MovieChat Forums > Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Discussion > The Real Hero of Infinity War

The Real Hero of Infinity War

posted 6 years ago by FilmBuff (6684)
11 replies | jump to latest

The hero is Thanos.

Infinity War is a modern epic poem. The classic hero faces a journey fraught with many obstacles, each of which he must overcome during a long journey. Only once the final obstacle has been beaten, and the journey completed, does he at last complete the task he set out to complete.

Thanos, for better or worse, wants to end half the lives in the universe. He's been fixated on his dream for his entire adult life. As an aside, some ask why not bring balance to the universe through some other means, but that's a question that ignores human (titane?) nature. When Thanos acquired the power to do as he long desired, he did what most megalomaniacs would do in the situation-- he went with what he'd always believed is the right thing to do. People don't change just because they get rich or powerful.

In any event, Thanos wants to destroy half of all life. To do so, he must embark on a quest to gather the six infinity stones, and to acquire each, he must overcome an obstacle, make a sacrifice, defeat a foe. Along he way, he journeys through the vast universe. It's the classic epic, and just because we the audience consider the Avengers to be "our" heroes does not change the fact that only Thanos fits perfectly in the role of the poem/film's hero.

Thanos even fits the role of cinematic hero. Consider the ending-- just as Thanos is about to claim the final infinity stone, he's seemingly defeated when the Scarlet Witch destroys said stone. But he's not. He overcomes that with the time stone. And when Thor seems to have him, he again wins at the last possible second. That's normally what the hero does in a film-- appears to be defeated, then wins through some unexpected act of heroism.

It's a wonderful story, and as far as I know, an unprecedented one in the annals of comic book films. Infinity War is the epic tale of Thanos, and his quest to bring balance to the universe.

[–] cyguration (3841) 6 years ago

Can't disagree with your assessment, and it appears to be spot on. Thanos doesn't kill unless it has to. He doesn't destroy unless he must.

His acts are steeped in a dedicated sense of moral right long established since his youth. His cause is for balance, which is the complete opposite of the typical chaotic evil or neutral evil villain. In this interesting case he's a lawfully evil anti-villain, doing what's right to preserve and maintain balance at the cost of many things various civilizations, people and planets consider to be good.

It's a fascinating character study that rarely gets portrayed in any genre of film, least of all a comic book movie. I suppose it's definitely applaud-worthy for the Russos to have gone with this particular Odysseus-complex to tell a story for one of Marvel's most indomitable villains.

[–] SyphiliticHobbit (367) 6 years ago

Well written.

[–] DarthRoger (867) 6 years ago

You make is sound quite Odyssean. Nice!

[–] Updog (5) 6 years ago

Quite a brilliant assessment. Loved it

[–] Renovatio (2990) 6 years ago

Does Thanos represent millenial (the period, rather than the demographic) cynicism and misanthropy much in the way Heath Ledger's joker did in The Dark Knight?

I could see his character developing a cult following, similar to how the Heath's Joker has inspired dorks* around the world... He is a CGI cartoon, after all 😉

It seems they did make this part of the series about his character arc...

[–] fishpan (544) 6 years ago

Think he represents more the mindset of 19th century colonialist in the frame of Rudyard Kipling.

[–] FilmBuff (6684) 6 years ago

I don't know that Kipling is his proper opposite number at all. If trying to place Thanos somewhere on our political spectrum, I'd have him somewhere close to the realm of communism and fascism, which is more or less the polar opposite of where Kipling would reside on the same chart. I think maybe Mao would be who I'd compare him to-- the wanton killing of untold millions, with no real racial or financial component to any of it, all justified by the future greatness that was sure to follow, seems to better fit Thanos' ideology.

[–] fishpan (544) 6 years ago

I am talking in terms of how Kipling viewed colonialism. IE a noble duty even if those who were colonized didn't see it.

You know the white man's burden poem?

Isn't much difference between that and how thanks felt about his mission.

[–] FilmBuff (6684) 6 years ago

I see what you mean as far as Thanos' view on imposing his view and values on other races and planets. Yet, Kipling was in the Theodore Roosevelt camp of speaking softly and carrying a big stick, so something about the conquest and outright murder seems at odds with Kipling's "burden," which was about uplifting the less civilized and bringing modernity to them. Still, I definitely see the point you make, and think the comparison works to a certain extent.

[–] fishpan (544) 6 years ago

I don't see murder being at odds with Kipling, he was just detached from it IMO if it served the empire.

Mind he was a supporter of the guy responsible for the Amritsar massacre as he saw the massacre as he saw it as it was something done to save British India. Screw the fact that Dyer specifically said that he ordered exits to be blocked and the gunners to target the most crowded areas to punish Indians.

To me that is kind of why Kipling is more akin to Thanos. Neither see deaths of those they don't care about as a price to be paid. To me that isn't really a political ideology such as capitalism or communism but more an imperialism.

It is too easy to compare Thanos to Mao or Stalin, IMO but I get where you get Mao with regards with the deaths.

As for Kipling don't get me wrong his prose is brilliant but he was a product of his time

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

There's an old actor's maxim: "Every villain thinks he's the hero".

Which is meant to be a tip on the best way for an actor to play a good villain, but in this case you nailed it - Thanos DOES think he's the hero of an epic quest!