Thanos (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Thanos (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
“ I know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail nonetheless. It's frightening, turns the legs to jelly. I ask you to what end? Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same. And now it's here. Or should I say, I am. „ ― Thanos “ You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me. I thought by eliminating half of life, the other half would thrive, but you've shown me... that's impossible. As long as there are those that remember what was, there will always be those that are unable to accept what can be. They will resist. I'm thankful...because now I know what I must do. I will shred this universe down to its last atom and then, with the stones you've collected for me, create a new one teeming with life that knows not what it has lost but only what it has been given. A grateful universe. „ ― Thanos to the Avengers during their final battle
Vital statistics
Names	Thanos The Mad Titan The Dark Lord
Gender	Male
Race	Titan
Occupation	Warlord, Conqueror
Origin	The Avengers (April 25, 2012)
Alignment	Evil
Age	over 1000
Created By	Joss Whedon, Zak Penn
Height	252 cm (8ft 3in)
Weight	unknown

Thanos, known as the Dark Lord to his most devoted followers and the Mad Titan to the galactic community, is a formidable warlord from Titan who controls a distant region of space. He commands two massive armies, the Chitauri and the Outriders, as well as a small group of elite followers called the Black Order. His primary goal was to bring stability to the universe, believing that its vast population would eventually deplete its resources and lead to its downfall. However, his approach was deeply flawed; he sought to use the ancient Infinity Stones to wield their power and eliminate half of all life in the universe, aiming to restore what he saw as cosmic balance.

Personality

Thanos was often perceived as the embodiment of sadism, cruelty, megalomania, destruction, death, power, and madness. Many viewed his quest for the Infinity Stones as a plot to dominate all civilizations in the universe. However, Thanos was a more complex and tortured soul. His traumatic past and obsession with fulfilling what he saw as his destiny drove him to commit terrible acts, believing he was saving the universe, even at great personal cost. He sought the Tesseract to explore beyond known worlds, aiming to uncover greater ones.

Thanos was relentless, gathering children from across the galaxy to raise as assassins who would help him search for the Infinity Stones. His willpower was extraordinary, as seen when he resisted Mantis' sleep-inducing touch, which typically subdued others instantly. Despite his intimidating presence and unforgiving nature, Thanos inspired fear and loyalty among his followers. Even the Black Order, the Chitauri, and the Outriders, who were savage and powerful, followed him without question.

He was supremely confident, to the point of arrogance, and seemed impossible to intimidate. He remained unfazed by threats and challenges, even from powerful foes like Ronan the Accuser. Thanos was manipulative and mistrustful, often sending others to do his work while he stayed in the shadows. He displayed remarkable patience, waiting centuries before making a direct move for the Infinity Stones, understanding that possessing them would attract unwanted attention.

Despite his ruthlessness, Thanos was not without compassion, especially towards children. He showed a particular affection for Gamora, whom he called his "favorite daughter," and hoped she would inherit his throne despite her hatred for him. His love for Gamora was genuine, as seen when he shed tears and apologized before sacrificing her to obtain the Soul Stone.

Thanos' love for his children was complex. He was strict and feared by them, particularly Nebula, whom he turned into a cyborg. However, he also showed moments of tenderness, such as encouraging Nebula when she sought his approval. Even after torturing her to make Gamora reveal the Soul Stone's location, he did not kill Nebula, and in his final moments, he regretted being too harsh on her.

Thanos' love for his race was unconditional. He desperately sought to save them, even proposing to wipe out half of his people so the rest could survive. When this plan was rejected, resulting in the fall of his race, Thanos was burdened with immense regret and remorse. This experience made him more determined to prevent other civilizations from suffering the same fate by exterminating half of their populations.

Thanos genuinely believed that his mission to kill half of the universe's inhabitants was righteous, seeing himself as a necessary force for saving the universe. He considered his method of disintegration to be merciful compared to the suffering caused by overpopulation. Despite his campaign of mass murder, Thanos sought to minimize casualties during his quest for the Infinity Stones, allowing the Snap to handle the deaths.

Thanos did not seek the Infinity Stones for personal gain but as a means to achieve his goal of universal balance. He quickly destroyed the Stones after using them to avoid the temptation of their power. He respected those who displayed selflessness and bravery, even if they were his enemies. He praised Iron Man, admired Star-Lord's willingness to sacrifice Gamora, and showed empathy toward Scarlet Witch.

Thanos had a dark sense of humor and remained calm in situations that would terrify others. He was surprisingly honorable, keeping his word even when angered and treating his enemies with a certain respect. Despite his manipulative nature, he was known for never lying, a fact confirmed by his daughter Nebula.

Thanos did not use his genocidal motives to eliminate potential threats who might seek revenge. He allowed the Snap to be random and dispassionate, resulting in the survival of several Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. Even after destroying the Infinity Stones to prevent his actions from being undone, Thanos accepted his fate without attempting to defend himself, facing death with dignity.

Between 2014 and 2018, Thanos became more mellow. He no longer referred to his enemies with derogatory terms and even expressed respect for Iron Man. After completing his mission and retiring, he showed regret for his harsh treatment of Nebula and thanked her for defending him.

Biography

Early Life

Thanos was born to A'Lars, a member of the Titan Royal Family, on the planet Titan. He was an anomaly among his people, born with a physical mutation that made him an outcast. Despite his status, Thanos was deeply concerned about the future of Titan when the planet faced overpopulation and the impending catastrophic event it would cause. Thanos proposed a radical solution: to kill half the population to save the other half. His idea was dismissed as genocide, and he was exiled from Titan. However, his warnings proved true, as Titan was devastated, becoming nearly uninhabitable, and the Titan species was on the verge of extinction.

Fall of Titan

The fall of Titan had a profound impact on Thanos, solidifying his belief that the universe's vast swell of life would eventually deplete its finite resources, leading to its destruction. To prevent other planets from suffering Titan's fate, Thanos became a world conqueror. He amassed resources and power, destroying half of all life on the planets he conquered in his quest to balance the universe. This campaign earned him a fearsome reputation as one of the most powerful beings in the universe, ruling over a vast region of space and commanding deadly armies such as the Chitauri, Sakaarans, and Outriders.

Training His Children

Thanos sought to strengthen his position by collecting orphans from races he conquered and training them to become his devoted warriors. His oldest children—Ebony Maw, Corvus Glaive, Cull Obsidian, and Proxima Midnight—formed the Black Order. During his attack on Zen-Whoberi, Thanos was captivated by a young Zehoberei girl named Gamora, who fearlessly resisted one of his soldiers. Impressed by her strength, Thanos took her in as his daughter, training her to become a ruthless assassin. Despite Gamora's eventual hatred for him, Thanos' love for her never wavered, and he always hoped she would inherit his throne.

Thanos also adopted Nebula, a Luphomoid, raising her as another deadly assassin. However, Thanos made it clear that he wanted his children to be rivals, not friends. He frequently pitted Nebula against Gamora, punishing Nebula whenever she lost by removing parts of her body and replacing them with mechanical enhancements. Thanos' harsh treatment of Nebula was part of his belief that it would make her stronger.

