A friend asked me the other day how I could possibly think that the genocidal madman and purple-dude-so-powerful-it-took-an-entire-galaxy-of superheroes Thanos, the Mad Titan of the Marvel Universe whose benevelont megalomania spawned two insanely profitable and epic films, was my favourite character?
How could it be that his quest -- to wipe out half of all existence in the universe -- was one that I could possibly be on board with?
Well, if you have tried to merge onto say, St. John's Boulevard on a Friday night around rush hour, I'll bet you would potentially be on board with Thanos' mission at one point or another.
But that's not it, although his message of a planet less choked by humanity would be a paradise of resources for all and could be something many environmentalists would be able to talk themselves into.
No, my reasons are far more juvenile and childlike than that.I like Thanos, because he is a badass -- and, ironically, because his badassery is eventual proof that the most powerful heroes in the Marvel Universe are female.
At the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War (that's the first one where Thanos wins), Thanos lays waste to the Incredible Hulk in hand-to-hand combat -- and does so rather easily, teasing the green goliath and tossing him about like a father would a small child before The Hulk ends up teleported back to Earth.
Then, in Avengers : Endgame, in the moments before all hell breaks loose and all the previously-dusted heroes return, Thanos (the past version of himself) comes to Earth to takes on Captain America, Iron Man and Thor in a three-on-one battle, holding not a single Infinity Gem and holding only a double-ended broadsword, he lays each of them out and is seconds away from finishing Captain America (who is also one of my favourite characters) when the previously-dusted heroes, who had been brought back (spoiler alert) return to finally help finish Thanos off for good.
The only Marvel Universe heroes who could defeat or challenge Thanos one-one-one were women; Scarlet Witch was moments away from finishing Thanos once and for all, while Captain Marvel fought Thanos to a standstill while he was wearing the Infinity Gauntlet.
Impressive stuff -- and only female heroes could even hope to have a chance at beating the genocidal maniac.
Score one for gender neutrality.
Yeah, he was a bad guy, but he beat up The Hulk. And Iron Man, Thor and Captain America.
I rooted against him, OK?
Make no mistake, though, I think he's cool as hell.
I am more than happy to answer any more of that friend's questions.