The T-Files: Thanos' Accessories and Weapons
This is a sampling of some of the weapons, instruments, and weapons that Thanos has used over the years to further his goals. Of course, he has employed more, but these are the major items among the scores he has utilized...
The Cosmic Cube
REVISED! - The Cosmic Cube is an object of vast, almost omipotent power. A cosmic cube is formed when a partcular type of force-field is generated in the shape of a cube (Usually, although other geometric shapes can be used, the shape is realy unimportant.). It was once believed that every 32 years, 4 months, a rift opens in reality that fills the cube with near-limitless energies. This cosmic cube (also called a cosmic containment unit.) can then be used to grant almost any wish or desire. The only thing the cubes, which are semi-sentient, refuse to affect is the realm of the soul (However, if enough willpower is applied, even that taboo can be overcome.).
However, as more has been learned about the Cosmic Cubes in recent years, it seems that the waiting period has become known as something of a fallacy, and that a Cosmic Cube can possibly be generated at any time with the right equipment. What's more, it has been revealed that source of the energies used to fill a Cosmic Cube comes from the realm of the Beyonders, a dimension inhabited by entities so powerful and different from anything we know of, that understanding their nature is likely beyond the scope to corporeal beings. However, what is known is that the Beyonders are dedicated to change and advancement, and as such have made the creation of Cosmic Cubes possible so that sentient beings can control and advance their own development.
There have been at least 3 true cosmic cubes created in the recent history of the Marvel Universe, and many more such units were gathered from other realities by the Goddess. One was created by the Skrulls, one by A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics), and the third was the result of an failed experiment that opened a hole into the realm of the Beyonders. This 3rd failed cube instead bestowed a fraction of its energy upon a man named Owne Reece, who would use the power to become the powerful Molecule Man. The Greater portion of this power coalesced into a being that would eventually come to be known as the Beyonder. However, after a time, all cosmic cubes will eventually evolve into sentient beings. The Skrull cube eventually evolved into the Shaper of Worlds, The A.I.M cube became the creature called Kubik, and after accepting his true destiny, the Beyonder eventually reverted back into a cube which evolved to form Kosmos.
 For more about the Beyonders, please read the Beyonders entry over at the Marvel Directory.
The Infinity Gems
REVISED! - (AKA the Soul Gems, the Reality Gems) For centuries the Infinity Gems were a rare and valuable commodity to those with a lust for power. It was said that each of these "Soul" gems contained powerful energies that could be used for good or ill. However, the powers of each gem were often subtle in their influence, and many who came to possess one became frustrated by this subtlety, and often dubbed the power of the gems the stuff of unfounded rumors and lies. Many times the gems have been discarded by these dissatisfied would-be wielders because they possessed neither the knowledge, the patience, nor the inclination towards their proper use. Still, a handful of others were able to use the power of the gems to their benefit, but none knew the full extent of their awesome might.
What remained unknown to all but the most powerful cosmic beings is the fact that the gems were actually the remains of a once omnipotent being whose domain was any and all realities. However, this great being was utterly alone. Attempting to make other life forms, the being went on to create a horde of creatures. However, having no concept of good or evil, the beings turned out to be malevolent demonic beasts. Seeing its error, the being destroyed its flawed creations, and once again alone, and unable to bear it, the being committed suicide.
However, such power does not easily dissipate, and from its core arose the Infinity Gems. They were used by various beings for varying purposes throughout time, but it was Thanos who finally gleaned the true potential of the gems. Gathering them all from the Elders of the Universe, Thanos went on to use them to create the Infinity Gauntlet, and then became the equivalent of God. Eventually, however, the gems were separated, and subsequently lost until Galactus recently collected them for the purpose of ending his need to feed on planets, a gambit which failed, and instead allowed a deadly, inter-dimensional parasite to gain egress into the Marvel Universe. In the chaos that followed, the gems were again scattered, save for the Soul Gem, which Thanos made sure to reclaim for Adam Warlock.
TIME
This gem allows the user to be in any period of time. From the primordial past, to the distant future, any age is accessable or visible through its power. With enough knowledge, even more can be done, as time and causality can even be manipulated with this gem. This would allow a user to even use time as a weapon, trapping enemies or entire worlds in unending loops of time.
SPACE
Through this gem, one can be anywhere or nowhere in an instant. One can even be in multiple places, or can move any object anywhere throughout the cosmos. One can also warp or rearrange space as they see fit to suit their purposes.
