Written By: Nick Poulimenakos

The mad titan Thanos has been teased several times throughout the MCU films but by the time Avengers: Infinity War rolls into theatres, he will appear slightly different.

As seen in The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos is wearing gold plated armor, giving him a sense of superiority. But in Infinity War, Thanos will forgo the heavy armor in favour of a more practical and regal look and Avengers: Infinity War co-director Joe Russo says that this was done on purpose. Russo explains to IGN that Thanos dons a new outfit in an effort to aid his search for the infinity stones.

“[Thanos] has a more casual approach in this film, and it’s very philosophical for him. It’s part of his character definition. It’s a spiritual journey for him to collect the Stones, and one with which he doesn’t need armor. Once he starts acquiring the Stones, he doesn’t need armor in the same way he did when he was a war lord. It’s a very symbolic costume.”

Russo then goes on to tease the chaos Thanos will unleash upon Earth. Fans who were at Disney’s D23 Expo and Comic-Con this year will remember that the Infinity War footage showcased Thanos wielding the infinity gauntlet and destroying a planet with it. Russo says that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“It’s a staggering level of scale in the films. Sometimes we’re working on the third act in this movie and I’m like, ‘How are we going to pull this off?’ It’s so big,” he said. “[Thanos] has this incredible power — he has universe altering power if he gets his hands on the Stones — so I think people are going to be surprised at the scale in the movie.”

While some fans may be disappointed that Thanos won’t have his classic costume when fighting The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy, it does make sense in the context of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From Russo’s words, it would seem to hint that Thanos only wears the gold armor because he doesn’t have the infinity stones, and the armor allows him to feel above the rest of the galaxy. But, once he holds the stones and the gauntlet, he doesn’t need the armor anymore as he holds the most powerful objects in the universe.

Avengers: Infinity War flies into theatres on May 4, 2018.