Thanos' methods were brutal, but he believed they were necessary to prepare his children for the harsh realities of the universe. Despite his ruthlessness, Thanos' actions were driven by his desire to prevent the fate that befell Titan from happening to other planets.

Quest for the Infinity Stones

Seeking Power

Thanos eventually realized that his mission to balance the universe by eliminating half of all life was too vast a task to accomplish on his own. To achieve his goal on a universal scale, he turned his attention to the Infinity Stones, six powerful artifacts that controlled different aspects of the universe. Thanos believed that by gathering all the Infinity Stones, he could permanently solve the issue of overpopulation and resource depletion. He made it his life's mission to collect these Stones and forged several alliances to aid in locating them.

The first Infinity Stone Thanos acquired was the Mind Stone, which he placed within a scepter. This scepter granted him the ability to manipulate minds, making it easier to control those who opposed him. With this powerful weapon, Thanos furthered his quest for the remaining Stones, determined to use their combined power to wipe out half of all life in the universe. He believed that by doing so, he would create a balanced universe and eventually retire to live a peaceful life on his farm, convinced that his actions would be seen as a necessary sacrifice for the greater good.

Throughout his search, Thanos sent his daughters, Nebula and Gamora, on missions to locate the Stones. When Thanos discovered a lead on the location of the Orb, which contained the Power Stone, he dispatched Nebula and Gamora to the Cloud Tombs of Praxius under the command of Korath. However, Nebula fell victim to a trap during the mission, and Thanos, who did not tolerate failure, forbade Gamora from rescuing her sister. As a result, Nebula was forced to amputate her own arm to escape, and the Orb was never recovered. Despite this failure, Thanos continued his relentless search for the Infinity Stones.

Thanos also sent Gamora to find the Soul Stone. Although Gamora found a map to its location, she lied to Thanos, claiming that her search had been unsuccessful. In reality, she had burned the map to keep the Soul Stone's location hidden. Thanos, however, saw through her deception but chose not to confront her at that time, continuing his pursuit of the remaining Stones.

Chitauri Invasion

By 2012, Thanos learned that the Tesseract, an object of immense power, was on Earth. His intermediary, The Other, informed him of its location. To retrieve the Tesseract, Thanos formed an alliance with Loki, providing him with the Mind Stone-embedded Scepter and a portion of his Chitauri soldiers to aid in the conquest of Earth. Thanos personally trained Loki in mind control to ensure the mission's success, and The Other reported that Loki was ready, predicting that humanity would be powerless against their assault.

Thanos then teleported Loki to the Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility on Earth using the Tesseract's energy. However, despite Loki's vast armies of Chitauri and powerful weaponry, he was ultimately defeated in the Battle of New York after Iron Man destroyed the Chitauri Command Center, which led to the collapse of their forces. As a result, the Scepter containing the Mind Stone fell into the hands of HYDRA, while Thor took the Tesseract and the captured Loki back to Asgard. The Other reported back to Thanos, warning him that challenging humanity was courting Death. In response, Thanos smiled, intrigued by the potential challenges ahead and began taking an interest in Earth's defenders, particularly Tony Stark, whom he saw as a kindred spirit "cursed with knowledge."

Making Alliances

In 2014, Thanos brokered a deal with the Kree Accuser Ronan, who sought to annihilate the Xandarians. Thanos promised to lend Ronan a portion of his forces in exchange for locating the Orb, which contained the Power Stone. Under Thanos' orders, Ronan led an attack on the planet Kylos, slaughtering half of its population, including Drax the Destroyer's family. This act of genocide fueled Drax's desire for revenge against Ronan.

Slaughtering the Korbinites

Thanos later ordered his daughters, Gamora and Nebula, to participate in the massacre of the Korbinites. After their victory, Thanos arrived on their Q-Ship, wiping blood from his Double-Edged Sword. He informed them that Ronan had located the Power Stone, and they would oversee its retrieval on the Dark Aster. Although Gamora expressed concern that Ronan might resent their presence, Thanos dismissed her worries, stating that Ronan had no choice but to comply. Nebula, eager to please her father, vowed not to fail him, while Gamora showed disdain for her sister's attempts to win Thanos' favor.

Gamora's Betrayal

Ronan and his Kree ally, Korath, discovered the Orb on Morag but were unable to deliver it to Thanos before it fell into the hands of Star-Lord, who attempted to sell it on Xandar. Thanos ordered Ronan to pursue Star-Lord and entrusted Gamora with recovering the Orb. However, Gamora, who resented Thanos for years of torment, planned to betray him and deliver the Orb to the Collector instead.

When Ronan informed Thanos of Gamora's betrayal, the Kree Accuser expressed frustration at Thanos' apparent lack of concern. Ronan even killed The Other when he reprimanded him for disrespecting Thanos. Despite The Other's death and Ronan's growing defiance, Thanos remained composed, only showing slight annoyance. He instructed Ronan to refocus on his mission and ordered Nebula to take Gamora's place.

Ronan's Betrayal

Ronan and Nebula eventually managed to steal the Orb from the Guardians of the Galaxy. However, when Ronan contacted Thanos to update him, he revealed that he intended to keep the Orb for himself after witnessing its true power. Despite Korath's reminder that Thanos was the most powerful being in the universe, Ronan declared his intention to challenge Thanos after destroying Xandar. Unfazed, Thanos cut off communication with Ronan, allowing him to proceed on his doomed path. Ultimately, Ronan was defeated by the Guardians of the Galaxy, who handed the Orb to the Nova Corps, marking yet another Infinity Stone lost to Thanos.

Infinity War

Into His Own Hands

With Loki and Ronan the Accuser failing to retrieve the Infinity Stones and conquer worlds, Thanos decided to take matters into his own hands. In 2015, he forced the Dwarves of Nidavellir to forge the Infinity Gauntlet, a powerful artifact capable of harnessing the power of all six Infinity Stones. After the Gauntlet was completed, Thanos massacred the Dwarves, sparing only Eitri, whom he crippled to prevent him from forging anything else. Thanos believed that only he was capable of collecting the Infinity Stones and bringing balance to the universe.

By 2018, Thanos' adopted daughter, Nebula, attempted to assassinate him aboard the Sanctuary II but was captured. Accessing her memory files, Thanos discovered that Gamora had memorized the map to the Soul Stone before destroying it, realizing that she could lead him to the last missing Infinity Stone. Thanos then thoroughly investigated the locations and keepers of the Infinity Stones, which were scattered across the universe under the protection of various groups: the Asgardians, the Masters of the Mystic Arts, the Tivan Group, Vision, and the Nova Corps.

