What Is The New Black Infinity Stone?
In “Thanos” #4, Death tries to kill her relentless suitor, attacking him with the full strength of her rage and anger. However, her powers don’t take him down. Instead, Thanos finds his footing, claims Death has become unworthy of her title, and unleashes the full might of his cosmic powers at her.
As the fight unfolds, Death scoffs at the Illuminati’s efforts in trying to stop it, taking the heroes out of the battle by showing them dark visions of their past.
As Thanos stands on the brink of defeat, he calls on the power he witnessed after being sucked into a black hole alongside Death — where he was previously stranded following a past fight with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
The broken-hearted Thanos manages to trap Death inside a prison of his creation, which appears to be a black Infinity Stone, explaining that having been trapped himself allowed him to forge a new dwelling where even she could be contained. He tells Death that she is being punished for her transgressions and that if she refuses to stand by his side, he will keep her as his own.
Outside the prison, the Illuminati ask Thanos how he created the Black Stone and what he intends to do with it. But he refuses to reveal what happened or how he was able to forge such a powerful item, one strong enough to trap Death. The series ends with Thanos escaping and looking at the gem as he calls for the world’s eventual end.
The confusing existence of the Black Infinity Stone
A black Infinity Stone has been teased by Marvel since “Thor” #6 (by Donny Cates, Nic Klein, Matt Wilson, and Joe Sabino). In that issue, after encountering the Black Winter, Thor is shown a dark vision of his future.
Thor, along with the reader, learns more about how his grandfather Bor was somehow connected to the Black Stone. The God of Thunder later refers to it as an Infinity Stone in “Thanos: Death Notes”. In “Thor” #33, Marvel appears to finally begin unwrapping the mystery of the Black Stone.
In the story, Thor travels to a mysterious and forbidden part of Asgard where he learns his grandfather attempted to plant the Galactus Seed to gain additional powers of the undead. However, a time-displaced Thanos interrupted Bor’s plan in his search to find the Black Stone. But the story was a misdirect, leading to the revelation that the god’s actions created Hela, not the seventh Infinity Stone Thanos sought.
Since then, it has seemed like Marvel would never follow through on the truth behind the Black Stone, with bits and pieces of its existence being teased but not fully explained. This makes the revelation in “Thanos” #4 a satisfying surprise.
