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Avengers: Endgame – Predicting Who Lives and Who Dies


The most anticipated superhero blockbuster of all-time, Avengers: Endgame, is nearly here, and the stakes have never been higher. After all, in Infinity War, countless heroes we’ve grown to know and love over the past decade were turned to dust thanks to Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet-powered snap, leaving the remaining heroes with only one possible objective: Avenge.

Despite Captain America’s comments in Infinity War about not trading lives, we fully expect that in Endgame, some, if not all of the decimated heroes will be resurrected and in exchange, others will fall. So, much like we did in the build-up to Infinity War, here are our predictions for who will be left standing and who we’ll say goodbye to for good by the time Avengers: Endgame concludes:

  1. Ant-Man – Lives

    Ant-Man was brought into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2015, and while he’s certainly a fan favorite, he’s by no means an MCU staple in the same vein as Cap, Iron Man, Thor, etc. That being said, Ant-Man dying would surely affect fans but wouldn’t necessarily hold a whole lot of weight in the grand scheme of things. Moreover, the seemingly ageless Paul Rudd is a perfect candidate for helping carry the next incarnation of the Avengers as the veteran actors are phased out. 

  2. Black Panther – Lives

    In what’s sure to become a recurring theme in this list, it’s worth mentioning that T’Challa is poised to return for a Black Panther sequel, so his return and subsequent survival in Endgame is a foregone conclusion. What’s more, his last solo film grossed over $1 billion, and it was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, so even if a sequel hadn’t been greenlit yet, Marvel would be crazy to leave Black Panther dusted.

  3. Black Widow – Lives

    Black Widow is a character who could almost go either way. She’s an original Avenger, so her death would be impactful, but she’s also getting a solo movie in the near future. Granted, it’s all but confirmed to be a prequel, but general audiences might be confused to see a character they watched die in Endgame headlining their own blockbuster, and Marvel surely knows this.

  4. Captain America – Dies

    We were wrong about Cap dying in Infinity War, but this time, he’s a shoo-in for Most Likely to Die in Endgame. Chris Evans hasn’t shied away from his intentions of hanging up the shield and stepping behind the camera. A sacrificial goodbye from the man who’s arguably the heart and soul of the Avengers is a surefire way to tug at the heartstrings of the audience and give Cap a fitting farewell.

  5. Captain Marvel – Lives

    Captain Marvel is being positioned as the new face of the MCU. She’s the powerhouse who’s going to make Thanos regret ever putting on the Infinity Gauntlet. There’s zero chance that she’s going to die in Endgame.

  6. Doctor Strange – Lives

    Much like Black Panther, Doctor Stephen Strange has a sequel in the cards, so it’s fully expected that he’ll be revived and make it out of Endgame intact. Also, should the Infinity Stones still be in play when all is said and done, Marvel could easily take a page from the comics and position Doctor Strange as a figurehead of an onscreen iteration of the Illuminati. 

  7. Drax – Lives

    With James Gunn now confirmed to return to helm for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, you can bet his most vocal supporter, Dave Bautista, will be back as well.

  8. Falcon – Lives

    Should Steve Rogers make the ultimate sacrifice, it only makes sense for one of his closest friends to carry on his memory. Whether that means Falcon takes up the Captain America mantle himself remains to be seen, but whatever the case may be, Falcon is likely to make it out of Endgame alive. Not to mention, he has a Disney+ series coming soon.

  9. Gamora – Lives

    Gamora is another character who could go either way. She was sacrificed by Thanos as opposed to being dusted, so undoing the snap isn’t a guarantee that she’ll be resurrected. On the other hand, who’s to say she really died, and that she isn’t instead trapped in the Soul Stone? After all, Thanos was able to communicate with her after the snap. And even if we ignore all that, GotG Vol. 3 is happening, so it’d be an odd choice for Marvel to leave out one of its leading cosmic ladies.

