Every Version of Thanos in the MCU, Ranked by Power (There’s More Than You Think)

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is getting a new major villain. While Kang was originally set to be the central threat across multiple films and caused trouble for characters like Loki and Ant-Man, he’s no longer part of the plan due to issues behind the scenes. Marvel Studios saw this as a chance to bring back Robert Downey Jr., but not as an evil Tony Stark. He’ll be playing a brand new character with the potential to significantly impact the future of the MCU.

Doctor Doom’s impact in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will inevitably be measured against Thanos, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first major villain. Thanos remains a terrifying figure for the Avengers, and Marvel Studios continues to find ways to include him in new projects. Here’s a ranking of every version of Thanos that has appeared in the MCU, based on their power.

6) Age of Ultron Thanos

I absolutely love the What If…? series! It’s just fascinating to see how different things could have been in the MCU. The episode where Ultron wins is wild – it’s terrifying to watch Tony Stark’s creation actually defeat the Avengers and destroy the Earth. And then, to top it all off, Thanos shows up, thinking he can take control, only to be instantly cut down by Ultron! It’s such a brutal and shocking moment, especially seeing Ultron take all the Infinity Stones for himself. Thanos really fought hard in that alternate reality, but it wasn’t enough!

5) Ravager Thanos

In the ‘What If… T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?’ episode, Thanos is surprisingly portrayed as a good guy. Instead of trying to destroy half the universe, he abandons that plan and joins Star-Lord’s team as a Ravager. He doesn’t perform any major heroic acts, but he’s a valuable asset, helping the crew battle the Black Order and successfully steal an item from The Collector.

4) Earth-838 Thanos

In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we see a familiar threat resurface: Thanos. After traveling to Earth-838, Doctor Strange discovers that his alternate self was corrupted by the Darkhold, a dangerous book of dark magic. This alternate Strange tried to harness its power to prevent Thanos from gathering the Infinity Stones and repeating his devastating snap. Ultimately, the Illuminati manage to defeat him using the Book of Vishanti, though he doesn’t go down without a fight.

3) Sacred Timeline Thanos

The end of The Avengers movie introduced Thanos, hinting at future conflict with a chilling smile. Though it took time, once he began his plan, no one could stand in his way. He destroyed entire planets like Xandar and Knowhere, wiped out many Asgardians, and even defeated the Avengers. Ultimately, his overconfidence and desire for a quiet life after eliminating half of all life in the universe led to his defeat.

2) 2014 Thanos

After the Avengers go back in time to 2014, they inform that timeline’s Thanos about the death of his future self. Furious about this news, he decides to take matters into his own hands. He travels to the main timeline and destroys the Avengers’ base, then dominates the Battle of Earth, successfully obtaining the Nano Gauntlet. But his overconfidence proves to be his downfall, as he underestimates the danger posed by a human in an Iron Man suit.

1) Zombie Thanos

“What If… Zombies?!” delivers on its promise with a world populated by undead heroes and villains. The situation quickly escalates, and just when it seems things can’t get any worse, a zombie version of Thanos appears. Though he doesn’t fully emerge until the Marvel Zombies series, he makes a powerful impact. Black Panther ultimately sacrifices himself to save the world from what is arguably the most dangerous incarnation of Thanos ever seen.

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2025-12-15 19:22