Armed with this knowledge, Thanos launched his campaign to gather the Infinity Stones, known as the Infinity War. His first target was Xandar, where the Power Stone was kept under the protection of the Nova Corps following Ronan the Accuser's defeat. Thanos infiltrated the Nova Corps Headquarters, acquired the Orb containing the Power Stone, and placed it into the Infinity Gauntlet. He then proceeded to decimate half of Xandar's population, furthering his goal of universal balance.

As Thanos' attacks became known, the Confederacy, a group of alien species, warned HYDRA about the threat Thanos posed to Earth and offered protection. However, HYDRA, aware that they were no match for Thanos, only exploited the Confederacy's offer to gain access to Earth's resources, particularly Inhumans and Gravitonium.

Obtaining the Tesseract

One week after his attack on Xandar, Thanos, aboard his ship Sanctuary II, tracked down the Asgardian survivors of Ragnarök as they fled towards Earth, including Loki and Thor. The Black Order, Thanos' elite squad, massacred half of the Asgardians on board. Thanos personally confronted Thor, brutally beating him and dragging him across the ship. Thanos then demanded that Loki hand over the Tesseract in exchange for Thor's life.

Initially, Loki feigned indifference, but when Thanos began torturing Thor with the Power Stone, Loki finally revealed that he had secretly taken the Tesseract from Asgard before its destruction. He used his magic to produce the Tesseract, and while approaching Thanos, assured Thor that the sun would shine on them again. Thanos dismissed this optimism, and when Loki referred to himself as "not an Asgardian," he revealed their side had a secret weapon: the Hulk.

Before Thanos could react, Hulk ambushed him, smashing him against the ship's walls. However, despite Hulk's fury, Thanos quickly gained the upper hand, displaying superior strength and combat skill. After landing several devastating blows, Thanos subdued Hulk, leaving him defeated. Thor attempted a surprise attack on Thanos, but the Titan easily repelled him. Ebony Maw then used his telekinetic powers to restrain Thor.

With the Asgardians defeated, Heimdall made a desperate attempt to warn the other realms of Thanos' threat. Using Hofund, Heimdall summoned the Bifrost Bridge and sent Hulk to Earth. Enraged, Thanos fatally stabbed Heimdall with Corvus Glaive's blade. Thor, bound and silenced by Maw, watched helplessly.

Maw then presented the Tesseract to Thanos, praising his strength. Thanos crushed the Tesseract, revealing the Space Stone within. He added it to the Infinity Gauntlet, granting himself the ability to teleport across the galaxy. With two Infinity Stones in his possession, Thanos ordered the Black Order to retrieve the Mind and Time Stones from Earth.

Before they departed, Loki approached Thanos, offering his services as a guide to Earth, citing his experience during the Chitauri Invasion. Thanos dismissed Loki's past efforts as failures. Loki then seemingly pledged loyalty to Thanos once more, declaring himself the rightful king of Jotunheim and son of Odin. However, as Loki approached Thanos, he attempted to stab him with a hidden dagger.

Thanos, suspecting treachery, used the Space Stone to immobilize Loki. Mocking Loki's "undying fidelity," Thanos lifted him by the throat and, despite Loki's desperate struggles, choked the life out of him. Thanos turned to Thor, who watched in horror as his brother was murdered. Thanos then dropped Loki's lifeless body in front of Thor, coldly stating that there would be no resurrection this time.

With the Tesseract secured, Thanos used the Power Stone to destroy the remaining parts of the Asgardian ship, the Statesman, before using the Space Stone to teleport himself and his children away, leaving Thor and the corpses of the Asgardians to drift in the void of space.

Ambush in Knowhere

Thanos arrived on Knowhere with the intent of acquiring the Reality Stone from the Collector, who had been safeguarding it since the Second Dark Elf Conflict. After securing the stone and adding it to his Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos anticipated the arrival of the Guardians of the Galaxy, knowing he needed Gamora to find the Soul Stone.

To lure the Guardians into a trap, Thanos used the Reality Stone to create an illusion, making it appear as if he was torturing the Collector and asking about the Reality Stone. He waited for the Guardians to arrive, while the illusion masked the true destruction of Knowhere. The Guardians eventually made their presence known, with Drax being knocked out by Mantis to prevent him from attacking immediately. Gamora charged at Thanos' illusion, breaking his weapon and stabbing the illusion in the throat, then using the switchblade Thanos had given her to stab the illusion in the heart.

As Gamora mourned what she believed was the death of her father figure, Thanos revealed himself, having used the Reality Stone to manipulate the surroundings and show the true, burning wreckage of Knowhere. He boasted about his ability to alter reality and offered Gamora a chance to join him willingly.

Gamora refused and tried to retrieve Godslayer, but Thanos easily restrained her and turned Drax and Mantis into stone and string with the Reality Stone. Star-Lord confronted Thanos, threatening him with his Quad Blasters. Thanos recognized Star-Lord as Gamora's boyfriend and challenged him to prove his love by shooting Gamora, believing that Star-Lord's affection would prevent him from acting.

Despite the pain, Star-Lord hesitated, and Thanos used the Reality Stone to turn his ammunition and blasters into bubbles. Thanos then teleported away with Gamora, admiring Star-Lord for his conflicted emotions, and restored Drax and Mantis to their normal forms.

Interrogation of Nebula

On the Sanctuary II, Thanos offered Gamora food, but she threw it at his throne, expressing her disdain for both the throne and her life under him. Thanos remained unperturbed, remarking that he had always hoped she would sit on that throne one day. Gamora bitterly recounted how Thanos had taken her from her homeworld, resulting in the massacre of her family and the suffering she endured as a child.

Thanos countered by explaining that his actions had ultimately led to prosperity for Zen-Whoberi, stating that the hardships of her people had been alleviated despite his ruthless methods. He dismissed her objections as a small price for the greater good, insisting that it was simply a matter of calculus.

Despite Gamora’s hatred and rejection of his ideology, Thanos calmly reminded her of the strength and skills he had helped her develop. He revealed that Nebula had been captured due to her attempt to undermine him and was being tortured, with her cybernetic implants forcibly removed.

Thanos used the Power Stone to inflict severe pain on Nebula, causing her to scream in agony. Gamora, horrified by her sister's suffering, begged Thanos to stop, claiming she had not found the Soul Stone. Thanos, however, was already aware of Gamora's deceit, having accessed a recording from Nebula's system that showed Gamora's lie.

Despite his confidence in Gamora's abilities, Thanos criticized her for failing to be a convincing liar and continued to torture Nebula. Ultimately, Gamora, overcome with remorse for her sister's pain, revealed that the Soul Stone was located on Vormir. With this information, Thanos ceased torturing Nebula and told Gamora must accompany him to retrieve the stone.

Thanos on Vormir

Thanos and Gamora arrived on Vormir through a portal created by the Space Stone. Thanos warned Gamora that Nebula would suffer if the Soul Stone was not where she claimed it would be. They proceeded to the top of a cliff, where the Soul Stone was rumored to be located.

At the cliff's summit, they encountered the Red Skull, the keeper of the Soul Stone. The Red Skull recognized Thanos as the son of A'Lars and Gamora as Thanos' daughter. He informed Thanos that obtaining the Soul Stone would require a significant sacrifice. Thanos, unfazed, declared that he was prepared to pay the price.

