Why Does Thanos' Chin Look Like That in 'Avengers: Infinity War'?

In Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel fans learned all about the history of the villainous Thanos, and [...]

By Charlie Ridgely

In Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel fans learned all about the history of the villainous Thanos, and why he's hell-bent on destroying half the known universe. What they didn't learn however, is why his face, specifically his chin, looks so ridiculous.

Thanos' chin is marked with more than a few straight-line scars, running from his mouth to his neck. It's an odd look to be sure, and many have wondered why that's they style that was landed on when originally designing the character. Like most things in Marvel comics, the strange face of Thanos actually has an explanation.

The biggest reason behind Thanos' somewhat hideous appearance his the race that he actually belongs to.

Both of Thanos' parents are members of a race known as The Eternals, powerful beings created by the Celestials themselves. However, when the Celestials brought life to the Eternals, they also created Deviants. While the Eternals are beautiful, humble beings, Deviants are much more malicious and grotesque. Because the Deviant gene is random, much like the mutant gene in X-Men, any Eternal give birth to a Deviant, and not know it until they arrive.

This is what happened to Thanos. He happens to carry the Deviant gene, unlike the rest of his family. While they looked a lot like humans, he was born looking like a monster, hence the scars on his face.

The other big reason behind Thanos' facial structure is that he was inspired by another iconic comic book villain. One that had a very similar structure and skin tone.

Of course, we're referring to DC's Darkseid, who Jim Starlin used as a major inspiration when he was creating Thanos in the '70s. Over the years, Thanos has ditched a lot of the major connections to Darkseid, though his facial scars still remain.

What do you think of Thanos' style in Avengers: Infinity War? Should the studio have dropped the scarred look, or are you glad they kept it around? Let us know what you think by dropping a comment below!

Avengers: Infinity War is currently in theaters around the world, breaking box office records left and right. Marvel will follow up the blockbuster with Ant-Man and the Wasp on July 6.

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