When it comes to the most ruthless, sadistic, and maniacal villains in comics, few would fit the bill better than Dragon Ball’s Frieza and Marvel Comics’ Mad Titan Thanos. Both have a penchant for destroying worlds and killing thousands of beings with the snap of their fingers. Despite the vastness of the universe, if these two were to ever somehow cross paths, their insatiable appetites for domination would inevitably lead to conflict. If that were to happen, who would win in a fight?
For most of their lives, both showed an exceptional capacity for cruelty. From birth, Frieza demonstrated an appetite for evil that got the notice of his father, and ruler of Universe-7, King Cooler. It wasn’t long before Frieza, who inherited his father’s mutant power and capacity, was given the keys to the kingdom. Once in power Frieza quickly secured the empire, defeating most of its enemies with ease. Thanos, who was is a member of the superhuman species known as the Eternals, did not get the familial support that Frieza did. As a result of being born with a defect that gave him a grotesquely wrinkled face and purple skin, Thanos’ mother tried to kill him at birth. Naturally, this and his treatment as an outcast, made him an angry, albeit immensely powerful youth, who turned to brutality and hate as a salve for his soul.
Frieza and Thanos clearly share a similar love for being evil. But how does that translate to fighting prowess, especially in a fight against one another? Both are accomplished hand-to-hand combat fighters. Both are also not afraid to mix it up and bring an almost unbreakable level of confidence in their abilities to any fight. Similarly, both are immensely strong, quick, durable, and impervious to most physical attacks. They also each have exceptional abilities with telekinesis. One of the only physical differences between the two is that Frieza can fly unassisted.
Still, there are several noteworthy differences in their abilities that might prove the difference in a fight. One of those key differences is in their energy manipulation. One of Frieza’s basic powers is his energy blasts, which he can use in the form of a beam, ball, or spiraling disc. At maximum power, Frieza’s energy blast can destroy a planet. Thanos, conversely, doesn’t have an innate ability to generate an energy blast, however, he does have the ability to absorb energy and shoot it back at an opponent. The advantage in this category goes to Frieza.
Of course, not all battles are won on strength alone. More often than not, a great strategy can overcome a lack of power. Here, Thanos is well equipped with a god-level intellect that he has upgraded further through deep study of science, technology, and mysticism. Thanos often uses his intellect to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. On the other hand, while Frieza is a skilled and cunning tactician, no one would mistake him for a genius. The advantage here goes to Thanos.
Ultimately, assuming Thanos is without the Infinity Stones, which would him nearly invincible, the winner of the fight would be Frieza. While Thanos would surely be able to put up a good fight, Frieza would likely be called on to use his planet-destroying energy blast, which Thanos would be hard-pressed to overcome.