10 fascinating Thanos facts that even die-hard Marvel fans might not know

When people think of big-screen villains, Thanos usually sits at the top of the list. He’s massive, menacing, and left a permanent mark on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with just a snap of his fingers.

From his purple chin to his relentless mission to "bring balance" to the universe, he became one of the most talked-about characters in superhero movie history.

But let’s be real. While most fans know him as the guy who erased half of all life, there’s way more to Thanos than meets the eye. Comic book readers have known about his backstory, motivations, and crazy powers for decades.

What’s interesting is that even if you've rewatched Infinity War a dozen times or proudly call yourself a Marvel geek, chances are you’ve missed a few wild facts about the Mad Titan.

So here it is, a closer look at 10 surprising Thanos facts that even hardcore Marvel fans may not have caught!

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10 fascinating and little-known Thanos facts

1) Thanos was inspired by a DC villain

Believe it or not, Thanos wasn’t 100% original. His creator, Jim Starlin, admitted that when he first sketched out the character in the early '70s, he took inspiration from Darkseid, the cosmic baddie from DC’s New Gods series.

Originally, Starlin’s design leaned more toward another New God called Metron, but he was encouraged to bulk him up and make him look more intimidating. And so, Thanos—big, bad, and brooding—was born. So much for brand loyalty, huh?

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2) The Infinity Stones weren’t his original obsession

It’s easy to assume that Thanos was always after the Infinity Stones, but that’s just a modern take. In his early comic book days, he had different ideas. His first goals revolved more around cosmic power and destruction—the usual villain stuff.

The Infinity Gems, as they were originally called, didn’t become his central obsession until the Infinity Gauntlet storyline came along in 1991. But before that? No gem-hunting.

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3) He’s madly in love with death. Literally.

No, not the concept of death—we’re talking about Mistress Death, a physical, sentient female entity that represents death itself. In the comics, Thanos is hopelessly in love with her—like poetry-writing, galaxy-killing levels of obsessed.

Everything he does, including wiping out half the universe, is basically a giant love letter to her. And yet, Death constantly ignores him. Now that’s one cold shoulder!

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4) He retired as a farmer (and it wasn’t just an MCU thing)

That peaceful shot of Thanos farming in Infinity War was not a cinematic invention but was pulled straight from Marvel comics. After achieving his goal in the comics’ Infinity Gauntlet arc, he steps away from universal conquest and settles down on a quiet planet as a farmer.

Yupp, hoeing fields, growing vegetables—the whole deal. Turns out, even genocidal warlords need some me-time.

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5) He has kids, and they’re a handful

Thanos isn’t exactly known for being a family man, but he does have children. In fact, Marvel has introduced several of his offspring over the years. One of the most well-known is Thane, a powerful Inhuman who ends up imprisoning his own father inside a living block of death.

What's even more awkward is that some of his “children” are part of a group called the Cull Obsidian, or Children of Thanos, in the MCU. Let’s just say this isn’t your typical Father’s Day lineup.

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6) He has been killed a lot

For someone so strong, Thanos sure dies a lot. In different comic arcs, he’s been turned into stone, wiped from existence, and even stabbed in the back by people he trusted. But comic book death is more like a speed bump, temporary at best.

No matter how many times he’s defeated, he usually finds a way to crawl back into the spotlight. Think of him as the cockroach of cosmic villains, in the best way possible.

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7) He has actually teamed up with the Avengers before

This might sound completely backward, but yes, Thanos has fought with the Avengers a few times in the comics. When the universe is threatened by forces even worse than him, he occasionally puts his evil on pause to help out.

In one storyline, he teams up with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to take down a bigger villain named Annihilus. Of course, he goes back to being a major threat afterward, but hey, it’s the effort that counts, right?

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8) He has a brother, and he’s different

Say hello to Eros, also known as Starfox. Unlike Thanos, Eros is charming and flirty, and looks like he belongs in a boy band. But when it comes to his power, he can influence other people’s emotions, often making them feel pleasure.

He’s also been a member of the Avengers, which makes holiday dinners in their family even weirder. The contrast between the two brothers couldn’t be more dramatic: one’s into mass destruction, the other’s into just good vibes.

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9) Jim Starlin, Thanos’s creator, also wrote his defeat

Talk about a full circle. The man who introduced this iconic villain to the world, Jim Starlin, also penned the storyline that brought him down. In the Infinity Gauntlet series, Thanos is eventually defeated not by brute force but by his own flaws, especially his tendency to self-sabotage.

Starlin even once said that Thanos doesn’t believe he deserves ultimate power, which is why he always loses it. Deep stuff for a guy with a space glove.

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10) He once became the most powerful being in existence and gave it all up

In the Thanos: The End storyline, he becomes literally unstoppable. Like being all-powerful to the point of controlling every cosmic force in the Marvel universe. But instead of ruling forever, he willingly gives it all up, because, well, ultimate power turns out to be empty.

With no challenge, no purpose, and no Death to impress, Thanos realizes he’s achieved everything and yet feels nothing. And so, he lets it all go. Now, that’s an existential crisis on a universal scale.

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Final thoughts

Thanos isn't just the "purple guy with the gauntlet." He’s layered, tragic, terrifying, and oddly philosophical, and behind that scowl is a villain with a bizarre love life, a weird family, and more resurrections than you can count.

So whether you admire him or fear him, you can't deny that Thanos is one of Marvel’s most complex characters ever.