Thor Odinson and Billy Batson A.K.A. Shazam are some of the heaviest hitters in superheroics, serving on their universes' most respected teams of heroes. They both have penchants for controlling lightning and brushing shoulders with ancient gods. One must wonder which of these electrifying crime fighters would win in an all-out brawl.
Thor's powers are often in flux, as he has struggled to prove himself worthy of them. But recently, the Norse God of Thunder has never been stronger. Thor has a keen intellect and superhuman physique that is further enhanced by his magic belt, Megingjord. Moreover, as a thunder god, Thor is capable of flight and weather manipulation, and these abilities become stronger and more precise when he wields his hammer, Mjolnir. Following the War of the Realms, Thor has inherited Odin’s power as the All-Father of Asgard. This “Thorforce” allows Thor to tap into the cosmic and magic energies of Asgard’s dimension. While he has only scratched the surface of this power, some of his feats using it consist of containing a nuclear explosion and teleporting Asgard itself.
Young, kind-hearted Billy Batson may not be particularly intimidating, but is a force to be reckoned with. After befriending an ancient Wizard, he was bestowed the power of “SHAZAM.” By shouting that name, Billy can turn into an adult superhuman blessed with the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the courage of Achilles, the magical and electrical power of Zeus, the stamina of Atlas, and the speed of Mercury. As a literal child, Shazam sometimes struggles with maturity, but he has proven himself a competent hero capable of going toe-to-toe with powerhouses like Superman. On the surface, the fighters appear somewhat even. Judging who is smarter, stronger, and faster is difficult. So, treating these base abilities as a neutral factor, the winner comes down to how the heroes can use their magic.
As part of the 1996 Marvel vs. DC crossover event, Thor and Shazam (then called Captain Marvel) actually did fight. The results were decided by fan vote, but it showcases a clever path to victory for Thor. Within this comic, Captain Marvel is forced to momentarily turn back into Billy Batson. Thor observes that Billy’s transformation is activated by the “living lightning” that strikes him when he shouts “Shazam,” and uses Mjolnir to redirect that lightning so Billy can’t transform again. In a potential rematch between the two, this would necessitate that Shazam never use his lightning.
Furthermore, Thor’s enhancements of his abilities by the Thorforce sets him far ahead of Earth’s Mightiest Mortal. Shazam may be wise, but Thor is thousands of years old, and as the All-Father, has a far greater command of magic. As long as he doesn’t overtax himself, he could easily outpace his opponent.
On their own, both these noble heroes are capable of beating incredible forces. But for all Shazam’s power, he does not match Thor’s experience in using the more arcane elements of his abilities. The Mighty Thor’s recent power buffs, and his ability to redirect Shazam’s lightning, give him too much of an advantage for the fight to be truly fair. Shazam could likely find a strategy to win, but it would not be as simple a task as it would be for the Mighty Thor.