Would Ant-Man have taken down Thanos? ( Photo Credit – Facebook )
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Did you know that fans were sure Ant-Man would take down Thanos in a ridiculous and oddly hilarious way? Brace yourselves: the idea is that Scott Lang would shrink down, fly up Thanos’ rear, and then return to standard size, effectively blowing him apart from the inside. Yes, you read that right.
This theory, which first surfaced on Reddit, went viral quicker than a snap of Thanos’ fingers. It hit the internet like a wrecking ball, with fans imagining the ultimate “heroic” deed, where Ant-Man—known for his shrinking and growing powers—would defeat the Mad Titan in as unconventional a manner as possible. It was wild and gross, and somehow, it took over the Avengers discourse.
As the theory gained steam, even Josh Brolin got in on the joke. In an Instagram post, he mimed the “difficult” process of what could happen in such a scenario, hashtagging it #flushanantman. If that wasn’t enough, the Russo Brothers joined the fun, changing their profile pictures to reflect the offbeat idea. It was clear: this wasn’t just a passing joke. This bizarre theory had become a moment in Marvel fandom.
But as the theory continued circulating, it raised some serious questions—at least from the more scientifically minded among us. Is this even possible? Paul Rudd himself didn’t seem convinced. He wryly responded when presented with the idea, “If there’s one thing we learned from Infinity War, it’s that Thanos can take a lot of punishment.” Fair point, Rudd. Thanos is more than just a beefy villain with a gauntlet full of stones—he’s practically invincible, even without them. Would a growing Ant-Man stand a chance?
Looking back, Marvel’s comics provide some clues as to why this theory might not hold up. During Marvel’s World War Hulk event, Eric O’Grady, who took on the Ant-Man mantle, attempted a similar tactic—trying to infiltrate Hulk’s body to take him down from the inside. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work. The Hulk shrugged it off, and O’Grady had to retreat. If such an attack couldn’t harm Hulk, what chance does a mere human-sized Ant-Man have against a cosmic powerhouse like Thanos?
The key issue lies in Thanos’ divine biology, which, unlike Hulk’s, has become even more formidable since his first appearance. By the time Infinity War rolled around, Thanos had the power of multiple Infinity Stones. It’s safe to assume that, even if Ant-Man attempted his inside-out attack, he’d likely be crushed by Thanos’ sheer power. Ant-Man’s prior struggle in Ant-Man—when he couldn’t escape a glass case that was too small to expand—shows how physically limited he can be. This theory doesn’t align with what we know about Marvel’s big bad.
Now, let’s be honest. The idea of Ant-Man saving the day in such a gross and outlandish way was fun to imagine. It was a bit of fan fiction magic that grew legs (or perhaps shrank?) faster than expected. And while it’s funny to picture Paul Rudd inflicting some rather unpleasant damage on Brolin’s CGI villain, let’s not kid ourselves—this would never have worked.
But who knows? In the wild world of Marvel, stranger things have happened. If the Endgame sequel ever does feature this wild resolution, you can bet we’ll say, “We knew it all along.”
