Thor being the strongest Avenger is a running joke in the MCU, but the Asgardian God has proven several times that this title is actually the truth.

There have been several moments in the MCU that prove that Thor is actually the strongest Avenger. Chris Hemsworth debuted as Thor back in the MCU Phase 1’s Thor, and has become one of the longest-running characters in the MCU, and so far, the only original Avenger to have four solo movies under his belt. Adapted from the Norse God of Thunder, Thor has demonstrated a huge amount of power throughout his MCU career, with the running joke being that he considers himself the strongest Avenger, while everyone else thinks it’s Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk, but as it turns out, Thor could be right.

Thor’s Asgardian physiology grants him an elongated lifespan and superhuman gifts and equipped with his trusty hammer, Mjolnir, or the ax Stormbreaker from Avengers: Infinity War onwards, Thor is a formidable ally for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Thor’s journey in the MCU has been one of the most complex, taking him from self-absorbed prince to powerful Avenger to caring father, and although his future in the MCU is unclear, his story certainly isn’t over just yet. While the MCU’s other heroes might not see Thor as the strongest among them, he has proven many times that his power is unbeatable.

Thor Destroyed The Bifrost Bridge

The MCU’s Phase 1 was all about introducing the world to the original team of Avengers, and there was no better way to debut Thor in the MCU than to have him show off his incredible Asgardian strength. Aside from taking on the Frost Giants and defeating Loki’s Destroyer, Thor’s power was demonstrated during the emotional final moments of Thor, which saw the future Avenger use Mjolnir to destroy Asgard’s Bifrost bridge that connected Asgard to the rest of the cosmos. Thor’s destruction of the Bifrost was not only a feat of immense power but also set the God of Thunder up as the savior of the Nine Realms.

9Thor Battled Iron Man & Captain America

Before the Avengers came together in 2012’s crossover event, The Avengers, the unlikely allies battled it out themselves over who should get custody of Loki. This moment proved that Thor was more than capable of holding his own against both Iron Man and Captain America, as not even a 400% boost for Tony Stark’s armor could make him an even match for the God of Thunder. It was only the clashing of Mjolnir and Captain America’s vibranium shield that brought an end to the skirmish. Though this might have been a friendly battle, it proved that Thor could easily take on any of the Avengers if he needed to.

8Thor Stopped Malekith, Despite An Infinity Stone

Even though Thor: The Dark World is considered one of the weakest MCU installments, the Phase 2 sequel did demonstrate even more power for Thor in the wake of the events of The Avengers. Equipped with the Reality Stone, still in its liquid form, Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves, posed a significant threat to the universe. However, despite harboring the power of an Infinity Stone, Thor was still able to defeat Malekith, sending him back to the Dark World and containing the Reality Stone once again, marking a huge step forward in the Infinity Saga, and a brilliant show of strength from Thor.

7Thor Stole Surtur’s Crown

Thor: Ragnarok marked some major changes for Thor in the MCU, as Taika Waititi took over the role of director and reinvented the God of Thunder as a more comedic character. The opening moments of the revolutionary film saw Thor battle Surtur, a flaming being who threatened the destruction of Asgard, though this was put on hold as Thor quickly stole Surtur’s weapon, his crown, and battled his army of creatures with ease. This was only the first demonstration of Thor’s true strength in Thor: Ragnarok, and though Surtur’s prophecy would later come to pass, Thor’s strength in this moment is undeniable.

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6Thor Defeated The Hulk On Sakaar

After witnessing his father’s death, and the destruction of Mjolnir at the hands of Hela, the Goddess of Death, Thor found himself trapped on Sakaar and forced to fight in the Grandmaster’s gladiator tournament. When faced with his unexpected opponent, the Hulk, Thor unleashed only a glimpse of his full power as he began to realize that he didn’t need Mjolnir to control his power, but that the lightning came from within him. Had Thor not been wearing a taser, he would have certainly defeated the Hulk in this fight, showing how much he had grown in strength since the pair’s initial fights in The Avengers.

5Full-Power Thor Struck Hela With A Lightning Bolt

The third act of Thor: Ragnarok saw Thor finally realize his true strength, using his new control over his abilities to face Hela and her army of the undead on Asgard. The final battle saw Thor and Hela battle hand-to-hand in Asgard’s palace, and while one pivotal moment saw Thor lose his eye, he eventually understands that he is not the “God of Hammers,” and uses an epic lightning bolt to free himself from Hela’s grasp. This show of power, combined with the thrilling classic rock soundtrack, made Thor: Ragnarok a pivotal moment in Thor’s MCU journey, proving that his strength is second-to-none leading up to Avengers: Infinity War.

4Thor Withstood The Power Of A Star

After the destruction of Asgard and the attack from Thanos on the Asgardian refugee ship, Thor joined with the Guardians of the Galaxy in the days before Thanos’ snap, setting out on a mission to find a new Thanos-killing weapon. Avengers: Infinity War saw Thor, Rocket, and Groot head to Nidavellir, where they would eventually create Stormbreaker, but not before Thor himself needed to hold open the eye of the forge and allow the star’s power to mold the ax. This would have certainly killed any of the other Avengers, but Thor’s powerful physiology allowed him to hold the eye open for an extensive period of time.

3Thor Almost Stopped Thanos’ Attack In Wakanda

Armed with Stormbreaker, Thor, Rocket, and Groot eventually joined the Avengers in Wakanda in the battle against Thanos and his army of creatures. While the Mad Titan was able to quickly make his way through most of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and even kill Vision to collect the Mind Stone, Thor was able to surprise the supervillain with an attack from Stormbreaker. The ax fought the power of all six Infinity Stones to sink itself into Thanos’ torso, and while the villain turned out to be unstoppable in Avengers: Infinity War, Thor did eventually get his wish of dispatching Thanos in Avengers: Endgame.

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2What If…?’s Thor Went Toe-To-Toe With Captain Marvel

As part of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, What If…? introduced new realities to the franchise, putting new spins on some of the most iconic characters, including showing a party-animal version of Thor, who grew up without Loki as his brother. While this animated variant of Thor didn’t come close to understanding the true range of his strength, he was still an extremely powerful character, being able to take on Captain Marvel in a battle that spans every corner of the Earth. Captain Marvel very easily destroyed Thanos’ armada in Avengers: Endgame, and even held her own against the Mad Titan himself, so What If…? proved Thor’s power is actually unimaginable.

1The Power Of Thor Granted Jane Foster A New Lease Of Life

Thor: Love & Thunder became one of the MCU’s most divisive projects, but it did debut Jane Foster as the Mighty Thor. While Love & Thunder saw Thor battling Gods and God Butchers, the Phase 4 sequel proved that the power of Thor itself can grant mortal beings remarkable abilities, as Jane Foster was able to wield Mjolnir, and even earned a place in Valhalla. While it was this action that led to the rapid growth of her cancer, Jane’s strength in Love & Thunder was only a testament to how powerful Thor is in the MCU, proving once-and-for-all that he is the strongest Avenger.