I liked Endgame Thanos in a sense. He's a scary bastard but he's just an inferior character to what he was in IW after he gained the Soul Stone. By killing the one that actually did the snap off to be replaced by his bloodthirsty younger self, they robbed the film of multiple satisfying things that comes with the villain.
The villain has less, less personal history with the Avengers so there's less pathos, less of a feel this is round two (or three, if you count the first Avengers), his interactions with them have much less weight considering he's just intent on murdering them (and with glee to boot. He was having an evilgasm when he was close to killing Thor with Stormbreaker) rather than having it all tinged with some degree of regret and respect, and, the worst offense, it's much less satisfying when he finally is defeated and he and his army disintegrate.
It's not a 'Yes, he is FINALLY beaten after long last' because we was already unceremoniously slaughtered in the beginning. I really cannot help but feel as if they should have had Thanos from IW survive and the entire b plot during the time heist is him reforming his army for a massive invasion of Earth, which gives the film a sense of urgency is lacked for like 3/4ths of it.
I disagree vehemently. It positioned Thanos as more than mortal, a force, an inevitably. A problem to solve. Not just one corporeal body.
Jace Howard
Just imagine the final battle being against a half scarred thanos, who’s missing an arm from destroying the stones and had to replace it with a robot one.
"You couldn't live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me."
Brody Bennett
I always saw Thanos as one contiguous character who had to evolve his goals when he saw the flaws of his plan and the emotion behind his motives began to shine through when challenged but I feel like a minority.
He was a good villain, much better than I was initially expecting given how pared down some MCU villains were (like Malekith).
Bentley Green
I guess this is just a matter of what you naturally 'feel' upon watching the film. I take your point but I just felt a disconnected after they killed the IW one and shoved in his 2014 self and didn't get the sense it was building up and up to this crescendo.
Nathaniel Turner
“My daughters death will not be in vain, Stark. I allowed you to live before, and you’ve squandered my mercy on a fools errand. I will shred this universe down to its last atom, and build something new, something pure, and when I’m done... Nobody will remember you.”
Nathan Hill
They could have had him destroy the stones and be scarred (albeit maybe not to the degree he was in the actual film) and still beat the heroes when they come to his turf, including using his brains to wreck Marvel and them surviving out of mercy. Nebula stays behind out of pity for Thanos, when they make the time machine they require some piece from the Benatar to make it work which had some link to Nebula's tech (reason doesn't have to be great desu) which makes her involuntarily spaz out and hologram their efforts, Thanos realises what's up, Nebula escapes whilst he's brooding and basically monologuing to himself in an unhinged state about how he's gonna tear Earth a part, and there you have it: same Thanos from IW is the villain, that stupid 2014 Nebula and Gamora plot is removed, the film has a big sense of urgency with Thanos gathering up a massive invasion force, and Thanos doing his thing is the b plot, which people would have loved. Could have had him having those conversations with Gamora in the Soul Stone too constantly pushing him further into an unhinged state. I just think they dropped the ball with Thanos in EG. Even casuals treat the one in IW and EG like separate characters, with IW being the clear favourite.
Joshua Rodriguez
I feel like there has to be some essence of rage in that. To bring such "blessing" into the universe then not only defied but undone. Above all else, Thanos wants to be right at any cost. Be it sacrificing Gamora, permanently and excruciatingly injuring himself, or whatever else. When he succeeds and has that victory undone, it should send him over the edge.
Juan Thomas
This is a nice missing contrast, Tony didn't want to undo the snap in fear of losing Morgan. Yet he made the conscious decision to take that risk.
Another thing that I think it missed was Hydra making a comeback and helping Thanos thinking the new universe will be them on top.
Julian Lewis
The key phrase to Thanos is "I am inevitable."
Both the IW and EG Thanoses said it and it is the bridge that makes them one in the same to me. Thanos needs the validation that his solution is and will always be the only one. No matter what it takes, be it removal of half the universe or a completely new one that is balanced from the off, the only outcome must be a universe with half as many beings as there are presently.
You tell him that it's not the way, there is no quarter, he will have your head. So "killing everyone and making a new universe" is still in character as far as I'm concerned because the emotion of thinking he is always right will always cloud any reasoning with him.
