Find the Infinity Stones in Marvel’s alternate dimensions

Sun 20 Aug 2017

The ‘Alternate dimensions’ room in ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’ looks at the realms beyond Earth traversed by Ant-Man, Doctor Strange and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Through artwork, costumes, props and film sequences, their adventures into the Quantum Realm (Ant-Man 2015), Astral and Mirror Dimensions (Doctor Strange 2016), and other galaxies (Guardians of the Galaxy 2014) are explored.

This room also highlights the role of the Infinity Stones, found throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holding immense power, the six gems are sought after by the super-villain Thanos in his quest for galactic domination.

Five of the stones have been depicted to date: the Space Stone is located within the Tesseract (Captain America: The First Avenger 2011, Marvel’s The Avengers 2012); the Power Stone is within the Orb (Guardians of the Galaxy 2014); the Reality Stone is suspended in the Aether (Thor: The Dark World 2013); the Mind Stone is in the forehead of Vision (removed from Loki’s sceptre in Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015); and the Time Stone is found in the Eye of Agamotto (Doctor Strange 2016). The location of the sixth gem, the Soul Stone, has yet to be revealed.

Alternate dimensions room highlights

Orb

Rubber, resin, plastic from Guardians of the Galaxy 2014. The purple Power Stone unleashes devastating destructive energy. It is contained with the intricately crafted Orb, and it is currently held in a Nova Corps vault on the planet Xandar.

Collector costume

Jacket with attached cape (vinyl, metal, leather, calf-hair on hide, curly goat fur); trousers (wool); suspenders (polyester); gloves (leather); ring (metal); boots (leather, rubber, metal) from Guardians of the Galaxy 2014

Loki’s sceptre with stand

Resin, plastic, metal, Plexi acrylic glass, wood from Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015. Thanos gifted the yellow Mind Stone, mounted in a Chitauri sceptre, to treacherous Asgardian Loki, to help him conquer Earth. It is later used by Hydra to unlock the powers of the Maximoff twins Wanda (Scarlet Witch) and Pietro (Quicksilver). Taken back by the Avengers, it brings the vengeful android Ultron to life. It is currently embedded in the forehead of Vision, the Avengers’ most recent recruit.

Tesseract

Plexi acrylic glass from Captain America: The First Avenger 2011. The blue Space Stone, held within the Tesseract, creates dimensional portals across the universe. It is used by Hydra to power vicious weaponry until it is retrieved by S.H.I.E.L.D. Loki attempts to regain it on behalf of Thanos, but Thor eventually delivers it to safety in Asgard.

Aether

Gobo, lighting gel, light inspired by Thor: The Dark World 2013. The red Reality Stone takes a fluid form as the Aether and converts matter into dark matter. During a once-in-millennia Convergence of the realms, astrophysicist Jane Foster becomes infused with the Aether. Sought by the Dark Elves, it is eventually delivered to the Collector for supposed safekeeping.

The guardians

On the day of his mother’s death, the young Peter Quill is kidnapped and transported into space, where he grows into a pan-galactic treasure hunter and legend in his own mind. He falls into space prison with trigger-happy, raccoon-like Rocket, sentient tree Groot, Drax the Destroyer and Gamora, favourite adopted daughter of arch-villain Thanos. These ‘Guardians’ contend with the genocidal Ronan the Accuser, who sends the mercenary Korath the Pursuer to find the purple Power Stone on behalf of Thanos. The stone, housed in The Orb, is obtained by Gamora’s sister Nebula and delivered to Ronan, who intends to use it to eradicate the Xandarians, whose Nova Corps military force are at constant war with Ronan’s Kree people. After Ronan is defeated by the Guardians and fails to deliver The Orb, Thanos resolves to collect all the devastatingly powerful Infinity Stones for himself.

thanos

The infinity stones

The Infinity Stones are ancient cosmic artefacts, each commanding a facet of existence. These stones are sought out by ambitious individuals, including the Collector Taneleer Tivan, who hoards a vast trove of interstellar oddities in his museum on the mining colony of Knowhere.

The blue Space Stone

The blue Space Stone, held within the Tesseract, creates dimensional portals across the universe. It is used by Hydra to power vicious weaponry until it is retrieved by S.H.I.E.L.D. Loki attempts to regain it on behalf of Thanos, but Thor eventually delivers it to safety in Asgard.

The purple Power Stone

The purple Power Stone unleashes devastating destructive energy. It is contained with the intricately crafted Orb, and it is currently held in a Nova Corps vault on the planet Xandar.

The red Reality Stone

The red Reality Stone takes a fluid form as the Aether and converts matter into dark matter. During a once-in-millennia Convergence of the realms, astrophysicist Jane Foster becomes infused with the Aether. Sought by the Dark Elves, it is eventually delivered to the Collector for supposed safekeeping.

The yellow Mind Stone

Thanos gifted the yellow Mind Stone, mounted in a Chitauri sceptre, to treacherous Asgardian Loki, to help him conquer Earth. It is later used by Hydra to unlock the powers of the Maximoff twins Wanda (Scarlet Witch) and Pietro (Quicksilver). Taken back by the Avengers, it brings the vengeful android Ultron to life. It is currently embedded in the forehead of Vision, the Avengers’ most recent recruit.

the green time stone

Held in the Eye of Agamotto, the green Time Stone loops, accelerates and reverses time. When he is initiated to the mystic arts, Doctor Strange uses the Eye to battle Kaecilius and his zealots, and to entrap the malevolent Dormammu. The Eye now resides at Kamar-Taj, the headquarters of the Masters of the Mystic Arts.

DELVE DEEPER INTO THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE and WATCH OUR BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEOS

Go behind the scenes of ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’ to experience more than 500 unique objects from your favourite films, never-before-seen iconic objects which offer a glimpse into the work of production designers, storyboarding and pre‑visualisation artists, costume and prop designers, and visual effects artists alongside the original comic books which introduced the characters and influenced the films.

TICKETS CINEMA | EXHIBITION | UP LATE / BUY THE PUBLICATION

Purchase tickets for ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe‘ online or the ticket desk 10.00am-4.00pm daily, and until 8.00pm Wednesday. ‘Marvel’ film screenings and ‘Marvel’ Up Late are separate ticketed events.

‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’ has been organised by QAGOMA in collaboration with Marvel Entertainment. Experience ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’ only showing at GOMA in Brisbane until 3 September 2017.

Amanda Slack-Smith is exhibition curator ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’ and Associate Curator, Australian Cinémathèque, QAGOMA
Feature image: Installation view of Guardians of the Galaxy 2014 in the ‘Alternate dimensions’ room, ‘Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe’, GOMA 2017 / Photograph: Natasha Harth © QAGOMA