Benjamin Jacob Grimm is far more powerful than most people realize. While casual fans might see The Thing as just another strong guy in orange rocks, the truth is that Ben Grimm possesses strength that rivals some of Marvel’s most powerful beings. From knocking out Galactus to defeating the Incredible Hulk in one-on-one combat, The Thing’s feats of strength are nothing short of extraordinary.
Who Is The Thing and Why His Power Matters
Benjamin Jacob Grimm was a celebrated pilot and trained astronaut whose life changed forever when exposure to cosmic rays permanently transformed him into the thick-skinned Thing. Unlike Bruce Banner, who struggles with control over his Hulk persona, Ben Grimm embraced his transformation and became a founding member of the Fantastic Four.
The Thing represents something unique in Marvel’s pantheon of powerhouses. While characters like the Hulk get stronger with rage, and Thor wields mystical hammer power, The Thing’s strength comes from pure, consistent physical might combined with an unbreakable spirit. His power level has remained remarkably stable throughout his comic history, making him one of Marvel’s most reliable heavy hitters.
The Thing’s Most Impressive Strength Feats
Knocking Out Galactus (Fantastic Four #243)
Perhaps the most incredible display of The Thing’s power came when he essentially one-shotted Galactus himself. During Galactus’s attempt to devour Earth in New York, several of Earth’s mightiest heroes assembled to stop him, including Thor, Spider-Man, Captain America, and the Fantastic Four.
Doctor Strange provided the opening The Thing needed. Using the Images of Ikon spell, Strange reached into the darkest corners of Galactus’s mind, confronting the Devourer of Worlds with the ghosts of all those he had slain. This psychological attack left Galactus disoriented and dropped his guard.
Reed Richards transformed himself into a gigantic rubber band, essentially creating a slingshot with The Thing as the projectile. Ben launched into Galactus’s face with devastating force. The impact was so powerful that it knocked out the hundreds-of-feet-tall cosmic entity, sending him crashing to the ground.
The fact that The Thing was durable enough to sustain the impact of hitting Galactus and knocking him unconscious demonstrates strength on a truly cosmic scale. Even with Doctor Strange’s assistance, the physical force required to topple a being of Galactus’s size and power is almost incomprehensible.
Punching Through Multiple Skyscrapers (Fantastic Four #242)
In one of his most visually stunning displays of raw power, The Thing punched Terrax the Tamer through several New York skyscrapers in just two panels. Terrax, as one of Galactus’s heralds, possesses a portion of the Power Cosmic, making him one of the toughest beings in the galaxy.
The casual nature of this feat makes it even more impressive. The Thing simply walked up behind Terrax, tapped him on the shoulder, and then delivered a punch so powerful it sent the herald flying through multiple buildings. The fact that The Thing could generate enough force to propel a cosmically-powered being through reinforced concrete and steel demonstrates strength that borders on the supernatural.
The Thing vs The Hulk: Complete Fight Analysis
Why The Thing vs Hulk Matters for Power Scaling
The Hulk is widely considered the strongest mortal being in the Marvel Universe, making him the perfect benchmark for measuring other characters’ strength. The Thing’s track record against the Hulk provides crucial insight into his true power level.
As The Thing himself once observed, people always ask who’s stronger between him and the Hulk, but the answer is clearly the Hulk. The better question is who would win in a fight. This distinction is crucial because it acknowledges that raw strength isn’t the only factor in combat effectiveness.
The Thing’s Victories Over the Hulk
The Immortal Hulk Defeated (Fantastic Four #13, 2018)
The Thing’s most definitive victory over the Hulk came during his confrontation with the Immortal Hulk. During what should have been a romantic proposal moment with Alicia Masters, the Puppet Master mind-controlled the Hulk into attacking Ben on their honeymoon.
With less than an hour and a half before reverting to human form, The Thing initially tried to defuse the situation diplomatically. He openly admitted that the Hulk was “the strongest one there is” and that he had nothing to prove. However, when it became clear that the Hulk wouldn’t back down, Ben had no choice but to fight.
