The Justice of ‘Chance’ in ‘Infinity War’
Warning: the following essay may contain a few spoilers for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’.
Without a doubt, Thanos is one of the best villain that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has produced so far. For the first time, the MCU switched the narrative to focus mostly in the quest and the emotions of the villain, and it paid off beautifully.
Thanos is a complex being that doesn’t crave power only for the sake of having it, like so many others. He has a purpose and a goal we can understand, even if we can’t agree with him. And although a dozen memes are already pointing out the apparent senselessness of choosing genocide above any other possible option, the fact remains that it takes only one bad day to make us wish we could wipe out half the population, too.
We can understand Thanos, at least temporarily, because we do know there are too many of us, that our resources are dwindling, and that every solution proposed will ultimately fail due to sheer human stubbornness.
The issues that threaten our existence and that of other creatures have existed for years, and many intellectuals have warned us about them. Yet, most of us are not willing to compromise an ounce of our comfort as long as it doesn’t seem to be truly necessary. If there’s still an option to relish in our self-complacency, we undoubtedly will take it. And anyone who tries to implement an effective but unpleasant solution will definitely be accused of having an intolerably radical standpoint.
Enter Thanos.
Thanos implements the most drastic measure available. And although many have pointed out that multiplying the resources would take care of the issue, regrettably, that’s not quite true.
Increasing resources would not necessarily ensure these assets would be equally distributed. Most likely, it would simply resurrect our essential need to dominate, possess, compete and control every available mean. Much like it has happened throughout centuries.
We would need a figure in charge of overseeing their fair distribution; and doesn’t that sounds a little too close to a Dictatorship? Or, what about a Board of delegates from different countries? Well, if any of the organizations currently existing in our world are to be taken as examples, we would find ourselves in the exact same position as the one we are in today. Murky politics, greed and corruption would be the inevitable consequences of such an endeavor.
Moreover, those resources would have to come from somewhere. The Infinity Stones can create illusions, but not produce something out of nothing. So, what would be the cost?
Thanos’ choice, although heartbreaking and imperfect, is also definitive and straightforward.
Yet, although its effectiveness is quite questionable, what isn’t, is the ‘justice’ of his way.
Thanos, Death and Equality
To control life, only its opposite can do the job. Death is an ally of balance because it’s impartial and sterile. Life’s very counterpart. Nothing can emerge from it, and thus it’s the most effective and definitive way of evening everyone’s chances. It is, therefore, the best example of true equality.
We live in a highly unequal world, and the disparities between all of us only deepen with time. Whether it’s due to our upbringing, socioeconomic background, personal interests, physical abilities, etc.; many variables define who we are, what we can become, and how we are perceived by others.
This is true in all aspects of life. None of us are truly ‘equal’. When it comes to how our peers, the law, or any figure of authority contemplate our worth and importance, there are different levels that distinguish us from one another. We might have a general and abstract understanding of everyone’s value, yet still be affected only by those who are closer to us, because in the grand scheme of things we categorize and give more importance to one thing instead of another.
Only in the process of Death are we truly equal.
We can postpone it, fear it or welcome it, but Death comes to all of us in due time, whether we have all the money in the world or none of it. It’s the ultimate equalizer.
It’s no wonder then, that Thanos -whose name derives from the Greek name for Thanatos, god of death- would offer a ‘balance’ that can be achieved only through the loss of life. It’s the reason why, when he snaps his fingers, half of the inhabitants of the universe disappear, without their skin color, gender, orientation, religious belief or origin… making any difference whatsoever.
The absence of a definitive criterion might seem baffling to our minds, so used to justifying our choices based on different parameters. But the truth is, by setting a standard, we are instantly eliminating any possibility of equality. We’re just creating another way of differentiating some from the rest.
What type of parameter would work?
Should Thanos eliminate the poor? The suffering? The rich? Murderers? Narcissists? Sociopaths? Just, ‘evil’ people? And what would ‘evil’ comprise? In a world where most of us have done, at one point or another, some very questionable deeds, would we fare well under Thanos’ judgement?
Probably not. Even many of our MCU heroes would probably perish under any of those measures.
The only parameter that could work, is ‘chance’.
Chance and Chaos versus Intention and Control
“You thought we could be decent men in an indecent time. But you were wrong. The world is cruel, and the only morality in a cruel world is chance. Unbiased. Unprejudiced. Fair.”
Two-Face
(The Dark Knight, 2008)
A couple of days ago, I jokingly told a friend that I could wholeheartedly agree with Thanos, to what my friend pointed out how unjust and silly it was to have no criteria whatsoever when it comes to deciding who disappears and who is left behind. At that point, I interjected with that quote from Nolan’s The Dark Knight, as it seems to me that it perfectly encapsulates why it does, deep down, work.
Our world is based on the tense but joint existence of many opposite forces, none of which can exist without the other. Yet, humanity relentlessly strives to fight and dominate every force of nature that seems to provide no immediate benefit, or put our supremacy in danger.
Yet, old mythologies understood that there was no Control without Chaos, and that although we try to impose our Intention on every element of life, Chance always plays a part in every outcome. Greek mythology, for example, is full of stories of heroes and gods who tried to manipulate, avoid or command an inexorable situation, only to find themselves in a larger, unavoidable mess.
