Thanos (2003 series) #2

After the events of Marvel Universe: The End Thanos decided to make amends for some of his past misdeeds starting with the destruction of Rigel-3 by 1 of his doppelganger Thanosi (in Thor Annual 2000). So he headed for the new Rigellian homeworld (boringly called  New Rigel-3). But Adam Warlock had an inexplicable compulsion to travel that way too so he hitched a ride in the Mad Titan's Sanctuary spaceship. The Rigellians were understandably hostile when Thanos turned up, and were confused when he surrendered and asked how he might help them.

The Rigellians now have the Titan constrained in a photon block and surrounded by armed troops while Warlock confers with the Grand Commissioner. A Recorder android is with them, continually stating the obvious as usual. Adam says he believes Thanos means what he says but he's always unpredictable, so he advises taking advantage of his offer but aim to get him away as soon as possible. The HC explains that they have a problem on Rigel-18 which the MT might be able to resolve. But the HC (and the Recorder) are also interested in AW about whom they know little, so Adam gives them (and us) a potted biography with lots of Thanos content.

He was created on Earth by scientists who intended to use him to rule the world, but he wasn't that way inclined and left the planet (Fantastic Four #66-67). He met the High Evolutionary (in Marvel Premiere #1) who gave him the Soul Gem (and the name Warlock) to battle the Man-Beast on Counter-Earth (in his 1st series). There he died for the 1st time (but was resurrected) (but this part happened in Hulk #176-178). Later (in Strange Tales #178-181 and a continuation of his own series) he met Thanos (and Gamora and Pip) as an ally against the Universal Church of the Magus. Later they were enemies (Avengers Annual #7 & Marvel Two-In-One An#2 and the Infinity Gauntlet event).  But later still they were allies again against common threats (Infinity War is shown, but also Infinity Crusade, the Infinity Watch series and Infinity Abyss). Most recently (MU: The End) he saw the Titan become the supreme being of the universe and give it up to set things right.

On their way to where Thanos is being held the trio walk down a corridor of guards towards General Zygo and suddenly find themselves surrounded and arrested in a military coup. Zygo also boasts that he has a device that will trigger the photon block to contract and squash the Titan to a very small cube. But we see his target's eyes light up. Then he orders Warlock taken away to a cell because he might be useful. Adam is shoved and pretends to trip into a soldier. Others think he's trying to escape and pile on him, but when they get up he's not there. But he drops down from above and defeats them all with his martial skills, claiming that they are too reliant on their technology. They have minimal offensive and defensive tactics and they lack the brutality of the Skrulls, the discipline of the Kree or the ruthlessness of the Shi'ar. When he's finished the Commissioner comments that they werE their elite soldiers. Then they rush to the chamber where the Titan was and find the photon block gone and his guards all killed by gamma radiation. The Titan was never truly a captive.

Then his voice calls them into an adjoining chamber where he claims to have made several improvements for the Rigellians. This involved him hacking their central database so he's increased its security. He's modified their beta-soy to increase its yield. He's halved the time for their planetary teleportational defence system to come on-line. And he's left them an improved design for their star fleet's propulsion system. He comments that much else in their techology is outdated compared with their neighbours, and he could help there. (The Rigellian Colonisers rely on appropriating the tech of alien races they have conquered.) But there is 1 more thing he can do immediately to "guarantee the loyalty of the armed forces and improve the quality of the gene pool". He kills General Zygo who was about to shoot them all with an experimental molecular disrupter. Adam warns him that all this killing isn't doing his reformed image much good. Thanos says he'll think about it.

The HC lets him know that Rigel-18 is where the big problem is. The Titan says his personal teleportation system can get them there. He creates a portal and steps through followed by AW, HC and the Recorder. And on the other planet they find the worldship of Galactus which the HC tells them has been here for 3 days. Thanos finds it odd that Big G has delayed consuming the planet. It's also odd that he has a parabolic antenna focused on the sun. And the glowing eyes in a black panel from last issue make their only appearance in this issue to say "They have arrived. All goes as planned."

Thanos knows that if he still had the absolute power (from MU:TE) Galactus would be no problem, but his normal power can't compare with Big G. However this doesn't mean he can do nothing. Adam lets him know that the compulsion that drove *him* seems to be satisfied now he's here, but he doesn't think his Soul Gem can affect Galactus, who is more on a par with Eternity and Infinity. Thanos says he'll honour his pledge to the Rigellians, but he'll need to call on agents familiar to Warlock. But Galactus would already have devoured the world if that was his intention. So he needs to discover what Big G really wants and then he might be able to negotiate. If not then to assuage Adam's conscience he'll merely try to disrupt his plans. But if all else fails then Galactus must die.