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In the Avengers: Infinity War on the planet Titan, when Thanos sees Dr.Strange he says

Thanos: I take it that Maw is dead? This day extracts a heavy toll.

How does he know which member of Black Order went after the Time stone?

Even if he is somehow aware that Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian went after the Time stone as a team, why didn't Thanos consider Cull Obsidian being dead?

Am I missing something?

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    Could it be that Cull reported in after being picked up by Proxima and Corvus, still on Earth?
    – DanDoubleL
    Commented Jul 3, 2018 at 22:10
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    @DaniellYancey: Similarly, Maw could've reported in before he was killed, letting Thanos know he was on his way with Strange but without Cull.
    – Flater
    Commented Sep 28, 2018 at 9:55

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The explanation might be very simple. Maw seems to act somewhat as Thanos's chief lieutenant. When they arrive on Earth, it is Maw that takes the lead. He also appears to be significantly more powerful than Cull.

It appears that the plan was to get the Time Stone and regroup with Thanos on Titan. The fact that Stephen Strange is on Titan but free indicates that they failed. His comment about Maw may simply indicate that his favored lieutenant, the person he put in charge of the operation failed.

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  • I'd be inclined to agree with this interpretation - after all, in NYC when Cull runs at Iron Man and is blasted backwards, Maw just gestures and flings him aside rather than catching him etc. This to me shows that Maw's in charge and Cull is more of a flunky than an equal.
    – Dave
    Commented Jun 30, 2018 at 19:55
  • Why did Thanos not assume Cull is dead? I think he either does, or doesn't care; he's Maw's lackey (+1). Telekinesis is pretty high up there on the list. Does Cull even have any powers?
    – Mazura
    Commented Jun 30, 2018 at 22:41
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How does he know which member of Black Order went after the time stone?

Well, Thanos, of course, knew that Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian will go to the Earth to retrieve Time Stone cause he planned it all.

Why didn't Thanos consider Cull Obsidian being dead? Am I missing some plot?

It was never explained in the movie nor by someone from the production team. However, there is an explanation.

By the time Thanos reaches Titan, he has obtained the Soul Stone. This infinity stone lets the one to steal, control, manipulate, and alter living and dead souls. It also allows the one to control all lives in the universe.

From Wikipedia,

Allows the user to steal, control, manipulate, and alter living and dead souls. The Soul Gem is also the gateway to an idyllic pocket universe. At full potential, the Soul Gem grants the user control over all life in the universe.

Since, it allows to control the soul, it is possible that he used the soul stone to take a look who is alive. Ebony Maw gets killed after being thrown into the space, but Cull doesn't. He gets stranded on a remote field when Wong creates a portal. Remember, he is not dead when Thanos reaches Titan.

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