Mary Marvel vs Hercules: Greek Powerhouses Clash in Brutal Duel

Greek God Strength Meets Feminine Divine Magic

In this week’s Dynamic Duel podcast, Marvelous Joe and Johnny DC pit Mary Marvel against Hercules in a stat-based simulation to see which powerhouse would prevail. Both characters wield incredible strength drawn from mythological sources—Mary Marvel from a pantheon of goddesses, and Hercules from his Olympian heritage. While Hercules is literally the Greek god of strength in the Marvel Universe, Mary Marvel has the blessings of multiple divine figures and flies with the power of Zephyrus. The twin brothers expected a fierce matchup but were surprised by just how competitive the duel became.

Power and Personality in the Spotlight

Mary Marvel, the champion of Shazam, has undergone major developments in recent comics, severing her connection to the original wizard and gaining a unique power set granted by a new pantheon of goddesses. She now possesses the agility of Selene, the strength of Hippolyta, the stamina of Artemis, flight from Zephyrus, invulnerability from Aurora, and the wisdom of Minerva. Meanwhile, Hercules boasts god-tier strength, durability, immortality, and access to an impressive armory that includes his adamantine mace, the sword of Peleus, and the shield of Perseus, which can turn opponents to stone.

Debating Trailers, SNL Casting, and More

Before the duel, the hosts tackled several major news items from recent studio upfronts, including trailers for Superman, Ironheart, and Spider-Man Noir. The segment also covered the return of Kristen Ritter as Jessica Jones in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. Johnny DC praised the Superman trailer for its emotional nuance and thematic depth, while Marvelous Joe celebrated the cinematic polish and potential of Ironheart. The brothers also debated their audience’s answers to the previous Question of the Week: Which Saturday Night Live alum should play a superhero? The winning suggestion: Martin Short as Mr. Mxyzptlk.

The Speculative Battle Scenario

In their speculative battle scenario, Hercules initiates the fight with an earth-shattering mace slam, but Mary Marvel answers with aerial maneuvers and divine lightning strikes. The battle escalates into a clash of gods and champions. Mary uses her agility, strength, and lightning to evade and counter, while Hercules relies on his combat training, weapons, and raw physicality. The brothers debated whether Mary’s lightning would bypass Hercules’ shield and if she could resist the petrifying gaze of Medusa’s visage. In true Dynamic Duel fashion, the speculation was wild, humorous, and passionate on both sides.

Simulation Results Reveal a Close Contest

After inputting their stats into AJ9K, the show’s Monte Carlo simulation AI, the results revealed a narrow but clear winner. Out of 1,000 simulations, Hercules emerged victorious in 577 of them, giving him a win rate of 57.7% over Mary Marvel’s 42.3%. According to the hosts, Hercules’ superior fighting skill and strategic use of his weaponry gave him the edge. While Mary Marvel had faster movement and greater perception, the simulation deemed Hercules the more consistent winner overall.

Listen to the full episode here: Mary Marvel vs Hercules.