Unveiling the Surprising Mastermind behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Greatest Villain
Discover the surprising truth behind Thanos, the MCU's most formidable villain Unveiling the original plan for his character, explore how his initial debut in Marvel's Avengers was not intended to pave the way for his epic reign as Marvel's big bad
Thanos, the MCU's most revered villain, originally made a cameo appearance in The Avengers as a mere nod to fans and to patch up a plot inconsistency.
Coinciding with the anniversary of Avengers Endgame's release and the momentous snap that shook the world within the movie's narrative, fans are now conducting mock funerals for the fallen characters and commemorating Thanos' ultimate defeat.
Since his first appearance in The Avengers, Thanos has transformed from an unknown character to a well-known figure. In the film, he is briefly shown in a powerful scene where he sneers from the shadows of his ship, located in the vastness of outer space.
However, it may come as a surprise to fans that Thanos was not initially intended to become the iconic villain he is today.
Thanos wasn’t meant to be the Avengers’ next big bad
In the book MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, it is revealed that Thanos was initially designed to serve as a mere easter egg, explaining the origins of Loki's army and scepter. Director Joss Whedon requested the inclusion of Thanos in the story.
Whedon's deep understanding of Marvel comics led to his idea for the post-credits scene in the movie. In this vignette, he revealed that Loki's Chitauri army was actually borrowed from Thanos, a terrifying villain in the Marvel universe. Thanos, a large purple alien with a distinctive chin and an intense fascination with death, was not being set up as the Avengers' next antagonist. The intention was simply to explain the origin of Loki's army and to pay homage to the fans. Marvel Studios, focused on ensuring the success of The Avengers, agreed to include Thanos without fully considering the implications for future movies.
Following its release, Thanos' introduction became one of the most highly-discussed aspects of The Avengers. The final line of the movie strongly hinted at Thanos' affection for Death and suggested that this would lead to a showdown with The Avengers. However, the representation of Death was ultimately absent from the portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Dedicated comic enthusiasts eagerly sought additional details. A significant number accurately predicted that the Infinity War storyline would serve as the culmination of the films, but the exact path it would take or the ultimate destination remained unforeseen.
Thanos's status as an afterthought for The Avengers is truly startling, but it's not entirely unexpected considering the hurried nature in which it was developed. Check out this post by Ironhead Studio on Instagram.
Thanos was initially portrayed by Damion Poitier before Josh Brolin took over the role in his cameo appearance in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy. At that time, the design of Thanos was still in its early stages and underwent significant revisions before his comeback in Avengers: Infinity War. The success achieved with Thanos was another instance of the apparent good fortune that the MCU experienced, given the numerous elements that were constantly changing or occurred purely by coincidence.
MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios is available now. For more MCU news, be sure to follow all of Dexerto’s coverage.
