Um, how did Thanos defeat Thor, Heimdall, Hulk, Valkyrie, Loki and the remaining alien gladiators before the film even started?
Thanos had a single Infinity Stone, but those were all (roughly) Hulk/Thor-level super strong characters (most of whom have additional powers).
Thanos didn't beat Hulk before the movie started. As for beating Thor, Thanos is just stronger. The Black Order were also with Thanos to give him whatever assistance he needed. I'm not sure what the issue is.
shareI think the Black Order did most if not all of the carnage before Thanos actually arrived.
shareBut the Black Order lost to mere mortals like Captain America, Black Widow and Falcon....
shareNo, the Black Order didn't lose to mere mortals. Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive were fighting Captain America, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow and Falcon. I'm pretty sure that they realized (with Corvus injured) that they were over matched especially with Scarlet Witch. They retreated and regrouped.
shareBut just minutes before they were easily pounding both Vision and Scarlet Witch, each of them was way more powerful than Capt., Widow and Falcon combined.
shareThey weren't involved in a bench pressing contest, or running a 40-yard dash. They'd severely injured Vision in a sneak attack, but weren't able to do much against the Scarlet Witch. Captain America is among the strongest beings on earth, so to lump him in as a "mere mortal" makes no sense. In the comics, he's come close to taking down the Hulk in hand-to-hand combat, and I assume the film version is similarly powerful. He was even able to match Thanos' strength at the end of the film. Nonetheless, nearly all of his, and Black Widow and Falcon's advantages, and eventual victory, over Proxima Midnight were tactical, not strength-based.
To return to your initial query: run through those you list-- Thor, Heimdall, Hulk, Valkyrie, Loki-- Heimdall is nowhere near the warrior Thor is. His strength is sight. The Hulk clearly had not yet made an appearance. Valkyrie is a fighter, but not nearly an equal of the Hulk or Thor. Loki is not a fighter by any stretch. Remember that pretty much every fighter or warrior of Asgard was slain by Hela. The ship was full of women, children, and average folk.
As Thanos is clearly far stronger than the Hulk or Thor, and he had his Black Order by his side, there is little reason to wonder what happened. Thanos beat down the Hulk without breaking a sweat, so clearly he could swat Heimdall, Loki, or Valkyrie down with ease. Thor is at best the Hulk's equal, so it stands to reason a few quick punches would take him down, too.
it's too bad that we didn't see that much of Hulk in the movie. I want to see him fight the Black Order or one of the members of that team.
shareHulk lost to Hulkbuster (and also to born-again Thor.) So, if Hulkbuster and Thor (before acquiring Storm Breaker) both can't even have the upper hand, what the chance of Hulk winning anyway?
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