Thanos

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Thanos is a fictional character created by Jim Starlin and published by Marvel Comics. He is a Titanian Eternal and is often referred to as The Mad Titan. His name is from the root of the Greek word for "death," thanatos.

Contents

1 Character history 2 Powers and abilities 3 Quotations 4 References 5 Other Media 6 External links

Character history

Born on Saturn's moon Titan, Thanos is a mutant with purple-grey, hide-like skin and a massive body. He eventually became the most powerful of the Eternals through bionic implants and spending long hours meditating that augmented his strength and powers. As his powers grew, so did his ambition, and he was eventually exiled from Titan.

Thanos, since childhood obsessed with the occult and specifically death, eventually became the companion of Death, whom he loves, appearing to him in female form. It is thought that Death is attracted to his philosophical dedication to nihilism as well as his willingness to commit genocide on even his own people.

However, after he obtained and lost the Infinity Gauntlet, he was led to a period of introspection. Adam Warlock recognized that Thanos' efforts to obtain omnipotence had been thwarted not only by the intervention of superheroes but by Thanos' own self-doubt and anxiety. Believing the Titan to be capable of change -— and wishing to keep Thanos where he could keep an eye on him -— Warlock made Thanos a member of the Infinity Watch, giving him the Reality Gem, one of the Infinity Gems which Warlock and the Watch guarded.

Ultimately, the Watch was disbanded, and Thanos returned to villainy, albeit half-heartedly. He later claimed that these subsequent appearances were all half-formed clones. After destroying and recreating the universe twice, Thanos apparently gave up his quest for power, though just how long he will refrain from acts of evil is unknown.

Powers and abilities

Thanos possesses incalculable superhuman power. By far the most powerful of the Titanian Eternals, Thanos is a mutant whose massive heavy-hided body was born with the capacity to synthesize cosmic energy for certain personal uses. (This is a trait that Thanos shares with his father Alars and the Earth-born Eternals but not with Titan-born Eternals). Through still further unknown bionic amplification, Thanos increased his physical strength and resilience to levels possibly rivalling or surpassing even the strongest of the Earth Eternals (Gilgamesh, now deceased). Thanos has engaged both Thor, Asgardian God of Thunder, and the Thing, star member of the Fantastic Four, in simultaneous combat and fought them to a standstill. This indicates that Thanos' strength is at least into the Class 100 range, being able to routinely lift well in excess of 100 tons. Through meditation and certain mystical techniques, Thanos augmented his power in still other ways, enabling him to tap, transform, and direct vast quantities of cosmic energy for destructive force. Deadliest of all of Thanos's attributes, perhaps, was his mind, whose superhuman level of intellect was totally dedicated to the annihilation of life. Thanos has also demonstrated psionic abilities, including telepathy, the limits of which remain unknown.

Quotations

• "I am now omnipotent. What should I do with such almighty power? The answer to that is really quite simple: Anything I want. Anything. I am incapable of error. Any result that displeases me I can simply reverse. There is nothing I need to worry on, for I am Thanos. And Thanos is supreme. Supreme."

• "Am I not Thanos! Did I not butcher the woman who gave me birth, who force-fed me into this hell called life. Is not the wake of my passing crimson with the blood of my enemies and allies alike?! Death is with me every second of the day! My every moment is spent in either dealing out death or worshipping it! So tell me, who under the stars is better suited than I to be Death's consort?"

References

• The Thanos Quest #1 (Marvel Comics, 1990, ISBN 0-87135-681-3)
• The Thanos Quest #2 (Marvel Comics, 1990, ISBN 0-87135-682-1)
• The Infinity Gauntlet #1-6 (Marvel Comics, 1991)
• The Infinity War #1-6 (Marvel Comics, 1992)
• The Infinity Crusade #1-6 (Marvel Comics, 1993)
• Infinity Abyss #1-6 (Marvel Comics, 2002)
• Marvel Universe: The End #1-6 (Marvel Comics, 2003)
• Thanos #1-12 (Marvel Comics, 2003-2004)

In 2003, Thanos received his own ongoing series; it was originally written and illustrated by Jim Starlin, but as of #7 Keith Giffen took over until its ending with #12.

Other Media

Thanos appeared in three episodes of the Silver Surfer animated series on the FOX Network: "The End of Eternity," "Battlecry," and "Soul Hunter." Thanos also appeared in Capcom games Marvel Superheroes and Marvel vs Capcom 2 as a character adapted from the Infinity Gauntlet mini-series.

External links

• Thanos--The Mad Titan (http://www.corvusonline.net/thanos/)
• Marvel Directory (http://www.marveldirectory.com)--MarvelDirectory, Thanos (http://www.marveldirectory.com/individuals/t/thanos.htm)
• MarvelDatabase.com, Thanos (http://www.marveldatabase.com/wiki/index.php/Thanos)