Avengers: Infinity War is out on DVD this month, so the question has returned as to why Thanos couldn’t simply use the Infinity Gauntlet to wish for more resources instead of wiping out half of all life in the universe. Part of what made the movie so good is that Thanos is such a compelling villain. He believes whole-heartedly that he’s doing the right thing, that this evil act is for the good of the universe. According to Thanos, planets and their peoples will thrive and avoid overpopulation if he arbitrarily wipes out half of them. He knows it’s a tough call to make, but he believes he is the only one strong enough to make it.

Thanos thinks he’s helping.

But wouldn’t creating double the resources also work, and keep everybody alive?

I don’t think so at all.

At least they remember him

First of all, you’ve got to remember that Thanos is a mad man. He’s not some altruistic hero out for the greater good. He’s comfortable with genocide, so he’s going to go with genocide.

Second of all, with the release of Avengers: Infinity War on DVD, we’ve got an official answer from the people who created the movie:

“Well, he was told ‘no’ to an idea that he had that he felt was the only solution, and then was proved right to himself when that solution was not acted upon,” Joe Russo said. “So his messianic complex — he is now committed to following through on the idea he had many many years ago. He is not a stable — although he appears stable at times, he is not a stable individual.”

That seems like a pretty solid explanation to me. But there are a few more reasons on top of that, if you’ll allow me to explain.

Read the rest of this entry →