Could Scarlet Witch Have Killed Thanos in Avengers: Endgame?

Despite her impressive feats in Avengers: Endgame, it is debatable whether Scarlet Witch (Wanda) could have killed the formidable Thanos. This analysis delves into the rationale behind why Wanda's capabilities would not have been sufficient to defeat Thanos in the climactic battle.

Introducing Scarlet Witch

First, let's establish that Wanda is an incredibly powerful character within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Her abilities, manifested in the hyper-realistic WandaVision series, reveal her to be a force to be reckoned with. However, the question remains whether her powers were enough to overcome Thanos, one of the MCU's most powerful antagonists.

Thanos: The Ultimate Survivor

Thanos is known for his incredible durability and resilience. For instance, Thor, who is physically one of the strongest characters in the MCU, took the brunt of the impact from a neutron star. Additionally, Thor managed to deflect and survive the strikes from Hela's necroswords, which are capable of piercing Uru, a rare and durable metal.

While several superheroes in the Avengers lineup, such as Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, and the Hulk, have engaged with Thanos, none of their attacks have shown any significant damage to the Mad Titan. The point here is that Thanos has demonstrated immunity to various inflicted hardships, including high-velocity crashes and intense energy discharges.

Scarlet Witch's Capabilities Before WandaVision

Pre-WandaVision, Wanda's power output remained somewhat limited. Although she managed to destroy an Infinity Stone, Vision noted that she lacked the pure energy output or power to destroy the stone directly. Instead, she was able to neutralize it through a frequency similar to the stone's energy.

Moreover, various Avengers, including Thor himself, have shown no substantial damage after interacting with Thanos. For example, Thor's pre-awakened lightning, which was enough to contain the Aether, could only slight damage Thanos. Post-awakening, Thor's energy was still insufficient to incapacitate Thanos effectively.

Thanos and the Battle of the Gauntlet

During the final battle, Thanos was clearly in a precarious position. Despite Wanda's powerful abilities, the Mad Titan demonstrated a remarkable ability to remain mobile even after being struck by the Avengers' attacks. The ease with which Thanos maneuvered and engaged in combat suggests a level of resilience that would make it difficult for Wanda to neutralize him.

Furthermore, Thanos's decision to order his ships to fire on his own troops indicates that he was not merely fearing death. Instead, he was likely trying to regain control of the battlefield and the gauntlet. The loss of his army is a significant setback, but one that Thanos would be willing to accept to secure the Infinity Gauntlet.

It is also important to consider that Thanos has a history of ruthless decision-making. In Infinity War, he sacrificed his own daughter Gamora to secure victory, showing his willingness to harm those close to him for the greater good. The deaths of a few hundred troops to regain the gauntlet would be a small price for him to pay.

Conclusion

While Scarlet Witch is undoubtedly a formidable character, the intricate balance of power in the final battle of Avengers: Endgame suggests that Thanos's durability and strategic genius would make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for her to kill him at that point in the timeline.

Note: This analysis is based on the events as depicted in the MCU films and takes into account the narrative and visual representation of the characters' abilities.