In the pantheon of screen heroes, it truly is hard to surpass those that are part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From Captain America to Iron Man to Hulk to Black Widow, these are the men and women that have inspired viewers of all ages.
Of course, they sometimes vary wildly in terms of their abilities and strengths, but there’s no question that most of them are formidable friends and allies. All of this begs the question: which of them would manage to survive an attack from the vicious and indomitable Terminator and which ones would be destroyed?
Survive: Black Panther
The passing of the actor Chadwick Boseman was truly a stunning event, in large part because he’d made such a huge impression as Black Panther. This character was one of the best heroes to ever emerge from the MCU, and he was able to attain victory over his enemy, Killmonger, despite being grievously injured. If any of the fully human heroes of this universe would be able to withstand an attack from the Terminator, and possibly even defeat the robot, it would be Black Panther.
Terminated: Ant-Man
There’s no denying that Paul Rudd is one of the most charming and charismatic actors working in Hollywood today, and he brought all of that charm to bear in his interpretation of the very fun hero Ant-Man. However, in comparison to the other MCU heroes, it has to be admitted that he’s not really all that powerful. He might be able to shrink at whim, but it seems unlikely that he’d be able to defeat the Terminator, particularly if the latter was able to surprise him.
Survive: Iron Man
In some ways, the entire cycle of MCU films has been all about Tony Stark/Iron Man, as can be seen from the fact that it’s his sacrifice that ends up defeating Thanos. He might be a bit of an arrogant jerk, but he does have a good heart when it comes right down to it.
He also happens to be almost invincible (except in some very rare cases), which means that he’d probably be able to survive a Terminator attack without batting an eye.
Terminated: Hawkeye
Hawkeye is, it has to be said, one of the less impressive members of the Avengers. Maybe it’s just because Renner isn’t quite as charismatic an actor as his counterparts, but for some reason Hawkeye just isn’t as iconic. It’s also true that he’s not really that powerful when it comes right down to it. Though he might put up a good fight if he were to be confronted with the relentless malice of a Terminator, odds are that he wouldn’t emerge from the confrontation alive.
Survive: Thor
Chris Hemsworth is, like so many other actors who’ve brought the MCU characters to life, incredibly charismatic. He just seems to radiate all sorts of charm, so it’s no wonder that he has always been a fan favorite. It’s also true that Thor is an imposing character, with tremendous power that makes him a cut above the rest of the Avengers.
There’s really no doubt in anyone’s mind that, should the need arise, he would make short work of any Terminator foolish enough to attack him.
Terminated: Starlord
When Guardians of the Galaxy came out, it wasn’t clear that it would be a phenomenon in the same way as the other films in the MCU. However, it would go on to become enormously successful, and the Guardians would have their own part to play in the war against Thanos. Their leader, Peter Quill, is a charming and rakish sort of guy, but it’s also true that he has a bad tendency to let his heart rule his head, which would almost certainly be fatal in any sort of confrontation with a Terminator.
Survive: Hulk
Bruce Banner is something of a tragic hero in this saga, but that means that he tends to be one of the wisest and most balanced of the Avengers (as odd as that may sound). Of course, he is also one of the most powerful, and there are very few things that could actually damage the Hulk. It seems much more likely than not that, should he be attacked by the Terminator, he would probably just pulverize it and think nothing else about it.
Terminated: Quicksilver
It’s really a shame that the character of Quicksilver got the short end of the stick when it came to the MCU. He just...didn’t really get a chance to take off. It’s not as if he doesn’t have any skills, but they just weren’t enough to keep him alive for very long. This being the case, it doesn’t really look good for him should he have the misfortune to encounter a Terminator. In fact, it seems almost certainly that he would be absolutely and totally terminated.
Survive: Black Widow
It’s been a longstanding problem that Black Widow is one of the few members of the MCU to have never gotten her own movie (though that’s soon to change). That’s a particular shame, since she’s one of the most formidable warriors the franchise has ever produced. Time and again, she proved that she was an invaluable part of the Avengers and that she could punch far above her weight. It would be really great to see her come up against a Terminator, because everyone knows that she would emerge the winner.
Terminated: Spider-man
Who doesn’t love Spider-Man? He’s one of the most endearing of the MCU characters, particularly now that the charming Tom Holland has taken over the role. Though he’s obviously done quite a lot in his time, everyone has to admit that Spider-man isn’t the most powerful of heroes, and he sometimes gets in over his head. There’s not really much room for error when it comes to a confrontation with the Terminator, and so it seems sadly pretty certain that everyone’s favorite teenager superhero wouldn’t make it out of the whole encounter alive.