Thanos is back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a story that finally picks up on where this particular version of the character was left four years ago. Josh Brolin’s Thanos is the biggest villain the MCU has ever had. The character was key to the success of two of the MCU’s best movies, as well as the Infinity Saga as a whole.
While Marvel has since moved to new main villains for the MCU, first with Kang the Conqueror and now Doctor Doom, Thanos keeps finding ways to return. His main role in the franchise after the Mad Titan’s death has come from a unique MCU TV show, the animated What If…? After multiple versions of Thanos appeared, one of them has now returned, with a twist.
Marvel Zombies Finally Answers A 4-Year Thanos Question
Zombie Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet in Marvel Zombies (2025)
Thanos appeared as a zombie at the end of the What If…? season 1 episode “What If… Zombies?!” back in September 2021. Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Ant-Man’s head were arriving in Wakanda to deal with a zombie version of Thanos and his Infinity Gauntlet when the villain was last seen. Four years later, Marvel Zombies continues the Thanos plot thread.
The What If…? spinoff series brought back zombie Thanos in episode 3, explaining what happened to him after the original series teased his confrontation with the heroes. The answer to why the Scarlet Witch became Marvel Zombies‘ main threat instead of Thanos was simple: The Mad Titan was killed. Black Panther was responsible for defeating the villain.
Once the heroes arrived in Wakanda, they fought Thanos head-on. That battle saw the surprise arrival of Thor, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot, with the God of Thunder being severely injured and the other two disintegrated. After a long fight, T’Challa sacrificed himself to jump with Thanos into the Wakandan Vibranium reactor, killing them both and shattering the Infinity Stones.
Black Panther’s Sacrifice Was The Perfect Way For Marvel Zombies To Kill Thanos
Danai Gurira as Okoye, Chadwick Boseman As Black Panther And Letitia Wright As Shuri Lead Wakandan Army Through A Portal In Avengers Endgame
There are two reasons why Marvel Zombies‘ Thanos storyline was worth the wait. On the one hand, it brings about a significant death for the Mad Titan. After all, Thanos went from the MCU’s biggest villain to a character who has been killed repeatedly in live-action and animation. When the zombie Thanos dies in Marvel Zombies, it is no laughing matter.
Thanos’ death leads to Infinity energy being released, which is key to the show’s plot, with the Hulk serving as the Infinity storm’s anchor and the Scarlet Witch wanting that power. Thanos’ return is also special due to Black Panther’s role in the story. While Chadwick Boseman voiced the character in What If…?‘s zombie episode, his death ruled out a Marvel Zombies return.
The show then honored the MCU star by not recasting Black Panther, similarly to what the movies did. Instead, T’Challa got an epic hero moment, sacrificing himself to defeat Thanos and save everyone, narrated by the MCU’s most popular hero, Spider-Man. In the end, Marvel Zombies‘ epic Thanos storyline was more than worth the 4-year wait.
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