Shang Chi vs Thanos: Who Would Win?
Marel has so many unique and powerful characters that pinning them against one another is one of the fans’ most favorite pastimes. Ever since we saw the full extent of his powers in Infinity War and Endgame Thanos is a popular character in these fictional fights, but what would happen if he was faced with the newest addition to the MCU, Shang Chi?
Although he is a skilled fighter who could easily defeat many well-known characters, to the displeasure of his newly expanded fanbase, Shang Chi couldn’t really bring a lot of harm to Thanos. Especially if the Mad Titan is equipped with the Infinity Gauntlet.
If you are still unsure of the outcome of this fight, make sure to read this article and the short breakdown of their powers to help you determine if you agree with us or if you believe Shang Chi has the potential to take down Thanos.
Shang Chi and his powers
The newest addition to the MCU is best known for his martial arts abilities. In a way, when it comes to proficiency at hand-to-hand combat one could argue that Shang Chi is Marvel’s version of Batman.
Shang Chi was trained in the martial arts from a very young age and his training was aimed at creating the perfect martial artist. He is an expert at many different forms but usually uses Chinese martial arts.
Throughout his comic book career, he fought many skilled fighters proving just how skilled he is. The list includes many skilled fighters but doesn’t exclude superhumans and some of the more interesting people Shang Chi has previously defeated are Kingpin, Spiderman and a literal giant dragon.
Aside from hand-to-hand combat, Shang Chi is also an amazing marksman who is able to use a variety of different weapons. Although he uses traditional weapons throughout the comic books such as the Chinese double-edged sword, butterfly swords, oxtail swords, staves, and both single and double nunchaku, there were a few instances that prove he is also skilled with firearms.
Despite the fact that there are numerous instances of him using weapons the comics are full of examples of Shang Chi using makeshift weapons to defend himself since he usually opts for metal pipes and tree trunks alike.
All of these are extremely useful in a fight, Shang Chi’s true secret weapon is his pressure point location abilities. By having an excellent understanding of human body pressure points he is able to incapacitate, paralyze, severely injure or kill his opponent with only one well place blow.
Aside from all of the skills, Shang Chi possesses the thing that truly works to his advantage is his physical condition. As someone who trains regularly, he is in peak human condition. All of this is amplified when he uses chi and there are a few instances in the comics when his strength becomes unlimited in such situations.
Shang has worked hard to develop the highest degree of strength, speed, stamina, and endurance that a human can achieve without the use of artificial enhancements.
His abilities include the speed and stamina to survive even the most strenuous physical training routines, as well as the ability to react quickly enough to escape the gunfire and even catch and throw weapons thrown at him by enemies.
The best example of his physical condition is the fact that he was able to keep up with Spiderman on many different occasions. Spidey had his senses enhanced when he got his powers and Shang Chi achieved the same reflexes through training alone.
His strength paired up with the ability to control his nervous system makes him an extremely durable opponent. This ability is constantly displayed in comic books in situations where he used it to deaden his body to physical pain, resist the effects of drugs or poisons, limit the spread of toxins in his bloodstream, and even slow down his bleeding rate.
Thanos and his powers
Unlike Shang Chi who just got his introduction in the MCU, Thanos is a well-known character who was the main antagonist for the previous three phases of the MCU.
Thanos possesses enormous superhuman strength, the extent of which is unknown. His strength has been enhanced beyond its initial limitations, rivaling or exceeding that of the physically strongest Eternals.
Just to put this into perspective, Thanos was able to punch away Hulk in the middle of his attack as well as defeat Thor while he was using the Power Gem.
Despite his enormous size that mostly plays to his strength, Thanos is extremely agile and coordinated. This reaches the levels beyond most popular heroes and even exceeds the best human athlete’s natural physical capabilities. His agility is comparable to that of a typical Eternal.
This was best displayed when he was able to avoid a Champion of the Universe with a Power Gem. This also applies to his reflexes and stamina.
Furthermore, Thanos is immortal, as are all Eternals, in the sense that he is impervious to all known illnesses and infections, as well as the ravages of aging. Thanos is forbidden from entering Death’s domain, making him completely eternal. He has the ability to die, yet no matter how serious the harm, he will always return.
His immortality is also paired up with anyone’s dream superpower, the ability to regenerate and heal at a much faster rate. It is possible to hurt Thanos, despite his incredible endurance.
Just like other Eternals, he is capable of repairing damaged tissue at a considerably faster and more efficient rate than a human however his healing abilities aren’t as advanced as some Eternals’.
Some Eternals have the ability to regenerate any tissue that has been damaged but Thanos is unable to regrow missing organs, like a heart, due to the circumstances of his death at the hands of Drax the Destroyer during the Annihilation event.
Although he typically avoids physical combat, Thanos is a highly formidable hand-to-hand combatant, having been trained in the Arts of War on Titan. He is particularly skillful at using a combination of his physical and energy manipulative abilities during combat. He is also a skilled swordsman, being able to overwhelm a Mjolnir-wielding Silver Surfer.
Thanos is a superhuman mutant with the materials used to create cosmic energy for personal use. His enormous, heavy-bodied form was born with this ability. Thanos’ abilities have grown as a consequence of bionic augmentation, magical enhancement, and being revived by Death himself.
He was considered a Category 1 Life Ender by the Nova Corps, with a universal threat level and a one-time reality ender, and was apparently a Cosmic-level threat, being sent to the core cell of a galactic prison by the Shi’ar Imperial Guard.
Shang Chi vs Thanos: Who Would Win?
After looking at this brief breakdown of both of our contender’s abilities it becomes pretty clear that Thanos would win in a fight if the two ever crossed paths.
Shang Chi is an extremely skilled and powerful opponent and he can easily hold his own against many formidable foes and has previously defeated people who are much more powerful than him. He easily takes on human and super-powered opponents which gives him a lot of experience and variety in fighting styles.
All of this is impressive but is no match for Thanos. Ignoring the fact that Thanos could physically crush him and defeat Shang Chi without ever using his powers, there are a plethora of magical and other powers at his disposal which would allow him to end the fight before Shang Chi even made it within the punching distance of him.
Another thing that is important to consider and is pretty much the determining factor for this question is the fact that Thanos can’t die. While he can be harmed and even killed he actually can’t die since he was banished from the afterlife by Death herself, meaning that he simply comes back to life once he is killed.
All things considered, it is safe to say that the amazing abilities Shang Chi possess don’t stand a chance against an opponent like Thanos.