In The Dark Knight, Batman represents Intention itself. His will to control Gotham is a civilizing impulse that goes against the city’s natural proneness to violence. However, the Joker and Two-Face represent the opposite side of the coin. The Joker releases Chaos in Batman’s semi-organized world by appealing to the disregarded impulses that Batman refuses to acknowledge. Two-Face, on the other hand, lives by a simple and straightforward code: the only judgement that’s truly fair is that of Chance.
In Infinity War, both Thanos and the heroes are agents of Intention. But while Tony and his teammates are not willing to leave anything on the hands of luck, Thanos is willing to take the leap -possibly risking his own life- in order to fulfill his mission.
Yet, Chance is both fair and cruel. It has no morality, no rules, no principles. It’s only from an emotional standpoint that we can cry foul against its supposed injustice. That’s why the ending sequence of Infinity War is so devastatingly effective.
After spending the entire movie following Thanos’ quest, watching random people disappear into dust would probably elicit just a minor discomfort. What makes us truly question the validity of Thanos’ offer, is the fact that characters we actually care about are the ones suffering the consequences of his actions, and not just faceless strangers.
The sentence of Chance is, by all accounts, objectively fair. It’s through the lens of sentiment that we begin to see the cracks in the armor.
We might disagree with Thanos’ ways, but what we can’t say is that he wasn’t evenhanded. And that is, perhaps, the most terrifying part of his existence.
Is Thanos right? — The Avengers’ Perspective
From a purely practical view, we might say that Thanos is right, as he’s simply exerting a somewhat effective method of population control. It’s the same argument that many use in order to support morally questionable practices such as hunting –yet, by having non-human animals as targets of these activities, it’s a little easier to brush them off.
However, humans are complex beings. The human condition –to which even non-human characters are definitely prone to- exceeds the crude matter from which we are made of. That is, we are much more than the biological body that we inhabit.
In his obsession, Thanos is incapable of appreciating some abstract concepts that escape the more simple and straightforward idea of survival. In that sense, Tony and Vision are his direct counterparts.
In his first appearance in Infinity War, Tony is speaking openly about Life. More specifically, he is talking with Pepper about the idea of being a father, the most clear-cut human way of creating life. In this interaction, and in his role as a mentor/father-figure to Peter Parker, Tony embodies Life itself, confronting Death.
Looking back at the MCU, Tony’s journey has always involved the creation of Life in one way or the other. From the moment his heart was saved through the help of an electromagnet and an arc reactor; to his experiment with his own version of Frankenstein: the dangerous Ultron; Tony has been toying with the idea of creating and preserving Life for a long time.
It’s no wonder, then, that there’s a heartfelt yet brief moment of recognition between Tony and Thanos, in which the latter wounds Stark, yet not without asserting his respect for him. They recognize each other as equals, for they’re two sides of the same coin, similarly set in their resolve: Thanos, to extinguish life, and Tony to protect it.
Thanos’ radical tenacity is also reminiscent of one of Tony’s children: Ultron, who was created by Tony with the mission of defending life and keeping peace. Yet, as seen in Age of Ultron, after facing the reality of the world, Ultron’s mission gets irrevocably twisted, and he’s willing to sacrifice it all in order to perfect life according to his own terms, instead of preserving it as it is –as Tony initially wanted.
In that film, it’s Vision who embodies the other side of the coin. Newly born, yet unbelievably powerful, Vision perfectly summarizes Tony’s –and The Avengers’- approach to Life during his encounter with Ultron in the woods. Like Thanos, Ultron laments humanity’s steadfast journey towards their own doom, to what Vision answers:
“Humans are odd. They think Order and Chaos are somehow opposites and try to control what won’t be. But there is grace in their failings. I think you missed that. (…) but a thing isn’t beautiful because it lasts. It is a privilege to be among them.”
Vision sees brevity and self-destruction, not as enemies of Life, but as part of what makes it exceptional and worth preserving. His is not the scientific approach of austere survival, but an aesthetic approach that surpasses the organic.
It’s from a sensorial and emotional perspective that we can oppose Thanos’ or Ultron’s practicality. From a merely human point of view, we are willing to drive ourselves into the edge of ultimate destruction if it means to sustain a mean of satisfaction. Whether it’s the gratification of a loved one’s presence, or a pleasurable activity with questionable consequences. As humans, we see the beauty in these things, and we feel morally obliged to protect them, no matter the cost.
Think about the ‘not-trading-lives’ policy of The Avengers. Come what may, Life is too precious to exchange it or destroy it, even if it means dooming many. Tony and Vision are aware of this: that our flawed stubbornness is, also, beautiful and valuable. That without it, we are but shells of humanity, endlessly confined in the cycle of life.
Morally, Thanos is wrong, because his blind sense of equality also obliterates the individual experience. It overlooks the emotional or aesthetic value of everything.
Thanos is a fascinating villain, because his appearance will unequivocally force our heroes –and therefore, ourselves- to confront their own moral stance. And, as many have pointed out, it’s very likely that their dogmas about life will be severely challenged in the next installment, when negotiating with Life will probably become not just an option, but a necessity.
