Why Didn't Thanos Recruit the Enemies of the Avengers?

After his Galactus War and Snapshot, Thanos’ actions and motives have been under intense scrutiny. One question that often arises is: why didn't Thanos recruit the enemies of the Avengers to even out the odds or to sabotage them in case they tried anything to reverse his Decimation? This article delves into the reasoning behind Thanos' decisions and the complexities of his strategic mind.

Thanos' Fear of Reversal

Thaios did not believe the Snap could be reversed, and his immense power, bolstered by the Infinity Gauntlet, led him to consider himself invincible. Despite his posterior near defeat by Iron Man and Spider-Man when he nearly had the Gauntlet removed from his hand, Thanos prevailed due to his raw strength and will to power. However, this experience left him bloodied and shaken, prompting him to destroy the Infinity Stones and render the Gauntlet worthless, thereby ensuring no one could reverse his actions. His subsequent actions, such as destroying the Stones, suggest a fear of the reversal and a desire to prevent any potential threat.

The Enemies of the Avengers

It's worth noting that Thanos had not extensively engaged with many of the key foes of the Avengers.

Those he did meet include:

Loki - deceased The Black Order - deceased

These encounters, along with the destruction of the Infinity Stones, indicate that Thanos was not in a position to recruit or enlist the support of those who were already defeated or no longer standing in his path.

No Reason to Recruit

Given Thanos' authoritarian nature, it is unlikely he would have sought to rally those he had previously defeated or who had turned against him. His disregard for others' desires was evident in his actions, such as crushing the Black Order and Dormammu for personal gain. The thought never crossed his mind that these individuals could reverse the Decimation, nor that they would even want to do so once they experienced his new world. Thanos may be crazy, but he is not paranoid. He did not believe in the necessity or possibility of collaboration with former foes.

Underlying Reasoning

Thano's decision was rooted in his confidence and the belief that his cause was just and necessary. He operated under the assumption that:

People like the Black Order believe in his cause and will not betray him. They would not work with Thanos if they did not see the benefits of his actions.

For example, Zemo was driven to avenge his family and would not have worked with Thanos. Blonsky (Abomination) was a military man and would not have aligned with an invader who sought to end half of all life. Vulture is a family man who would act in opposition to Thanos immediately, while Batroc is just a mercenary who lost people he knew and would not work with an invader. Shocker is a criminal trying to make money, and his personal losses do not align with Thanos' goals.

Additionally, Dormammu has his own goals and would not want to associate with someone who had the Infinity Gauntlet and could do even more harm than Dr. Strange. Justin Hammer might work with him if he thought it was his only chance of survival, but he is a decent person who wouldn't be interested in stopping the Avengers from reversing the Decimation. Ayesha would not work with him because he trashed Thor. The Real Mandarin would likely be pleased with his criminal empire wiped out, but Surtur is uncertain, as he got what he wanted in Ragnarok.

Why Didn't the Avengers Seek Help?

The real question is not why Thanos didn't recruit their help, but rather why the Avengers themselves didn't look for allies.

While some of those mentioned would not be on the Avengers' radar, Ayesha had resources that could potentially help them track down Thanos. Blonsky, being one of the strongest characters in the world, could be reasoned with, and Vulture would be useful and reasonable to work with given the circumstances.

To summarize, Thanos’ strategic decisions and the lack of willing allies among former foes highlight the complexity and depth of the universe's grand narrative. His fear of reversal, pragmatic decisions, and the underlying motivations of his enemies and potential allies all contribute to the intricate story of the Avengers and Thanos conflict.