As the Red Skull led them to the top of a nearby cliff, Thanos asked how he knew so much about the Infinity Stones, to which the Red Skull explained that he had searched for the stones a lifetime ago and had even held the Tesseract in his hands. As the Red Skull continued his story, he simply explained that the Tesseract had banished him to Vormir to protect the Soul Stone before leading Thanos and Gamora to the end of the high mountain ledge.

The guardian of the Soul Stone explained to Thanos that obtaining the stone required the sacrifice of a loved one to ensure that whoever possessed the stone would understand its true power. Upon hearing this, Gamora mocked Thanos as heartless and uncaring, but Thanos, who truly loved Gamora like a daughter, shed tears at having to kill her.

Thinking back to Titan's fate, Thanos explained to Gamora that he could not ignore his destiny to seemingly save billions of lives a second time. Gamora was genuinely moved for a moment, but Thanos instead used the Reality Stone to turn her knife into bubbles as he tearfully apologized before grabbing Gamora by the wrist.

While Gamora tried to fight back, Thanos threw his beloved daughter off the cliff where she plummeted to her death. After committing this terrible act, Thanos looked sternly over the cliff and mourned Gamora's death, while a voice told him that his will was strong and his sacrifice had proven him worthy. A light erupted and struck Thanos down, but when he awoke from a river, he had the Soul Stone in his hand and placed it in his Infinity Gauntlet, which granted Thanos greater power.

Battle of Titan

After sacrificing Gamora, Thanos arrived on Titan to meet the Black Order and collect the Time Stone. Doctor Strange was already there, noting that Thanos lived up to his name. Thanos, realizing that Ebony Maw had died but successfully brought the Time Stone, discussed Titan's past with Strange. He used the Reality Stone to show Titan's former beauty and explained his plan to use the Infinity Stones for a universe-wide genocide, with the goal of creating balance by eradicating half of all life.

Strange and the Avengers attacked Thanos. Strange used the Reality Stone to create illusions, while Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Drax engaged Thanos in combat. Thanos responded with the Power Stone and Reality Stone, overwhelming his opponents. Star-Lord and Spider-Man briefly gained the upper hand with their attacks and traps.

Despite their efforts, Thanos remained largely unaffected, using the Infinity Gauntlet to counter their attacks. Iron Man’s missiles created a massive explosion, but Thanos absorbed and redirected the flames. Nebula, who had escaped from the Sanctuary II, joined the fight and attacked Thanos, demanding to know Gamora's whereabouts. Thanos dismissed her and overpowered her.

Entrapped by Heroes

Doctor Strange used an Eldritch Whip to trap the Infinity Gauntlet, while Drax and Star-Lord assisted in restraining Thanos. Spider-Man's webbing further immobilized him, and Mantis used her powers to put Thanos into a trance-like state. With Thanos restrained, Iron Man and Spider-Man worked to remove the Gauntlet.

During this time, Star-Lord demanded the location of Gamora, and Thanos, despite being under Mantis' control, revealed he had sacrificed her to obtain the Soul Stone. This revelation caused Star-Lord to act impulsively, hitting Thanos and disrupting Mantis' control.

Freed from the trance, Thanos retaliated violently, reclaiming the Gauntlet and defeating the heroes with a shockwave and a barrage of meteors from Titan's moon.

Duel with Doctor Strange

Amidst the meteor storm, Doctor Strange confronted Thanos using the Cloak of Levitation. Strange launched fiery beams at Thanos, who avoided them and retaliated with an energy beam from the Infinity Gauntlet, which Strange absorbed using the Mirror Dimension. Thanos crushed the Mirror Dimension with the Power Stone and then used the Space Stone to turn the remnants into a black hole, which Strange transformed into butterflies.

Strange created multiple replicas of himself to entrap Thanos with Eldritch Whips. Thanos dispelled the replicas with a blast from the Infinity Stones. Thanos then captured Strange, impressed by his magic skills, and noted that Strange should have used the Time Stone. When Thanos crushed the Eye of Agamotto, he discovered that Strange had already removed the Time Stone and threw him aside.

Battle with Iron Man

As Thanos prepared to search for the Time Stone, Iron Man attacked with his advanced technology, restraining the Infinity Gauntlet. Thanos revealed knowledge of Stark from the Battle of New York, and Iron Man retorted that Thanos was his curse. Iron Man launched missiles at Thanos and used his suit to unleash a series of attacks, but Thanos quickly regained control and ripped off Iron Man's trap, re-accessing the Gauntlet’s power.

Thanos's energy blast was deflected by Iron Man's nanotech shield. Iron Man continued fighting, using his suit to restrain Thanos and deliver a powerful strike, which only amused Thanos. Thanos then overpowered Iron Man, severely damaging his armor and striking him repeatedly. Thanos broke Iron Man's sword and stabbed him through the stomach.

Gasping and bleeding, Stark was gently set down by Thanos, who expressed respect for him and promised that half of humanity would remember Stark's legacy. Thanos then prepared to use the Infinity Stones to execute Stark.

Deal with Doctor Strange and Departure

Before Thanos could kill Iron Man, Doctor Strange offered the Time Stone in exchange for sparing Stark's life. Despite Stark’s pleas, Strange used magic to reveal the Stone's location and handed it over to Thanos. With the Time Stone added to his Gauntlet, Thanos gained control over time and had only the Mind Stone left to complete his goal.

As Thanos reveled in his victory, Star-Lord attacked him in anger over Gamora's death, but Thanos was unharmed and used the Space Stone to create a portal. He departed for Earth to collect the final Infinity Stone, leaving the heroes on Titan feeling defeated.

Battle of Wakanda

Upon arriving in Wakanda with the Time Stone, Thanos faced both the forces of Wakanda and the Avengers and Guardians. Despite their combined efforts, Thanos, wielding the nearly complete Infinity Gauntlet, proved nearly invincible. He easily subdued and defeated the assembled heroes, using the stones' power to his advantage.

Thanos methodically approached Vision, who was attempting to destroy the Mind Stone. Although Wanda Maximoff used her powers to try and destroy the stone, Thanos used the Time Stone to reverse the destruction, restoring Vision and the Mind Stone to their original state. He then proceeded to brutally kill Vision again by ripping out the Mind Stone.

With the Mind Stone in his possession, Thanos completed his Gauntlet, achieving his ultimate goal.

The Snap

After collecting all six Infinity Stones and placing them into the Gauntlet, Thanos harnessed the combined power of the Stones. He experienced immense pain as the power surged through him, and, with a roar, he prepared to use the Gauntlet.

Thor, seeking vengeance for the deaths of Heimdall, Loki, and the Asgardians, attacked Thanos with Stormbreaker. He struck Thanos with a powerful lightning bolt and threw Stormbreaker, cutting through Thanos' energy beam and hitting him in the chest.

