Thanos is known as one of the most formidable villains, however, his intelligence and strategic prowess are often overshadowed by his raw power.
One of the smartest moves he made was giving Loki the Mind Stone. Here’s why this decision highlights Thanos’ cunning and strategic brilliance.
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Loki Invades Earth & Thanos’ True Intentions
At first glance, it seems like Thanos gave Loki the Mind Stone to help him invade Earth.
The plan was simple: Loki would use the Mind Stone to control minds and create chaos, allowing him to steal the Space Stone (Tesseract) and hand it over to Thanos.
Loki believed he was merely a pawn in Thanos’ game to collect the Infinity Stones. But, as with most things involving Thanos, there was a deeper, more complex plan at work.
Thanos’ real reason for giving Loki the Mind Stone was far more strategic. Thanos was aware that invading Earth wasn’t a challenging task for someone of his power.
However, he needed to ensure he could forge the Infinity Gauntlet without interference from powerful Asgardian forces, particularly Odin.
Nidavellir, the realm of the Dwarves, was where the Infinity Gauntlet could be made. But this realm was under the protection of Odin, the All-Father of Asgard.
Thanos knew that as long as Odin was at full strength, any attempt to approach Nidavellir would be met with fierce resistance. So, he devised a plan to weaken Odin and divert Thor’s attention.
Thanos’s Plan to Weaken Odin
Thanos’ plan hinged on manipulating Odin’s protective instincts and exploiting the broken Bifrost Bridge.
With the Bifrost destroyed by Thor in the first Thor movie, travel between realms was severely limited.
Thanos anticipated that Odin would use dark energy to send Thor to Earth to stop Loki.
Using dark energy to teleport across realms is extremely taxing, even for someone as powerful as Odin.
As expected, Odin utilized dark energy to send Thor to Earth, leaving himself significantly weakened.
With Odin’s focus on Earth and Thor busy dealing with Loki’s invasion, Asgard’s defenses were compromised.
The Perfect Timing to Forge the Infinity Gauntlet
With Odin weakened and Thor preoccupied, Thanos seized the opportunity to travel to Nidavellir.
Without Odin’s protection, Thanos could coerce the Dwarves, particularly Eitri, into forging the Infinity Gauntlet.
This crucial piece of armor would allow him to wield all six Infinity Stones and execute his plan to balance the universe by wiping out half of all life.
This intricate plan showcases Thanos’ strategic genius.
By giving Loki the Mind Stone, Thanos set off a chain of events that ensured minimal resistance when he needed to forge the Infinity Gauntlet.
Thanos’ decision wasn’t just about gathering the stones; it was about ensuring he could do so without facing Asgard’s full might.
He used Loki as a distraction, not just to invade Earth but to pull Odin’s and Thor’s attention away from more significant threats.
Last Words
While Thanos is often recognized for his sheer power and his controversial philosophy, his intellect and strategic mind are equally impressive.
Giving Loki the Mind Stone was a masterstroke that paved the way for Thanos to achieve his ultimate goal.
It proves that Thanos is not only one of the most powerful beings in the MCU but also one of the smartest.
So, next time you watch The Avengers or Infinity War or Endgame, remember that every move Thanos made was calculated, which outsmarted the smartest Avengers.