Durability...

Thanos' durability is perhaps his greatest physical asset. Before his resurrection at the hands of Mistress Death, Thanos was an extremely tough nut to crack. He once fought the Magus to a standstill, and displayed no injuries after being knocked down. In a later battle, he withstood the combined assault of the Thing and Thor with no apparent injury. His durability is somewhat abnormal among Titanian Eternals, but not unique among Earth Eternals. The HBOTMU Book of the Dead openly states that Thanos had increased his own innate durability to a level exceeding even that of the deceased Zuras, former leader of the Earth Eternals, and the mightiest of their race. Since Thanos, for all intents and purposes, possesses most of the traits associated with Earth Eternals as opposed to the Titans, for reasons of clarification I will refer to those Eternals who possess the cosmic life-force as Cosmic Eternals. Thanos obviously fits into this category.

	Tyrant attempts to vaporize Thanos... (From 'Cosmic Powers' #6)

Upon being returned to the realm of the living by Death, Thanos was the recipient of a new version of his previous body. This new body is said to possess even more might than his original. Like most cosmic Eternals, Thanos needs no air, food or water to survive. He is unaffected by exposure to a hard vacuum, and most extremes of temperature. It is unknown exactly how much effort it would have taken to truly injure Thanos' new body, but the effort would have to be immense. Thanos withstood a major thrashing at the hands of Odin, ruler of the Norse Gods. The battle between them wrecked a fair portion of the city of Asgard, and Thanos seemingly received a few bumps and bruises over the course of the fight. The difficulty with which he rose to his feet right before the fight was stopped, however, indicates he may have acquired more serious injuries then could be detected with a cursory glance. However, after a few minutes he appeared as healthy as usual.

	... and Fails! (From 'Cosmic Powers' #6)

This is, of course, a trait common to most cosmic Eternals, as they have the ability to control the molecules of their own body to the point where they are invulnerable to conventional injury. Whatever injuries Thanos had sustained had been healed within a few scant minutes after the battle had concluded.

A later tussle with the Galactus-spawned Tyrant again showcased Thanos' remarkable durability. Thanos managed to withstand a prolonged battle with this ultra-powerful being, who had shrugged off the combined assault of the Silver Surfer, Beta-Ray Bill, Terrax, Ganymede, Jack of Hearts, Morg, and Gladiator. At the climax of the battle, Tyrant generated an energy discharge so potent that it atomized a fair portion of his fortress. However, much to Tyrant's surprise, Thanos climbed free of the glassy earth virtually unharmed.

Truly, Thanos is indeed one of the most durable physical beings in the known universe. However, things changed drastically when mistress Death banned him from ever again entering her realm, making him immortal. Such a decree was a curse to Thanos, who's only real desire had been to be at Death's side.

A similar condition was extended to the Elders of the Universe. Recently they were banned from entering Death's realm by any means, and could not be killed. Even after being atomized and devoured by Galactus, the Elders survived. They immediately reformed inside Galactus, and nearly killed him before being removed.

Of course, in his more recent appearances it seems that Thanos and Death are once again on "decent" terms, and statements he has made a few times during these appearances confirm that he could once again be killed. Regardless of his renewed status with Death, he's still remarkably resilient. In his own series, Thanos weathered a blast from Galactus that pierced his armor's defensive shields, and later survived a huge explosion caused by The Beyonder, and also survived an assault by the Fallen One that proved capable of destroying Thanos' starship. Obviously, it would take a LOT to kill Thanos, as the previous examples have shown.

Note: It has been suggested that Thanos can tap into his reserves of cosmic energy to increase his durability even further. While it has not been proven, several incidents have shown evidence for this claim. Chief among these examples is the battle he waged against a doppelganger of himself, created by the Magus ( 'Warlock and the Infinity Watch' #9 ). At the climax of this battle, Thanos appeared to supercharge his strength and durability with a nimbus of cosmic energy.

Strength...

In his battles, Thanos has displayed not only his awesome durability, but also staggering physical strength. Impressive degrees of physical strength are the norm with Cosmic Eternals. The former leader of Earth's Eternals, Zuras, possessed physical strength at the level of superhuman class 50, as does the current leader, Ikaris. The most physically powerful of the Earth Eternals was a being that went by many names over the course of his long life, including Samson, and Gilgamesh. He was commonly referred to as the Forgotten One due to his former status as an outcast. The Forgotten One posessed superhuman strength in the class 100 range.

