Thanos was the perfect villain for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He provided a terrifying agenda that quickly became a reality and some even more terrifying quotes. Thanos posed as one of the biggest threats to our beloved superheroes. He was a powerful titan who believed so passionately that everything needs to be perfectly balanced that he was willing to wipe out half the universe just because he thought it was the right thing to do. When the Avengers battled him in Infinity War, many fans expected to see him defeated, only to be met with the loss of their favorite characters.
All this combined to make the perfect villain. He had succeeded, and he had wiped out beloved heroes and innocents alike, and because of all this success, every fan was in awe of him, especially the words that came out of his mouth.
Updated on February 3rd, 2023 by Hodey Johns: Thanos will go down as one of the best villains of all time. His arrogance, his broken logic, his sympathetic backstory, his raw power, his merciless pursuit of an end by any means, all of it goes to form a character that audiences can't help but discuss. He's both believable and evil beyond words. It makes rooting against him a satisfying experience. After expanding upon this top ten list once for fifteen quotes, this latest update explores the Thanos of the comics, one that Marvel fans have had time to study even more. The movies may have made the evil entity a mainstream affair, but the fans of the comics had learned to fear the calm and despicable creature far earlier.
20 "What Care I For The Fate Of Three Souls When The Entire Universe Is Mine To Control?"
Mephisto is one of the evilest characters in the comics, so when his grand scheme isn't big enough for Thanos, that tells the readers that Thanos is a seriously messed up guy. Thanos has completely lost the forest for the trees.
Destroyed families, dead friends, lives shattered, so long as the quantity is less than a trillion, Thanos is unmoved by such violence and feels it is beneath him. He pushes other evildoers to do worse things. It's a shame that Thanos is one of the strongest villains in terms of power because his will and character are among the worst.
19 "I Am Transformed! I Have Left The Mortal Plane Behind Me! In Truth, I Have Risen Above The Mantle Of Godhood!"
When Thanos does get ahold of the Infinity Stones, all the illusion of a greater cause disappears. He embraces his godhood. Or, more accurately, he establishes that he is superior to the gods with his newfound power. It's a shame that he never saw any moral responsibility with his supposed divinity.
The MCU has had some real lowlights and bad moments. This kind of quote, while intriguing, might not have played as well on the screen as it did in the comics. Both versions of Thanos are completely given into narcissism, but he at least masks it for moviegoers.
18 "You Forced Me Into Doing What I Did. I Had To Be Faithful To My Nature. For, After All, I Am Thanos."
Some of the MCU's most memorable moments are from when Thanos tried to hunt down the Infinity Stones, called gems in the comics. Some who watch the movies might get the sense that Thanos sees this as his destiny, but it's even more sinister than that.
Thanos does not see himself, or anyone else, as an entity with a will. As sure as his name is Thanos, he must murder, kill, and destroy until his mission is achieved. This quote is delivered after a successful conquest for an Infinity Stone. Thanos does not allow himself to feel bad or responsible for the people he's just killed.
17 "My Mistress, Death, Likes A constant And Steady Harvest. The Balance Must Be Maintained. That Is Why I Have Returned."
Death is a character in the comics and her behavior is as ominous as her name. If they had decided to include her, fans can only imagine the incredible MCU performance fans would have gotten to witness. Still, this quote is as bad as it sounds, even without that bit of information.
Thanos truly enjoys killing and wants to do it on a larger scale. However, he must negotiate with Death for a more steady flow. As fans know, Thanos eventually gets his way, but this quote shows just how terrifying even a restrained Thanos can be.
16 "I Hold The Galaxy In My Palm, Ready To Crush It Like An Eggshell! All Who Oppose Me Must Die, And The First Of These Are The Earthian Superheroes! Destroy Them With All Dispatch!"
The comic book version of Thanos manages to be both more sympathetic and more arrogant. Thanos has had it tough, giving him a hatred of all humanity. He is scarcely able to control himself when getting the power to destroy the entire universe outright.
The fact that half of the universe was his compromise says it all, as does this quote. When measuring the most ruthless villains in the MCU, Thanos deserves serious consideration.
15 "What I'm About To Do To Your Stubborn, Annoying Little Planet, I'm Gonna Enjoy It, Very, Very Much."
One of the traits of a good villain is how dedicated they are to their broken logic. Thanos would fail an Economics 101 course, but at least maintains the air of someone who is doing these atrocities in the name of what he believes is the greater good based on his experience.
But after he believes he has won, he finally allows himself to become emotionally invested in his destruction, admitting a sadistic joy in murdering billions of lives. These kinds of moments from the movies are being brought into the comics because of their lasting impression on fans.
14 "I Will Shred This Universe Down To Its Last Atom. And Then... Create A New One... A Grateful Universe."
To the outside observer who watched Thanos take an early retirement instead of helping with the rebuilding process that this was all an act of selfishness. But hearing Thanos say that it's all about gratefulness for his tyranny drives home exactly how far gone he is.
Thanos won't just kill half of the universe, he'll kill the entire thing if it means they don't lick his boots in gratitude for his mass murder. He doesn't care if the best female superheroes try to stop him, he'll kill anybody that doesn't bow to him.
13 "The Hardest Choices Require The Strongest Wills."
While Thanos has many moral ineptitudes, his will is not one of those. He is driven by a force that overpowers education, observation, love, or social activity. Nothing can dissuade him from his goal and even the brilliant Dr. Strange can't change his mind.
It's perhaps the only time in the series that someone engages him philosophically. Most characters prefer to either insult him or challenge him in a show of strength. As Namor takes on various enemies, perhaps he'd be able to match wits with Thanos.
12 "Reality Is Often Disappointing. Now, Reality Can Be Whatever I Want."
