comfortable with rolling the dice on having a 50/50 sH๏τ of disintegrating at the sound of his snap. Thanos and the Infinity Stones are a terrifying opponent, and some upcoming Marvel characters would have an easier time with him than others if their comic incarnations are anything to go off of.
10
Blade
Strong, but too specialized
The first upcoming hero in consideration for usefulness against the Mad тιтan is none other than the vampire hunter Blade. First introduced in his own trilogy of films starring Wesley Snipes, Blade’s future in the MCU is admittedly uncertain, with the infamous production woes of Mahershala Ali’s upcoming take on the character grinding development to a halt. Supposing Kevin Feige’s ᴀssurances are valid and he will eventually arrive, it won’t exactly be too little too late for the Daywalking vampire killer.
As a Dhampir, or half-vampire, Blade has all of the strengths of the unᴅᴇᴀᴅ creatures, including super speed, enhanced reflexes, super strength, and extreme durability, but none of their weaknesses. Blade is certainly a terrifying hand-to-hand combatant and a ruthless killer, but his specialized knowledge of vampire hunting wouldn’t translate too well to alien invaders. At best, Blade would be a nice extra soldier to have in the fight against Thanos’ army of monsters, but he wouldn’t meaningfully affect the outcome of the Infinity War.
9
The Thing
Persistent, but only able to do so much
Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s The Thing looks incredibly well-rendered in the recently released trailer for Fantastic Four: First Steps, but his use case against Thanos leaves something to be desired. In truth, Benjamin Grimm is more-or-less the weakest member of The Fantastic Four, despite being the most outwardly durable. The Thing doesn’t have the raw destructive power of Johnny, the reality warping hacks of Sue, or the versatility of Reed, leaving his strength and size as his only real output.
Ben is at least a cut above Blade due to his trademark willpower, refusing to go down in even the most dire of circumstances, a trait that’s certainly needed against the existential threat of Thanos. However, he’s usually depicted as being slightly less strong than The Hulk, and if the MCU’s Hulk was easily outclassed in single combat against Thanos, it’s doubtful that The Thing would fare any better. The Thing would be a force of nature against Thanos’ forces, but his presence is unlikely to give Doctor Strange any more winning futures to sift through.
8
Wonder Man
A powerful flying brick
The upcoming show Wonder Man might not have the most hype compared to other MCU releases in development, but presents an interesting case for a character that might’ve been quite useful against Thanos. Simon Williams, a.k.a. Wonder Man, is turned into a superhero in the comics at the hands of Baron Zemo, eventually striking out on his own to become an actor. Wonder Man’s powers are often vaguely defined and centered around energy, but he’s always consistently super strong, durable, and capable of flight.
ᴀssuming the MCU’s Wonder Man at least has these three powers in a similar capacity to the source material, he might’ve been quite a valuable force against Thanos. Wonder Man might have been able to help Captain Marvel take down some of Thanos’ warships, possibly doing so earlier without having to worry about the travel time from outer space. That being said, his lack of experience and flexible morals might prove to be more of a liability than a boon to the heroes.
7
The Human Torch
The definition of a glᴀss cannon
Due to his cocky and H๏τ-headed atтιтude, Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch, is often an undervalued member of The Fantastic Four. Blessed by cosmic rays with the powers of pyrokinesis, The Human Torch lives up to his name, activating his abilities with the phrase “Flame on!“. The Human Torch is a flier, a rarity for the MCU’s heroes, and can generate staggeringly high temperatures that even reach supernova levels of heat at times.
The fight against Thanos’ army would be a rare opportunity for Johnny to truly let loose, annihilating huge swathes of alien soldiers at a time. Thanos himself might fare better, being at least as strong as Thor, who was able to withstand the heat of a literal sun for an extended period of time. The amount of destruction The Human Torch could cause is statistically significant, but he’s not especially durable for a superhero, meaning one lucky sH๏τ could take him out of the fight for good.
6
Mr. Fantastic
More useful for his brains than his brawn
The leader and namesake of The Fantastic Four, Mr. Fantastic would have doubtlessly been a huge ᴀsset to the heroes of the MCU in the Infinity Saga. Reed Richards’ powers allow him to stretch and contort his body to an impossible degree, not only an elastic nightmare of an opponent but a powerful shapeshifter who can fashion his own body into all kinds of shapes and weapons. These powers certainly might come in handy in the hectic melee of the battles against Thanos, but Mr. Fantastic’s true strength lies elsewhere.
