Why Did Odin Make a Fake Gauntlet Thanos Size? Why Not the Size of His Hand?

I’ve always loved picking apart little details in movies, especially in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s part of the fun, right?

So when I saw Odin’s Infinity Gauntlet in Thor – that huge, gold-encrusted piece sitting in his vault – it seemed like just another impressive prop.

But when Hela walked past it in Thor: Ragnarok and casually said, “Fake,” I couldn’t help but laugh and then think, “Wait, why did he even bother with that? And why make it so huge, like Thanos’s hand, instead of his own?”

The more I looked into it, the more I realized there are actually some pretty interesting reasons behind it.

1. Odin’s Past and the Dwarves’ Craftsmanship

First, let’s talk about Odin’s past. Before he became the wise, fatherly ruler we meet in Thor, Odin was a conqueror – a warlord who sought to dominate the Nine Realms.

It’s entirely possible that during those darker days, he had plans to gather the Infinity Stones himself.

The fake gauntlet might have been part of those ambitions, created as a tool to channel their power.

If that’s the case, the Dwarves of Nidavellir, famous for their legendary craftsmanship, likely forged it.

These are the same blacksmiths who made Mjölnir, Stormbreaker, and Thanos’s real Infinity Gauntlet.

Here’s the thing about the Dwarves – they’re massive. So, it’s no surprise that the gauntlet they designed would be enormous, too.

Maybe it wasn’t intended to fit Odin’s hand exactly but was simply made to reflect the Dwarves’ own scale or to fit larger beings.

Over time, as Odin stepped away from conquest and focused on being a protector, the gauntlet may have lost its purpose.

Instead of destroying it, he might have kept it in his treasure vault, letting it serve as a relic of his past ambitions.

2. Why the Gauntlet is So Big

The size of the gauntlet is a fun detail to think about. If Odin ever did plan to use it, the large size could make sense. For one, he could probably grow to fit it.

In Norse mythology – and sometimes in Marvel comics – Odin is capable of changing his size to match the occasion. So, a Thanos-sized gauntlet might not have been impractical for him.

But what if it wasn’t even meant for Odin’s hand? It’s possible the gauntlet was designed for the Destroyer, that towering automaton we saw in Thor.

In the comics, the Destroyer is essentially a suit of armor that wields oversized weapons, like the Odinsword.

If Odin planned to use the Destroyer in battle with the Infinity Stones, the gauntlet’s size would make total sense.

And if neither of those theories feels right, there’s always the possibility that the gauntlet’s size doesn’t matter.

Advanced technology and magic in the MCU often allow objects to adapt to their user.

We saw this in Avengers: Endgame with Tony Stark’s Iron Gauntlet, which resized itself to fit Hulk. Maybe Odin’s gauntlet would have worked the same way.

3. The “Fake” Gauntlet and Marvel’s Retcon

Of course, the simplest explanation for the fake gauntlet is that it started as an Easter egg. Back in Thor (2011), Marvel likely included it in Odin’s vault as a fun nod to the comics.

At the time, the Infinity Stones and Thanos weren’t fully fleshed out in the MCU. But as the story evolved, this random prop suddenly became a continuity issue.

Marvel handled it brilliantly in Thor: Ragnarok. By having Hela walk past the gauntlet and dismiss it as “fake,” they turned a potential plot hole into a funny moment.

It also fit with the playful tone of Ragnarok. And fans who had been debating the gauntlet’s legitimacy for years finally got their answer.

Fun fact: Odin’s fake gauntlet is right-handed, while Thanos’s is left-handed. This little detail makes it even more obvious that Odin’s version was never meant to be the real deal.

4. Strategic and Thematic Reasons for the Fake Gauntlet

The gauntlet might not just be a fake artifact – it could also be a symbol of Odin’s immense power and achievements.

Odin was known for his many victories during his reign, from conquering the Nine Realms to subduing threats like the Frost Giants.

By placing the gauntlet in his treasure room, surrounded by other powerful relics like the Tesseract and the Eternal Flame, Odin could be showcasing his legacy as one of the most powerful beings in the cosmos.

Think of it this way: the fake gauntlet wasn’t meant to deceive enemies like Thanos – it was a trophy.

It’s a bold, visual statement that says, “I’ve won wars, I’ve held the cosmos in check, and I’m capable of anything.”

For someone as proud as Odin, leaving a symbolic piece like this in his vault would reinforce the idea that he was not to be trifled with, and Asgard has become the beacon of power and order in the universe.