The Reality Stone is one of the six Infinity Stones, the remnant of a singularity that predates the universe, which represents the fabric of reality. Liquified into a dark red fluid called the Aether (pronounced ēTHər), the Dark Elves and their leader Malekith intended to use it to bring eternal darkness upon all of the Nine Realms.[1] Taken from the Elves by the Asgardians, it was later entrusted to the Collector following the conclusion of the Second Dark Elf Conflict.[2]
During the Infinity War, the Aether was retrieved from the Collector's Museum in Knowhere and solidified by the Mad Titan Thanos, who put the Stone inside his Infinity Gauntlet.[3] After collecting the rest of the Infinity Stones, Thanos used the complete Infinity Gauntlet to snap his fingers, causing half of all life in the universe to crumble into dust. Upon fleeing to Titan II, Thanos would ultimately destroy the Reality Stone and the rest of the Infinity Stones to avoid being tempted to use their powers and to ensure that the Decimation became irreversible.