The battle showcased The Thing’s tactical intelligence and heart. As Alicia reminded him during the fight, this wasn’t about brains or brawn—it was about heart, and no one had more heart than Ben Grimm. In the final moments, with only seconds left on his transformation timer, The Thing put everything he had into one devastating punch.
The impact was so powerful that the rocky outer layer of skin on The Thing’s arm completely shattered, but it achieved its goal. The punch not only knocked out the Immortal Hulk but also destroyed the Puppet Master’s control puppet through sheer feedback, freeing Banner from mental domination.
Victory Over Joe Fixit (Fantastic Four #320)
When The Thing fought the Gray Hulk (Joe Fixit), he demonstrated superiority over this incarnation of Banner’s alter ego. At this point in continuity, The Thing had been exposed to cosmic rays for a second time, mutating him into a spiky form that enhanced his already considerable strength.
The Gray Hulk, while more intelligent and cunning than his green counterpart, was significantly less powerful. The Thing’s enhanced spiky form proved strong enough to consistently outfight Joe Fixit throughout their battle. The fight took them from the rooftops down to the sewers and back to the streets, with The Thing maintaining the upper hand throughout.
Dr. Doom’s intervention with a robotic Hulk prevented The Thing from delivering the finishing blow, but Joe Fixit had already quietly admitted defeat. This victory demonstrates that The Thing’s power can exceed certain incarnations of the Hulk under the right circumstances.
Learning from Defeats
The Classic Green Hulk Battles
The Thing’s losses to the classic Green Hulk provide valuable lessons about power scaling and combat dynamics. In their early encounters, The Thing consistently proved himself more agile and tactical than the Hulk, often landing the first strikes and using his environment cleverly.
However, the Hulk’s combination of raw strength and increasing power with rage typically allowed him to overcome The Thing’s tactical advantages. In their prolonged battle on the George Washington Bridge, The Thing fought smartly, using suspension cables to try restraining the Hulk and utilizing every advantage available to him.
The key insight from these defeats is that The Thing’s base strength, while enormous, has limits that the Hulk’s rage-powered strength can eventually surpass. Yet The Thing’s ability to hold his own for extended periods against the Hulk speaks to his incredible durability and fighting spirit.
World War Hulk: The Ultimate Power Gap
During the World War Hulk event, The Thing faced perhaps the most powerful incarnation of the Hulk ever seen. This version had been enhanced by exposure to a breached warp core on Planet Sakaar and was driven by unyielding rage.
This Hulk was so powerful that he didn’t just defeat The Thing—he single-handedly took down three members of the Fantastic Four. This battle serves as a reminder that while The Thing can compete with and even defeat certain versions of the Hulk, there are limits to what even his incredible strength can overcome.
The Thing’s Power Evolution Throughout Comics
Base Form Capabilities
In his standard form, The Thing possesses strength that places him among Marvel’s elite powerhouses. His consistent ability to trade blows with the Hulk, even when losing, demonstrates baseline strength that most superheroes can only dream of achieving.
The Thing’s strength appears to be relatively stable compared to rage-based powerhouses. This consistency makes him an incredibly reliable teammate and allows him to serve as the Fantastic Four’s primary heavy hitter across decades of adventures.
Enhanced Forms
The Spiky Thing Mutation
When exposed to cosmic rays for a second time, The Thing mutated into a spiky form that significantly enhanced his already impressive strength. This version proved capable of defeating the Gray Hulk and showed increased power across all physical attributes.
The spiky form’s enhanced strength was demonstrated not just against Joe Fixit, but also in its ability to destroy Dr. Doom’s Cosmic Hulk robot through sustained pressure and raw force. This incarnation represents The Thing’s peak physical power level in comics.
Temporary Power Boosts
During his battle with the Hulk in the ghost town orchestrated by Kargo and the Leader, The Thing received cosmic energy enhancement that doubled his strength. Even with this boost, the fight remained competitive, suggesting that The Thing’s base power is already substantial enough that doubling it puts him in truly elite territory.
