Thanos is the Big Bad of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, but there are minor villains present throughout both Marvel movies — and one could have defeated Thanos but worked for him instead. The Avengers face many daunting villains over the course of the Infinity Saga, but Thanos is the greatest threat they’re forced to overcome. The first three phases of the MCU steadily build to the heroes’ confrontation with the Mad Titan, setting the stage for a showdown unlike any before it.
And with his intelligence and strength, Thanos is a tough opponent to beat even before he gathers all six Infinity Stones. Each of the stones makes him harder to contend with, until he’s able to snap half of the universe out of existence. Once he has all the Infinity Stones, he’s nearly impossible to beat (unless you have the opportunity to go for the head). There’s one minor villain from the films that likely could have defeated him earlier though: his devoted follower, Ebony Maw.
With His Powers, Ebony Maw Could Have Defeated Thanos In Avengers: Infinity War
Image via Marvel Studios
Ebony Maw serves Thanos in a supporting role in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. His most memorable moments on-screen pit him against Doctor Strange, Tony Stark, and Peter Parker. For a minor villain, he holds his own against the heroes well. And that’s not much of a surprise given that he has telekinetic powers. Ebony Maw’s abilities make him a worthy foe, even for Stephen Strange, who can use his sorcery to evade most villains. With telekinesis, Maw can block incoming blows, restrain the most powerful opponents, and send a barrage of attacks their way.
Arguably, he could have defeated the MCU’s Thanos too — at least, prior to Thanos obtaining the Infinity Stones. As this Reddit thread suggests, the MCU’s version of Thanos mostly depends on brute strength and a knack for strategy. (In the comics, he has additional abilities, which would allow him to defend against Maw.) However, just looking at the MCU iterations of the characters, the minor villain could have used telekinesis to restrain Thanos, then taken him off the board.
While there’s some debate on whether that would work, Thanos isn’t immune to such tactics. Before Star-Lord’s outburst on Titan in Infinity War, the Avengers on-planet manage to restrain Thanos. They nearly wrestle the Infinity Gauntlet from him, but with enough power, they probably could have killed him as well. If Ebony Maw could get Thanos in a similar position, all it would take is a forceful blow to the neck or well-aimed sharp objects to finish him off. Since Ebony Maw can move such weaponry with his mind, he should be able to accomplish that. This makes it all the more interesting that he serves Thanos instead.
Ebony Maw Might Be Stronger, but Him Working for Thanos Makes Sense
Image via Marvel Studios
Although Ebony Maw can probably beat Thanos with his telekinetic powers, he chooses to serve him instead. And while we don’t see much of the character, what we do know about him supports this decision. The MCU portrays Ebony Maw as something of a fanatic, with him preaching to the survivors of the civilizations that Thanos destroys. He does this on Gamora’s home planet of Zen-Whoberi and to the remaining Asgardians aboard the Statesman. With him telling people they’ve had “the privilege of being saved by the Great Titan” and calling their suffering “salvation,” it’s clear he truly believes in Thanos’ cause.
With that in mind, there’s no reason Ebony Maw would ever turn his telekinetic powers on his master. Instead, he allows Thanos to plan and lead his mission to halve entire populations, happy to serve the other villain instead. It adds an intriguing layer to his character that Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame don’t get to explore nearly as much as they could. It’s understandable, since neither of the films has time for that. However, the MCU could have given him a greater role prior to the Infinity Saga’s two-part finale.
The MCU Should Have Explored This Minor Villain in a Larger Role Before Avengers: Infinity War
Image via Marvel Studios
Reflecting on how powerful — and zealous — Ebony Maw is, it’s a wonder that the MCU doesn’t take advantage of the villain more thoroughly. Prior to Thanos becoming the franchise’s major threat, we’re given hints of his arrival through villains like Loki in The Avengers and Ronan in Guardians of the Galaxy. Maw would have made an intriguing one-off villain, and it’s a shame the MCU doesn’t take that route before Infinity War. It’d be interesting to learn why he’s so invested in Thanos’ mission in the first place, especially since he’s an orphan of a planet that fell victim to the Mad Titan. And he’d have made an entertaining main villain for a film, if only because he’s so difficult to beat.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!