Be a self-sufficient old farmer

Vast yet gentle energy nourished every cell in Beckett's body, and Beckett found the sensation very pleasant. Though it was no longer his first time, for young Beckett, soaking in the bath was the second most important thing after studying under his adoptive father, Thanos.

His cells greedily devoured the energy within the Nutrient Fluid to strengthen themselves, while his immature body continually made subtle adjustments according to the energy it absorbed. The Saiyan body's instinct for self-adjustment was also one of the traits Thanos admired. In his view, this frequent self-adjustment, powerful adaptability, and recovery ability were likely why Beckett's race was particularly suited for combat.

He truly looked forward to seeing just how far Beckett could grow once he had fully trained him. In terms of combat power, the Black Order under his command was not weak. Whether it was Corvus Glaive or Proxima Midnight, even Ebony Maw, who appeared to be the frailest of the four, possessed the ability to independently lead troops into battle. Over the years, the four had contributed immensely to his steady progress toward his ideals throughout the universe.

But that was all.

Thanos could see the limits of the Black Order at a glance. To achieve the great ideal in his heart, these four alone were far from enough. The universe was vast—so vast that even Thanos did not know how many planets within it still needed his salvation. A warrior whose future strength could surpass the Black Order was worth cultivating with care. More importantly, unlike the Black Order, Beckett had remained at Thanos's side since infancy, receiving his teachings and combat training. He was fundamentally different from those flashy outsiders who joined halfway through.

That was the essential difference between one of their own and an outsider.

Time passed second by second. Having removed his helmet, Thanos sat casually before the Nutrient Pod, waiting for his son to emerge. No matter how busy he was, whenever he returned to the Sanctuary Base, he would always make time to chat with his child, speak from the heart, and casually impart his ideals, gradually influencing Beckett's still-ignorant young mind.

Thanos regarded this as a channel through which he communicated with his son. Beckett, still a blank sheet of paper, could be painted and scribbled upon as Thanos pleased.

"Dad."

When the door of the Nutrient Pod opened and the soaking-wet Beckett stepped out, the first thing he saw was Thanos's lonely figure sitting alone before the pod.

"This time was twice as long as last time, Beckett. Your rate of progress is truly fast—far beyond my expectations." Taking out the black training uniform he had prepared long ago, Thanos helped Beckett dress his tiny arms and legs, then reached out and ruffled his still-wet hair. Satisfaction and fatherly warmth were written across his face.

The longer Beckett remained in the Nutrient Pod, the more energy he absorbed. From less than an hour at the beginning to lying inside for two full days at a time now, that was the progress Beckett had made over the past year.

"Really?" Little Beckett raised his head in delighted surprise. The red tail behind him began swaying from side to side in excitement. Over the past year, what he had loved hearing most was Thanos's praise. Besides meaning Thanos approved of him, it also meant he was one step closer to finding Frieza and avenging his mother.

He loved the feeling of advancing steadily, one step at a time. Thanos had taught him that as well. One had to keep one's feet on the ground, hold firm to a goal, and give it one hundred percent effort. Every tiny improvement and every small gain would eventually become the steps leading to the throne of success.

"How fast am I improving?" Blinking his large eyes, Beckett's young face was full of anticipation, while his red tail refused to stay still as it swayed beneath Thanos's gaze.

"You're improving faster than light." Thanos smiled kindly and took little Beckett's hand.

Having received Thanos's education, Beckett naturally knew how fast light was. Hearing Thanos praise him like that, he instinctively wanted to break into a grin, but then remembered his father's teaching that one should not let joy or anger show on one's face. He immediately began controlling his emotions and facial muscles.

"You don't need to hide yourself in front of me. I am your father, not your enemy."

A conversation between father and son, scribbling out visions of the future.

"Then, Dad, what is your ideal?"

Thinking of his own goal of killing Frieza, Beckett raised his head, his large eyes brimming with curiosity.

It had been three years since Thanos brought him back to the Sanctuary Base. Over those three years, he had heard people around him repeat phrases like "for Lord Thanos's ideal" countless times. Especially Ebony Maw, who looked so frail—he said things like that more than anyone else. It would have been fine if he just said it, but every time, he never explained further. He would merely begin the topic before shifting into praise for Thanos and the Titans. It left Beckett deeply curious about the ideal his adoptive father had always fought for.

My ideal?