  10. Groot – Lives

    Groot’s death in Infinity War was heart-wrenching, so his return in Endgame would be an excellent way to help break up some of the inevitable emotional weight of the film. Not only that, but Groot is a proven moneymaker when it comes to younger viewers, and with the aforementioned GotG Vol. 3 on the horizon, it makes sense that he’d be brought back if only for the lucrative merchandising benefits our beloved talking tree elicits. 

  11. Happy Hogan – Lives

    We saw Happy Hogan in the Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer making googly eyes at Aunt May, so he’s clearly safe. Besides, in a film with the scope of Endgame, Happy is an extremely minor character. What would killing him off really achieve?

  12. Hawkeye – Dies

    Clint Barton may be Ronin in Endgame, but to countless fans, he’s still Hawkeye. However, the MCU appears to be moving in the direction of younger heroes, which is why many believe we’ll soon see the Kate Bishop iteration of Hawkeye on the big screen. Clint is also the type of character who you’d expect to sacrifice himself for not just his fellow Avengers but for his (presumably dead) family. Should he die, fans would be heartbroken, but it would also make total sense in the long run.

  13. Hulk – Lives

    Due to complicated licensing issues with Universal, Hulk probably isn’t getting another solo movie anytime soon. However, as we’ve seen with the previous three Avengers films and with Thor: Ragnarok, the character works perfectly when he’s used as just one piece in a larger puzzle. The possibilities are endless when it comes to what Marvel can do with Hulk moving forward, so there’s really no reason to kill him off just yet.

  14. Iron Man – Dies

    Let’s face it – while Iron Man, Captain America and Thor are essentially Marvel’s Trinity in the comics, Iron Man and Cap are the Big Two in the MCU. That being said, we can probably expect Tony Stark to die, either by sacrificing himself or at the hands of Thanos. Marvel has gotten plenty of bang for its buck with Robert Downey Jr., but the torch is ready to be passed. Plus, should RDJ want to stick around in some capacity, who’s to say Tony Stark couldn’t “live on” in the form of an AI, something we’ve seen in the comics?

  15. Loki – Dies

    Loki’s death in Infinity War seemed pretty definitive. However, news of a Loki series headed to Disney+, along with Tom Hiddleston’s inclusion in the recent batch of Endgame character posters, has compelled us to include his name in this list and predict that, if his death is undone, it won’t be for long. After all, what else is there for Marvel to do with Loki in the films? He’s gone from hero to villain to antihero, so exploring his early days in a TV series seems like the only place he really fits at this point.

  16. Mantis – Lives

    Wouldn’t it be weird if all the Guardians were resurrected but Mantis, a character we just met in 2017, still ended up dead when all was said and done? Yeah, that’s what we were thinking. In any case, she’s probably going to stick around.

  17. Maria Hill – Lives

    Much like Happy, Maria Hill is also confirmed to return for Spider-Man: Far From Home, so her death will surely be undone.

  18. Nebula – Dies

    In Infinity War, Gamora died and Nebula lived. This time around, we think we’re going to see the reverse. In fact, it’s entirely possible we could see Nebula attempt to get revenge on her father Thanos for what he’s done to her and to Gamora, resulting in the Mad Titan killing her himself.

  19. Nick Fury – Lives

    Not to keep beating this drum but we’ve already seen Nick Fury in the Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer. He’ll be back.

  20. Okoye – Lives

    If Black Panther is coming back, you can bet his right-hand woman Okoye will be back, too. Danai Gurira has also confirmed she’ll be exiting AMC’s The Walking Dead, presumably due to the rising star power she’s garnered working with Marvel Studios. 

  21. Pepper Potts – Lives

    The death of Tony Stark is something that will tear audiences apart, but it won’t hold as much weight if he doesn’t leave someone behind. That someone has to be the love of his life, Pepper Potts. Granted, Gwyneth Paltrow announced Endgame will be her final MCU project, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she has to die. You have to figure, with Tony gone, there wouldn’t be much of a reason for Pepper to show up anymore, as she really doesn’t have much of an established connection with any other characters.