Thanos, gravely wounded, fell to his knees. As Thor stood over him, he demanded retribution and pressed the axe deeper into Thanos' chest.

After enduring a grievous wound from Stormbreaker, Thanos, while struggling, taunted Thor about not aiming for his head. Before Thor could react, Thanos snapped his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet. A blinding white light erupted from the Gauntlet, flooding the battlefield, and Thanos briefly lost consciousness.

In the Soulworld, Thanos found himself without the Gauntlet and met a vision of young Gamora, who asked him what his actions had cost. Thanos solemnly replied, "Everything."

Returning to Wakanda, Thanos, now visibly damaged and with the Gauntlet scorched, saw Thor demanding answers about the Snap. Thanos gave no explanation, used the Space Stone to heal his injury, glared at Thor spitefully, and then teleported away.

Retirement

Following the Snap, Thanos retired to his Garden, where he peacefully watched the sunrise, satisfied with his accomplishment. Unable to hear the universe's cries of pain, he enjoyed a sense of fulfillment.

Three weeks later, fearing temptation and knowing the Avengers might come after him, Thanos used the Infinity Stones one last time to destroy them at the atomic level, causing severe wounds and permanent scarring, particularly where the Gauntlet was fused to his hand. Despite his injuries, he continued to live out his days in solitude, seeking peace in his final moments.

Ambushed by the Avengers

Two days after destroying the Infinity Stones, Thanos was at his Garden preparing a stew when the surviving Avengers found him. Captain Marvel struck first, knocking Thanos back. She then subdued him with a headlock while Bruce Banner and War Machine restrained his arms.

Thor arrived and severed Thanos' left arm, causing great pain and freeing the now-damaged Infinity Gauntlet. The Avengers, including Captain America and Black Widow, interrogated Thanos, demanding to know the whereabouts of the Stones. Thanos revealed that he had destroyed them to prevent any possibility of reversing the Snap, claiming his victory was permanent.

Despite Thanos' calm demeanor and explanation, Banner and others were enraged. Nebula confirmed that Thanos' claim about the Stones was true. Thor, driven by vengeance, decapitated Thanos with Stormbreaker, fulfilling his earlier taunt. As Thanos' body fell, Nebula mourned him, closing his eyes. The Avengers, despite their victory, were left with a sense of deep loss and resignation over the devastation Thanos had wrought.

Endgame

Alternate 2014: Thanos' Plan and Nebula's Betrayal

In an alternate 2014, Thanos discovered that Ronan the Accuser had located the Power Stone. He prepared his daughters, Nebula and Gamora, for a mission to retrieve it. However, Thanos became suspicious of Nebula after detecting that her mind had been tampered with. His concerns grew when he found evidence of her future self's intentions to take the Power Stone for herself.

Thanos ordered Ebony Maw to run diagnostics on Nebula's memory, discovering that her mind had been merged with her future self's memories. Maw revealed that these memories were from nine years later and included information about the Avengers planning to undo Thanos' actions. Realizing that the Avengers were aiming to prevent his future self's actions, Thanos was intrigued by the possibility of his own destiny being altered.

Thanos observed his future self's interactions and the eventual destruction of the Infinity Stones, leading to his own demise at the hands of Thor. This confirmed his belief that his destiny was fulfilled. Understanding that his current actions would shape the future, Thanos decided to use this knowledge to his advantage.

He captured 2023 Nebula and used her to devise a plan involving the Pym Particles, which would allow time travel. Thanos ordered 2014 Nebula to impersonate her future self and recover the Infinity Stones from the future. Thanos also directed Ebony Maw to reverse-engineer the Pym Particles to enable his fleet to time-travel and follow the Avengers.

Arrival of Thanos in 2023

After Nebula transported Thanos and his fleet to 2023, Thanos unleashed the Sanctuary II on the Avengers Compound, destroying it and trapping Hulk, War Machine, and Rocket Raccoon under the debris. Ant-Man eventually rescued them from the rubble.

Thanos then retreated from the wreckage and awaited Nebula's return. He planned to lure the Avengers to him. As Thanos sat amidst the destruction, Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man confronted him. Thanos revealed that his original plan to halve the universe was flawed; the survivors' memories of the deceased would prevent them from flourishing.

Instead, Thanos now intended to use the Infinity Stones to destroy the entire universe and recreate it from scratch. His goal was to create a new universe where its inhabitants would never know about the old one, ensuring that they would be grateful for their existence.

Battle For The Universe

Upon hearing Thanos' plans, Captain America told him that the new universe would be born from bloodshed. Thanos countered that the new inhabitants would never know about the past, as he would ensure the Avengers were killed. In response, Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America, filled with disgust and rage, attacked Thanos. Despite their combined might, Thanos easily repelled their assaults.

During the battle, Iron Man and Thor launched an attack against Thanos, but he deflected Iron Man's repulsor blasts with his Double-Edged Sword. Thanos advanced on Iron Man, using him to block a thrown Mjölnir and knocking Iron Man out.

Thanos then retaliated against Captain America, sending him crashing through stones with a powerful punch. He then threw his sword at Thor, who dodged it but lost his weapon when Thanos knocked it away with Stormbreaker. Thanos continued his assault, knocking Thor’s weapon out of his hand and pinning him against a wall before tossing him across the field and pummeling him.

As Thor tried to summon Stormbreaker, Thanos caught it mid-air and attempted to stab him. He began to push the weapon into Thor's chest until Captain America intervened by knocking Thanos away with Mjölnir, proving himself worthy of its power. Thanos then kicked Thor unconscious before turning his attention to Captain America. He endured a series of blows from Mjölnir and Captain America's attacks, with the shield being used effectively to strike him.

Thanos was briefly stunned by a lightning strike from Mjölnir but quickly recovered, slamming Captain America to the ground and removing his damaged helmet. Thanos continued to assault Captain America with his sword, cutting his leg and disarming him. With immense strength, Thanos shattered Captain America's shield and defeated him with a brutal swing of his sword.

While Captain America lay on the ground, Thanos declared that despite his history of conquest and slaughter, his actions had never been personal. However, due to the Avengers' interference, he now intended to destroy Earth out of spite. As Thanos' army of Outriders, Chitauri, Sakaarans, and the Black Order arrived on the battlefield, he saw Captain America rising to confront them.

Unbeknownst to Thanos, Nebula had retrieved the Nano Gauntlet from Hawkeye but was killed by her future self. The Avengers, now joined by all their resurrected allies—including the deceased Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Wakandans, the Ravagers, the Masters of the Mystic Arts, and the Einherjar—prepared to fight against Thanos’ forces. Thanos watched tensely as his opponents assembled, and when Captain America gave the command, Thanos raised his Double-Edged Sword to lead his army into battle.

The battle raged fiercely, with neither side gaining the upper hand. Thanos used his sword both as a melee weapon and a boomerang, swiftly dispatching enemies like a Master of the Mystic Arts. Despite several losses on his side, including Cull Obsidian, Thanos fought alongside Corvus Glaive and Ebony Maw. When Thanos inquired about Nebula, he was informed she was not responding and was soon alerted that the Nano Gauntlet was in Hawkeye’s possession.

