Thanos' Shocking Motivation: It's Not Love, It's Duty!

What is Thanos’ motivation?

For a long time, many comic fans thought Thanos was motivated by a love of Death, going so far as to court her throughout his career. In an effort to win her affection, Thanos would destroy entire civilizations and try to court Mistress Death as if the two were simply playing a twisted game of romance that’s simply beyond comprehension to mortals.

In Avengers Annual 2024 #1, Thanos’ motive is revealed: It’s not love that motivates Thanos to cause universal mayhem, it’s Duty. Thanos is duty bound to prove that he’s superior to everyone else and worthier of more power.

Is the change in motivation for Thanos shocking to fans?

Thanos wielding all six Infinity Stones in Marvel Comics' Infinity Gauntlet. Image

This is not the first time Thanos has shown his dedication to his cause. There have been plenty of hints along the way about what motivated Thanos throughout his Comics career. The revelation that Thanos was more motivated by a love of power rather than a twisted romantic game is not all that shocking, especially when fans see Thanos try to use Mistress Death as a weapon against other superheroes in the Marvel Universe.

With this change to Thanos’ character, he moves from a somewhat romantic supervillain who is merely trying to please his girlfriend to an all-out despot seeking absolute power and trying to claim that title by destroying and murdering anyone who gets in his way.

What happens in Avengers Annual 2024 #1?

This issue kicks off a new event in Marvel Comics called Infinity Watch. In it, the Infinity Stones choose six individuals to become hosts for each respective Infinity Stone, leading to the most powerful group in the Marvel Universe: Infinity Watch. With this collection of Stones and individuals, Thanos attempts to claim all of the power for himself.

In an effort to gain more power for himself, Thanos steals the essence of Mistress Death and transforms it into a new Infinity Stone called the Death Stone. In trying to bond with the Death Stone, Thanos finds out he is no longer just driven by the affection he believes he feels for Mistress Death. As this issue reveals Thanos’ intentions, we see the beginning of his journey to fully accept his obsession with absolute power.

Will there be other major Marvel crossover events in the future?

MCU's Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet with other versions of Thanos dying behind him. Image

Marvel Comics features a multitude of crossover events with new, imaginative storylines as part of a well-crafted world featuring superheroes and villains from all walks of life.

As the universe of comics expands to new universes, fans can look forward to exploring the depth and mystery surrounding new super villains and heroes, especially those related to the new Infinity Watch story line.

Is Thanos redeemable in the Marvel Universe?

While Thanos might have shown some vulnerability throughout his Marvel Comics history, particularly in those scenes when he is acting in an effort to impress Mistress Death, the revelations in the recent Avengers Annual have shown a different side to him. Fans who have appreciated this complexity to his character will continue to question if his motivation is ever entirely black and white.

Marvel Comics have often featured characters with complex motives that go beyond the scope of traditional supervillains and superheroes. There’s a sense that those characters are often shaped by their experiences and that they could possibly have redemption - and that’s where some of those compelling and dynamic moments are often found.

What happens to the Infinity Stones?

The Infinity Stones are some of the most valuable and powerful items in the Marvel Universe. They hold tremendous power that can cause universal chaos and, possibly even create an opportunity for supervillains such as Thanos to achieve their evil desires.

It will be interesting to see what happens next in The Infinity Watch series – particularly what events take place that would lead those Infinity Stone holders to form alliances.