Thanos joins the cause

"Expand the capacity of the existing universe." Thanos repeated this phrase, as if chewing on a fruit he had never tasted before. "What do you mean by 'expand'?"

Russell did not answer immediately.

He walked to the edge of the Temple, stood between the collapsed columns, and faced the dark red Nebula in the distant sky.

"You have spent countless years traveling to countless Planet," Russell's voice echoed through the ruins of the Temple, "But your footsteps have only traversed half the universe."

In those places you cannot see, beyond your star charts, there are countless worlds.

He turned around and looked at Thanos.

Do you know how big the universe is?

Thanos couldn't answer because the question was meaningless.

The universe is so vast that no number can describe it.

He conquered countless Galaxy, but he knew that these Galaxy were only a tiny fraction of the universe.

He never even left the Galaxy Group.

"I know," Russell said, turning his head, "Because I have a diverse range of experiences that you've never had."

Thanos narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I've seen many distant universes," Russell said calmly. "I've seen things beyond the universe, some of which are far more outrageous than you can imagine."

He walked back to Thanos, put his hands in his pockets, and bent down slightly.

"You've been thinking about how to solve the universe's resource problem. You've been thinking about eliminating the population so that the survivors have enough resources to live. You've been doing subtraction."

He paused.

"But have you ever thought about adding to it?"

"Addition," Thanos repeated.

"Yes." Russell nodded. "If the universe doesn't have enough resources, then we'll find more."

If the space in this universe is not enough, then find more space; if the capacity of this universe is not enough, then expand the capacity of this universe.

He spread his hands.

Beyond the universe, there are even wider worlds, worlds with resources, space, and Infinity possibilities.

You don't need to kill anyone, you just need to go out."

Thanos's brow furrowed even more.

"Your previous thinking was because your perspective was limited to the universe at hand." Russell struck at Thanos's sore spot.

All you see is the resources of this universe, all you see is the population of this universe, and all you want to protect is the balance of this universe.

He paused.

But what about outside the universe?

Thanos's eyes widened slightly.

"The liberation I just mentioned has two meanings."

The first level is to liberate you from extreme thinking, to help you escape the dead end of 'eliminating half' or 'eliminating all'.

It will make you understand that you don't need to destroy anything to create something new.

He paused.

"The second layer is a welcome message to you for joining the construction of a cosmic civilization."

Thanos looked at him and spoke after a long while.

"Construction?" he repeated.

"Yes," Russell further explained, "Construction is not destruction, nor is it conquest; it's going out into new territories, finding new places, and then building new things. It transforms you from a hegemon into a builder."

He withdrew his hand and put both hands back in his pockets.

"You don't need to sit alone in front of your cabin watching the sunset; you can stand with many people at an unprecedented height and watch a new universe being born."

"Are you telling the truth?" Thanos's voice was hoarse and deep.

"Why would I lie to you?" Russell retorted.

Thanos thought for a moment, "You want to stop me from collecting the rest of the Infinity Stones. You want to protect Earth."

"It's unnecessary for me; I can create the Infinity Stones at will." Russell revealed a fact that Thanos hadn't expected.

He took a step forward.

"I came here because you reminded me of someone."

Thanos looked at him.

"The Ancient One," Russell said, "You should be very familiar with this name."

Thanos nodded slightly.

"She was a powerful Sorcerer Supreme, the protector of Earth, but according to my latest information, she died not long ago."

"She's not dead." Russell shook his head. "She's just living in a different way. She faced the same problems as you once did."

There were too many threats in the universe, and her own power was insufficient. She had to make a choice, and she chose to withdraw, handing Earth over to me.

He paused.

"She's just as lonely as you, she stands on the same shoulders where everyone's fate rests on her own, and she, like you, has considered sacrificing herself to solve the problem."

Thanos ' right hand clenched

"But in the end, she chose to trust others." Russell raised an eyebrow. "She chose to share the burden, she chose not to carry it all alone."

"You can do it this way too. You don't need to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the balance of the universe all by yourself. You don't need to wipe out half of the universe's population, you don't need to the Snap, and you don't need to sit alone in front of your cabin watching the sunset after achieving your goal."

He fled, his gaze fixed on Thanos's eyes.

All you need to do now is... join us.

Thanos looked down at his empty right hand.

He used this hand to push Gamora off the cliff.

"Join you," he repeated, "To build a universe."

"Yes." Russell nodded. "The universe is vast, and we still have a lot to do."

Those worlds beyond the universe, those realms waiting to be discovered, and those possibilities waiting to be developed—we need manpower, especially outstanding talents like you.

"A talent as outstanding as me?" Thanos raised his head, something moving in his deep, watery eyes.

"A Tyrant Carnage countless civilizations?"

"A person who knows what loss feels like," Russell corrected.

"A person who knows what destruction means, a person who knows that when you reach the end of the road, you will find loneliness within."

He extended his right hand and shook it.

"Actually, I don't need your army, nor do I need you to help me conquer anything. I just feel it's a bit of a waste to just kill you casually; it's better to help you correct your mistakes."

Thanos was silent for a moment, then looked up and asked.

Is there any possibility that Gamora could be brought back to life?

"Perhaps you can resurrect Gamora when you possess power beyond this universe, but she is indeed dead now," Russell said.

"You pushed her down yourself, and in return, you obtained the Soul Stone. That's a fact, and the Time Stone can't change it."

He paused.

"But you can make her death meaningful. Not for a foolish balancing act, nor for a short-sighted the Snap. But for a new universe, a new beginning."

Thanos rose from his Throne.

His figure appeared exceptionally large amidst the ruins of Titan.

"You're serious about asking me to join you," he asked again.

"Yes." Russell nodded.

"Even the Six Infinity Stones couldn't revive Gamora; a power surpassing that of this universe is required."

Russell shrugged, offering no comment.

"Okay." Thanos nodded emphatically, recalling Russell's amazing record.

"Then I'll go with you."