All 7 Ways The MCU Set Up Thanos As Phase 3's Big Villain (& Whether It Was Paid Off)

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe built Thanos into the ultimate villain of Phase 3, weaving hints and backstory across multiple films before his full reveal, though some of these teases proved to be misleading. From mysterious references in early movies to his iconic weapon, the Infinity Gauntlet, each of Thanoss appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline was calculated to establish him as an existential threat to the universe. In laying this groundwork, Marvel set up the climactic Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, though not everything quite paid off and needed to be retconned in subsequent movies.
Richard Craig

https://screenrant.com/mcu-thanos-setup-payoff/