Endgame Looking Back at The Avengers Post Endgame

[shabadoo25]

Since we know that Thanos and his goons have been slaughtering populations for decades fairly efficiently, why the heck did he need Loki to lead the Chitauri Army to invade earth?

 

[Chief275]

I think Thanos liked being in control and having other people do his work for him. Look at 2014 Thanos when he gets to Earth. He doesn't go retrieve the stones himself, he sends Nebula to do it. He's narcissistic and arrogant, and probably feels that he is some sort of great leader who is above doing the dirty work. He'd rather sit on his throne and be the master puppeteer.

At least that's how I would interpret it.

 

[shabadoo25]

I think Thanos liked being in control and having other people do his work for him. Look at 2014 Thanos when he gets to Earth. He doesn't go retrieve the stones himself, he sends Nebula to do it. He's narcissistic and arrogant, and probably feels that he is some sort of great leader who is above doing the dirty work. He'd rather sit on his throne and be the master puppeteer.

At least that's how I would interpret it.

That's a reasonable explanation. However, we saw Thanos and Maw and the gang waste child Gamora's planet themselves.

 

[WereCoyote]

That's a reasonable explanation. However, we saw Thanos and Maw and the gang waste child Gamora's planet themselves.

Actually, if you remember, Thanos was mostly just standing around for that, and had his armies do it for him while he was keeping Gamora distracted..

 

[MahvelBaby!]

He also used Ronan as a pawn which is even referenced in endgame.

 

[shabadoo25]

He probably wanted to draw the Avengers out to see what they had.

You could also say he was concerned about Captain Marvel's possible intervention.

 

[metaphysician]

In 2012, there were a lot more possible forces that could intervene if someone screwed with Earth. Note that Asgard was still intact and at the height of its power, and Earth is claimed by them as one of the Nine Worlds. The Order of Kamar-Taj is still lead the Ancient One. The Nova Corps has recently ended their long war with the Kree, and hasn't had their forces decimated lately. *cough*

Basically, moving publicly and openly against Earth would run the risk of having all kinds of forces powerful enough to give Thanos pause land on their head. Whereas if you use a patsy like Loki or Ronan, the worst you lose is some expendable resources given to bump up your pawn.

Note, by contrast, that when Thanos did make his big move, Asgard was kablooey, the Nova Corps had been eviscerated just a few years earlier, the Ancient One was dead and Kamar-Taj weakened, etc. Everything was in a position where he could start snatching up Infinity Stones without the traditional big power centers acting.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

Since we know that Thanos and his goons have been slaughtering populations for decades fairly efficiently, why the heck did he need Loki to lead the Chitauri Army to invade earth?

I don't think he "needed" Loki. Loki wanted earth, and Thanos saw an opportunity to use him to get the tesseract. They made a deal.

 

[metaphysician]

I don't think he "needed" Loki. Loki wanted earth, and Thanos saw an opportunity to use him to get the tesseract. They made a deal.

Loki also makes for a catspaw that complicates the affair for others. Sure, he guarantees Asgard's interest, but because he himself is a renegade Asgardian, it makes things trickier should Kamar-Taj or the Nova Corps, or basically anyone else, look at Earth and consider intervening. People who don't want to see Earth conquered, also don't necessarily want to step their foot into the middle of the Civil War of the Gods, either.