GAMERS DECIDE - Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War Features Epic Mix of 20 Superheroes

AshRoze — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 19:25:14 +0000

Earth is about to get a little more Super!

So who is excited about Avengers: Infinity War? The better question is “who *isn’t* excited,” followed by an astounded look in their general direction when they murmur “meh.” The official first trailer – released in November 2017 - has garnered almost 150 million views as of me writing this, and the second trailer that aired during the 2018 Super Bowl has roughly 6.5 million views.

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably absolutely anxious for April 27, 2018 to get here. You might have even let out a squeak or two when they moved the release date up a week. My heart is, quite literally, starting to race as I think of how terrifying Thanos is bound to be.

So, what about the good guys? According to the cast list, we’re going to see at least 20 heroes suit up for the first part of the Infinity War. Of course, we’ll see the First Avenger, Captain America, played by Chris Evans, and his pals Iron Man (Robert Downey Junior), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). We couldn’t have a fight to save the universe without the original crew, after all.

Joining them will be the Scarlet Witch and Vision, played by Elizabeth Olson and Paul Bettany, respectively. Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan, and Falcon, played by Anthony Mackie, won’t be seen leaving Cap behind either. Also from Earth, Doctor Strange and Wong (Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong), Spiderman (Tom Holland), Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), War Machine (Don Cheadle), and the newly christened Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman).

Plenty of off-worlders (or at least those who spent most of their lives off-world) are coming to join the fray as well. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) and Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and of course Thanos’ own daughters, Nebula and Gamora (Karen Gillan and Zoe Saldana).

Which brings us to the bad guys. Well, the bad guy. There are certainly theories abounding that he will not be the only villain to grace Earth with their presence. However, Thanos is the ultimate evil of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As a twisted man from the species of Eternals, a cousin-species to humans, his only true quest is for power. Josh Brolin has and will continue to bring his might to life throughout the series.

Josh Brolin himself is a strong actor, who doesn’t often play a very nice guy. He got his start in the Goonies, where he plays a good looking but socially uncool guy who can't get his driver's license, eventually landing the “hot chick” and helping his brother and his friends get out of trouble. Decades later he portrays Jonah Hex, a DC-verse western bounty hunter that, despite his surly and mean disposition, does his best to protect the innocent. Later still, in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, he plays a crook-turned-good and sober, trying to overcome a broken heart as well as his own past. In the Grindhouse movie, Planet Terror, he does a terrifyingly good job of playing an abusive husband and doctor. Eventually he zombifies and attempts to kill his widow.

While Josh Brolin doesn’t often play a true villain (other than the zombie-doctor), being instead more prone to portraying an antihero, his Thanos stirs many disturbing feelings deep within, even though we have only seen him for a few minutes at a time thus far. One thing is certain, Avengers: Infinity War is going to be an epic standoff to rival all of the battles that have come before!

Main Image caption:

Does this excite you? It should.

Avengers: Infinity War - Thanos And The Infinity Gauntlet

AshRoze — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 03:49:50 +0000

Thanos, the evil and twisted Mad Titan hellbent on gaining power, is coming to Earth before we know it. With the release date of Avengers: Infinity War set for 27 April 2018, it’s time to find out why he’s headed here, and what the infinity war is all about.

The war revolves around the infinity gauntlet, and the six stones that power it. The gauntlet itself is nothing more than an accessory, however it’s sockets are built to hold some of the most powerful items in existence. The glowing gemstones, those that influence space, time, reality, the mind, power, and the soul, are what raise the gauntlet from a not-very-impressive golden fist covering to a thing to go to war over.

The 6 Infinity Stones

The Space Stone, affectionately known by Asgardians and a few Nazis as the Tesseract, offers its bearer power over space. This blue stone allows the host the ability to teleport anywhere, in this universe or any other universe. We met the stone first in Captain America: The First Avenger, and Loki revealed it again in The Avengers. It was since given to Odin, where it was placed in the trophy room.

The Aether, or Reality Stone, has been used by the Dark Elf, Malekith, to bring darkness to the universe. While it is not exactly clear how the stone works, Malekith’s attempts to wield it in Thor: The Dark world were foiled by Thor because of his protective love of the Human called Jane. Since the red, liquid-like stone had invaded Jane's body, Thor stopped at nothing, eventually both losing his mother and killing Malekith. The stone was taken to The Collector in Knowhere, the logic being that none of the stones should be near each other.

The Mind Stone, was first seen in The Avengers. Although we didn’t realize it at the time, it was the Mind Stone, not the Tesseract or Loki’s innate powers, that created his hypnotized cronies. In Age of Ultron, this glowing yellow stone is used to create both Ultron’s maniacal ego and eventually Vision (J.A.R.V.I.S. come to life). It remains safely nestled inside Vision, effectively giving him consciousness, and is arguably the most useful stone for the side of “good” of them all.