Thanos chased after Hawkeye, who passed the Gauntlet to Black Panther. Thanos threw his sword at Black Panther, knocking him down but was then confronted by Wanda Maximoff. Maximoff, filled with rage, declared that Thanos had taken everything from her. Thanos, unaware of what his future self had done to Vision, coldly responded that he did not know her and continued to cut through rubble thrown by Maximoff’s telekinetic powers. However, he was soon knocked down by Maximoff's rapid energy blasts and disarmed.

Enduring Wanda Maximoff's relentless attacks, Thanos picked up his Double-Edged Sword and began to counter, deflecting her energy blasts and engaging in close combat. Despite Thanos' superior skill initially giving him the upper hand, Maximoff, driven by anger, managed to repel his attack and slice his sword in half with her telekinesis. Thanos was then lifted by Maximoff's telekinetic grip, causing his armor to be slowly chipped away.

In pain from Maximoff's assault, Thanos ordered Corvus Glaive to initiate an airstrike from the Sanctuary II, despite Glaive’s concern for the lives of their troops. Thanos insisted, leading to a barrage of laser cannons from the warship, which successfully pushed Maximoff and the other Avengers back.

The airstrike was abruptly halted when interference from the sky caused the warship to redirect its fire. Captain Marvel arrived from space and destroyed the Sanctuary II with ease, leaving Thanos in shock. As Captain Marvel began to send the Infinity Stones back into the Quantum Tunnel, Thanos attempted to stop her.

Pepper Potts, Shuri, and Wasp intervened, allowing Captain Marvel to approach the van. Thanos threw his sword at the Quantum Tunnel in a desperate attempt to destroy it, causing a massive explosion that threw everyone backward. Amid the chaos, Thanos raced to retrieve the Nano Gauntlet, which had been isolated by the blast. Iron Man intervened but was easily thrown aside by Thanos.

Thanos was again thwarted in his attempt to get the Gauntlet as Thor attacked him with brute force. After fending off Thor, Thanos grappled with him and tried to stop him from decapitating him with Stormbreaker. Thor, summoning Mjølnir in addition to Stormbreaker, forced Thanos into a struggle. Despite holding his ground with one hand, Thanos was eventually joined by Captain America, who attempted to push Stormbreaker into Thanos' throat. Thanos managed to knock Thor's weapon down, headbutt Thor, and punch Captain America, knocking both of them out.

As Thanos reached for the Nano Gauntlet, he was attacked by Captain Marvel, who landed two powerful punches. Thanos threw her aside and donned the Gauntlet. As he prepared to snap his fingers, Captain Marvel restrained him, grabbing the Gauntlet. Unable to overpower her, Thanos attempted to headbutt her with little effect and was forced to his knees as Captain Marvel tried to remove the Gauntlet. In a final effort, Thanos pulled out the Power Stone, using its power to punch Captain Marvel out of the battlefield.

Erasure

Placing the Power Stone back in the Nano Gauntlet, Thanos prepared to snap his fingers once again. Despite Iron Man's intervention, grappling with him momentarily to prevent the Snap, Thanos managed to knock Iron Man aside and put on the Gauntlet. With an evil smile, he declared himself inevitable and snapped his fingers with the intention of destroying the entire universe and creating a new one.

However, upon snapping his fingers, Thanos was shocked to find that nothing changed. The Infinity Stones had been removed from his Gauntlet and transferred to Iron Man’s Mark 85 armor. Confused and horrified, Thanos watched as Iron Man, now wielding all the Stones, performed the Snap.

Instead of destroying the universe as Thanos had intended, the Snap caused the demise of Thanos’ entire army, including the Black Order, Chitauri, Sakaarans, and Outriders, excluding only Gamora and Nebula. Iron Man sacrificed his own life in the process. Thanos witnessed his adoptive children and alien forces turn to dust before his eyes, and he looked at Captain America with a mix of horror and sadness.

Accepting his fate, Thanos sat on the ground and watched the sunset solemnly, acknowledging that there was no escape this time. As he and his army faded away, Thanos met the same end as his victims had five years earlier, bringing his threat to an end once and for all. However His blood was collected after the battle by Nick Fury's secret Skrull unit and placed into a vial known as the Harvest alongside other enhanced DNA samples. The Harvest vial was then administered by Super-Skrulls Gravik and G'iah, granting them access to Thanos' physiology.

Powers and Statistics

Tier: At least High 6-B, higher with the Double-Bladed Sword; Varies, up to 3-A with the Power Stone; at least 3-A with the complete Infinity Gauntlet; Low 2-C Environmental Destruction with the Time Stone

Powers and Abilities:

Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Longevity (Has lived for over 1000 years), Regeneration (Low), Self-Sustenance (Type 1; Can survive the vacuum of space), Master Combatant (Capable of outmatching highly skilled fighters like Captain America and Thor at the same time. Described as the Genghis Khan of the Marvel Universe and unbeatable in 1-on-1 battle, having conquered thousands of worlds and being a much more polished fighter than Hulk, Thor and Loki), Weapon Mastery (Highly proficient with the use of weapons, such as the Infinity Gauntlet and his Double-Bladed Sword), Social Influencing (Thanos is a master manipulator who can bend even the most powerful beings to his will), Enhanced Senses (Fought with web covering his eyes), Weapon Control (Can call his Double-Bladed Sword to him)

Resistance to Radiation Manipulation (Endured the power surge from the Infinity Stones, which emit gamma radiation), Heat Manipulation (Unaffected by crushing the Tesseract with his bare hand, which can melt through steel), Fire Manipulation (Withstood being engulfed by several explosions), Electricity Manipulation (Withstood being struck by lightning), Madness Manipulation (Can wield Stormbreaker, which can collapse the mind of beings who lack the strength to wield it into madness), Empathic Manipulation (Unaffected by using the Mind Stone, which can influence emotions), Sleep Manipulation (Mantis was unable to put him to sleep, only being able to make him stuporous), Matter Manipulation and Deconstruction (Survived grabbing the Power Stone with his bare hand, which can atomize its target)

