We are officially on the road to Avengers: Endgame (2019), which is set to premiere on the 24th. And as the film phenomenon of the decade draws closer and closer, I wanted to discuss some theories that I’ve read about and one that I’ve come up with regarding the events that may or may not happen in Avengers: Endgame.
Many of these are a little far-fetched, yet still captivating, so I will also rate each theory based on the possibility of it happening. May it be noted that these ratings are purely my own opinion and you are, of course, free to judge them as you see fit.
That being said, here are 10 Avengers: Endgame theories that might actually happen.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR THE FILM. PLEASE BE ADVISED.
1. Nebula will use the Infinity Gauntlet
In Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the blue-skinned black-eyed Nebula is one of the remaining 50% who were lucky enough to survive the ill-fated snap of Thanos. From a story-telling standpoint, keeping her alive must’ve had its reasons.
In the 1991 Infinity Gauntlet comic, of which the film is loosely based on, Nebula successfully snatched the gauntlet away from the Mad Titan and used it to reverse the effects of the comic book snap. Although, this did open up a whole host of new issues for the Avengers to worry about.
Could the MCU be looking to adapt this into Avengers: Endgame? Maybe.
Possibility Meter: 2.7/5.0
2. A Second Infinity Gauntlet
A theory has been making it rounds that the remaining Avengers team will assemble their own Infinity Gauntlet in order to combat Thanos and reverse the snap. As you may remember, the snap left the gauntlet and possibly even the stones in a fractured state. This is doubled down on the fact that we do not see Thanos use, or even wear the gauntlet in any of the trailers for Avengers: Endgame we’ve seen so far.
The theory speculates that the team will travel back in time to collect the Infinity Stones before having Eitri, the King Dwarf, craft them a brand new Infinity Gauntlet. Peter Dinklage who plays the dwarf signed on for two MCU movies, so maybe Avengers: Endgame will be his second.
Possibility Meter: 3.3/5.0
3. Shuri as the New Black Panther
Little is known about the fate of Shuri, T’Chala’s younger sister, after the events of Avengers: Infinity War. Although, we do see her photo among the missing in the Avengers: Endgame trailer. But in that very same clip, we also see a photo of Scott Lang, who we all know is alive and undusted. So, perhaps, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to assume that Shuri is also alive but in hiding in Wakanda after her brother’s passing in the last film.
Perhaps we will get to see Shuri as the new Black Panther in Avengers: Endgame, providing much needed assistance to the remaining members of the titular team. She’s taken up the mantle before in the comics and I’m sure a lot of fans wouldn’t mind seeing her in a Black Panther suit.
Possibility Meter: 4.6/5.0
4. An Even Greater Threat
This theory grew from Avengers: Endgame toy leaks that hinted toward “an even greater threat” than the Mad Titan. It’s unclear what the toyline meant by this, but that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating that perhaps Thanos won’t be the big bad of Avengers: Endgame after all. Of the universe-spanning colossi that inhabit the cosmic realms of Marvel comics, the fans are pointing to the planet-devouring Galactus as the one threat that warrants alarm over Thanos.
I think this might not be the most possible theory. After all, Thanos was a character that has been hinted at since the first Avengers movie way back in 2012. It wouldn’t make much since for Marvel to hype up a character like that and not have it pay off in Avengers: Endgame.
Possibility Meter: 2.1/5.0
5. The Death of an Avenger
The MCU has built itself up to this finale for over 10 years and with this era coming to a close, so are the contracts of many of the main Avengers. Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans have been especially vocal about this. Fans have been theorizing that either or both of these characters will meet their demise before the credits roll on Avengers: Endgame. This is doubled down when you take into account an interview with the films directors, the Russo Brothers, confirmed that only two of the six original Avengers will survive this fourth Avengers installment.
It safe to say that of all the Avengers, Captain America and Iron Man are the only ones who have definitively finished their respective characters arcs. There is arguably nothing more for them in terms of growth. So, perhaps, the death of one or both of these character will serve as a fitting end to one of these greatest eras of film ever.
And if one of them does die, we can finally have a film version of the iconic panel from Civil War (2006-2007), or maybe even an inversion of it.