SOUL
Able to steal, manipulate and alter souls, this gem was once (and is again) the burden of Adam Warlock. Not only can this gem control living souls, but also the souls of the dead are at its command. This gem is arguably the most dangerous, for it possesses a fragment of sentience, and has a hunger for souls. However, and somewhat ironically, this gem is the gateway to an idyllic, pocket-universe.
REALITY
They say that perception is reality, however using this gem makes that, quite literally, true. This gem is perhaps the most powerful, and most difficult to utilize. With it, what one wishes can be attained. Scientific laws are meaningless to its power to alter what is. Its use without the other gems can result in complete disaster.
MIND
Able to dig deep into other minds, this gem makes all thoughts and dreams accessable to its user. It can also boost mental power, and augment the mind's abilities. With the power of the other gems boosting its abilities, it is possible to use this gem to access all minds in existence simltaneously.
POWER
This gem contains access to all power and energy that ever has or will exist. It backs up the other gems and boosts their effects. With this gem alone, the user can eventually duplicate almost any physical superhuman ability, and is essentially physically invincible and therefore unbeatable when using raw power alone.
When assembled to form the Infinity Gauntlet, the combined power of the Gems is truly immense, and gives the user virtually limitless influence over the mind, soul, space, time, reality, and power. A wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet is at least the equal of Eternity/Infinity, and it seems that only the multiversal judge called the Living Tribunal possesses might enough to challege the power of the Gauntlet.
The Sanctuary
REVISED! - This mighty starship (and its duplicates) which measures nearly a mile across, was once the the Home of Thanos after his exile from Titan. Built sometime after he had been exiled from his Titan, this space-ark essentially serves as Thanos' moblie Headquarters. Its carries highly sophisticated sensors and scientific instruments, science and weapons labs, living quarters, a large hangar-deck filled with fighter craft, hyperdrive engines for rapid interstellar and intergalactic transit, and it of course possesses enough armaments and power to lay waste to an entire planet.
In the battle between Thanos and the original Magus, so much of this original vessel was destroyed (almost half of its total mass), that virtually the entire ship had to be rebuilt and refitted. After it's reconditioning, the ship was dubbed the Sanctuary II. Later, during his gambit of stellar genocide it was revealed that Thanos had built an exact duplicate of this vessel, dubbed Sanctuary III, and used the duplicate as the flagship for his armada in order in order to lead the Earth forces astray. The true Sanctuary II was hidden on the far-side of Earth's Sun, where Thanos attempted to use his Stellar Projector to destroy the star without interference. However, this plan was foiled by Captain Marvel, Thor, Iron-Man, and also Warlock who died in the attack. Eventually, Thanos was slain by Warlock's vengeful spirit, and the Avengers and Mar-Vell were successful. However, much of the mercenary Armada escaped, and the Sanctuary III evidently vanished as well.
For unknown reasons, the Sanctuary II was abandoned, and left to drift in Space for some time. However, it would later be taken under the command of Nebula, who used the claim of being Thanos' granddaughter to take charge of the ship. She didn't command the ship for very long before she ran afoul of the Avengers and a contingent of Skrulls, and she was eventually deposed and the ship was emptied of its crew. Starfox then disabled the ship's gravitational stabilizers, and the Sanctuary II apparently destryed itself. However, things were not as they had seemed. Unknown to everyone, the disembodied AI program called Quasimodo had chanced upon the Sanctuary II before anyone else had arrived. The process of assimilating its control-systems was slow, but by the time Nebula had been defeated, Quasimodo had taken control of enough systems so that he could holographically simulate the ship's destruction. He then piloted the ship back to Earth's solar system so he could complete his integration without any further interference.
At some point Nebula would gain control over the Sanctuary III and assume command over Thanos' former mercenary fleet as well. For a time she remianed a meanace, until something happened that nobody expected: the resurrection of Thanos at the hands of Death herself. Following this rebirth, Thanos had been given a mandate to kill half of all life in Death's name. As part of his plan to do so, Thanos dispatched Nebula and re-assumed command over the ship and his former fleet. Though it's fate after the Infinity Gauntlet affair is unknown, however it is likely that Thanos retained control of the vessel and had it secreted away.
Some years later, Quasimodo would return, and use the Sanctuary II in a gambit of revenge against Spider Man and the Silver Surfer. His plan to download his mind into the body of the Silver-Surfer was foiled, however, when Thanos appeared and took command of the ship's systems, and quickly expelled Quasimodo. Afterwards, Thanos allowed the Surfer and Spider-Man to leave, and took his ship to parts unknown.
