Thanos
Playing God, or the Devil?
Thanos has been lurking in the shadows of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for years, since the first of the Avengers films. Infinity War doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to meeting "The Mad Titan." We meet him on an Asgardian ship, having just slaughtered half of the people on board. Thanos is on a quest to find all six Infinity Stones, which will grant the wielder unimaginable power. After surrendering the stone in his posession to Thanos, Loki tells him that he "will never be a god." But what if that's exactly what he is?
Thanos as God?
Thanos' intention in this film is clear: to have the power of a God. So, does he have similarities to the Christian depiction of God? Perhaps surprisingly, yes. Parallels can be drawn between God and Thanos.
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Thanos views himself as merciful. He believes that he is saving the universe. And therefore, his quest "is driven more by a sense of mission than a raw lust for power" (Wilson, 2018). Thanos is also not above making a sacrifice for his quest. Just as God sacrificed his only son to save the world, Thanos is required to sacrifice the one character whom he cares deeply about and considers his daughter. As Wilson (2018) states, "like Jesus in Gethsemane, Thanos sheds tears in the face of sacrifice."
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Thanos also may be considered prophetic. He claims to have been the only one to have seen the way to end the struggles on his home planet, Titan. He knew the planet would be destroyed, and offered his solution - the same plan he has in store for Earth in Infinity War. His idea was rejected by his people, and what he predicted came to pass.
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Just as Christians believe God created the world, Thanos intends to create a new one. He wants to relieve the world of the suffering caused by overpopulation, and create a utopia for the remainder of humanity. Is this Thanos' version of the Garden of Eden? Or is this his own version of Judgement Day, condemning the unworthy to his own Hell, while creating Heaven on Earth for those who remain?
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Thanos is an all-powerful being who is motivated to save the world through sacrifice. He is motivated by what he views as mercy and righteousness. He wants to create a perfect world so that what remains of humanity may flourish and live in peace. All of these things make him comparable to the Christian God. Not to mention, Thanos is a Titan (an alien race is the Marvel universe) - which were also a race of gods in Greek mythology. However, there are also obvious ways in which Thanos differs from God. Is there another biblical figure that he can be compared to?
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Thanos seeks absolute power. And if Thanos is not truly God, than he wishes to rise above Him, to become more powerful than Him, and to enact his own vision of justice upon the world. To put oneself above God is undoubtedly a major sin in Christianity. The origin of sin was when Lucifer himself came to desire the glory of God and thus raised himself above Him (Rhodes, 2007). Therefore, perhaps Thanos can be seen as the ultimate evil in Christianity: the Devil. After all, according to Rhodes (2007), "The sin that corrupted Lucifer was self-generated pride." Lucifer, the fallen angel who would become the Devil, was corrupted by his own belief in his superiority and wisdom. Does Thanos not think he too is wise? He believes he is the only one with enough wisdom and power to do what has to be done to save the world... by murdering half of the planet. It certainly seems that Thanos' ideology has been corrupted. Thanos also commits other mortal sins defined in Christianity, such as greed. Thanos has a thirst for power, and will not stop in his quest to possess it (by posessing all 6 Infinity Stones) no matter the cost. Of course, it can also certainly be considered a sin to commit mass genocide, as Thanos intends, and ultimately does.
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If Thanos is the Devil, then Infinity War can be seen as the Christian version of Armageddon; a final confrontation between good (God) and evil (Satan) during end times. The Avengers can be seen as the force of good in this scenario (and maybe even God, in the form of a Christ figure - more on this later!) who fight against Thanos in the final battle. This final battle may very well be the battle in Wakanda at the end of the film. Wakanda is a fictional country in Africa, where strong Christian beliefs have historically been present, as well as particularly prevalent beliefs in the events of the end times and the Apocalypse (Fredriksen, 1991).
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When analyzed, the complex character of Thanos can be seen as either a God-like figure, or an ultimate villain - like the Devil. Parallels to each Christian biblical figure can be drawn. However, in either case, one thing is certain: Thanos intends to bring about the end of the world as it once was. But if Thanos is starting the Apocalypse, wouldn't he need some help? Four horsemen, perhaps?
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