How Strong Is Fantastic Four's Thing? Ben Grimm's Maximum Strength Level Explained (2025)

The Marvel Universe is inhabited by some of the strongest superhumans in fiction, but where exactly does Fantastic Four's Benjamin J. Grimm, aka the Thing, rank among them? Since his debut in 1961, the Thing has continually increased his strength, exploring the limits of his power and benefiting from Reed Richards' unparalleled genius and training equipment. Now, he's one of the defining powerhouses of the Marvel Universe.

Early tests carried out by Reed Richards indicated that the Thing's strength topped out at the ability to lift up to 5 tons, however after 64 years, Ben Grimm has left that record in the dust. That's the case for most superstrong characters in Marvel lore, as the spectacle of superpowers has gradually increased. However, the Thing becoming stronger is also literally true within Marvel lore - the Thing has trained his powers, mutated further from his initial form, and addressed psychological barriers that limited his powers.

According to Marvel's official biography of the Thing, he can now lift upwards of 100 tons, however various feats show this is an incredibly conservative estimate. More importantly, however, Marvel acknowledges the ideal of strength that tends to define the Thing - roughly speaking, he's the world's second most powerful individual after the Hulk. Marvel states:

The Thing stands as one of the most powerful individuals on the planet, perhaps second only to the Hulk. His unique physique enables him to lift nearly one-hundred tons, withstand extreme temperatures, and survive intense bombardments of energy and explosive detonations.

The Thing Is Marvel's Second Strongest Hero...

At Least in Every Way That Matters

Gaining his powers after being exposed to cosmic rays, Ben Grimm mutated into a rocky new form. This transformation covered his body in durable rock plating and enhanced his strength, durability and physical size to superhuman level. The Thing can crush a car and punch straight through a regular human (as he demonstrated on Deadpool), as well as lifting hundreds of tons. However, he's also engaged in some far more impressive feats - for example, holding up the weight of an entire suspension bridge (closer to thousands of tons than hundreds) and crushing a press designed to penetrate a planet.

Like any comic hero, the Thing's strength has no firm number - it's a general sense of capability that can bend to fit a given story. That's the number Marvel gives as "nearly one-hundred tons," despite Ben having carried out feats in excess of that number. However, looking at the Thing's comic adventures as a whole, the phrase "second only to the Hulk" is far more useful. Again, this isn't literally true - characters like the Sentry has outclassed the Thing in terms of strength - but it accurately communicates the category in which the Thing's strength exists.

For purposes of storytelling, the Hulk's strength is all but infinite (and is indeed literally infinite once it begins increasing thanks to his rage.) Some other characters like the Sentry and Galactus exist on this same level of limitless strength. Below that are the characters who possess incredible strength still restrained by the laws of physics, and this is the category where the Thing fits. As Marvel indicates, the Thing is likely the first among equals here, topping out with more impressive feats than other superstrong characters like Colossus, Juggernaut, Namor and Wonder Man.

The Thing's Upper Strength Limit Is a Lie

Ben Grimm Is Defined by Doing More Than Should Be Possible

One of the things that marks the Thing's strength as unique in Marvel lore is his indomitable will. The Thing famously never surrenders in a fight, and can outlast stronger and more physically durable opponents simply because he refuses to stay down. This has been shown in many stories, but perhaps most famously in his battle against Tryco Slatterus, aka the Champion of the Universe. In Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7, from Tom DeFalco and Ron Wilson, all Marvel's superstrong heroes take on the Champion in a contest of strength, with only the Thing giving him enough of a fair match to satisfy the all-powerful alien.

In a similar way, the Thing has been known to surpass his supposed maximum strength in times of need - for example, knocking out the Hulk in Fantastic Four #13 (by Dan Slott and Sean Izaakse), with a shot so hard that it shattered all the plates along the Thing's arm (albeit at the time Hulk was being controlled by the Puppet Master.)

Marvel officially states that the Thing is capable of lifting almost 100 tons, putting a firm number on Ben Grimm's minimum strength. However, his many adventures have shown time and again that he's capable of reaching deeper, surpassing his supposed 'limits' when it means safeguarding his family. Most accurately, the Thing is on the next level down from the Hulk's near-infinite strength - a superstrong hero who can bring down buildings and punch out giant monsters, but can still be bettered by some of the impossible foes he takes on alongside the Fantastic Four.

Source: Marvel

Fantastic Four

Created by

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

First Film

The Fantastic Four

Latest Film

Fantastic Four

Upcoming Films

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

First TV Show

The Fantastic Four

Summary

The Fantastic Four is a superhero franchise centered on Marvel Comics' first family of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team made its comic book debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel's success. The franchise follows four astronauts—Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm—who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. Over the years, Fantastic Four has been adapted into several live-action films, animated series, and video games. The films have seen multiple reboots, with varying levels of success, and are now set to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with a new film slated for release in 2025.