Marvel Theory: Thanos Secretly Created Galactus In The MCU

A fan theory suggests Thanos will be responsible for creating Galactus, as their shared mission of cosmic balance could lead to the Fantastic Four villain's arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

On Reddit, u/UpwardSpiral00 wrote about Thanos' quest to seek balance across space and time, saying destroying the Infinity Stones after snapping half of all life from existence didn't make much sense. The reason? Time would eventually restore the total life taken, undoing the Mad Titan's plans. They suggest Thanos created Galactus with the Infinity Stones, allowing the Devourer of Worlds to consume planets to maintain the population throughout the universe: 

"So, my theory is, as part of his plan to remove the temptation of the stones but still ensure his great work would not be in vain, he created an insurance policy at the same time that he was destroying the stones. An agent of destruction that would keep life in check by not only being a cosmically powered force of nature that mere mortal heroes couldn't suppress but also by using burgeoning populations and biospheres for its own sustenance. A world devourer."

Thanos secretly creating Galactus might seem a tad farfetched at first glance, as his comic book origin has no direct connections to him. Still, the theory aligns with the purpose of the cosmic juggernaut's existence.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thanos uses the Infinity Stones to erase half of all life in the universe, believing it is a necessary sacrifice to restore cosmic balance in an overpopulated world. It's quite a different goal than his comic book counterpart, whose intentions are much more self-serving; he destroys half of life to please the living embodiment of Death. Galactus' existence is crucial in the continuation of the universe — with his hunger playing a pivotal role in balancing life and death. However, unlike Thanos, he destroys planets not for pleasure but to fuel his energy.

Before becoming Galactus, he was a human-like being named Galan from the planet Taa. With the destruction of the Sixth Cosmos, the Sentience of the Cosmos approached him to become reborn in the new universe. As a result, Galan became Galactus, feasting on planets in the new reality to prevent his death and potentially causing a new Big Bang and destroying the Seventh Cosmos. Additionally, it's explained Galactus' existence is meant to test worlds to see whether they are worthy of continuing.

Without Galactus, the universe might be thrown into peril. He takes lives to ensure the cosmic scales remain level. Thanos has a similar mindset in snapping half of all life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, albeit his machinations are entirely self-driven by his beliefs.

Galactus will almost certainly appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, potentially as soon as 2025's "Fantastic Four." And when he does, his origin may be changed. Making him the creation of Thanos to continue his quest for cosmic balance would not only work with what's been established on the cosmic side of the MCU but also give Galactus a purpose in a world without the Mad Titan.

With all that said, Galactus may remain close to his comic book counterpart and function as a terrifying but needed force, putting him in direct conflict with Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Connecting the villain to Thanos would add a new layer to Galactus' conquest. Armed with the Power Cosmic, he can be considered a more significant threat to the Avengers and be a stark reminder of Thanos' ultimate mission.

For now, Galactus' connection to Thanos is just a theory. But, with the MCU's willingness to change origins to better fit in the franchise — such as Kamala Khan being a mutant or different Avengers possessing elements of their Earth-616 and Ultimate Universe counterparts — Galactus becoming an agent of Thanos would make some sense and create an exciting legacy for the Mad Titan.