Infinity War Who's more original and unique? Thanos or Darkseid?

[Mutant 77]

I'm just wondering this.

I would say Darkseid looks a bit more original and interesting? I'm not very fond of both, even.

 

[Wildcard]

The two get so many comparisons but to be honest, there's more differentiating the two than there are similarities. Darkseid is more of a straightforward evil. There may be a rhyme and reason to his actions, but overall I get the sense that everything he does is specifically because he wants to. With Thanos, he's more nuanced because of him having a literal love for the personification of Death and attempting to do whatever he can to impress her. That facet alone separates him from a great many supervillains.

I'll give the edge to Thanos, though Darkseid does have the cool distinction of having some inspiration from Darth Vader when Kirby was creating him.

 

[KINGTHANOS]

Thanos, hands down, IMO. He's got far superior depth as a character, and his motivations have been unpredictable, traditionally, in the comics. Darkseid is cool, but he's a power hungry overlord meme as a character.

 

[MbJ]

Thanos is an admitted ripoff of Darkseid and Metron per his own creator, so if you're asking about originality...

 

[Wildcard]

Jim Starlin didn't really rip-off Darkseid. He was more Metron-esque starting off, and then other hands in the pot wanted Jim to beef him up to be more like Darkseid. But initially, Starlin took nothing from Darkseid.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Darkseid does have the cool distinction of having some inspiration from Darth Vader when Kirby was creating him.

I didn't know that!

 

[legendkillin]

I like the Thanos story a more than I like Darkseid, I don't believe he was meant to be a ripoff. Every super team needs an all powerful villain.

Apocalypse is the Darkseid ripoff, they look the exact same.

 

[David H.]

I cannot wait for audiences everywhere arguing about who's a rip-off of who.

"Darkseid is just a copy of Thanos."

"Yeah but I saw Apocalypse in a movie first!"

 

[AvengerPA]

Darkseid came first, but I like Thanos more.

 

[Mutant 77]

I cannot wait for audiences everywhere arguing about who's a rip-off of who.

"Darkseid is just a copy of Thanos."

"Yeah but I saw Apocalypse in a movie first!"

LOL it will happen.

 

[bubbadoom]

I'll give the edge to Thanos, though Darkseid does have the cool distinction of having some inspiration from Darth Vader when Kirby was creating him.

Kirby created Darkseid a good 7 years before Vader appeared in 1977 so I would say Lucas was taking inspiration for Kirby - both with Darkseid and Dr. Doom...

When done right, by Kirby, Darkseid wins over Thanos hands down...

 

[Wildcard]

Oop, made a mix-up and didn't even notice it.

And even as stupid as it is, I'm bracing myself for the inevitable "who's a rip off of who" debates even though Darkseid, Thanos and Apocalypse are distinctly different enough that none qualify as a rip-off of the other.

 

[Pink Ranger]

There is a distinctive feature to Thanos that I wonder if the MCU movies will explore: Thanos is genetically human, or at least a close evolutionary offshoot of homo sapiens. This is a particularly interesting theme that the MCU movies can explore, because a genetic hominid living in space for a gazillion years coming back to conquer Earth is still a relative unknown in the MCU-verse (as opposed to the comics, where there are already numerous known mutant sub-species of homo sapiens).

 

[storyteller]

Probably not. You got Thor and everyone else who look human vs Thanos that the ship has sailed.

 

[Wildcard]

There is a distinctive feature to Thanos that I wonder if the MCU movies will explore: Thanos is genetically human, or at least a close evolutionary offshoot of homo sapiens. This is a particularly interesting theme that the MCU movies can explore, because a genetic hominid living in space for a gazillion years coming back to conquer Earth is still a relative unknown in the MCU-verse (as opposed to the comics, where there are already numerous known mutant sub-species of homo sapiens).

I doubt they'll explore this element any time soon but after Infinity War, I think it'd be cool if Thanos got his own film that details his origins and explains the origination of his species & their close proximity to humanity. Then, with that, you could set the stage for a later story involving him trying to conquer Earth.

 

[bubbadoom]

I doubt they'll explore this element any time soon but after Infinity War, I think it'd be cool if Thanos got his own film that details his origins and explains the origination of his species & their close proximity to humanity. Then, with that, you could set the stage for a later story involving him trying to conquer Earth.

I think Marvel will be finished with Thanos after Avengers 3&4 and will move on to other stories...

 

[bubbadoom]

and it terms of the question posed by the name of this thread - I think the original is more original...

 

[Mike Murdock]

Thanos is an admitted ripoff of Darkseid and Metron per his own creator, so if you're asking about originality...

I think that's only true when it comes to physical appearance, not everything else.

Kirby created Darkseid a good 7 years before Vader appeared in 1977 so I would say Lucas was taking inspiration for Kirby - both with Darkseid and Dr. Doom...

Eh, I think it's more shared influences from the same sources rather than a direct inspiration of one by the other.

When done right, by Kirby, Darkseid wins over Thanos hands down...

I think the "by Kirby" part is nearly essential. Thanos runs into some similar problems absent Starlin, but he still works better.

 

[legendkillin]

I think Marvel will be finished with Thanos after Avengers 3&4 and will move on to other stories...

They are introducing Warlock so I hope not. Warlock and Thanos have had some great moments in the comics. I am expecting them to meet a few times in the movies.

 

[GeckoMoria]

They are introducing Warlock so I hope not. Warlock and Thanos have had some great moments in the comics. I am expecting them to meet a few times in the movies.

Don't. ou are gonna get disappointed. No comic book franchise is keeping the villains past two movies. Fox, Marvel, DC. darkseid is gonna get killed in JL part 2 and Thanos isd gonna get killed in 2019 so it's best not to have those kind of expectations.

 

[2kt09]

Don't. You are gonna get disappointed. No comic book franchise is keeping the villains past two movies. Fox, Marvel, DC. darkseid is gonna get killed in JL part 2 and Thanos is gonna get killed in 2019 so it's best not to have those kind of expectations.

You're talking about full-on villains and not baddies who temporarily side with heroes only to cross them or whatever?

 

[THE WOLF]

The original is always better than the rip off

 

[bubbadoom]

They are introducing Warlock so I hope not. Warlock and Thanos have had some great moments in the comics. I am expecting them to meet a few times in the movies.

Captain Marvel falls between Avengers 3 and 4 so maybe Warlock will be introduced there and then show up in A4...

 

[Finarfiniel]

I think that's only true when it comes to physical appearance, not everything else.

Exactly. Also, Thanos may have started off as a 'rip-off' of Darkseid but his story and characterisation grew in the telling and these days they're very different characters with only very shallow similarities. They're both great villains, but I have to say that I prefer Thanos' motivations and personality which make him the more truly 'unique' of the two IMO.

 

[Wildcard]

There's no question that Thanos is more unique. Darkseid's motivations are really as generic as they come; he wants to end all life but for what? There's no substance to his plans, to be honest. Yeah, Darkseid's a badass and is one of my favorite villains, but Thanos will always trump him because he's a far deeper character.

And, imo, Thanos would completely curbstomp Darkseid in a battle.