I Love How Thanos' New Weapon Has Transformed Him into a Different Kind of Threat

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Phoenix #7! Even the most casual fans know that Thanos is one of the greatest threats in the Marvel Universe, especially when he wields artifacts of power such as the Cosmic Cube or the Infinity Gauntlet (after collecting all the Infinity Stones, of course). And now, Thanos has become arguably more threatening than he’s ever been before, as he’s currently in possession of a new kind of cosmic weapon the likes of which fans have never seen him wield before.

In a preview for Phoenix #7 by Stephanie Phillips and Marco Renna, Jean Grey (who has fully bonded with the Phoenix Force) has joined forces with Captain Marvel, Nova, Lady Sif, and Rocket Raccoon to defeat Thanos before he succeeds in conquering the entire universe. How is Thanos planning to conquer the entire universe? With one cosmic weapon: the Warlock’s Eye.

The Warlock’s Eye grants its wielder unparalleled telepathic power on a universal scale, including and especially mind-control. With the Warlock’s Eye, Thanos can simply force every life form across the cosmos to revere him as their unquestioned leader. All it takes is a mere thought, and Thanos becomes the ruler of the universe - and Phoenix cannot let that happen.

Thanos Has Never Been More Powerful than He is with the Warlock’s Eye

Whenever Thanos Wields Reality-Warping Power, He Tends to Self-Sabotage

Having the power to instantly turn every life form in the universe into his slave proves that Thanos is more powerful than he’s ever been with the Warlock’s Eye. But, truth be told, the real reason he’s more powerful with the Warlock’s Eye than he was with the Cosmic Cube or the Infinity Gauntlet isn’t due to the power the Warlock’s Eye offers, but the power it doesn’t.

The Warlock’s Eye only gives Thanos god-tier telepathic/mind-control powers, as opposed to artifacts like the Cosmic Cube and Infinity Gauntlet, which offer Thanos reality-bending abilities - and that’s a good thing. It’s been noted in Marvel Comics (most notably by Adam Warlock in the Infinity Gauntlet event) that Thanos has a tendency to subconsciously self-sabotage when he has that level of omnipotence. With the Warlock’s Eye, however, he has the means to control the universe without getting overwhelmed, eliminating the chances of self-sabotage and all but ensuring ultimate victory.

Thanos May Be Powerful with the Warlock’s Eye, but He Has 1 Weakness: Phoenix

The Phoenix Force is Immune to the Warlock’s Eye

While the Warlock’s Eye seems great for Thanos, it does have one major weakness: Phoenix. The Phoenix Force is immune to the cosmic telepathy offered to those who wield the Warlock’s Eye, which means that not only is Thanos incapable of bending the Phoenix’s will to his own, but he’s also unable to mentally track her across the universe. Of course, Thanos literally has eyes everywhere because of the near-omnipresence the Warlock’s Eye grants him, but Phoenix herself is a blind spot to him, which is especially bad news for Thanos in this case.

Thanos and Phoenix have never really been direct enemies in the past, but they certainly are now, which is unfortunate for Thanos given that the Phoenix is the living weakness to his new artifact of cosmic power. However, even with the Phoenix threatening his goals, Thanos is still insanely powerful with the Warlock’s Eye - arguably the most powerful he’s ever been in Marvel Comics.

Phoenix #7 by Marvel Comics is available January 22, 2025.