Whedon had an idea for the movie’s post-credits scene, one that stemmed from his deep knowledge of Marvel comics. In a vignette, he revealed that Loki’s Chitauri army was on loan from Thanos, one of the most terrifying villains in the Marvel cosmos, a large purple alien with a corrugated chin and a serious infatuation with death. Whedon wasn’t trying to set up Thanos as the Avengers’ next foe. Rather, he just wanted to provide an explanation for where Loki’s army came from, seasoned with a bit of fan service. For its part, Marvel Studios was so focused on making sure that everything came
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