Infinity Gauntlet
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The Infinity Gauntlet is among the most powerful artifacts in the Marvel Universe. The Gauntlet consists of the six Infinity Gems mounted on a gold glove. Each Infinity Gem grants its bearer complete mastery over one aspect of the Universe:
With possession of all six Infinity Gems, the bearer would have complete omnipotence over the Universe, though not necessarily the omniscience required to effectively wield that power. Later comics added the existence of a seventh gem called the Ego Gem. Only one being, the omnipotent Living Tribunal, has ever been shown as a match for the Gauntlet's power having twice stopped the gems from working in unison. However, this may have something to do with the manner in which Adam Warlock wielded it.
The Thanos Quest
The Thanos Quest is a two-issue limited series, written by Jim Starlin, containing the first appearance of the Infinity Gauntlet. In the Thanos Quest, Thanos stole the six Infinity Gems from the Elders of the Universe that guarded the gems. At the end of the story, Thanos assembled the Gems into the Infinity Gauntlet, becoming the most powerful being in the Marvel Universe.
The Infinity Gauntlet limited series
The Infinity Gauntlet is a six-issue limited series, written by Jim Starlin and pencilled by George Perez and Ron Lim, and published by Marvel Comics group in 1990. In the series, Thanos uses his new power to kill half of the living beings in the Universe in an attempt to please Death. In response, many of the most powerful superheroes unite to battle Thanos for control over the Gauntlet and the Universe. Fortunately, Thanos is finally defeated by Adam Warlock, and the Infinity Gems are once again separated and given to six different bearers, forming the new Infinity Watch. In the aftermath, the Living Tribunal decides that the Infinity Gauntlet is too powerful an item in the hands of Adam Warlock, who is clearly not of a sound mind and unable to handle the powers granted by the Infinity Gauntlet: he acts irrationally by spelling out "God" with inhabited planets through sheer boredom, and then acts violently against the court of the Living Tribunal, behaving unfit for one in his station. Therefore, the Living Tribunal uses their powers to make the gems unable to function together, preventing anyone from achieving omnipotence by possessing all of the Gems.
The Infinity Gauntlet series was interwoven into the normal Marvel universe in a massive crossover and the resulting catastrophes had massive ramifications on the Marvel universe as a whole, with the events of the series being directly continued in the ongoing series Warlock and the Infinity Watch and the limited series/crossover event The Infinity War. Events in The Infinity Gauntlet also affected other ongoing Marvel series at the time, including Silver Surfer vol. 3 issues 54-59, and The Avengers vol. 1.
- What If...? appearances:
- *"What If Thanos Changed Galactus Into A Human Being?" (What If...? #34)
- *"What If The Silver Surfer Had The Infinity Gauntlet?" (What If...? #49);
- *"What If The Impossible Man Gained The Infinity Gauntlet?" (What If...? #104)
Marvel Super Heroes
Capcom, in 1995 released a fighting game (a follow-up to [[X-Men: Children of the Atom (arcade game)|]X-Men: Children of the Atom ]) based loosely on the events of the Infinity Gauntlet storyline titled Marvel Super Heroes, with a variety of heroes and villains battling each other for control of the Infinity Gems. All six gems were featured in the game and could be collected and used during a match. Thanos, the last boss, wields the Infinity Gauntlet during the final battle, with Doctor Doom appearing as his sub-boss.The playable characters were: Blackheart, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Juggernaut, Magneto, Psylocke, Shuma-Gorath, Spider-Man, and Wolverine, with Doom and Thanos being unlockable. Thanos had constant access to the six gems for his finishing moves, which involved effects unique to the character.
Upon beating Thanos you were treated to that character's ending which showed what he/she did after gaining the power of the Gauntlet. Notable ones include Magneto creating Avalon, Shuma-Gorath destroying the universe, and Adam Warlock making an appearance in Juggernaut's ending.
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