Conceptual Manipulation (Type 2: The Infinity Stones are the remnants of six Singularities that existed long before the current universe, each capable of manipulating and controlling the fundamental, essential and primordial aspects of space, reality, power, soul, mind and time in existence), Reality Warping (With the Reality Stone, the Gauntlet can make reality to whatever the user wants. Capable of warping Titan), Energy Manipulation and Projection (The Power Stone can release bursts, bolts, pulses and beams of energy, as well as emits energy that can destroy almost any known object or substance), Transmutation (Turned the blast from Star-Lord's gun into bubbles. Turned the debris from the destroyed pillar into bats. Turned Gamora's blade into bubbles), Statistics Amplification (The Power Stone allowed Thanos to one-shot Captain Marvel when she was unfazed by his previous attack), Shockwave Generation (Can cover and destroy the crust of planets and moons with powerful shockwaves), Biological Manipulation (Deformed Mantis), Earth Manipulation (Generated a pillar of earth to trap Black Widow), Air Manipulation, Time Manipulation (Using the Time Stone, he rewound time so he could collect the Mind Stone), Acausality (Type 1: With the Time Stone), Healing (Via Time Manipulation), Spatial Manipulation, Animal Manipulation (Shown here), Fire Manipulation, Absorption (The Power Stone engulfed a spaceship with fire, consuming and destroying it. The Power Stone and Space Stone combined absorbed Iron Man's missile explosions and used it as a flamethrower), Forcefield Creation and Attack Reflection (The Space Stone can create shields of pure energy that deflected Iron Man's repulsor beams), Illusion Creation (Created an illusion of himself on Knowhere to fool the Guardians of the Galaxy), Portal Creation, Dimensional Travel (Can create wormholes that facilitate interdimensional and space-time travel), Black Hole Creation (With enough dark energy, the Space Stone can collapse all matter on Earth and create a black hole. Turned the remnants of the Mirror Dimension into a black hole), Teleportation, Intangibility and Fusionism (Turned the Hulkbuster intangible, phasing through Thanos and a rock, turning him tangible again and merging him with the rock), Petrification (Turned Drax into stone), Invisibility (Made himself invisible to fool the Guardians of the Galaxy), Telekinesis (Crushed and threw War Machine. Disabled Falcon's wings. Pulled moon fragments down onto Titan, further confirmed by WoG. Stopped Loki's arm and a spear mid-air), Deconstruction and Matter Manipulation (After he snapped his fingers, half of all life in the universe was turned into dust. He turned the Infinity Stones into atoms, and threatened to shred the universe to atoms as well), Creation (His younger self was going to create a new universe after destroying it), Has access to all the abilities of the Infinity Gauntlet at his disposal (Has only shown the abilities listed above)

Attack Potency: At least Large Country level+ (Can fight those capable of harming him. Easily overpowered and knocked out Hulk. Dealt significant damage to Mark 50 Iron Man. Easily crushed the Eye of Agamotto. His younger self overpowered Post-Awakening Thor, Mark 85 Iron Man and Captain America with Mjölnir. Should be far stronger than his subordinates, like Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian), higher with the Double-Bladed Sword (Broke Captain America's vibranium shield); Varies (Stated to have variable power output depending on the size of the target), up to Universe level with the Power Stone (Stated to be a power source capable of destroying the universe); at least Universe level with the complete Infinity Gauntlet (Threatened to shred the universe down to its last atom and then create a new one. The combined power of the Infinity Stones can give one the ability to decimate the universe); Universe level+ Environmental Destruction with the Time Stone (Reckless manipulation of the Time Stone can break the space-time continuum, causing irreparable harm); Can ignore durability with many abilities

Speed: Relativistic+ combat and reaction speed (Reacted to Captain Marvel's top flight speed and threw his sword at the Quantum Tunnel before she could reach it. Can keep up with Post-Awakening Thor, Captain America with Mjölnir, and Mark 50 Iron Man. Blitzed Hulk); Massively Hypersonic+ attack speed with the Infinity Gauntlet (Threw meteors); Up to Sub-Relativistic against celestial bodies via the Power StoneFblo)

Lifting Strength: At least Class T, likely higher (Overpowered Thor and nearly killed him with Stormbreaker. Pushed through full-powered repulsor beams from Mark 85 Iron Man charged by Thor. Easily overpowered Hulk. Could throw Doctor Strange's whips around when the latter tried to restrain him)

Striking Strength: At least Large Country level+ (Broke parts of Mark 50 Iron Man. Drew blood from Thor and Hulk), higher with the Double-Bladed Sword

Durability: At least Large Country level+ (While already badly wounded from Stormbreaker, he endured the power surge from the completed Infinity Gauntlet, which was stated to be of cosmic proportions beyond anything seen before. However, the second surge generated when Thanos snapped the completed Infinity Gauntlet to atomize the Infinity Stones, which was unquantifiable by value, nearly killed him, left half of his body burnt and took away his life essence, Could hold the Power Stone in his bare hand. Endured attacks from Scarlet Witch when she was bloodlusted, albeit was eventually overwhelmed. Took numerous attacks from Thor, Captain America with Mjölnir, Mark 85 Iron Man, Captain Marvel and Hulk. Mark 50 Iron Man only drew a single drop of blood after a prolonged engagement), higher with armor. Continent level+ with his Double-Bladed Sword (Blocked Mark 85 Iron Man's overloaded repulsor beams after absorbing Thor's lightning, which equates to 2.68 petatons), higher with Energy Shields (Blocked an attack from Scarlet Witch with the Space Stone)

Stamina: Superhuman (Can simultaneously fight with Thor, Iron Man and Captain America for long periods of time. Kept fighting even after enduring a brutal assault by Scarlet Witch. Fought many heroes at the same time on Titan without signs of exhaustion)

Range: Extended Melee Range, higher with the Double-Bladed Sword. Kilometers with the Mind Stone (Its energy beams reached the borders of the Westview town); Planetary with Telekinesis (Able to pull Titan's moon fragments while still on the planet); Varies, up to Universal with the Power Stone (Stated to be a power source capable of destroying the universe); Stellar, up to Universal with the Reality Stone (After amplifying the power of the Aether exponentially by consuming the Nine Worlds, including Muspelheim which is a Dyson sphere around a star, Malekith was going to destroy the whole universe, converting reality into an endless night of dark matter and dark energy, returning the universe to a state of eternal darkness and destroying all life); Universal with the complete Infinity Gauntlet (Turned half of all life in the universe into dust. His past self threatened to shred the universe down to its last atom and then create a new one. The combined power of the Infinity Stones can give one the ability to decimate the universe); Interdimensional with Portal Creation (Can create wormholes that facilitate interdimensional and space-time travel); Low Multiversal with the Time Stone (While time was being stopped on Earth, Doctor Strange used the Time Stone to also bring time to the Dark Dimension, which is another universe and an amalgamation of countless dimensions, trapping Dormammu in an inescapable time loop even though he has absolute control over the Dark Dimension and its reality. Reckless manipulation of the Time Stone can break the space-time continuum, causing irreparable harm)

Standard Equipment: Armor, Double-Bladed Sword (Formerly for his Sacred Timeline self), Infinity Gauntlet

