Special requirements apply to the Soul Stone, and the audience on Terra was shocked. You need to sacrifice your loved one to obtain it. It is far more difficult to acquire than the other Stones.
"Does Thanos even have someone he loves?"
"He only loves himself!"
"He wiped out half the life in the entire universe, and you're telling me he still knows love?"
"It looks like he won't be able to obtain the Soul Stone."
"The Soul Stone is interesting. It actually has an independent consciousness and can even avoid danger on its own!"
"This is also an opportunity. Thor's Stormbreaker and this Stone are the key."
"So does that mean no one can obtain the Soul Stone?"
"Good grief. Without it, Thanos can't complete the snap?"
"Is it possible that Thanos' beloved is Gamora? I think he's always treated Gamora well."
At the Administration.
The Director, who was standing in front of the blackboard, looked a little excited. Stormbreaker had been successfully forged, and Thanos had no apparent way to obtain the Soul Stone. Everything seemed to be progressing smoothly.
Tonio said with a smile, "Although I don't know why the Soul Stone requires the sacrifice of a loved one, it's good to see that Thanos can't get the Soul Stone. We can finally breathe a sigh of relief."
A notice was issued from the High Council, as Terra had already begun warning all personnel. It was clear they were preparing for the aftermath of the Snap. Now, the situation appeared much less stressful.
The Director nodded, and he wrote another note beneath the words "Soul Stone." Requires the sacrifice of a loved one.
"That's right. As long as Thanos can't gather all Stones... And as long as the Time Stone and the Soul Stone aren't in his hands... Of course, he may continue sending people to seize the Soul Stone on Earth. But that's still a much better situation."
The office was filled with relief.
The captured memories continued to play.
After hearing the Red Skull explain the required sacrifice, Gamora suddenly burst into heartfelt laughter. "All my life, I dreamed of a day... a moment... when you got what you deserved. And I was always so disappointed."
Gamora walked past Thanos. Looking at him, she smiled. "But now... You kill and torture... and you call it mercy."
Gamora pointed toward the abyss and a sneer spread across her face. "The universe has judged you. You asked it for a prize, and it told you no. You failed. And do you wanna know why? Because you love nothing. No one."
Amid the snow, Thanos stood at the edge of the cliff, and he seemed shaken by Gamora's words. Slowly, he turned around. Looking at her, he said calmly, "No."
Gamora sneered and shook her head. "Really? Tears?"
The audience stared in disbelief. There was indeed a tear running down Thanos' face, and no one understood what was happening.
The Red Skull said quietly, "They're not for him."
Gamora's expression changed, and her smile disappeared instantly as she realized why Thanos was crying.
Viewers also understood.
"No way..."
"Does Thanos really love Gamora? His adopted daughter?"
"This... F**k! Damn it!"
"What kind of madness is this? Does Thanos actually care about Gamora?"
"I don't believe it!"
"Those are crocodile tears."
Thanos turned and walked toward Gamora, while horror filled her face. "No. This isn't love."
Thanos looked directly at her. "I ignored my destiny once. I cannot do that again. Even for you."
Gamora lowered her head as a bitter realization dawned on her. In the end, she would be the one who lost. She had believed Thanos could never obtain the Soul Stone, but reality drove her into despair. She could no longer make up for her mistake.
Suddenly, Gamora drew her blade, and she stabbed it straight toward herself. She intended to take her own life, so Thanos could never use her as the sacrifice for the Soul Stone. But just before the blade touched her body, it vanished from her hand, turning into bubbles that drifted into the air. Gamora fell into despair, and tears streamed down her face.
Thanos was still crying. "I'm sorry, little one."
He grabbed Gamora by the arm and dragged her toward the edge of the cliff.
"No!" She struggled desperately, but she couldn't overcome Thanos' overwhelming strength.
The Director stared at the scene, and his expression almost looked crazed. "Impossible! How could Thanos genuinely have feelings for Gamora? That doesn't make any sense!"
The other experts wore nearly identical expressions.
Xiaotian turned pale, but he sneered. "How is it impossible? I seriously suspect Thanos did this intentionally! He probably figured everything out long ago and deliberately raised this girl, Gamora. Those tears are absolutely disgusting!"
But no matter what anyone said, nothing could change the reality before them. Gamora's agonized screams cut through everyone's hearts like a knife, shattering all of their hopes.
The Director's hand trembled as he held the marker. The few words he had just written now looked painfully ironic.
Amid the snow, the Mad Titan wept. Holding Gamora's hand, he dragged her toward the cliff. Behind him, Gamora struggled desperately, yet Thanos never hesitated.
As they reached the cliff, Thanos exerted force. With a single motion, he threw Gamora into the abyss. Her desperate screams echoed across the mountaintop, only to be swallowed by the howling wind and snow.
Thanos was in tears as he looked down into the endless chasm, and his fists clenched tightly. He truly seemed to be mourning Gamora's death.
As Gamora died, the entire mountain released a strange wave. Dark clouds rolled above the two enormous stone monuments. A gigantic depression formed overhead. Gray streams of energy spread in every direction. A terrifying aura engulfed the entire mountain.
The Destroyer closed his eyes as even his soul trembled. When he awoke, he found himself beside a tranquil lake. Thanos slowly stood up, and he looked at his golden Infinity Gauntlet. There was still no Soul Stone set within it. But when he raised his right hand, an orange stone rested in his palm, glowing brilliantly. Gamora's death had granted him the original Soul Stone he had sought for so long.
Back at the Administration.
The Director let out a heavy sigh as he marked the words "Obtained" next to the Soul Stone.
"So now, Thanos possesses a total of four Infinity Stones. The critical issue is that the more original Stones Thanos obtains, the more his own abilities and combat power increase dramatically." With a bitter smile, the Director forwarded the relevant information to the High Council, as some decisions could only be made at their level.
The entire meeting room fell silent once more as the Snap was drawing ever closer because only two Infinity Stones remained.
Johan said solemnly, "One is on Titan, waiting for Thanos to come. The other is on Earth. We still don't know whether it has been successfully extracted."
Everyone fell into deep thought.
The captured image suddenly shook, then quickly stabilized.
"Huh? That's Rogers' aircraft. Are they heading to Wakanda?" The Director stared intently at the screen. Now that Thanos had obtained the original Soul Stone, the remaining Stones might be the final chance to stop him from gathering all the Stones.
"Wakanda must destroy the Mind Stone. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable."