Someone on Quora was asking how various Quorans would write a scene of Thanos's arrival on Xandar. Given that this involves writing, writing villains specifically, and Marvel, I figured this fit pretty perfectly in my wheelhouse.
Very minor spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War ahead, but this is how I would have handled such a scene.
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The Fall of Xandar
If such a thing had to be done (presumably as a Marvel one-shot), I’d do it from the perspective of an ordinary Xandarian on the ground. Have it open with Thanos’s ship having just appeared overhead. Panic in the streets. What remains of the Nova Corps fleet rushing to meet the enemy head-on, but the end is clear. Everyone knows those pilots won’t be coming back.
A PA drones in the background, echoing hauntingly through the streets, notifying residents not to panic, to retreat to their designated shelters in an orderly fashion, that the Nova Corps is prepared. The Nova Corps will save them.
No one listens. The PA fades further and further into the background the longer the film goes on. We see civilians fleeing in every direction. Even a few Nova Corps soldiers are joining them, looking terrified. Our POV character is rooted in place, staring up at the massive warship overhead. Just in time, we see Cull Obsidian kicking a Nova Corps tank away with a lazy push of his foot, seemingly unaffected by the blaster fire striking him repeatedly from all sides. He notices us. A Nova Corps fighter swings by overhead, distracting Cull Obsidian just long enough for our POV character to scramble away, but before the fighter can do anything, there is a flash of blue light as Proxima Midnight’s spear tears the fighter in half.
From our hiding place, we see Ebony Maw tearing open a set of heavy security doors from a distance, using only the power of his mind, as he gleefully announces to Xandar that the Savior of the Universe has come.
“Thanos is here, dear children! Worry not! For the Titan shall set you free!”
We get distracted by Nova Corps reinforcements arriving, but Corvus Glaive appears and makes short work of them, dispatching them with ruthless efficiency and ease. Once, he comes within inches of discovering our hiding spot, but he, too, has his attention drawn.
As we see Thanos emerging from the smoke. A terrified Nova Corpsman, just a kid, maybe a cadet, is clutching the orb, trying desperately to keep it from the Mad Titan’s grasp. The city around him is burning, and his uniform is in tatters. He must have barely escaped some sort of slaughter in the vault where the Orb was being kept. Only for Thanos to pursue him.
The Children of Thanos form up behind their leader. Corvus Glaive makes a move towards the Corpsman, but Thanos holds up a hand. His expression is soft, almost gentle. He moves slowly towards the kid.
“There now, child,” he says softly. “I don’t want to hurt you. All I want is the Orb.”
“You can’t have it! Y-you can’t! You…killed…”
“I want to save you, boy,” whispers Thanos, getting down on one knee to look the boy in the eye. “I want to save all of you.”
He reaches out, stretching forth his hand to take the Orb. For a second, it looks like the boy will relent and give it to him. But at the last second, the boy scrambles back, tears streaking down his face. He can’t back away far. There’s a wall behind him that impedes his progress. He’s trapped.
Thanos’s expression is one of regret. Mixed with respect.
“I understand,” says Thanos, reaching for the Orb. “You are a brave man.”
He crushes the boy’s head in his fist with hardly an effort, and the body crumples to the ground as Thanos scoops up the orb. As he turns, he sees us. But his expression remains soft.
“I want to save you all,” whispers Thanos. “And I promise you, I will. No matter the cost.”
As Thanos and the Children of Thanos vanish into the smoke, the camera zooms in on our terrified POV character, and pans around to show the scope of the destruction.
The screen slowly fades to black, taking all the background sound with it.
Only the endless loop of the PA remains.
“Please remain calm…The Nova Corps is on the way…the situation will be resolved soon…please remain calm…”
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