Summary

• Marvel teases a sequel to Infinity Gauntlet with the potential "ultimate destruction" event in Thanos #3.
• Thanos #3 reveals that Mistress Death went to the Illuminati for help, and in exchange, she'll let them look into the Infinity Well in order to prepare for their "ultimate destruction".
• The Infinity Well plays a crucial role in setting up events in the original Infinity Gauntlet, and it will again for this potential new storyline.

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Thanos #3! Infinity Gauntlet was more than just the first time Thanos was shown as a true cosmic threat, and it also hammered home his undying love for Mistress Death, which was proven when he eliminated half of all life in the universe with the snap of his fingers. And now, decades later, Marvel is setting up the sequel Infinity Gauntlet deserves by teasing the Marvel Universe’s “ultimate destruction”.

In Thanos #3 by Christopher Cantwell, Luca Pizzari, and Germán Peralta, Thanos has taken the entire city of Fresno, California hostage in order to talk to one person: Mistress Death (sort of). At this time, Mistress Death has turned herself into a mortal to experience what it truly means to live and die as a human, and she did so with the help of the Illuminati. While Thanos effectively unravels Mistress Death’s experiment for his own selfish reasons, readers are given the full backstory explaining how these events unfolded to begin with.

When Mistress Death went to the Illuminati for help, they said they’d assist in making her human (without alerting the other Abstract Entities) for a price. Mistress Death agreed to their , and offered them the chance to gaze into the Infinity Well in order to see the extinction of their world, which Mistress Death promised, “will occur sooner than you think”. This extinction-level event - from Mistress Death’s own lips - is described as the “ultimate destruction”.

Marvel’s Coming “Ultimate Destruction” is Linked to Infinity Gauntlet (in More Ways Than 1)

Infinity Gauntlet began with a gaze into the Infinity Well, as will the potential “ultimate destruction” event!

The events of this Thanos storyline are a direct continuation of Infinity Gauntlet, as the feelings Thanos has for Mistress Death have never been stronger than they are right now, aside from how strong they were in Infinity Gauntlet. The series even makes a point to call back to Infinity Gauntlet in the opening text, further proving that point. And now, this Thanos series is directly setting up a new potential Marvel Comics event with this “ultimate destruction”, making it the bridge between Infinity Gauntlet and this potential future storyline.

Beyond Thanos, the real link between Infinity Gauntlet and the potential “ultimate destruction” is the Infinity Well. It was during Thanos Quest that Thanos gazed into the Infinity Well and learned how he could obtain the Infinity Gems, which directly set up the Infinity Gauntlet storyline. And now, the Infinity Well is integral in establishing yet another event just as it did with Infinity Gauntlet.

Marvel’s “Ultimate Destruction” Could Be a Threat From the Newly-Established Ultimate Universe

Marvel Comics just established an all-new Ultimate Universe that was created by one of the last-surviving of the original Ultimate Universe, the Maker. The storylines that take place within this reality have only just begun, though it seems this new Ultimate Universe could be the death of the original. The word ‘ultimate’ has always held significance in Marvel Comics, meaning the seemingly strategic placement of the word in “ultimate destruction” could be teasing the involvement of the new Ultimate Universe. Perhaps this event will be more than just a sequel to Infinity Gauntlet, but also an all-new Secret Wars?

Regardless of whether the new Ultimate Universe will be the cause, this issue of Thanos teases that an extinction-level event is coming for Marvel’s greatest heroes, and the only way they can survive is by looking into the Infinity Well and learning exactly what they’re in for. Based on these plot points, Marvel Comics’ potentially “ultimate destruction” event - as teased in Thanos - will be the sequel Infinity Gauntlet truly deserves.

Thanos #3 by Marvel Comics is available now.