A few weeks ago, a theory popped up on Reddit that said the Mind Stone has secretly been the main villain of the MCU this whole time, arguing that the relic seems to poison the mind of almost everyone who comes across it. Now, a new post from Broseph2576 builds on this speculation to add a new layer of significance to one particular line in Avengers: Infinity War.
The line in question is spoken by Thanos to Tony Stark during the pair’s long-awaited first meeting: “You’re not the only cursed with knowledge.” The Redditor suggests that it’s not knowledge, but the Mind Stone that has afflicted them both.
The theory takes things back to Avengers: Age of Ultron, when Scarlet Witch (who first got her powers from the Mind Stone), implants a vision of catastrophe in Tony’s head that pushes the hero to take risky measures to make things right, including the creation of the villainous Ultron. The theory then compares this to Thanos, who’s recently been on a mission of his own to save the entire universe, but in doing so, has caused mass genocide.
The user connects these two examples of heroism gone wrong with another Age of Ultron quote from Thor, who describes the Mind Stone as the center of “A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life.” From here, it’s concluded that the stone has warped the minds of both characters, leading to death and destruction.
While the evidence remains thin that this is what the Marvel Studios team had in mind for Avengers: Infinity War, there’s something to be said for how this post manages to add one more parallel between Stark and his greatest enemy. And if the theory appeals to you, then feel free to keep it as head canon until Avengers 4 offers some official answers when it hits theaters on May 3rd, 2019.