'The Flash': "Therefore She Is" Proves The Thinker is The Arrowverse's Thanos

Tonight’s episode of The Flash gave viewers a little more insight into The Thinker’s [...]

Tonight's episode of The Flash gave viewers a little more insight into The Thinker's motivations and it seems like he and Avengers: Infinity War's villain have something in common.

Spoilers for tonight's episode of The Flash, "Therefore She Is," and potentially Avengers: Infinity War, below.

Tonight's episode opened up with a flashback of the DeVoe's first meeting one another at Oxford University. Marlize (Kim Englebrecht) is speaking, but DeVoe (Neil Sandilands) disagrees with her. He goes on to talk about how the world needs and "enlightenment" and explains that the world is overburdened with too many people taking up resources. Later, in another flashback that shows the progression of Marlize and Clifford's relationship, Marlize discovers a journal that contains Clifford's horrifying master plan. Turns out the man who will become The Thinker wants to bring "balance" to the world.

Sound familiar?

That's right, in Avengers: Infinity War, bringing "balance" the universe is the goal of the villain Thanos as well, but the common goal isn't the only similarity between the two baddies. In Infinity War, Thanos has to collect six Infinity Stones to be able to have the ultimate power he needs -- via his Infinity Gauntlet -- to snap his fingers and eliminate half of the universe, a move that he believes will restore balance and unburden resources. On The Flash, DeVoe collected the so-called "bus metas" in order to collect their powers, powers that he intends to use to complete his device that will bring about his own form of balance -- in this case he is creating a network of satellites for his nefarious purpose but we're not sure quite what balance looks like for him yet. If the ease with which DeVoe has cruised through this season thus far is any indication, The Thinker and Thanos might end up having that ominous snap in common, too.

While the reveal that The Thinker and Thanos have jarringly similar motives, this isn't the first time this season the Arrowverse has had some significant similarities to Avengers: Infinity War. On Legends of Tomorrow, the heroes had to collect six totems in order to prevent a demon named Mallus from getting them and unleashing unendurable pain on the world. As the totems were critical to Mallus' plan as well, the demon had his allies -- specifically Damien and Nora Darhk -- trying to collect them for him. This is a direct parallel to Infinity War, in which Thanos' Black Order was helping him collect Infinity Stones, one that fans of Legends of Tomorrow wondered was intentional.

In fact, Mallus' acolytes were called The Order.

Of course, while there are major similarities between The Thinker and Thanos (and other elements of the Arrowverse), it seems that the two villains' endgames are different. Whereas Thanos wanted to eliminate half of the burden on the universe, The Thinker seems to want to do something almost more sinister -- his plans for enlightenment include taking away the intelligence of the world so that he can rule it all. Probably a good thing that he was usurped by Marlize tonight. Or is it?

The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

Avengers: Infinity War is in theaters now.

Do you think The Thinker is the Arrowverse's Thanos? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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