Possibility Meter: 4.9/5.0
6. Steve Rogers Returns for His Dance
Art: © Instagram: @ultraraw26
Given that Captain America doesn’t die by the end of Avengers: Endgame, an equally meaningful end to his character arc would be if Steve Rogers uses whatever time traveling device they use in the movie to return to 1945 to finally get the dance he long deserves with his love, Peggy Carter.
My only problem with this theory is the temporal and possibly paradoxical effects it might have on the MCU timeline. But since this is a comic book movie, I’m sure that they’ll find a way around it if they really wanted to.
Possibility Meter: 2.2/5.0
7. The Illuminati
Put down your tin foil hats, you conspiracy nuts. I’m not talking about that Illuminati.
In the Marvel comics, the Illuminati is a covert think-tank composed of the greatest minds in the Marvel Universe. It was formed to identify, target, and prevent world-wide threats before they even happen. The group was usually comprised of Iron Man, Prof. X, Black Panther, Black Bolt, Namor, Beast, Bruce Banner, Doctor Strange, and Mister Fantastic with Captain America as their moral compass.
A lot of comic fans have been waiting for the Illuminati’s formation in the MCU and nothing better than a universe-wide genocide to warrant such a group being formed. The considerable number of geniuses that have been introduced to the MCU would finally make an film-version of the Illuminati possible, with the likes of Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, Steven Strange, T’Challa/Shuri, and Vision.
But wait, there’s more! In the comics, the Illuminati divided the Infinity Stones and the gauntlet between themselves, keeping each one safe and hidden (even from each other) until such a time that the world may need it. After defeating Thanos, the Avengers are gonna need a way to keep the stones safe and what better way than to entrust them to the world’s smartest individuals?
Possibility Meter: 3.5/5.0
8. Avengers of Two Worlds
This is an interesting theory that I stumbled across randomly on the internet. According to this theory from Cinema Blend, the snap isn’t what we all thought it was. Everyone who was snapped away didn’t actually die but was instead transported into a parallel Earth. The snap essentially split the universe into two equal parts with an equal amount of resources but with only half the population, thereby solving the overpopulation issue without having to actually kill any one.
I think it’s far out, but it is undeniably interesting.
Possibility Meter: 3.1/5.0
9. The Soul Stone
Here’s an old one. After the end of Avengers: Infinity War, people started theorizing all kinds of crazy stuff. But this one is by far the most possible. This one states that none of the dusted individual actually “died” in a sense, instead their souls were merely preserved in the Soul Stone. This is evidenced by the orange-y place that Thanos finds himself after snapping away half of the universe, where he finds young Gamora. People have thought this place to be the Soul World, a separate plane of existence that exists within the Soul Stone.
Maybe when the Avengers go to fight Thanos, they’ll find that they won’t be need all six stones after all. Just the one that houses all the soul that were dusted.
Possibility Meter: 3.9/5.0
10. They Save No One
What if, in a bleak twist of fate, the Avengers defeat Thanos to find that there is no way to reverse what was done? What if all those lives who were lost will forever remain that way? Lost.
This is a bleak theory that I found somewhere online. And although I have absolutely so doubt in my mind that this will never happen because Disney ain’t about to let go of such milkable franchises such as Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Black Panther. But, regardless of its possibility, it’s a concept worth pondering and might even make for an interesting “What If…” story if Marvel Studios ever decides to bring that series into the big screen.
Possibility Meter: 0.5/5.0
BONUS: My Own Theory
To be completely honest, I pretty sure someone else somewhere has thought up the exact same thing. But here it goes:
In a post-credit scene, after the Avengers team have defeated the Mad Titan and resurrected their dusted comrades, Tony Stark approaches Doctor Strange and asks him, “So, is that it? Everything’s back to normal? We’ve saved the world again?”
Doctor Strange pauses as if in thought. He looks to the Armored Avenger and says, “Well, I wouldn’t exactly say back to normal. A few things might have bled through the multiverse.”
We pan up from a road to a gate with an “X” emblazoned on the very center just as it opens to let a man smoking a cigar on a Harley drive right in.
Possibility Meter: ???/5.0
So there you go, ten Avengers: Endgame theories (plus one of my own) to get you hyped right up for the culmination of ten years of superhero films. Have you brought your tickets yet? What’d you think of my theory? Do you have any of your own? How excited are you for Endgame? Sound off in the comments below! And don’t forget to like this article and share it with your friends on social media. It really helps a lot!
LAZY BOY POPCORN 