Avengers 4 Guesses? (Major Spoilers for Infinity War)

[ZeroBG82]

Ok, seriously, first and foremost... SPOILERS AHEAD. If you haven't seen Infinity War yet, get out. No complaining, no griping, we're getting into the nuts and bolts in here and that means full on spoilers. No more warnings, no spoiler spaces. Again, if you haven't seen Infinity War, LEAVE NOW.

Also, this could get long. Sorry.

Just left the theater after seeing Infinity War. Damn. Not sure how it handles as a stand alone movie (too invested in the MCU to fairly judge it on those grounds), but as the capstone to a decade long narrative, what a show. And even though it ended right where I think many of us expected, it really hit me right in the feels. But this isn't a review thread, this is a "What's next?" thread.

So, Avengers 4. They haven't even told us the title yet, claiming it spoils Infinity War. Details have been sparse, info a closely guarded secret. And kudos to Marvel Studios for actually keeping a lid on a surprising amount of spoiler material, they really must beat people with the NDA hammer when you get involved with these films. Makes you wonder if it will have an original title, or if they're going to use another major Marvel storyline for a title? So many to choose from. Infinity Crusade could work, but isn't a spoiler of any kind. Infinity Watch? Same deal. Lots of infinity titles but none a potential spoiler. Could go original, as I mentioned. "Thanos Wins". "The Avengers Avenge." Or something better than that, I suck at this kind of thing.

But I have a thought. Going to throw myself off a cliff and post it here, so we can all look back at how wrong I was around this time next year and laugh at my foolishness. Let's start with what's clear:

1) Thanos cannot be stopped. Out of our heroes, perhaps only Hulk and Thor could hope to best him one on one (and perhaps Carol, once she makes her appearance) without the gauntlet. With it? Thor got in a good blow blindside style and had a shot, but left Thanos an opening to use the Gauntlet. And now, obviously, beating Thanos is a moot point. Half the universe is dead.

2) Our heroes keep getting blinded by their emotions. Both Quill and Thor blow opportunities to end the threat because they are too caught up in their own vengeance. Only somebody with the will to act without emotion, pragmatically as Thanos does can defeat the Titan.

3) Doctor Strange has a way out. He claims he saw one, but only one future in which they won. And as he lays dying, Gauntleted out of existence by the victorious Thanos, he tells Stark that this was how things had to be. "It was the only way," if I'm not misremembering. Thus, we can conclude that the events after he gives up the Time Stone are a necessary path to the only future in which they win. Strange is playing the long game. He flat out told Tony he'd let him die if it would protect the Time Stone. We're supposed to see him surrendering the stone as a revelation that Strange can't be as hard as he needs to be. Another hero failed by sentiment. But Strange has moved past that. He's seen a way to victory. But it means letting half the universe die. Strange is a boss.

Strange recognized that Thanos could not be stopped. Half the universe was going to die. But the gauntlet can set things right. Problem? Only Thanos can wield the gauntlet. (Never explicitly stated, but implied. It took all the Guardians to wield a single stone, and that's when Quill had Celestial powers. Thanos held the tesseract in his bare hand and didn't get Red Skulled. Etc.) Thus, ONLY THANOS CAN SET THINGS RIGHT.

But why would he? First, he'd have to be convinced he was wrong. What might do that? I'm not that clever, but I can think of two things. The first is an existential threat to all life. Something that could be stopped if only he hadn't wiped out half the Avengers and their allies, perhaps? Like an invasion. The second is evidence that the universe's resources are not as finite as he believed. That life could grow and expand and find other sources to fuel growth in ways that aren't inherently destructive. What might that look like? A multiverse, that's what.

In the comics, the Infinity Stones are useless outside their native reality, their home universe. Contextually, you could extrapolate from there that the stones might be unable to affect anything that originated in another reality, another universe. (Not true in the comics, per se, but I could see the argument being made persuasively in film.) Thus, there is one thing that satisfies both conditions for Thanos learning that he is wrong. An invasion from another reality.

Avengers 4. A title that could be seen as spoiling Infinity War. An invasion from another reality.

Avengers: Annihilation?

[adri]

I'm guessing Avengers Infinity Gauntlet.
the gauntlet was created so that the wearer could wield the stones. (starlord didn't have that during GOTG vol 1) also, it wasn't described as being made specifically for Thanos. so the trick might be to get the gauntlet away from him and reverse his actions. Team Iron Man/Guardians were almost there if Starlord hadn't fucked it up. I wouldn't be surprised if Nebula gets her hands on it first by the way. maybe Thor won't aim for the face but instead for the arm?

annihilation would only be interesting when more of the galactic characters (nova, quasar, shiar, kree, skrulls,..) have been established.

[CRaymond]

I heard the name of Avengers 4 was Avengers | Endgame.

Guesses:

1. Astral projected Doctor Strange leads the remaining Avengers through various Time Stone portals to assemble an Infinity Loophole.

2. Clearly Carol will have survived the Infinity Flaking.

3. Scott, Hope, and Clint will join the surviving Avengers.

4. The Loophole might end up creating an alternate timeline where Inhumans are called Mutants, and the Baxter Building replaces Stark Tower.

5. Shuri, Okoye, and M'Baku get Vibranium supersuits. OR AT LEAST SHOULD.

6. Shuri will rebuild Vision, using his gray corpse and a downloaded copy of his subroutines. Costume redesign!

7. ONLY the flakes get resurrected, meaning Vision*, Gamora*, Loki, Heimdall, and Ebony Maw all stay dead. *See Shuri rebuild at #6. *Gamora gets resurrected by Adam Warlock in GotG3. Cue love quadrangle.

