Thanos has a small role in Guardians of the Galaxy, and Marvel Studios had a specific reason why they wanted the Mad Titan to appear. The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise launched to great acclaim in 2014 as audiences met Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot. James Gunn's movie was a huge hit, and while the new characters it featured were a standout, even by MCU's overarching standards, many fans were also excited to see more of Thanos after his tease in The Avengers' post-credits scene.

Guardians of the Galaxy only includes Thanos sparingly, as he's used as the bigger baddie who Ronan the Accuser is working for. The Mad Titan also fits into the film due to his connection to Gamora and Nebula, as both of them were revealed to be his adopted daughters. The MCU didn't use this appearance to tease Thanos' power, as that was instead saved for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Since Marvel knew that Thanos was a looming threat the Avengers would one day face, his appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy was thought by many to be an example of the studio setting up the reckoning that he'd eventually bring to the MCU.

Related: Why Gamora Was Really Thanos’ Favorite Daughter

Thanos' appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy was actually done for a completely different reason. According to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige in The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they wanted Thanos to appear to elevate Ronan. Feige's thought process was that the Mad Titan could be someone Ronan stands up to, which could make him seem more intimidating to audiences, as he stated:

"It was to try to service Ronan in a better way. We put Thanos in there so that Ronan could tell him to [go to hell] - so that he evolved as a villain himself. There was not a lot of [Thanos] ground-laying, necessarily. It was simply furthering the story of these characters."

Guardians of the Galaxy Thanos Close Up

Feige's reasoning for Thanos appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy is sound, but many know that it didn't make it any easier to include him. Director James Gunn has said multiple times in the past that he didn't want to include the Mad Titan. In fact, he went as far as to say that Thanos' role in Guardians of the Galaxy made the movie more difficult for him to make. It is one of the only times Gunn has expressed frustration with working for Marvel Studios.

Although it makes sense why Marvel would want Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy and give Ronan a bigger and more powerful character to stand up to, the verdict is still out on whether or not it was successful. Ronan's most defiant act was killing The Other in Thanos' presence, but the Mad Titan turned around and said he'd "bathe the star-ways" with Ronan's blood, if he disappointed him. It also made Ronan look a bit more like a lackey and not his own menacing villain, even if he ultimately betrayed Thanos. Unfortunately, Ronan doesn't have much of an MCU future after his Guardians of the Galaxy demise for Marvel Studios to make him a stronger villain.

More: Infinity War: Why Thanos Actually Rewarded Ronan (Despite His Betrayal)

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