The Fantastic Four’s the Thing and X-Men foe the Juggernaut are two of comics’ most iconic heavy-hitters, which begs the question: Who is stronger? Throughout their long histories, the two demonstrate amazing feats of strength. Although they never really duke it out, there is a clear winner in this contest.
Benjamin Grimm, aka the Thing” is one of the Fantastic Four’s original members. After being exposed to cosmic radiation in space, the astronaut mutates into a rocky giant. At 6 feet, 500 pounds, this heavyweight contender is built for clobberin’. Through extensive training, Grimm increases his strength over time but uses no magical or technical enhancements. The Juggernaut, whose real name is Cain Marko, has a very different story. Often mistaken for a mutant because of his affiliation with the X-Men, Marko has no inherent powers of his own. He is connected to the deity Cyttorak through a spell called the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. The demonic entity grants his chosen Juggernaut a variety of powers. Most notably, Cain Marko is an “unstoppable force.” Once moving, the magic of Cyttorak increases his momentum infinitely. Even at a standstill, however, Marko is insanely powerful.
Between the two goliaths, who is stronger, the Thing or the Juggernaut? Although the two never have a real comic encounter, they both have telling experiences with Wolverine. The Juggernaut and Wolverine first face off in Uncanny X-Men #102, by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum. As the two duke it out, Logan is enraged to find that his adamantium claws don’t affect the giant. Sparks fly with every swipe, but the X-Man is nearly killed by the Jughead. The Thing and Wolverine scuffle in Fantastic Four #374 by Tom DeFalco and Paul Ryan, and the result isn’t pretty. In a heated dispute, the Thing pins Logan to the floor and yells at the hero. Wolverine responds with a quick swipe across Ben’s face, horribly disfiguring him. The fight proves that the Thing is far from indestructible despite his stony appearance. Both Wolverine and the Hulk have managed to expose the squishy flesh underneath the Thing’s stone.
Aside from their disparity in vulnerability, the Juggernaut is simply stronger than the Thing. Marko manages to trade blows for an extended period with World War Hulk. There are no instances of anyone stopping the Jug without magic. The Thing, on the other hand, frequently suffers brutal losses to non-magical opponents. Most notably, the Hulk demolishes the Thing on several occasions. Despite amazing feats of strength, Grimm simply doesn’t stand a chance against the Juggernaut.
Due to the magical origin of his powers, Cain Marko is vastly more powerful than the Thing. There is no real limit to his might, as long as Cyttorak wills it. Even against the heftiest of opponents, no amount of brute strength can outmatch the Jughead. The true strength of the Juggernaut in unparalleled. Unfortunately for Grimm, the Thing would get clobbered.