It's validating to hear Thanos finally say that it's about what he wants reality to be. With the power in his gauntlet to either build up or tear down the universe, he's elected to tear it down based on personal desire.
That is the deeper meaning of the conversation. Topically, he's speaking to Gamora about her fight to do the right thing in her eyes. Of course, the Mad Titan prefers to do what is right in his eyes instead. Marvel Studios avoids hiring comic book fans but this moment is spot on with his self-indulgence from the literature.
11 "Fine. I'll Do It Myself."
There are many dreams about what Ultron might have been able to accomplish had the Avengers not stopped it. While the Avengers are left cursing that they ever let the monster out of its cage, Thanos is angry that the monster was shut down.
Personally interjecting was Plan B, but audiences don't get to see this until waiting after the credits roll in Avengers: Age of Ultron. There are many comic book tropes in the films, but seeing Thanos put on the gauntlet for the first time is genuinely frightening.
10 "Perfectly Balanced, As All Things Should Be."
This quote pretty much sums up Thanos' thought process. He believed that all things should be balanced, even if that meant destroying half the universe.
Thanos was a complex villain since he believed so strongly that what he was doing was the right thing. However, this quote was spoken directly after Thanos took Gamora under his wing and wiped out half of her world. The chaos behind him as well as the screams of Gamora's dying family forces the viewers to completely disagree with him and paint him as a perfect villain instantly.
9 "You Could Not Live With Your Own Failure, And Where Did That Bring You? Back To Me."
This quote makes fans shake for more than one reason. Thanos should be surprised that he's been tracked down, but instead, he is calm and confident, ready to take on any hero or powerful Egyptian god that opposes him.
This line proves how intelligent and prepared Thanos really was. He knew they would come back to try again and he was ready and prepared for it, implying that there is still a chance that the Avengers will not win this battle. It gives viewers a real indication of the power Thanos has and serves as a reminder that the Avengers have lost to Thanos before, and they could lose again.
8 "I Ignored My Destiny Once, I Can Not Do That Again. Even For You. I’m Sorry, Little One."
Every Marvel fan knows Thanos is a self-centered titan who will push his agenda forward, kill any of his worthy foes, even if it means killing off his kidnapped daughter. However, not many people expected him to go through with sacrificing Gamora for the Soul Stone.
Nowadays, this quote rings through fans like a sad song, it reminds them that Gamora never got the ending she deserved and it's all because Thanos was so power-hungry that he would destroy his own family just to get what he wants, not that he was a great family man to begin with.
7 "I'm A Survivor."
There are times in Infinity War and Endgame when the viewers and fans find themselves either resonating or feeling sorry for Thanos' past. This is especially prominent in the scene when he explains what happened to his home planet of Titan.
He explains that he watched his home on the brink of destruction and provided them with a solution but they refused to take it (rightly so) and therefore the planet died. It gives a sense of motivation as well as a personal reason for Thanos to be so passionate since he doesn't want the same to happen to anyone else, but then again he is actively forcing that on other planets.
6 "I Know What It's Like To Lose. To Feel So Desperately That You're Right, Yet To Fail Nonetheless. It’s Frightening."
When it comes to Marvel, the villain always loses. But to have one that knows what it feels like yet comes back again to fight becomes all the more terrifying. Thanos knew loss, he knew heartbreak and he knew what it was like to fail, yet he felt his cause was so important that he kept pushing through.
All this highlighted how dangerous this man was because, rather than giving up after he lost the first time, he learned and kept on fighting which lead him to succeed.
5 "Fun Isn’t Something One Considers When Balancing The Universe. But This… Does Put A Smile On My Face."
Throughout Infinity War, Thanos was seen as the Titan who was hell-bent on destroying half the universe. He was calm, controlled, and pretty callous in his willingness to murder beloved characters like Loki. However, when he mentions that he is having a little fun he ends up truly revealing his evil nature, which sends a shiver down fans' spines.
Thanos ended up enjoying the power he had from the stones and the battle became less so about balancing the universe and more about killing half the universe instead.
4 "What Did It Cost?" "Everything."
This quote may not mean much to people who aren't fans of Marvel, but it means the world to everyone else. After Thanos succeeds in killing Gamora for the Soul Stone he is transported to a different land to contemplate what he did, whilst doing so he is met with young Gamora who asks "what did it cost?" to which he responds "everything."
At this point, fans are reeling from the death of Gamora and for many, it's the final blow in their hatred for this Titan. Some might have even expected the Thunderbolts to get involved.
3 "Your Optimism Is Misplaced, Asgardian."
This scene is heartbreaking and the first time the viewers get a sense of how powerful Thanos is. Fans watch Thor, completely helpless as he witnesses his brother Loki make a desperate attempt to keep himself and Thor alive. However, rather than just giving him what he wants he tries to go against Thanos and pays the ultimate price for it.
It isn't really the quote that makes fans shake but rather the scene it's linked to. Nevertheless, it brings back some bad memories that no one wants to relive.
2 "I Am Inevitable."
Perhaps one of the most famous quotes in Endgame, this line made fans terrified when they thought Thanos had won yet again.
After such a fantastic fight Thanos still ended up with the stones, so when he looked into Tony Starks' eyes and clicked his fingers, everyone thought it was a lost cause yet again and that they would have to say goodbye to their friends. Despite the outcome, it's still a line that rings in the ears of fans.
1 "You Should Have Gone For The Head."
When watching Infinity War, this line is one of the only moments where fans think that the Avengers have succeeded. When Thanos is just about to click his fingers Thor drives his axe into the chest of Thanos with what should have been a fatal blow, only to be met with this quote, "You should have gone for the head."
Not only is this infuriating but it is the exact moment where The Avengers and the viewers know that the good guys lost to a monster.