The human ambition to sit atop the food chain is as old as time. Since the prehistoric era, homosapiens and their ancestors have had to fight, scare, or kill almost every creature on Earth. This display of dominance and use of adrenaline, combined with the idea of protecting those in our ‘tribe,’ has fueled violence for generations. From the blood-soaked Colosseum to the modern world today, regardless of developments and social standards, people love a good animal and human brawl. Which brings us to the timeless question that generations have pondered for years: who would win in a fight? One hundred humans or one silverback Gorilla?
The question took the internet by storm last April-June 2025, with celebrities and scientists weighing in with their varying, controversial opinions. These debates split the internet into mostly two groups: One side insists that sheer numbers would be enough to overpower any animal, no matter the size or strength. The other side points to the incredible upper-body strength and bite force that doubles that of a lion’s. Even famous personalities like Robert Irwin and Mr.Beast weighed in, adding celebrity momentum to the already heated discussion.
But the internet is one thing; people can make wild claims, and sarcasm is lost in translation.
To try and get a more accurate answer, I surveyed twenty adults, friends, and family to see their thoughts and attack plans if they were put in the ring. All participants were asked if they were put in a 60-foot, circular enclosure, with ninety-nine other unarmed humans, could they defeat a six-foot-two, 450-pound silverback gorilla. The results were…interesting.
The people of Point Boro have spoken, and an overwhelming result of 20% said “yes,” 70% said “no,” and 10% said something along the lines of “Idk leave me alone,” “is the gorilla King-Kong,” or “can I befriend him?”
Overall, the average individual in Point Pleasant does not believe that one hundred humans could harm the silverback, not too surprising. But what if we gave each person a hammer? The results changed from an overwhelming “no” to 40% “yes,” there was still 40% who said “no,” and 20% said, “Please, I asked you to leave me alone before.”
Truthfully, the results shift from majority no, to majority yes, or at least more faith in the human team. When humans get that slight advantage over the primate, they feel abundantly better about their chances of victory. Besides the hypotheticals, let’s talk about the logistics of a real hundred-on-one skirmish.
The real reason for defeat wouldn’t come from the 1,300 PSI bite force (which can tear off tree bark) or the arm muscles, which can lift over 1,800 pounds (eight times stronger than the world’s strongest human) and squeeze with 600 PSI (enough to crush a human skull). It wouldn’t even be the crushing weight of the 400-pound gorilla stomping on you; the defeat would come from lack of cooperation and teamwork from the human team.
A gathering of one hundred people is less than you may think. It’s still a decent amount of attack force, but for one hundred people to defeat the gorilla, they all need to be on the same page, which is unlikely. In America, U.S. soldiers train for 10-18 weeks before seeing combat to get the troops on the same wavelength and to instill instinctive teamwork. This gorilla brigade would not have the same connection and understanding that trained killers do.
Mental limits aside, the gorilla could be neutralized, but that’s a feat that comes with a body count. Let’s say this crew lived together, trained, and planned their attack over the last 3 months. They come into the grassy enclosure with a game plan, but the second the gorilla charges towards the first guy, his reaction alone is what decides the outcome of the experiment. If he stands his ground and tries to fight back, well, he will obviously be killed, but his valiant effort will inspire the remaining people to move in as one unit, roughly 20 people on each limb, where they can demobilize and maybe do some damage to the great ape. But if that first guy screams and runs (reasonable), the whole operation is a mess. The gorilla can isolate and squash individuals, while some straggling heroes try their best to punch a five-hundred-pound beast.
In theory, a group of strong-willed and physically tough people could band together to take down the gorilla, but ultimately, it is the human failure to set aside differences and follow a leader that would lead to their demise.