  22. Rocket Raccoon – Lives

    Rocket Raccoon has become a staple of the MCU’s cosmic side, so he’ll definitely stick around for GotG Vol. 3. His death in Endgame would be impactful, sure, but it just isn’t likely.

  23. Scarlet Witch – Lives

    Scarlet Witch has been largely underutilized in the MCU thus far. That’s poised to change with the upcoming Disney+ series, but even though that could presumably take place prior to the events of Infinity War, it stands to reason that Marvel has more big-screen plans for Wanda Maximoff as well. Again, she’s another character who can help carry the Avengers banner moving forward.

  24. Shuri – Lives

    Fans were shocked to see Shuri’s face among the black-and-white character posters of Thanos’ victims, despite already seeing her listed as missing in the first Endgame trailer. Nevertheless, Marvel would be foolish to leave Shuri’s legacy as dying off-camera, especially with Black Panther 2 in the works. And, as some fans have already expressed, she could make an excellent stand-in for Riri Williams/Ironheart in a post-Iron Man MCU.

  25. Spider-Man – Lives

    After fighting tooth and nail to get the film rights to Spider-Man back (albeit through a partnership with Sony), no one thought Marvel was going to leave Peter Parker dead. We’ve already gotten the trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home, too, which takes place after the events of Endgame. Case closed.

  26. Star-Lord – Lives

    Regardless of how fans feel about him following his boneheaded move in Infinity War, Star-Lord is the face of the Guardians of the Galaxy. With a third film coming, there’s little to no chance we won’t see Peter Quill return to headline the threequel.

  27. Thanos – Dies

    After everything the Mad Titan did in Infinity War, there’s no chance the Avengers are going to show Thanos any mercy. Many fans have complained about how the MCU villains are disposable and that they’re killed off too quickly, but Thanos is different. This isn’t the type of character you can keep alive anymore without him being a constant threat. The only logical outcome is that Thanos is going to die.

  28. Thor – Lives

    Chris Hemsworth’s contract is nearly up, but if anyone is likely to renew, it’s him. Thor: Ragnarok breathed new life into the God of Thunder, transforming him from a relatively bland powerhouse into a bona fide fan-favorite. Marvel has plenty of options for Thor in the future, so we think he’s making it out of Endgame alive.

  29. Valkyrie – Lives

    Let’s just say we’re wrong about Thor. If that’s the case, Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie is the best possible option to fill the God of Thunder’s shoes. With Jane Foster gone, Valkyrie could easily become the MCU equivalent of the beloved female Thor from the comics, and even if Hemsworth does stick around, she’s still a valuable addition to Marvel’s growing stable of female heroes.

  30. Vision – Lives

    With Vision being a synthezoid, it’s easy enough to bring him back without much fuss. Plus, he’s also the co-lead of the aforementioned Disney+ series with Scarlet Witch.

  31. War Machine – Lives

    If Tony Stark dies and Marvel doesn’t immediately go the Ironheart route, War Machine makes sense to fill the armored void in the Avengers lineup. Not much is known about the length of his contract, though, so Endgame could theoretically be his final MCU appearance. Still, even if that’s the case, his survival would also help strengthen the blow of Iron Man’s death, as it’d be one more close ally left behind.

  32. Wasp – Lives

    The Wasp was finally given a chance to shine in Ant-Man and the Wasp, which bodes well for the chances of her survival post-Endgame. There’s really no reason to kill her off (or keep her dusted), and after several years of just Black Widow, Marvel can use all the kickass female heroes it can get.

  33. Winter Soldier – Lives

    Yes, Winter Soldier will also be in a Disney+ series, but the number one reason we think he’s going to live is that we think Steve Rogers is going to die. Nothing against Falcon, but if anyone is going to pick up the mantle of Captain America, it should be Bucky Barnes. He did it first in the comics, it’s already been teased in the movies and it’s a natural progression for the character.

  34. Wong – Lives

    After ghosting the Avengers in Infinity War, one might say Wong deserves what he has coming to him. However, with a Doctor Strange sequel on the way, it’d be bizarre to kill off the Sorcerer Supreme’s main supporting character.

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