It’s the vast intellect of Reed Richards that would make him such an important ally to have. Easily one of the smartest people in the world, Richards more than earns his spot on the Illuminati of Earth-838. In Fantastic Four: First Steps, Reed Richards will have to figure out a means of stopping the world-devouring Galactus, proving he can handle existential cosmic threats. The only limits to the tactical edge his genius might provide stem from how it might clash with the egos of Iron Man and Doctor Strange.
5
The Invisible Woman
Invisible, but makes a big impact
Quietly the most powerful member of The Fantastic Four in most incarnations of the team, The Invisible Woman is so much more than a stealthy hero. True to her name, Susan Storm’s powers allow her to refract light around herself, rendering her totally invisible. But this is only one small application of her astounding abilities, which allow her to create forcefields, push and pull objects and people, and even map out her environment by generating radar.
When allowing her powers to fully unleash, The Invisible Woman can instantly kill by creating forcefields within the bodies of living things. This may or may not work on Thanos, but it would at the very least make quick work of his Black Order. Susan Storm is also capable of pᴀssing on her invisibility to other people and objects, which could wreak havoc on the battlefield against Thanos’ forces. It’s also important not to underestimate the value of a good defensive line, which her shields could provide.
4
Mephisto
A devil the Avengers might be willing to make a deal with
Moving on from the more human characters, the MCU has also promised to unleash many astoundingly powerful otherwordly beings with its upcoming slate of movies. One of the most evil and ubiquitous villains in the Marvel Comics, Mephisto was finally confirmed to exist in the MCU thanks to Agatha All Along. Essentially The Devil of the Marvel universe, Mephisto is an almighty archdemon who rules over the underworld, preying on the mortal souls of the superheroes above.
It’s unclear if Thanos’ snap would single out demons like Mephisto, as they may or may not count as “living things”, but his help would be invaluable should he actually have taken up arms against the Mad тιтan. After all, Mephisto is the ruler of an entire plane of existence, a master of demons, and a terrifyingly strong opponent in his own right. The only problem is that unleashing him against Thanos may do more harm than good, and Mephisto is sometimes depicted as being limited outside his home turf, such as in the Ghost Rider movies.
3
Sentry
Can alter reality on a fundamental scale
Sentry is the upcoming big bad of Thunderbolts* and a character with a complicated past in the Marvel Comics, a hero with a dark presence inside him that occasionally manifests as a powerful villain. Sentry’s powers are typically shown to be a standard Superman-esque package of flight, strength, and invulnerability, but the recent trailer of Thunderbolts* revealed he can do much more. Able to manipulate matter at a subatomic level, Sentry is capable of instantly turning people into nuclear shadows with a mere glance.
Sentry’s reality-warping strength would be able to at least match pace with Thanos’ Infinity Stones, though it’s unclear if he could overpower them in a straight battle of literal mind over matter. At the very least, Sentry would easily by Thanos’ most terrifying opponent on the Avengers’ roster. However, if the Thunderbolts are somehow able to defeat him in the upcoming movie, it bodes poorly for how well he could reasonably keep up.
2
Silver Surfer
A simple appearance betraying staggering universal power
An utterly alien and extremely advanced form of consciousness, the Silver Surfer is one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe canonically. Blessed with great cosmic strength by Galactus, the Silver Surfer serves as his herald, scouting new worlds for the being to devour. With powers that go far beyond simply flying about on their signature chrome surfboard, the Silver Surfer is easily capable of matching Thanos in the comics.
Granted, the MCU’s version of Silver Surfer will be the female Shalla-Bal, rather than the traditional male Norrin Radd. That doesn’t mean she should be any less powerful, however, as the MCU might scale-down Shalla’s planet-smashing potential from the comics, but she would at least be an equal to the Mad тιтan. The presence of the Silver Surfer might have single-handedly swayed the tide in the heroes’ favor during the Infinity War.
1
Galactus
An all-powerful world devourer
If the mere opening act for Galactus is one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy, it stands to reason that Galactus himself would be more than a match for his fellow purple supervillain. An ancient celestial being, Galactus slowly drifts through the cosmos of space, absorbing entire planets for sustenance and eliminating entire civilizations of alien species. Galactus is set to appear as the main villain of Fantastic Four: First Steps.
It’s safe to say that even the mighty Thanos would stand little chance against Galactus. The Infinity Stones could give Galactus some trouble, but he would essentially take up 100% of Thanos’ attention, leaving the heroes wide open for a sudden strike. Admittedly, Galactus will likely be defeated somehow in his debut movie, but it’s likely this victory will be more of a technical cheat a la Dormammu in Doctor Strange. In terms of raw power, few in the MCU could hope to ever stand up to Galactus, including Thanos.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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Spider-Man Homecoming 4
- Release Date
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July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027
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