	Thanos shows off his strength by decking Champion, the possessor of the power-gem. (From 'Thanos Quest' #1)

The aforementioned HBOTMU Book of the Dead openly states that before his death, Thanos presumably "possessed at least Class 100 strength, enabling him to lift (press) over 100 tons". This clearly places him in a class alongside such beings as Thor and the Hulk in the strength department.

While it is not proven that Death increased his strength along with his resilience and other abilities, it is assumed that she did so. However, the level to which it was increased is unknown.

One topic of frequent debate revolves around whether or not Thanos' base strength is greater than the base level of strength for the Hulk. An incident during the Infinity War leans towards the theory that under normal circumstances, Thanos is stronger than the Hulk. Fans of the jade giant, naturally, refute this...ignoring the ability of one of the two key forces of this universe ( Namely Death ) to augment anyone to nearly any level she so chooses.

Ramus, A frequent poster to the Marvel boards, had the opportunity to ask a true authority about the matter. Writer Peter David, who wrote the Hulk comic for about 12 years, is a subscriber on AOL. Ramus decided to e-mail David about the matter. He was very detailed in his questioning, desiring to avoid any confusion.

To quote Ramus, he asked "if he ( Peter David ) thought Thanos was on a physical strength level higher than Hulk at any time he was writing (meaning various incarnations)."

David's reply was simple, answering: "Yeah, probably. Thanos is kind of in his own weight class."

Nice, clear answer eh?

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the fact that the angrier the Hulk gets, the stronger he gets. Thus, even if Thanos has a stronger base strength level, the Hulk could conceivably match and/or exceed it in time. However, I must also point out that his ability to boost his strength wouldn't necessarily save him in a bout with Thanos.

Note: It has been suggested that Thanos can tap into his reserves of cosmic energy to increase his physical strength even further ( Like the Silver Surfer has been shown to do ). While it has not been proven, several incidents have shown evidence for this claim. Chief among these examples is the battle he waged against a doppelganger of himself, created by the Magus ( in the aforementioned 'Warlock and the Infinity Watch' #9 ). At the climax of this battle, Thanos appeared to supercharge his strength and durability with a nimbus of cosmic energy.

Another piece of evidence pointing to this possibility is the fact that Thanos has shown a propensity towards surrounding his fists with a nimbus of energy before striking a particularly durable opponent. It's very likely that this act increases the bludgeoning power of his fists to an unknown degree.

Stamina...

Like other cosmic Eternals, Thanos is sustained by cosmic energy. No amount of pure physical exertion can tire him because his metabolism is sustained by this energy. Only sustained usage of cosmic energy can tire him appreciably.

Speed/Agility...

Thanos' reflexes and speed are above normal human levels. While not able to compete in this area at the level of speedier, more agile heroes like Spider-Man, Thanos is far faster than a being of his size ( 6'7" in height, 985 lbs of mass. ) should have a right to be.

The looseleaf edition of the HBOTMU states that both his speed and agility are at the "enhanced human" level.

Psionics...

Thanos has displayed telepathic abilities in the past, most notably before his death. In fact, the Loose-leaf update of the HBOTMU states that Thanos possesses psionic abilities.

This ability is typically innate among the cosmic Eternals, but not always so among the Titans.

	Thanos attacks the mind of Drax the Destroyer (From 'Captain Marvel #28)

The level of Thanos' telepathic prowess is unknown. It was presumed to be at a low level. When he decided to make a move against the Goddess during the Infinity Crusade, he employed the aid of Professor Charles Xavier to utilize his telepathic abilities. It bears mentioning that Xavier is ranked as arguably the most powerful psionic on Earth, and likely ranks among the top Psionics in the known Universe.

Despite the presumably low level at which he is able to gain telepathic egress into another's mind, Thanos is a formidable psionic combatant, having shown prowess sufficient enough to defeat both Drax and Moondragon in mental combat. While willpower isn't a quality that can be easily measured...Thanos' force of will is the equal of anyone's.

One trait common among the cosmic Eternals that Thanos seems to lack is the ability to fly. With differing levels of competency, the cosmic Eternals can psionically manipulate gravity in such a manner as to levitate themselves and other objects. Most of them have developed the ability to the point of functional flight. The heroic Ikaris is perhaps the best flyer among the Eternals. He possesses phenomenal maneuverability, and can reach the speed of 850 miles per hour ( Mach 1.1 ).