8. IF Hemsworth really wants out of his contract, even tho they finally figured out his character and storyverse, and delivering us the gift of a career performance... then he BECOMES a new Mjolnir, thereby endowing “the worthy” with the power of Thor.

9a. Cap dies. Tony dies. Banner donates blood, then dies.

9b. If the old boys don’t die, they’ll form an Illuminati. But I don’t know why. They’re down a lot of big brains.

[youthoftoday]

I'm guessing Avengers Infinity Gauntlet.
the gauntlet was created so that the wearer could wield the stones. (starlord didn't have that during GOTG vol 1) also, it wasn't described as being made specifically for Thanos. so the trick might be to get the gauntlet away from him and reverse his actions. Team Iron Man/Guardians were almost there if Starlord hadn't fucked it up. I wouldn't be surprised if Nebula gets her hands on it first by the way. maybe Thor won't aim for the face but instead for the arm?

annihilation would only be interesting when more of the galactic characters (nova, quasar, shiar, kree, skrulls,..) have been established.

Ya, Infinity Gauntlet is the only thing that makes sense at this point.

[Buried Alien]

I heard the name of Avengers 4 was Avengers | Endgame.

Guesses:

1. Astral projected Doctor Strange leads the remaining Avengers through various Time Stone portals to assemble an Infinity Loophole.

2. Clearly Carol will have survived the Infinity Flaking.

3. Scott, Hope, and Clint will join the surviving Avengers.

4. The Loophole might end up creating an alternate timeline where Inhumans are called Mutants, and the Baxter Building replaces Stark Tower.

5. Shuri, Okoye, and M'Baku get Vibranium supersuits. OR AT LEAST SHOULD.

I like the idea of the Fantastic Four and the X-Men coming to the rescue.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[CRaymond]

I like the idea of the Fantastic Four and the X-Men coming to the rescue.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Yeah I think it’s asking for a LOT to expect an X cameo and a F4 cameo, but a skyline change with the Baxter Building might be all we could hope for. Just something to suggest that the entire universe is different.

I mean, I suspected a Loophole reboot as soon as Ragnarok killed Asgard. They can recast everyone that wants out, and Thor can get confusion comedy.

[pulpmonster]

We're never shown Thanos' destruction of Xandar to claim the Power stone. I could see Avengers 4 opening with that scene, and Carol arriving too late to save the day. With the Nova Corp destroyed, sole surviving Nova guard (Richard Rider) becomes the super powerful Nova Prime and accompanies Carol to earth and join forces with the surviving Avengers.

[Scott Taylor]

I like the idea of the Fantastic Four and the X-Men coming to the rescue.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

After seeing the movie, I mentioned to my son that if Wolverine had been there he would have gone for the head.

[CRaymond]

A Nova Corps movie without Glenn Close, John C. Reilly, and Peter Serafinowicz is shooting itself in the foot.

[Cthulhudrew]

It looked like Thanos (either willingly or through his genocidal act) destroyed the gauntlet at the end there (though he was able to at least use some of its power to transport himself away). So the Avengers would presumably have to have Eitri or someone else create a new gauntlet or create a new means to empower the stones to work in conjunction. Eitri still has the mold for the gauntlet, and I'm also reminded of the Warlock and the Infinity Chronicles story arc where the Man-Beast was able to get around the edict of the stones not working in conjunction by throwing the stone wielders into one giant machine (although he was still missing Warlock and the Soul-gem at the time).

Speculations that the title might be "Infinity Gauntlet," then, would seem to be on point. I'm also thinking that it could possibly be "Infinity Crusade" as the Avengers embark on a crusade for either vengeance/retribution or a big retcon of the insta-death-kill.

[DebkoX]

Thanos will not die.

[Midvillian1322]

Thanos actions have a unforeseen consequence and he unleashed something that can devastate all life. He teams up with remaining avengers to stop it because the Gauntlet ain't got enough juice left in it. That's all I got without thinking about it more. Still think cap being everyone back with the gauntlet but it kills him in the process to end the movie.

[DebkoX]

Thanos actions have a unforeseen consequence and he unleashed something that can devastate all life. He teams up with remaining avengers to stop it because the Gauntlet ain't got enough juice left in it. That's all I got without thinking about it more. Still think cap being everyone back with the gauntlet but it kills him in the process to end the movie.

I think this is what was teased when he said it cost him everything

[BeastieRunner]

Infinity Gauntlet or Infinity Crusade make the most sense to me for names.

Cap or Tony going out to restore the universe is a given at this point. I'm leaning towards Tony over Cap largely because RDJ has been the focus of the MCU. I'd prefer it to be cap.

I can see ALL the OGs trying to take out Thanos in the end. Maybe they all go out together?

Gamora can't be dead ... she's too important to GotG and her story wasn't finished.

I'm fairy certain everyone's trapped in the Soul Gem, not dead.

I WANT to see F4 and Wolverine/Prof x show up but that's not going to happen.

I hope Carol is out in space and brings some people like Quasar and Nova with her.

[CRaymond]

Gamora can't be dead ... she's too important to GotG and her story wasn't finished.

I'm fairy certain everyone's trapped in the Soul Gem, not dead.

So there’s an interesting observation. What is Gamora’s “story” that she has to finish? She’s basically the personification of the AntiBechdel. He entire character is meant to compliment the more dynamic men around her and their goals. Her only interesting unique relationship is with Nebula, and that’s a mess. In fact, it could be argued that a dead Gamora could be a good thing for Nebula’s dynamic character growth.

What’s left for Gamora?

******

Before I saw the film, my theory was that Thanos had indeed found the Soul Gem in the past. And that he discovered the spirit of Death inside it. The whole “kill half the universe” deal was meant to sate the sprit... rather than the weird “resource” motivation.