Warning: SPOILERS to follow for Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther!
Marvel's onscreen villains have often been criticized for being unmemorable, but you wouldn't know that from the studio's two biggest releases in 2018. Black Panther's Killmonger was played by Michael B. Jordan with pathos and fury, and Avengers: Infinity War's Thanos, played by Josh Brolin, delivered a villain that lived up to years of hype. So what would happen if these two ever came up against one another? This might seem like an easy win for the Mad Titan, but Killmonger might have a few tricks up his sleeve, as Michael B. Jordan explained:
I think the one thing about Killmonger is he really plans his attacks, and they're well thought out. So if he ever stepped in a situation with Thanos, he would feel confident that he had the upper hand---at the very least, he would know he had a shot. So I mean, we already know that Erik's willing to sacrifice himself for a greater good, so I don't think he's ever fearful of losing his life. So I think if he ever stepped in front of Thanos, he'd already have a plan for taking him down.
In Black Panther, we saw that Killmonger, for all his rage, is actually very cold and calculating. He had a plan and he executed it with ruthless efficiency. And as Michael B. Jordan told The A.V. Club, Killmonger is confident and willing to put himself on the line to achieve his goals, and the importance of confidence going in to a fight can't be understated. So going in to a battle with Thanos, Killmonger would be sure to have a plan of attack, and that's the key.
We saw in Avengers: Infinity War that a well-crafted plan has the potential to take down Thanos. Spider-Man almost had the gauntlet off of his hand when Peter Quill blew the game. But you could see from that scene that a solid strategy where everyone is on the same page could be what is needed to defeat the Mad Titan. Even with a clever plan and his trademark brutality, Killmonger would still be a massive underdog in this fight. Thanos beat Hulk to a pulp, Iron Man's suit wasn't strong enough and Cap's combat skills fell short, so even with a great mental game, Killmonger would be physically overmatched. That's all pre-complete gauntlet though. As long as that gauntlet is on Thanos' hand with a full complement of stones, victory will not be achieved.
Although Thanos and Killmonger are both villains, it actually would make sense for the exiled Wakandan to want to defeat the Titan. Killmonger (née N'Jadaka) is all about saving his people from oppression, but Thanos' snap is doesn't discriminate, wiping out everyone equally. So to save his people, Killmonger would have to save all peoples. However, unless they play with time or some alternate reality or resurrection shenanigans to bring Killmonger back to life, this battle will have to play out in our minds.
Anyone wanting to scout game tape on Thanos and come up with a plan of attack can rewatch Avengers: Infinity War when it hits digital on tomorrow (July 31) and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on August 14, complete with deleted scenes. Check out our guide for everything from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and for all the latest in fantasy matchups, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.
