With The Avengers: Infinity War topping the box office, it seems like a good time to revisit what likely inspired the mighty Thanos to take over the world. While there is often more attention paid to "The Infinity Gauntlet" series, "The Thanos Quest" serves as an establishment for what the iconic series will explore. It's the story of one man who goes on a search to find The Infinity Gems. It isn't just a quest to have power, but to have a reason and a purpose. It's a story that's compelling both as an intergalactic journey but also as a look into a powerful character's psyche and the vulnerability that comes with being too much of an intimidating force for many to handle.
The world of superhero characters is often one full of good guys with conflicts. So to have Thanos, a servant of death and an all-powerful being, suffering from a sense of emptiness is a compelling arc. It's perverse to imagine a world from his view, especially one that asks to be sympathetic on his journey to trick other supernatural beings along the way. In that time, Thanos reveals his true character, which is full of deception and lies. He achieves The Infinity Gems through tricks that are both clever on the page, but reflect a person who has only one person to look out for. He wants them more than the affection and care of anyone he runs into. The world can rot, so long as he can have all of the power in the world.
It's a compelling arc, and one that leads the animation to some interesting corners. There's a lot of intergalactic characters who are tricked or forced into handing over their power to Thanos. It's all tragic and bullish, but what is impressive is the logic behind it. This is a man with a cunning skill that, in a more positive light, would be seen as a hero. His journey is traditional and subverting the role where the good guys are evil creates a compelling, shocking arc that makes for a fascinating story. It's largely mental, especially since he convinces people with powers greater than his to get rid of theirs. Still, the brief 100 page story paints a journey of desire, and one that is fulfilled by the end with a character whose happiness isn't so much in the power, but in what he wants to use it for.
It becomes the issue. He wants to be loved by Death, but he is greater than Death. Thanos has too much power, but is unfulfilled in ways greater than at the start of his journey. It's a story that could lead to bigger destruction, even some more negative than defiling characters into haggard corpses. It's the cruel irony and a nice cap to a story that feels grounded in a human emotion and desire. This is a man who should be despised, but he has too much of a need to please to truly earn that. "The Thanos Quest" hits enough of the right notes to tell a compelling story of intergalactic conflict. It also helps to set up an iconic chapter in Marvel comics history with a sympathy that isn't necessary, but shows depth of writing that only those dedicated to the art would like want.
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