The Power Stone, or Orb, is the only stone set in the Guardians of the Galaxy’s part of the universe instead of the Avengers back on Earth. This violet stone is also the only one that has come so close to the grip of Thanos to incur his wrath of it being ripped from him. Able to destroy at will, and so powerful no mortal can touch it, the Guardians found a loophole. They were able to control it by forming a single unit, effectively destroying their foe and almost destroying the tree-creature, Groot. While the Nova Corps was supposedly given the stone to protect, there are many theories that state the thieving Star-Lord, leader of the Guardians, may have pulled a switcheroo on them just like he did with his foster-father, Yondu.

The green Time Stone, also knows as the Eye of Agamotto, is also unique, as the only stone to be in the possession of a single being. Sort of. While it is protected by all of the powers at the Kamar-Taj on Earth, Doctor Stephen Strange wields it and used it to create a time loop to save the Earth from Dormammu. The name “Time Stone” alludes to so much more than that, however, with the possibility to control all of time, past, present, and future.

The Soul Stone, likely orange in color based off of images of the filled gauntlet and process of elimination, has yet to be seen. The Soul Stone of the comic books shows power over death (as well as life) and can be used to absorb other’s abilities. There are also many theories stating where the stone might be hidden. Some believe it was within the meteor that fell to Wakanda in Black Panther, giving the indestructible vibranium its strength, however the director has stated this is untrue.

While the Prelude comics are only mostly-canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange’s friend and the official librarian of Kamar-Taj discusses the stones. Through him, Doctor Strange becomes one of a select few to have any knowledge about all six stones. Though it is relatively broad knowledge, with an exception made for the Time Stone he himself protects, it is still more than most. The thing is, even the vast collection of information held at Kamar-Taj doesn’t tell us exactly where the soul stone is, only that it is especially dangerous.

Artist(s): Jorge Fornés and Chris O'Halloran

The only “hint” we get, as Wong reads from an ancient book, is an image of three planets. Because of this, there is a huge amount of speculation from MCU fans that maybe the stone… is a planet. I’m not sure this would look very fashionable when socketed into the Infinity Gauntlet, however, I’m sure that’s the least of Thanos’s worries. The finished gauntlet will give Thanos immeasurable power, over every conceivable “element” of the universe. Still, one can’t help but to wonder if his shoes will match.

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Do these go with my eyes?

What Does Thanos Want in Avengers: Infinity War?

AshRoze — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 20:49:27 +0000

There's something coming...

Thanos, a being from within our own solar system, aggressively seeks power. So much so that depending on the stories you might read and believe, he was cast out by his kin and took the opportunity to let his anger, lust, and greed grow. On April 27, 2018 the Marvel Cinematic Universe will see Thanos’ wrath come to a head in Avengers: Infinity War.

What could Thanos possibly want out here near Earth? One thing is absolutely going to happen – destruction. Looking to the comic books, Thanos is the cause of so many deaths. From Captain America’s death-by-backhand, to Loki’s maybe-sacrifice to save his brother, Thor, or maybe-joining in with the bad guys, there is no doubt the Marvel Universe will be changed.

Destruction and death is a side quest for Thanos, however. His main goal continues to be POWER! So, what is the most powerful artifact in the universe? At this point, that would be the infinity gauntlet, assuming all of the stones can be found. There are six stones, one for each finger and another for the hand.

Avid MCU fans will recognize many of them already. The blue Space Stone from Captain America: The First Avenger, otherwise known as the Tesseract, which is supposedly hidden in Odin’s treasure room in Asgard. The red Reality stone, Aether, given to The Collector in Thor: The Dark World. The violet Power Stone, that helps the Guardians of the Galaxy become a true team, safely nestled on Xandar. The yellow Mind Stone, which is essentially what makes Vision what he is. The green Time Stone, used and protected by Doctor Strange. Lastly, that leaves the Soul Stone, according to the comics.

The soul stone’s powers and location are purely speculations at this point. While the comic’s Doctor Stephen Strange might think the Universe is (relatively) safe as long as the stones are never put together, with Thanos on their tail, this is an unlikely conclusion. So, where is the soul stone? One theory suggests it is right here on Earth, which places it just a (ahem) stone’s throw from the Time Stone, and blows Doctor Strange’s assurances straight out of Midgard.

While the Black Panther movie does not mention the soul stone even once, there are some hints that Wakanda holds the stone - the meteor full of Vibranium, the near-indestructible mineral used to create Cap’s shield and Vision’s body, was shown to light up with a strange orange glow. Black Panther’s director Coogler doesn’t seem to think Wakanda needed a stone but Thanos is definitely on his way to W akanda, and soon. Let the battle commence!

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Infinity Gauntlet: The Titan of Accessories