• The Infinity Gauntlet: A powerful gauntlet forged from Uru melted by the blazing power of a neutron star by the Dwarf King Eitri, under the strict command and supervision of Thanos himself under threat of death. With it, Thanos can collectively harness the power of all Six Infinity Stones, efficiently channeling and commanding their might without risk of misdirection or backfiring.
  • Power Stone: Directly linked with, and representing all Power in the Universe, the Power Stone grants Thanos immense, unrivaled power on a cosmic scale, allowing him to effortlessly tear apart the surface of worlds and moons, as well as destroy his enemies with blasts of cosmic energies.
  • Space Stone: Directly linked with, and representing all Space in the Universe, the Space Stone grants Thanos direct control over the fabric of Space itself, allowing him to telekinetically throw parts of Titan's destroyed moon, levitate, and fold space to create portals so that he may instantaneously traverse across the universe.
  • Reality Stone: Directly linked with, and representing Reality itself, the Reality Stone grants Thanos the ability to mold and reshape the fabric of reality as he sees fit, allowing him to effortlessly transmute anything and anyone in his vicinity, create tangible illusions, and reform the entire landscape in which he's in.
  • Soul Stone: Directly linked with, and representing the souls of all sentient beings in the Universe, the Soul Stone grants Thanos the power to manipulate the souls of his victims.
  • Time Stone: Directly linked with, and representing all Time in the Universe, the Time Stone grants Thanos direct control over the fabric of Time itself, allowing him to halt, revert, and accelerate its flow, as well as generate endless time loops.
  • Mind Stone: Directly linked with, and representing the minds of all sentient beings in the Universe, the Mind Stone grants Thanos the capability to influence and control the minds of his enemies. However, he has yet to demonstrate the Mind Stone's powers in any meaningful way.

Intelligence: Extraordinary Genius (Thanos is a cunning and ruthless individual with an intellect sharpened by centuries of experience. A brilliant strategist, commanding vast armies that have devastated countless worlds and destroyed empires across the galaxy, which earned him renown as one of the most fearsome warlords in the universe. A master tactician who manipulated events, such as Loki's attack on New York and Ronan's retrieval of the Orb to set the stage for his pursuit of all six Infinity Stones. An incredibly skilled combatant, who easily outmaneuvered heroes such as Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Captain America during their confrontations. Quickly and intuitively learned and mastered how to wield the Infinity Stones, being the real master of them, understanding their true power and capable of harnessing the Stones' powers on a completely different level, unlike their previous owners. He found a way to time travel from 2014 to 2023 after obtaining Pym Particles, and reverse-engineered and mass-produced them alongside Ebony Maw. He is also an incredibly charismatic master manipulator who can bend even the most powerful beings to his will)

Standard Tactics: Thanos' fighting style greatly varies based on the version used and how many Infinity Stones he has. The two main versions that this profile covers are the one from Infinity War and the one from Endgame.

• The first one is a honorable warrior, who prefers not to kill his opponents if not needed and will first try to incapacitate them, unless he sees them as a serious threat to his plans, in which case he won't have problems killing the opponent if he has a chance to. It is unknown how he fight with his Double-Bladed Sword, but with the Stones he will try to quickly defeat the opponent with powerful attacks from his Power Stone or by incapacitating them with the Reality Stone and the Space Stone, but if that doesn't work then he will go for more lethal attacks. When equipped with the Complete Gauntlet, his first move will be to snap his finger in order to destroy his opponent, deconstructing them and turning them into ashes.
• The second one, instead, is much less honorable, being far more ruthless and sadistic with little regards towards anyone. He won't have any problems with trying to kill his opponent even if they aren't an immediate threat to him. This is reflected into his fighting style with the Double-Bladed Sword, since with it he will try to continuously attack the opponent, without giving them the time to counter-attack. He was never seen using the Stones singularly, except for the Power Stone which he used briefly against Captain Marvel. His first move when equipped with the Complete Gauntlet, instead, is to use it to destroy the whole Universe with a snap of his fingers.

Weaknesses: He must be able to move his hand to activate the Infinity Stones. Continuous usage of the Stones had a toll on his body, as his left arm has been permanently damaged

Note:

• The Infinity Stones are stated to be powerful enough to impact a four dimensional being like Dormammu, even to the point of cowing him and halting his actions, therefore their hax must also be 4D in order to being able to affect him.

Trivia

• Comics Background: In the comics, Thanos is an Eternal, a race of superpowered beings genetically enhanced by the Celestials. He is the son of A'Lars, the leader of an Eternal colony on Titan. Thanos has a rare Deviant syndrome, making him appear more like a Deviant. His villainous motivations often center around his obsession with Death. As an Eternal, Thanos has innate cosmic and psionic abilities, including energy projection.
• Infinity Gauntlet: In the famous "Infinity Gauntlet" storyline, Thanos becomes the master of the Infinity Gauntlet and uses it to kill most of the universe’s inhabitants to impress Death. He is one of the Avengers' greatest foes.
• MCU Appearances: Thanos is one of main antagonists in the MCU to appear in more than one film. The others are Abomination, Loki, Red Skull, Alexander Pierce, Scarlet Witch, Ronan the Accuser, Darren Cross, and Erik Killmonger.
• Name Origin: The name "Thanos" is derived from Thanatos, the Greek mythological figure representing death.
• Philosophy: Thanos’ anti-expansionist philosophy is inspired by the Malthusianism of economist Thomas Malthus.
• Pre-Antagonist Appearances: Thanos is one of the main MCU antagonists to physically appear before becoming the main villain. He appeared in The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Avengers: Age of Ultron before becoming the main antagonist in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
• Age: Joe Russo confirmed that Thanos is one thousand years old in Avengers: Endgame.

• Reveal and Writing: Joss Whedon was responsible for revealing Thanos as the true villain of The Avengers. Ironically, he found the character too difficult to write.
• Guardians of the Galaxy: In Nicole Perlman's original draft for Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos was the main antagonist. When James Gunn took over, he and Joss Whedon agreed to reduce Thanos' role.
• Inspirations and Portrayal: Josh Brolin drew inspiration from Marlon Brando's performance as Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now for his portrayal of Thanos.
• Script and Concept Art: Christopher Markus mentioned that earlier drafts of the Avengers: Infinity War script included more about Titan before its downfall. Concept art by Ryan Lang showed a younger Thanos and his family, suggesting that a flashback to Thanos' youth was once considered.
• Google Easter Egg: In 2019, to celebrate Avengers: Endgame, Google created an Easter egg where users could click an icon of the Infinity Gauntlet to make half of the search results vanish into dust, with a second click using the Time Stone to restore them.
• Promotional Artwork: Some promotional and conceptual artwork for Avengers: Endgame depicts Thanos with his original Infinity Gauntlet, despite him not wearing it in the movie due to its damage and abandonment on Planet 0259-S. Thanos does wear the Nano Gauntlet crafted by Iron Man for a brief period in Avengers: Endgame.
• Fortnite Cross-Promotion: Marvel Studios collaborated with Fortnite to feature Thanos as a playable character. In Avengers: Endgame, Thor, Korg, and Miek are shown playing Fortnite.
• Beheading Reference: Thanos being beheaded by Thor in Avengers: Endgame references a recent comic event where Gamora beheaded Thanos in Infinity Wars Prime #1.
• Iron Man Villain: Thanos' role as Iron Man's personal archenemy in the MCU traces back to his original appearance as an Iron Man villain in 1973.