Warning: Potential SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame

It seems like just yesterday that Thanos killed half of all life with a snap of his fingers, promising it would bring balance to Marvel’s Universe. But now that we’ve seen the decimation of Earth, it’s safe to confirm: Avengers: Endgame will prove Thanos is as stupid as his entire Infinity Stone mission.

In the wake of Avengers: Infinity War we explained why Thanos’ master plan doesn’t actually make sense, and how his assumption that cutting the universe’s population in half would eventually KILL entire worlds, not save them. Apparently Marvel Studios may have agreed all along, with the Avengers: Endgame Super Bowl spot showing Earth has gotten worse, not better. But fans should hope that this confirmation does more than prove Thanos IS as dumb as we predicted. In fact, his master plan being a total failure may actually be what helps the Avengers defeat him once and for all.

  • This Page: Why Thanos’ Plan Never Made Sense At All Page 2: How Avengers: Endgame Proves Thanos Failed

The Thanos Plan: Kill Half to Save The Rest

On the surface, it’s not hard to see the case originally made by Thanos, using his home planet of Titan as a single case study. With resources limited and population putting too great a strain on its own ability to survive, Thanos proposed a solution: cull half of the population, so that those not chosen to die can actually survive. He was called “mad” for the idea, and cast out. Where he had wanted to halve the population randomly, and thus fairly, famine and ruin eventually claimed the entire planet.

So began his mission, as explained to Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War. He had murdered half of her people, including her parents… and yet those who now lived on her world had full bellies, and a brighter future. By film’s end, he did the same for all worlds, throughout all of the cosmos. Unfortunately, when Marvel took the extra step and explained that Thanos cut ALL life in half - including plants and animals - a major problem jumped out for even casual fans. The biggest problem in what is actually a ‘master plan’ filled with glaring, obvious problems. Problems that would have been spotted, if not for one crucial detail…

The Problem: Thanos is an Idiot

Thankfully, the major issue here isn’t hard to grasp. Kill half of the Titans? The problem would be solved, with each member of the race now able to claim double their previous share of food, water, and space. The same would presumably be true for Gamora’s people, as well. But execute the master plan that Thanos did - and wipe out half of all plants, animals, and any other living thing along with the species run amok - and you’ve missed the point. Half the people with half the food is the same problem. But what Thanos didn’t realize is that he would actually make the situation much, much worse.

What does it mean for Avengers: Endgame? Judging by the latest trailer, Thanos succeeded only in killing Earth, and not making it more ‘balanced’ at all. Our planet is probably not the only civilized world to suffer from Thanos’ miscalculations. Which means the stage is set for his failure to undo him completely…

Page 2 of 2: How Avengers: Endgame Proves Thanos Failed

Avengers: Endgame Shows Thanos Ruined Earth?

It seems that while he was busy preparing to sacrifice his daughter, Gamora, Thanos didn’t dig any deeper into his admittedly-simplistic gimmick. What about the life forms that aren’t simply eaten? What about the ones that provide oxygen for the entire planet? The bees which allow fruits and vegetables to prosper? The microscopic life that keeps an ecosystem in check? By “restoring balance” Thanos did the exact opposite, punishing all life for those forms which had outgrown their limitations.

A point now seemingly shown in the Avengers: Endgame Super Bowl spot, in images of Earth now reduced by half in population… but a desolate husk of the thriving world it used to be.

Considering that Infinity War ended with dramatic shots of human beings being dissolved into dust, viewers might not think twice about the tragic world now robbed of literal billions of people. But as tragic as that loss may be… well, the human population was still only reduced by half. Those shots of Manhattan cloaked in darkness, seemingly empty? It should still be home to more than 800,000 people. But even harder to believe is the shot of the abandoned Citi Field, home to the New York Mets surrounded by ownerless vehicles - suggesting America has… stopped watching Major League Baseball?

There’s something else at work here than just population decrease. As we pointed out when outlining why Thanos’ plan doesn’t make sense, reducing the population of Earth by half sounds a lot more damaging than it actually would be. Emotionally devastating, of course. But in terms of population on a global scale, Thanos would only be setting America back a matter of decades, not even centuries. So why has America’s most bustling city completely crumbled into a ghost town? And why is electric light or power impossible to see?

Whether Avengers: Endgame reveals this desolation is due to the collapse of the economy, the worldwide ecosystem (algae alone produces 75% of Earth’s oxygen), or humanity falling under the weight of grief and horror, one thing is clear. The master plan implemented by Thanos to “rebalance a grateful universe” has completely failed. That’s bad news for Earth and the Avengers who survived the snap… but it may be good news when the time comes to defeat Thanos for good.

Thanos’ Failure May Actually Save The Day

The marketing has confirmed that Iron Man’s role will be key in Avengers: Endgame, with toys and concept art dropping major hints that the Quantum Realm will help the Avengers save the day.But no matter how the heroes go about solving the eradication of half the universe - be it time travel, Quantum Realm science, or Captain Marvel’s new powers - there is still Thanos himself to contend with. But even with Josh Brolin teasing a Thanos showdown, the Avengers’ greatest weapon against the villain may not be brute force, magic, or time travel. It may simply be proving that Thanos’ grand plan… won’t work the way he thinks it will.

That may be asking a little too much from Marvel, the Avengers, or even Thanos. But no matter how flawed his mission may have been in Infinity War, the film demonstrated that Thanos was motivated by his conviction, and belief that it would bring balance. If he meets future Avengers who have seen how horribly wrong he turns out to be, there’s a chance that he could reconsider. Or failing that, perhaps Thanos will come up with another plan to achieve his goal… with the Avengers now ready to actually stop him this time around.

MORE: Chris Pratt Says Avengers: Endgame Delivers on Infinity War Promise

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