Let it be known that Marvel’s Mad Titan is a formidable foe.
On the prowl for all six Infinity Stones – word is he’s aiming to bring balance back to the universe, presumably at the expense of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes – Thanos is not to be trifled with, and thanks to Thor: Ragnarok‘s mid-credits scene, we already have a fair idea of the villain’s super-sized HQ, the Sanctuary II.
In Avengers: Infinity War, the titular gang will finally collide with the ultimate big bad of the MCU, who’s been teased since the unforgettable mid-credits scene back in Joss Whedon’s 2012 film. In the time since, we’ve seen him rear his head here and there in a few movies, but it’s not until this spring that he reveals his endgame.
And when he does, it appears he’ll be fully suited up in some awesome looking armor. Or at least, that’s what this new action figure would seem to indicate. As you can see in the first photo in the gallery below, Thanos is pictured beside Iron Man, decked out in his protective gear. And while it’s great to finally get a look at his full armor in the film, this merchandise does raise a red flag.
If you recall, we’ve been told many times already that Infinity War will see a stripped-back version of the powerful purple warlord, one who doesn’t need any protection. Speaking to IGN during this past summer’s San Diego Comic-Con, the film’s co-director Joe Russo explained the thinking behind removing Thanos’ armour and why the character decides to take on the Avengers in such a “casual” way:
“[Thanos] has a more casual approach in this film, and it’s very philosophical for him. It’s part of his character definition. It’s a spiritual journey for him to collect the Stones, and one with which he doesn’t need armor. Once he starts acquiring the Stones, he doesn’t need armor in the same way he did when he was a war lord. It’s a very symbolic costume.”
Having Thanos’ ego be so great that he believes he doesn’t need his armour when he has possession of the Infinity Stones is a neat idea, and it goes some way to presenting him as a massively powerful and confident foe for Earth’s the Galaxy’s Mightiest Heroes. It is a big change from the comics, though, in which Thanos is always decked out in his signature suit, so it’ll be interesting to see if he does indeed end up wearing some form of protective gear in the movie.
Of course, merchandise has been wrong many times in the past, and that could be the case here, too, but Iron Man’s suit looks pretty similar to what we’ve seen in the trailers so far (which gives this some credibility). Besides, this also isn’t the first piece of merch that’s shown Thanos in armor, so we wouldn’t be at all surprised if at some point, he does end up donning his gear.
One way or another, though, we’ll find out soon enough, as Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on May 4th.
