The Infinity Stones have been game changers in the Marvel Universe ever since their introduction. Often pursued by Thanos, these six artifacts of incalculable power have been used to attempt unspeakable atrocities, only to be thwarted by the heroes of Marvel every time. Even although the mad Titan is usually closely associated with them, in the recent Infinity Wars event, Thanos is taken out of the running at the beginning of the story by Requiem, who is quickly revealed to be none other than Gamora.
Wielding the Infinity Stones, Thanos’s favorite daughter quickly overcomes the Avengers and folds the entire universe in half. With the help of Loki, a group of heroes is able to obtain another set of these powerful gems to combat Gamora. As Loki notes, however, the relationship between the stones and their users is complex, a kind of inter-related circuit. As a result, they are only capable of achieving their full potential when wielded by the most suitable user. While all of these cosmic forces at play can be confusing, Marvel released an official chart that explained how they all work together as a circuit to fuel the Infinity Gauntlet.
THE POWER STONE
In the MCU, the Power Stone is a purple rock capable of destroying planets and other feats associated with sheer force. In the comics, the Power Stone is more associated with feats of physical strength. As a part of the Infinity Circuit, however, the power stone is proportionally related to one’s mental prowess.
This mind-over-matter aspect allows Emma Frost in Infinity Wars to gain more power from one stone than Gamora can welding all six simultaneously. Using her empowered diamond form, she effortlessly shrugs off blows that would fell Captain Marvel and dishes out punishment that can fell a god.
THE REALITY STONE
While the Marvel films show the Reality Stone as capable of remaking reality outright, the comics version of the Reality Stone allow access to other realities. The red colored Infinity Stone’s role in the circuit is related to one’s mastery of time.
After Captain Marvel retrieved it from another dimension, it eventually fell into the hands of ang the Conqueror, the ever persistent time-traveling foe of the Avengers. Infinity Wars shows Kang effortlessly using the reality stone to bring an army of versions of himself from across the multiverse into the fray. Kang’s efforts distract Gamora long enough for the rest of the team to make their moves.
THE TIME STONE
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Time Stone pulls double duty as the green Infinity Stone and as the Eye of Agamotto, which gives Doctor Strange and its other users the ability to control time itself, freezing or even rewinding it to redo past events.
However, its role in the comic book Infinity Circuit is related to one’s mastery of space. Although Doctor Strange wielded it and Ant-Man used it to great effect in Infinity Wars, it ended up bonding with a prison inmate named Hector Bautista
THE MIND STONE
The Mind Stone gave the Vision life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it also deals with mental abilities in the comic book Marvel Universe. Mental mastery is the name of the game when it comes to the yellow Infinity Stone. Telepathy, mind control, and other psychic feats are all in the wheelhouse of this particular gem.
Within the larger Infinity Circuit, however, it is one’s quality of soul that allows true mastery of its powers. During the events of Infinity Wars, it follows that Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan’s youthful innocence is what the stone needs to unlock the full measure of its potential. Ms. Marvel not only uses her newfound psychic abilities to mentally assault Gamora with potent illusions, but it also allowed her to see through Loki’s trickster nature.
THE SPACE STONE
Command over space itself is granted to whoever holds the Space Stone, the blue Infinity Stone. It gave teleportation abilities to a newly-revived Wolverine and Black Widow around the start of Infinity Wars. Before that, the minor Marvel character Pip the Troll kept it between his toes and used it to help Adam Warlock's team, the Infinity Watch transport from place to place.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Space Stone took the form of the Tesseract that the Red Skrull tried to control. While Thanos would eventually obtain it and use it as his chief mode of transportation, the Red Skull never unlocked its full potential and was only able to use it as an energy source for his various weapons.
THE SOUL STONE
The orange Soul Stone is perhaps the most cryptic of all the Infinity Gems. It connects its user to the afterlife, and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Soul Stone could only be attained by sacrificing the life of a loved one.
It also contains its own pocket dimension, where heroes like Adam Warlock and Gamora have spent some considerable time. While it grants its user a mastery of reality, it also contains a soul-devouring monster called Devondra that's almost impossible to stop and becomes a core part of Infinity Wars' finale.
After the events of Infinity Wars, Adam Warlock alters the Infinity Stones further, using the soul stone to grant all the gems their own sentience.Now, it remains to be seen how all of these stones will get along and if they can function together in the future.