Why Thanos cannot do this is unknown...but flight is not common among the Titanian Eternals.

Teleportation...

It has been theorized that Thanos possesses the innate ability to teleport himself over unknown distances...however the final answer is an inconclusive one. It is true that most cosmic Eternals possess the ability to teleport themselves and others psionically. Most Eternals find the process an unpleasant one, and usually prefer not to use the ability unless absolutely necessary.

During Thanos' gambit against the Magus, he seemingly used his own teleportational abilities to teleport himself and his allies. He even mentioned the difficulty involved in teleporting others, due to the intense concentration required to accomplish the feat.

Although he has been shown to teleport himself with seemingly no instrumentation, it must be noted that Thanos' had made several bionic enhancements to his original body, and it is likely that most of his teleportation feats were accomplished by remote teleportation equipment controlled via mental signals. That doesn't mean he cannot teleport himself, but it is rather more likely he prefers the efficiency of teleportation equipment to his own ability.

Energy projection/manipulation...

Thanos is obviously able to utilize vast quantities of cosmic energy for destructive force. All cosmic Eternals can do this in one form or another, but Thanos has developed this ability in the extreme. Perhaps the only Eternal who could have rivaled him in this regard was Zuras, who was a level 5 on the five level Eternal adept scales. Zuras' ability to manipulate cosmic energy was so powerful, he once battled Zeus, chief of the Olympian Gods, to a standstill.

Thanos has displayed great versatility in the use of his energy projection powers. Not only is he able to project energy as a concussive force, but he's also able to use the energy to form force-shields, concussion waves, gamma radiation bursts, infrared heat-beams, and disruptor beams. His chief uses of the cosmic energy he draws upon are in the forms of disruptor beams from his eyes, and concussion blasts from his hands.

	Thanos fries one of his foes. (From 'Marvel Holiday Special' #1)

The exact level of force Thanos can exert through his concussion beams is unknown. However, it is likely that he can meet and/or exceed the output of the X-Man, Cyclops. When last tabulated, The effective range of Cyclops' eyebeams is 2000 feet, at which point the force of the blast has degenerated to a level of .38 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch). Its maximum force is exerted in a beam 4 feet across at a distance of 50 feet, which has a force output of approximately 500-PSI. This maximum force is sufficient to upturn a filled 5,000-gallon truck at a distance of 20 feet, or to puncture a one-inch carbon steel plate at a distance of 2 feet.

It must be noted that Cyclops has, at times of extreme need or duress, seemingly exceeded this maximum output. Nonetheless, it provides a baseline measurement to accurately gauge the power he exerts, and that Thanos can almost certainly exceed. Gauging the effects of his force-blasts he used against Odin, it seems quite likely Thanos can exert a force somewhere in the neighborhood of 2000 lbs. (1 ton) per square inch, or perhaps even more.

	Thanos defends himself. (From 'Warlock and the Infinity Watch' #9)

His most potent energy weapon seems to be his eyebeams. These deadly beams usually display matter-disruption properties. Against lesser foes, a single blast is instantly deadly. Stronger foes usually fare better, but sustained barrages can prove fatal. A single eyeblast was seen to be capable of rendering the Thing unconscious, and incapacitating Thor. This particular example occurred before Thanos' death and subsequent resurrection. He's also used them as beams of intense heat ( to attack Nebula for example ). It is likely that the baseline temperature he attains this way is around 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and possibly more.

It has been speculated that the nature of Thanos' cosmic energy reserve may be quasi-mystical in nature. Certainly comments made by Odin during his battle with the Mad Titan would lend support to this theory, as he stated that Thanos tapped into a reserve of 'Dark' power. Considering Thanos' knowledge of things arcane, it is quite possible that his energies are partially mystic in nature.

Matter manipulation...

	Thanos reacts to the failure of Skragg (From 'Captain Marvel #26)

Thanos may not be as accomplished in this area as others, such as the Eternal named Sersi, but he definitely is able to manipulate matter on the atomic level. He displayed this ability in one of his initial appearances when he turned the Skrull, Skragg, into stone.

Bionics...