Since then, several versions of the Sanctuary have been captured or destroyed in several of Thanos' subsequent adventures. Here's a tally (the number-designations are speculative):
Sanctuary ? - A seemingly modified version. Used by a Thanos duplicate duing "Celestial Quest". Taken by the Avengers.
Sanctuary II - Used during the Walker story-arc in "Captain Marvel". Later destroyed by a singularity-trap at the hands of the Thanosi during "Infinity Abyss".
Sanctuary III - Used by Thanos and Gamora for the remainder of "Infinity Abyss". Later used during the events of "The End", and the "Epiphany" story-arc. Destroyed by Galactus.
Sanctuary IV - Summoned by Thanos for the climax of "Epiphany", and used in the "Samaritan" story-arc. Destroyed by The Fallen One.
Because Thanos has shown to be capable of replacing his ships rather quickly once they have been destroyed, he almost certainly has a hidden shipyard somewhere, possibly sequestered in a large asteroid field. Such a location would provide adequate cover, and also a near-limitless supply of raw materials for shipbuilding. Even so, in his last series of adventures he seemed to go through versions of this ship very quickly, probably too quickly for them to be so easily replaced. Since he mentioned to Warlock that he had used the last dregs of the power he had gained from the Heart of the Universe to replace his armada of robotic ships (Destroyed in "Infinity Abyss" #6), it is likely he also created one or more Sanctuary duplicates as well.
Dreadnaught-666
This vessel is actually little more than a vast interstellar cannon over 6000 feet in length. This spacebourne gun was capable of boring a hole through a planet all the way down to its core, where it could vaporize it...the resulting disruptions to the mass of the planet would then cause it to fragment and fly apart.
Thanos utilized D-666 during his efforts against the Goddess. During the conflagration, the vessel was totally destroyed. Thanos, however, did not mourn the loss of D-666, as he had declared the vessel a bad idea years before. Nonetheless, Thanos was able to make use of his ill-conceived weapon, if only for a brief time.
The Demeter
This 700-meter long vessel was likely constructed sometime after Thanos' efforts against the Goddess. The Demeter was built, it seems, primarily for speed and not for force. This vessel displayed itself capable of vast speed and impressive manuerverability. The Demeter was also capable of planetfall, however it did not land. Instead, the ship would hover in place using powerful anti-gravity engines.
The Demeter was stolen by Terrax during Thanos' battle with Tyrant. It is unknown whether or not Thanos has reclaimed this vessel.
Space Throne
This small craft resembled nothing more than a large Throne (and sometimes somewhat irreverently as a "Cosmic Barka-lounger"), which usually transported only one person. The orginal version of this throne was created by Mistress Death, and had some unknown mystical properties. This craft was destroyed in a confrontation with the Elder known as the Runner.
However, Thanos went on to personally build a second version of this wrecked craft. This version was virtually identical to the original, with the exception of the mystical qualities that the original flyer possessed. The second version of the space-throne would also be destroyed during a battle with Earth's defenders that took place as part of the larger sceme against the Magus. Thanos would later go on to build a third version of this craft.
It seems all versions possessed similar abilities to the original. The craft was capable of generating a powerful, nearly impenatrable force-sphere. It contained formidable energy-beam weapons, capable of automatic targeting and firing. These bolts of force were capable of stunning even the Silver Surfer, and could have allegedly killed Adam Warlock. The craft also possessed a teleportational device, a tractor beam emitter, and engines capable of transporting the craft throught seperate dimensions and realities. The craft also boasted powerful sensor arrays, and an advanced computer system.
Stasis Rifle
An experimental weapon capable of generating a cube of pure force, which envelops the target and places them into near-complete physical stasis. This stasis cube was capable of holding the insane, power-gem enhanced Thunder-God Thor. The experimental version of this weapon carried charge enough for only one blast. It seems that Thanos would subsequently be able to duplicate, at least to some extent, the effects of this weapon with his powers of matter-manipulation.
Robotic Drones
Thanos has designed several different types of robotic drones to serve his needs. These drones carry out many functions, including maintenence, manual labor, recordkeeping, and security. These robots come in many shapes and sizes dependent on their purpose.
One in particular is somewhat unique, and appears to be at least somewhat favored by Thanos. This drone is a small silver sphere about a foot in diameter. This personal assisstant delivers Thanos' orders and keeps records for him as needed. It is presumed this drone has direct access to Thanos' computer files and records.
|
