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10 Theories We Have After Watching Avengers: Infinity War


WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War, now in theaters nationwide.

After an entire decade of buildup, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most climactic chapter yet, Avengers: Infinity War, has finally arrived. However, while this blockbuster of epic proportions certainly left us with no shortage of questions, it’s also spawned a number of theories about not just the film itself, but also about the future of the MCU as a whole.

Follow along with us as we explore 10 theories we have after watching Avengers: Infinity War:

  1. Hulk Refused to Show Up Because He Was Embarrassed

    One of the questions we had after Infinity War was why Bruce Banner was unable to unleash the beast whenever he tried to summon his big, green counterpart. However, in thinking about this dilemma, it seems pretty clear that The Hulk refused to show his face because his ego was damaged after he was manhandled by Thanos in the opening scene. After all, we’ve never truly seen the MCU iteration of The Hulk lose a fight. Even when the God of Thunder had him on the ropes in Thor: Ragnarok, the Grandmaster intervened on the Green Goliath’s behalf. That being said, it stands to reason that Hulk was simply embarrassed about his defeat and as such, refused to allow himself to appear vulnerable again.

  2. Shuri Will Rebuild The Vision

    The Vision had the unfortunate distinction of dying not once, but twice in Infinity War – once as a sacrifice with the help of Scarlet Witch and then once again after Thanos turned back time and plucked the Mind Stone from his head. In the next Avengers film, though, our thought is that he’ll be rebuilt by T’Challa’s super-genius kid-sister Shuri. Let’s not forget that Shuri was in the process of removing the Mind Stone from Vision’s head in a manner that would allow the synthezoid to remain functional before she was attacked by Corvus Glaive, so it’s entirely possible she can repair the Vibranium husk Thanos left lying in the Wakandan forest.

  3. Shuri Will Become the Black Panther

    Speaking of Shuri, it seems likely that she’s poised to follow in the footsteps of her comic book counterpart and assume the mantle of Black Panther in her brother’s absence. With T’Challa gone, she would technically be the next one in the line of succession to hold the throne of Wakanda, and she’s certainly no stranger to the Black Panther technology, as she’s the one who designed all of it in the first place. Don’t expect her to give up the throne without a fight, though, when T’Challa inevitably returns.

  4. The Infinity Stones Will Play a Huge Role in the Next Film – but Not the Gauntlet

    If you’ll recall, after Thanos snaps his fingers and wipes out half of all life in the universe, the Infinity Gauntlet appears to be damaged beyond repair. As for the Infinity Stones, though, they all seem to have remained intact. Rather than fixing or replacing the Gauntlet in the next Avengers film, perhaps the Stones will no longer be used in unison, but individually, instead. After all, the Avengers stand a far better chance getting their hands on a few Stones and using them to defeat Thanos than they do beating him while he has the fully assembled Gauntlet. 

  5. Everything is Going According to Doctor Strange’s Plan

    In Infinity War, we see Doctor Strange willingly hand over the Time Stone to Thanos in exchange for Tony Stark’s life. Then, just before the Sorcerer Supreme dies, he makes it a point to tell Tony that giving up the Stone was “the only way.” If you think back to when Doctor Strange visited the future and mentioned that, out of several million possible outcomes, the Avengers were only successful in one of them, you can’t help but believe this is somehow all part of his master plan. Perhaps in order to defeat Thanos, the Mad Titan needed to first use the Gauntlet and – as alluded to in the previous entry – destroy it, leaving him vulnerable to an attack by the remaining Avengers, who can then use the Time Stone to undo the genocide. 

  6. Captain Marvel Will End With Carol Danvers Receiving Nick Fury’s Call

    In the post-credits scene of Infinity War, we see Nick Fury attempt to page Captain Marvel just moments before he’s reduced to dust. Captain Marvel, of course, is set to take place in the 1990s, but in order to help tie it even more into the events of the present, perhaps the film could include a post-credits scene in which Carol Danvers receives Fury’s distress call. Obviously, she won’t be able to speak with Fury, given his current predicament, but maybe that could be what prompts her to head back to Earth, just in time for Avengers 4, where she’ll likely play a crucial role.

  7. Gamora is Trapped in the Soul Stone

    In Infinity War, Thanos is forced to sacrifice Gamora – the only person he loves – in order to obtain the elusive Soul Stone. Is she actually dead, though? Prior to the Infinity Gauntlet miniseries, when Gamora tries to kill Thanos, the Mad Titan slays her instead, and her spirit is absorbed into the Soul Gem. In the film, we see Thanos enter a state of limbo (masked with a Soul Stone-esque orange hue) only to find a young Gamora, so it’s highly possible that – much like in the comics – her spirit is simply trapped in Soulworld (the official name for the dimension within the Soul Stone).

  8. The Infinity Gauntlet Victims Are Trapped in the Quantum Realm

    So, now that we have a pretty good idea where Gamora is, what does that mean for the countless victims of Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet finger-snap? Well, while it’s entirely possible they could also be in Soulworld, the more likely scenario is that they’re trapped in the Quantum Realm, which is only accessible through subatomic shrinking, mystical transportation, or magical energy (like, say, the energy from an Infinity Stone). It’s worth noting, too, that both space and time are completely irrelevant inside the Quantum Realm, so if the victims were trapped there, Thanos likely wouldn’t know about it, as the Space Stone and Time Stone wouldn’t be able to provide any insight.

  9. Adam Warlock Will Appear in the Next Film

    Remember when we mentioned that, in the comics, Gamora’s spirit entered the Soul Gem? Well, the only reason that happened was because of Adam Warlock, who used the Soul Gem to absorb her conscience after he discovered her lifeless body. That being said, if our theory about Gamora is true, then perhaps Marvel Studios will follow suit with the comics and bring in Adam Warlock, as he was a crucial element of the original Infinity Gauntlet miniseries. We’ve already seen the character teased at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, so it wouldn’t require much legwork to bring him in for Avengers 4.

  10. The Original Avengers Will Die in the Next Film

    While many of us expected to see the bulk of the core Avengers die in Infinity War, it was oddly enough the majority of the newcomers who suffered at the hands of Thanos. In the next film, though, we’ll have reached the point where just about all of the original actors’ contracts are up, so it’s possible we’ll see them sacrifice themselves to save the newer heroes.

    What do you think? Do you agree with any of our theories? Let us know in the comments section!

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