Infinity Stones – MCU Avengers and Marvel Comics

The Infinity Stones are among the most powerful artifacts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), playing a pivotal role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), particularly in the saga concluding with “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame.” These mystical gems, also known as the Infinity Gems in the comics, represent fundamental aspects of the universe and grant their possessors unimaginable power.

The History of the Gems

As explained by the Collector in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” before the universe began, six singularities existed, which were transformed into the six Infinity Stones after the Big Bang. Each stone represents and controls a fundamental aspect of existence: Space, Mind, Reality, Power, Time, and Soul.

In the MCU, the stones were scattered throughout the cosmos, hidden or protected by various civilizations. Thanos, the main antagonist of the Infinity Saga, embarked on a mission to collect all six stones to place them in his Infinity Gauntlet and use their power to wipe out half of all life in the universe, believing his plan would save it from extinction.

The Six Infinity Stones and Their Powers

Space Stone (Blue)

The Space Stone, also known as the Tesseract, first appeared in “Thor” and later played a key role in “Captain America: The First Avenger” and “The Avengers.” This blue cube allows its user to create portals for teleportation between dimensions and locations in space. In the MCU, Loki used it to arrive on Earth, and Red Skull was transported to the planet Vormir by it.

Mind Stone (Yellow)

The Mind Stone was initially housed in Loki’s scepter, which Thanos gave him. It allows the user to control the minds of other beings and increases their intelligence. In “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the stone was used to create Vision, becoming an integral part of his forehead. The Mind Stone also grants the ability to create new life, as shown during Vision’s birth.

Reality Stone (red)

The Reality Stone, also known as the Aether, appeared in “Thor: The Dark World.” This gem allows for the manipulation of reality by altering matter at the molecular level. After the events of “Thor: The Dark World,” Lady Sif and Volstagg gave the Aether to the Collector to prevent the two Infinity Stones from being kept in Asgard (the other being the Tesseract).

Power Stone (purple)

The Power Stone appeared in “Guardians of the Galaxy” as a mysterious artifact hidden within a sphere. It grants its user enhanced strength and durability, as well as the ability to manipulate energy. After defeating Ronan the Accuser, the Guardians gave the stone to the Nova Corps on the planet Xandar, from where it was later stolen by Thanos.

Time Stone (green) – Doctor Strange

The Time Stone was protected by Doctor Strange in the Eye of Agamotto. It allows the manipulation of time—reversing, accelerating, freezing, and creating time loops. Doctor Strange used it to defeat Dormammu, creating a time loop that trapped both him and the interdimensional being.

Soul Stone (orange)

The Soul Stone was the least known stone until the film “Avengers: Infinity War.” Hidden on the planet Vormir, it required the sacrifice of someone loved by the person attempting to obtain it. Thanos sacrificed Gamora to obtain the stone. The Soul Stone allows the manipulation of souls and, in the comics, also allows the creation of an alternate dimension called the Soul World.

Infinity Gauntlet – Marvel

To harness the full power of all six Infinity Stones, Thanos created a special Infinity Gauntlet. In “Thor: Ragnarok,” we see the fake gauntlet in Odin’s vault when Hela passes through it and tosses it aside, calling it a “fake.”

The real Infinity Gauntlet was forged by the dwarves of Nidavellir at Thanos’ request. Once all the stones were placed in the gauntlet, Thanos gained limitless power, allowing him to wipe out half of all life in the universe with a single snap of his fingers.

Difference between the MCU and Marvel Comics

The Infinity Stones in the MCU differ significantly from their Marvel Comics counterparts, known as the Infinity Gems.

Naming and Colors

In Marvel Comics, these artifacts were initially called the Infinity Gems, not the Stones. Furthermore, the colors of the stones in the MCU have been changed compared to the original comics:

• Soul Gem: changed from green to orange
• Time Gem: changed from orange to green
• Space Gem: changed from purple to blue
• Reality Gem: changed from yellow to red
• Mind Gem: changed from blue to yellow
• Power Gem: changed from red to purple

Interestingly, following the success of the MCU, Marvel Comics changed the colors of the gems in the comics to match the film version, which is one of the clearest examples of the influence of the films on comics.

Usage

In the MCU, the Infinity Stones are depicted as extremely dangerous to ordinary beings. Direct contact with the stones can be fatal, as demonstrated by the Red Skull and the Space Stone. For this reason, the stones in the MCU are typically placed in special containers—the Time Stone in the Eye of Agamotto, the Mind Stone in the scepter, and the Space Stone in the Tesseract.

In the comics, the Infinity Gems can be safely used by virtually any character, even those with limited power. The comic book series preceding “Infinity Wars” showed characters like Black Widow and even the minor criminal Turk Barrett holding and using the gems without any ill effects.

Origins and Powers

Several sets of Infinity Gems existed in the comics. The original set was destroyed in “New Avengers #3” when Captain America used them to prevent an “incursion”—a collision of dimensions. New gems were created after the events of “Secret Wars” in 2015.

These new gems operated according to new principles—each one was powered by harnessing the primal power of a different gem. For example, mastery of the Power Gem depended on the user’s personal mastery of the mind, while the Mind Gem was powered by mastery of the soul. This meant that individually, the gems were only as powerful as their user’s specific abilities, though together they still created a positive feedback loop that granted the user infinite power.

Key Moments Featuring the Infinity Stones in the MCU – Avengers

Infinity War

The Infinity Saga culminated with Thanos collecting all six Infinity Stones and placing them in the Infinity Gauntlet. Thanos used their power to wipe out half of all life in the universe, leading to the dramatic conclusion of “Avengers: Infinity War.”

Endgame

After Thanos destroyed the Stones, the Avengers devised a time-travel plan to gather the stones from various points in the past and reverse Thanos’s actions. After the final battle with Thanos of the past, Tony Stark used the stones to destroy Thanos and his army, sacrificing his own life in the process.

Captain America then embarked on a journey to return the stones to the exact moments in time from which they were taken to prevent the creation of alternate timelines.

The Legacy of the Infinity Stones

Although the Infinity Stones were destroyed in the main MCU timeline, they appear in the Multiverse Saga, including the alternate universe film “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” where Thanos was defeated on his home planet of Titan by the Illuminati before he could collect all the stones.

The stones also appear in several MCU series on Disney+, in flashbacks in “WandaVision,” and in alternate universes in the first season of “Loki” and the animated series “What If…?”.

The Infinity Stones remain among the most recognizable and powerful artifacts in the Marvel Universe, and their impact on the MCU’s storylines cannot be overstated. Their history, powers, and significance to the entire Avengers saga have made them iconic elements of modern pop culture.