How The Thing’s Strength Compares to Other Marvel Powerhouses
Against Cosmic-Level Threats
The Thing’s ability to contribute meaningfully in battles against cosmic-level threats like Galactus sets him apart from typical “strong guy” characters. While he may not possess the raw power of Thor or the unlimited potential of the Hulk, his strength operates on a scale that allows him to participate in universe-threatening conflicts.
His durability matches his strength, as evidenced by his ability to survive impacts that would destroy most superheroes. The fact that he could physically collide with Galactus and remain conscious afterward speaks to defensive capabilities that match his offensive power.
Street-Level vs Cosmic-Level Classifications
The Thing occupies a unique position in Marvel’s power hierarchy. He’s far too powerful for street-level classification, consistently operating at a level that puts him among heavy hitters like Thor, Wonder Man, and the Hulk. Yet he’s not quite in the same tier as cosmic-level entities or reality-warpers.
This positioning makes him perfect for the Fantastic Four’s role as explorers of the unknown. He’s powerful enough to survive cosmic adventures while remaining grounded enough to connect with human-scale problems and emotions.
The Psychology Behind The Thing’s Power
Heart Over Strength
What makes The Thing truly dangerous isn’t just his physical power—it’s his unbreakable spirit. As Alicia Masters observed during his battle with the Immortal Hulk, Ben Grimm’s greatest strength isn’t his muscles or his rocky hide, it’s his heart.
This psychological advantage allows The Thing to perform beyond his theoretical limits when the stakes are highest. His victory over the Immortal Hulk came not from superior strength, but from superior determination and the willingness to sacrifice everything for those he loves.
Tactical Intelligence in Combat
The Thing consistently demonstrates that raw power without strategy is less effective than modest strength applied intelligently. In his battles against stronger opponents like the Hulk, Ben relies on environmental advantages, timing, and tactical thinking to level the playing field.
His ability to recognize when he’s outmatched and adapt his strategy accordingly has allowed him to survive encounters that should have overwhelmed him. This tactical acumen, combined with his raw strength, makes him far more dangerous than his power level alone would suggest.
What The Thing’s MCU Future Might Hold
Translating Comic Power to Film
With the Fantastic Four entering the MCU, fans are naturally curious about how The Thing’s incredible comic book feats will translate to the big screen. The challenge for Marvel Studios will be maintaining the character’s impressive power level while ensuring he doesn’t overshadow other heroes or break the established power scaling.
The MCU has shown willingness to showcase incredible strength feats with characters like the Hulk and Thor. The Thing’s consistent power level actually makes him easier to handle than characters whose strength varies dramatically based on emotional state or external factors.
Potential Storylines and Opponents
The Thing’s cosmic-level strength opens up numerous possibilities for epic MCU confrontations. His comic history includes battles against Galactus, multiple Hulk encounters, and confrontations with cosmic-powered heralds—all of which could translate beautifully to film.
The key will be establishing his baseline strength early and consistently, then building toward the bigger cosmic threats. His relationship dynamics with the Fantastic Four family also provide emotional stakes that make his physical power more meaningful.
The Bottom Line on The Thing’s Power
Benjamin Jacob Grimm is significantly more powerful than most fans realize. While he may not be “the strongest one there is” like the Hulk, his combination of enormous physical strength, unbreakable durability, tactical intelligence, and indomitable spirit makes him one of Marvel’s most formidable heroes.
His track record speaks for itself: he’s knocked out Galactus, defeated multiple versions of the Hulk, punched cosmic-powered heralds through skyscrapers, and consistently held his own against Marvel’s heaviest hitters. The Thing’s power level places him firmly in the upper echelons of Marvel’s strength hierarchy.
More importantly, The Thing proves that true strength isn’t just about how much you can lift or how hard you can punch. It’s about having the heart to stand up when everything seems hopeless, the intelligence to find a way when brute force isn’t enough, and the determination to protect those you love no matter the cost.
When the MCU finally unleashes The Thing on the big screen, audiences will discover what comic fans have known for decades: Ben Grimm isn’t just another strong guy in rocks. He’s one of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel Universe, and it’s about time everyone else found out.