The smile on Thanos's face gradually faded. His sudden change in expression puzzled young Beckett. But before that confusion could last long, Thanos lifted him onto his shoulders and carried him out of the Sanctuary Base, to the edge of the holy land.

The pitch-black universe and dazzling starlight formed a magnificent painting that slowly unfolded within Beckett's eyes as he sat on Thanos's shoulders.

"Beckett, do you see them? Those stars that shine so brilliantly." Thanos raised his right hand, casually pointing his index finger at the brightest star in the distance. Beckett followed the direction of his finger and nodded without understanding.

"There are countless planets in this universe. Every one of them is as captivating as the stars you see. Together, these captivating planets form this vibrant universe, providing the soil and resources necessary for every life-form living within it."

"But resources are limited, while the reproduction of life is endless. The increase of new life will inevitably lead to the depletion of resources throughout the universe. My ideal is to give those planets whose resources are beginning to run dry a chance for renewed development, through an absolutely fair method."

By eliminating half the population of a planet through an absolutely fair method, those who remained could make full use of the resources that had been saved and begin a new, better life. Perhaps it was cruel, but after the destruction of his homeworld Titan, this was the only belief that remained steadfast in Thanos's heart.

Even the Titan race, where everyone was as mighty as a dragon, could not escape the misfortune that followed resource depletion. Not to mention those planets in the universe that were still inferior to Titan.

Many powerful and wise beings in the universe had seen this contradiction, yet over so many years, not a single one had taken action to improve the universe's greater environment. Thanos, who had once been exiled from Titan, had also been lost and had doubted whether his choice was correct. But the Titan race that exiled him had failed, and as the price of that failure, Titan's flourishing civilization was destroyed overnight.

The fate of his homeworld reaffirmed Thanos's conviction.

As a survivor of the Titan race, he believed that he was destiny itself. Since no one in the universe was willing to step forward, then he would do it. This was the path he was destined to walk, without regret.

Some said he had no right to make this choice on behalf of the universe, but Thanos himself did not think so. Titan's tragedy had already become reality, and he lacked the power to reverse it. But he could prevent similar tragedies from happening on other planets in the universe.

In Thanos's view, those who opposed him were utterly foolish. Thanos, destined to walk this path to the bitter end, had long prepared himself to make enemies of the entire world.

"Then, Dad, what will you do after you achieve your ideal?" Beckett, who did not have a complete understanding of what Thanos had said, wrapped both arms around Thanos's chin and asked curiously.

"Yes. What will I do after achieving my ideal?" Thanos smiled and patted Beckett's warm little hands, then looked up at the boundless starry sky.

Perhaps he would find an unnoticed planet and become a self-sufficient old farmer. He could grow vegetables in the fields when he had nothing to do, wash melons in the river, and sit on the steps beneath the eaves in his spare time, watching the gorgeous sunset on the horizon.

After spending half his life in battle, he would enjoy peace in his old age.

Honestly, Thanos in Avengers 3 was the most brilliantly crafted villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in my opinion. Unlike his pathetic comic-book behavior, movie Thanos's ideology in Avengers 3 could genuinely be called the most unique among all those superhero films, hahaha.

It was ridiculous—ridiculous to an absurd degree—but it really did make Thanos's family-planning-commission image unforgettable.

The tragedy of the lonely old farmer from Avengers 4 getting beheaded was simply heartbreaking to hear about and tear-jerking to smell, hahaha~

Also, I personally do not agree with Thanos's ideals. To prevent anyone from arguing with me over it, I'm stating that specifically. This book was an idea that suddenly came to me and my friend after watching Avengers 4. Once the ideas started flowing, they couldn't be stopped, so following the principle that it was better to vent than suppress them, I wrote it down and posted it. Thanos in Avengers 3 and Avengers 4 really had a unique villainous charm~ Especially his attitude at the end, when he took off his helmet and quietly waited to die without saying a word. It truly made me separate movie Thanos from comic-book Thanos.

Although Avengers 4 had a pile of plot holes, it still brought things full circle. It began with Iron Man ten years ago and ended with Iron Man ten years later. As for future Marvel movies, I might only watch Tom Holland's Spider-Man and Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange. I've already gone numb toward Marvel films.

Last but not least, I wonder whether the DC Joker movie will become a huge hit. Come to think of it, I was originally a huge fan of DC's Superman, hahaha.