The sequel to Avengers Infinity War will be both the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.
It’s no real coincidence at all that the survivors of Thanos’ Snap are the original Avengers team, plus a few extras.
Iron Man and Captain America are going to have to put their Civil War differences aside and team up to some how resurrect the character who turned to ash – a plot point made certain by the fact that Spider-Man Far From Home is currently shooting, while Black Panther, Doctor Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy sequels are all in the works.
If anything it’s the survivors of Thanos’ Snap who Marvel fans should be worried about, especially as actors like Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans’ contracts are ending.
Joe continued: “For us, there will always be stakes and the stakes have been progressing from film to film. And I think you can extrapolate that they will continue to deepen in Avengers 4.”
Now while we can speculate forever which out of Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, Thor and Hawkeye will die in the fight back, there is one obvious narrative trope that looks likely to be used. And no we don’t mean the common fan theory that Captain America will die; he’s too pure, too obvious.
The most obvious candidate is Tony Stark, the figurehead of the franchise, the mentor to Peter Parker and the character with a deep character development that has seen him move from selfish billionaire playboy to sacrificial father figure. Let’s not forget that Doctor Strange traded the Time Stone for Tony’s life to ensure Endgame occurred – perhaps he needs him to die later on.
And what better way for Iron Man to bow out than to give up his life in exchange for those who died in Avengers Infinity War. But how?
Well there’s the popular theory that the dead characters are actually encased in the Soul Stone.
Just imagine if the stone somehow finds its way back to Vormir, where Thanos had to sacrifice the one he loved for it: Gamora.
Now just how fitting would it be for Tony Stark to ask Steve Rogers – after all the conflict they’ve been through in Civil War – to push him, the one he loves, into the cavern below, sacrificing himself to resurrect those who perished in the Snap.
That would be the perfect end to Iron Man’s character arc, the perfect end to the first MCU saga and the perfect end to Avengers 4.
Avengers 4 is set for release in UK cinemas on April 26, 2019.