Thanos

Biodata

Background and History

As a child on Titan, Thanos proposed randomly killing half the population to address resource shortages. Titan's rulers imprisoned him; he later witnessed the planet's destruction. After seeing other worlds fall into conflict over resources, he pursued the same plan on a universal scale: eliminate half of all life 836.

Thanos acquired the Mind Stone with help from his adopted daughters, Nebula and Gamora. Rather than confront Odin over the Space Stone, he backed Loki's attempt to retrieve it from Earth. He later sent Ebony Maw to recover the Mind Scepter, but He-El defeated both agents, leaving the Stone on Earth and delaying Thanos's campaign 1031. Thanos arranged Ebony Maw's rescue while He-El and Odin fought 976 1031.

Thanos obtained the Soul Stone on Vormir by sacrificing Gamora. He then attacked Xandar, where his forces slaughtered civilians and fought the Nova Corps. After taking the Power Stone, he battled the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, who nearly removed his Infinity Gauntlet. He subsequently destroyed Xandar while testing the Stone's power 1031 1033 1036 1046.

Loki later gave Thanos the Space Stone. With three Stones, Thanos brought his fleet to Earth, shattered its orbital defenses and faced its defenders. He-El destroyed his mothership's Star Annihilator Cannon before confronting him in New York 1047 1064 1083 1098.

Appearance

Thanos is tall and powerfully built, with purple skin. He wears golden metal armor and a helmet, and carries the Infinity Gauntlet on his right hand 1031 1036.

• The strain of first taking in the Power Stone made veins bulge across his face and body 1036.
• His personal floating throne appears aboard his warship and during the assault on Xandar 1031 1033.

Personality

Thanos remains committed to his plan despite losing agents and Stones on Earth. He postpones attacks when necessary, seeks advantages before confronting powerful opponents, and regards his eventual victory as destiny 871 1031 1105. His attachment to Gamora does not prevent him from sacrificing her; afterward, he shows sorrow when Peter Quill demands to know what happened to her 1031 1036 1037.

Abilities & Skills

Eternal Physiology and Combat

Thanos possesses immense strength, endurance and regenerative ability. His skin resists cold, heat, electricity, radiation, poison, aging and disease 836.

• He defeats Drax with a single Power Stone-enhanced punch and withstands coordinated attacks from the Avengers and Guardians 1036 1037.
• His physique lets him bear Stone-enhanced attacks that would overwhelm a weaker user, though sustained use still damages him 1037 1090.

Infinity Stone Use

• Combined Stones — Thanos wielded the Power, Space and Soul Stones together to repel attackers and fire a destructive beam at He-El. He-El's dark matter beam overpowered it 1100 1108 1111.

Equipment and Forces

• Infinity Gauntlet — Forged under coercion by the Dwarf King after Thanos sealed off Vanaheim. It holds the Stones and reduces the harm their use inflicts on its wearer 1031 1036.
• Sanctuary II and fleet — His mothership and accompanying destroyers attacked Earth's orbital defenses; the mothership carried a Star Annihilator Cannon 1083 1098 1104.
• Black Order — His commanders include Ebony Maw, Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, Supergiant and Black Dwarf 1033 1034.

Relationships

• Gamora — Adopted daughter whom Thanos sent to find the Soul Stone, then sacrificed to obtain it 1031.
• Nebula — Adopted daughter who helped him acquire the Mind Stone 1031.
• Ebony Maw — Commander whose capture disrupted Thanos's plans; Thanos arranged his rescue 871 1031.
• Loki — Agent in the failed attempt to take Earth's Space Stone; later gave that Stone to Thanos 1031 1047 1064.
• He-El — Opponent who defeated Thanos's agents, then killed Thanos and took his three Stones 1031 1117.
• Drax the Destroyer — Pursued revenge because Thanos killed his wife and children 1036.

Death

During the New York battle, Thanos used the Space Stone to reinforce the surrounding space against He-El. He-El then struck him with a Two-Dimensional Foil, reducing Thanos and the space around him to a two-dimensional sheet. Trapped there, Thanos could no longer perceive the three-dimensional world normally 1114 1116.

He-El severed the portion containing Thanos's gauntleted arm and recovered the Power, Soul and Space Stones. He then annihilated the remaining two-dimensional area, killing Thanos. His surviving forces lost the will to fight and fled 1117 1120.

Notable Quotes

“She has completed her mission.” — Thanos, looking at the Soul Stone when Peter Quill asks about Gamora 1036.

“I am destiny.” — Thanos, before fighting He-El on Earth 1105.