Why Did Star-Lord Call Thanos ‘Grimace’? Explained

MCU has provided us with many supervillains over the years, but few can compare with the might and threat Mad Titan imposed on the whole universe. It eventually took an army of superheroes to stop him, which says a lot. Among those heroes was also Star-Lord, a guardian of the galaxy known for his sarcastic humor, which he often uses in inappropriate situations. He had no problem calling Thanos names even though the threat of the whole universe hung in the balance. The nickname he decided to go for was ‘Grimace.’ So why did Star-Lord call Thanos like that?

Grimace is a purple-looking creature and one of McDonald’s most famous mascots. It was introduced by McDonald’s in the early 70s as part of their marketing and advertising campaigns and gained huge popularity. We know Thanos has a purple skin tone, so Star-Lord apparently saw some resemblance with the Grimace and could not pass the opportunity to roast Mad Titan about it.

The fact that Star-Lord still remembered Grimace was amusing and reminded us that all those years spent in space could never erase the memories Peter created on Earth. On the contrary, he remembered them even stronger because of the way he was forced to leave his home planet. That being said, let’s see in more detail how did Thanos get his new nickname. Keep reading to learn more!

Star-Lord calling other people names is just like ‘another day in the office’

In ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ Thanos’s plan became apparent, and he was all in to find and collect the Infinity Stones. Of course, neither the Avengers nor Guardians of the Galaxy would let this happen. Gamora knew that she might be in danger and that Thanos would come looking for her because she was the only one who knew the Soul Stone’s location. She made Quill promise that he would kill her if Thanos ever got to her because of it.

Over the years, we got used to Star-Lord’s sarcastic tone of voice and behavior, and as someone who suggested a dance-off to save the universe, it is no surprise that he would also have a nickname for Thanos. When the Guardians arrived at Knowhere to get the Reality Stone from the Collector, Thanos was already there. He used that opportunity to capture Gamora.

Star-Lord loved Gamora and would do anything to protect or save her. He confronted Thanos, pointed a gun toward him, called him ‘Grimace,’ and demanded that he let go of Gamora. It was an intense scene, but funny nevertheless.

Thanos is a Titan in the MCU, a small difference from his Eternal-Deviant Hybrid physiology, and he has distinctive purple skin. Of course, that meant nothing to Star-Lord because, for him, the resemblance between the Mad Titan and Grimace was too strong to get by unmentioned. Like Thanos, Grimace is also a large purple creature and is one of Mcdonalds’ most popular mascots.

Grimace was very popular when Quill was a boy and still lived on Earth, so it is no surprise that this reference popped into his mind as soon as he saw Thanos. But let’s talk some more about this purple creature and see what else we know about it.

Grimace was a popular McDonald’s mascot when Star-Lord was a boy, and it still is

McDonald’s has developed popular mascots over the years that successfully help launch new products and run advertising campaigns. There is Mayor McCheese, Birdie the Early Bird, the Hamburglar, Mac Tonight, Fry Kids, Ronald McDonald, and his best friend, Grimace.

Grimace is a purple-looking creature and was first introduced in 1972. He was known as ‘Evil Grimace’ back then and posed as a villain who stole the cups in McDonald’s and prevented guests from having milkshakes. Today, Grimace is Ronald McDonald’s best friend and happily shares milkshakes with others.

This creature comes from Grimace Island and has a large family, and his character is described as someone who is ‘in touch with his feelings.’ As far as resemblances go, it’s fair to say that this is not something that could also be said for Thanos, but we now know what Star-Lord meant when he gave him a new nickname.

Regarding Grimace’s physical appearance, he is described as a large, rounded character with a somewhat amorphous or blob-like shape. His body lacks defined limbs, making him appear almost like a walking, purple blob. He is easily recognizable thanks to his purple shade, just like Thanos.

Grimace is also fairly tall compared to other McDonald’s mascots, and if we put it that way – a tall, purple, distinctive creature- Thanos could also be described like that. When Star-Lord gave this nickname to the Mad Titan, it was funny because it was true, and it also proved once again that everything reminds Quill of Earth, wherever he went. It is fair to say that Star-Lord’s character and comedic approach toward serious situations made every movie he was in a bit better.

What do you think about Star-Lord calling Thanos Grimace? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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