As has been discussed, aside from using mystic means to augment his might, Thanos also used technology as well. The exact nature of the bionic implants he formerly possessed is unknown.

It is definite, however, that he didn't use or need implanted devices to increase his incredible strength. As his brother Eros stated, Thanos "was born with more than superhuman strength."

It is likely that he had devices implanted designed to facilitate the absorbtion of cosmic energy and possibly its use/projection as well. It's also possible that Thanos had devices implanted to increase the range of his teleportational abilities.

Lastly, since Thanos is in a new body, it seems unlikely that any bionic devices were carried over following his rebirth. Any devices he carries within him at this time would have been added at some point after the Infinity Gauntlet affair. Considering that his might had been augmented over its former staggering levels by Death, it seems unlikely that he would have a need for further physical enhancement.

Mysticisim...

Thanos has not been seen to utilize spell magics in any of his appearances that I can recall.

That doesn't mean that he doesn't know how to use spells, as it has been stated that he used mystical techniques alongside technological ones to increase his might.

However, it is more likely that the majority of his mystic ability lies in his knowledge of things arcane. His scientific knowledge is vast, and well-documented. It is very likely that his knowledge of mystical lore is quite impressive as well. Its very possible, as speculated above, that his cosmic power source is partially mystic in nature.

Fighting skills...

Thanos generally prefers to let his plans unfold without getting physically involved. However, he does not shy from physical combat, and at times he seems to revel in it.

It is unknown what fighting arts Thanos knows. His knowledge of combat styles seems to be quite broad, as he instructed his ward, Gamora, training her to become the most lethal female assassin in known space. It is stated that he learned most of his fighting skills while dwelling in some of the most dangerous areas of known space following his banishment from Titan. He spent more than 80 years in these perilous environs, honing his deadly abilities.

Thanos can be as clever at times during combat, as he is when plotting. His greatest advantage when he is fighting is the fact that he rarely stops thinking during combat, despite being able to fight reflexively. He typically knows the weaknesses of any foe he faces beforehand, and will actively exploit them during combat. The instances of him fighting a foe without knowledge of them beforehand are rare.

Recent Developments...

After the events of "Marvel: The End" there is some evidence to suggest that Thanos used the last dregs of his omnipotence to further augment and hone his powers. He openly admitted to Warlock that he did indeed grant himself some "life-assuring wishes", including the restoration of his shattered armada of powerful starships. The greatest evidence for his boosted power can be found in issue #5 of his own series, when he unleashes a blast of energy capable of knocking Galactus through the hull of the World-Devourer's starship and several-hundred meters through the air beyond. Though the blast didn't actually harm Galactus, it was an impressive feat nonetheless. Later on in his own series he also defeats the mortal-incarnation of The Beyonder, and goes on to defeat the first herald of Galactus, a being known only as the Fallen One.

In issue #7 of the Thanos series, the Titan also displays the ability to levitate when he strides through empty air to cross between two corridors on the Kyln facility. I must also point out that the high-level Thanos duplicate seen in the pages of "The Mighty Thor" a few years back also displayed this ability. Later on in that very same issue he uses his cosmic powers to heal an injured Cleric, which is something I have never seen him do. In issue #10 he attacks the Beyonder (mentioned above) with a two-pronged mental/physical assault, and succeeds in destroying her mind. This is a throwback to the potent Psionic powers he displayed years ago during the cosmic cube affair.

Lastly, in issue #12, Thanos brainwashes the defeated Fallen One in order to make him his herald. It is unclear what method the Titan used to accomplish this, but it seems that he may have restructured the Fallen One's brain at the cellular level rather than using Psionics. Since he later said that the Fallen One would have no choice but to serve him, it seems likely that he used his matter manipulation powers, ensuring a permanent personality-change. If this is the case, this displays an ability to use his powers in a very precise and delicate manner.

Thanos brainwashes the Fallen One

In Closing...

So just how tough is Thanos overall? Well, the HBOTMU is pretty clear on the matter. He is the most powerful of the cosmic Eternals, who are mighty beings in their own right. Many of them have been worshipped as Gods during certain periods of Earth history, and their power makes such adoration understandable.

While there is no real proof to back this claim, evidence suggests that Thanos is at least the equal of any herald of Galactus, and is likely just a notch below a Skyfather ( Such as Odin and Zeus ) in terms of sheer power.