How Avengers: Infinity War sets up Avengers 4

Warning: This article contains MAJOR spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War.

The untitled ‘Avengers 4’ was originally known as Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2, so it should be no wonder that Marvel’s latest blockbuster will leave some big old dangling threads waiting to be picked up in its sequel.

Here are the major plot points from Avengers: Infinity War that set the scene for the conclusion of Phase Three.

This is your final spoiler warning. BIG, BIG SPOILERS AHEAD. Proceed at your own risk.

Captain America and Iron Man’s reunion is still pending

Although Infinity War was anticipated to be a big team-up between the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, the huge cast remained largely fragmented right through to the end of the movie. That means that Steve and Tony’s long-awaited reunion after their big Captain America: Civil War falling-out is still somewhere in the future.

Hug it out and get down to saving the universe, guys.

Half our heroes have been erased

The film ended, of course, with Thanos’s victory and the shocking dissolution of a ton of our heroes. The Winter Soldier, Falcon, Black Panther, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Mantis, Groot, Drax and Star-Lord. All gone.

Avengers 4 has to be about bringing them back to life, right? It’s even rumoured to be a time-travel story, which would be a fine solution for undoing all the chaos Thanos has caused. Maybe they can arrange a happy ending for Gamora, Loki and Vision while they’re at it.

Captain Marvel is out there

The post-credits scene shows Nick Fury become another victim of Thanos’s Infinity Gauntlet trick, but not before sending out a distress call.

The star logo on his device (is that a pager, Nick? It’s not the ’90s any more) belongs to Captain Marvel, who they have promised will show up in the sequel. But why did Nick choose that moment to finally call on her? How can her powers – or knowledge – help to reverse that damage that Infinity War has caused to the MCU? Maybe we’ll find out in her solo, ’90s-set film, which arrives in early 2019 ahead of Avengers 4.

Wakanda needs a new monarch

There was a decided and tragic lack of quality Shuri time in Infinity War, in which she is last seen being tossed through the air by Corvus Glaive. If she survived the Infinity Snap (as we’ve just this moment decided to call it), well, Wakanda’s king definitely didn’t.

The country is in need of a leader, and Tumblr has just the Black Panther fan favourite to succeed T’Challa. After all, in the comics Shuri has been queen already.

Hawkeye and Ant-Man are under house arrest

Neither of these two family men made an appearance in Infinity War, we’re told because their family ties meant they didn’t want to be fugitives and instead struck a deal so they’re under house arrest.

But both have been spotted on the set so we’re confident they’ll be back. Could the impetus be something as bleak as members of their families dying in Thanos’s cull? We’re likely to see their arcs, in Avengers 4.

Doctor Strange knows the only possible positive outcome

But he’s not around to share… We learn that Doctor Strange has looked into the future to explore thousands of possible outcomes to Thanos’s invasion. Only one, he says, works out in their favour. Later Strange gives Thanos the time stone in exchange for Stark’s life. A frivolous decision you might think, given this leads to the destruction of 50 per cent of everyone.

But Strange knows the future and this must be part of his plan. Did he know he’d have to ‘die’ to save humanity? Is Tony the key to saving the world? Given that by the end of Infinity half the Avengers have bitten the bullet, that can’t possibly be the one positive outcome – surely he’s playing the long game.

Bruce Banner’s Hulk problem

Bruce Banner’s traditional problem has always been transforming into the uncontrollable Hulk, not the other way around. But Infinity War flipped it on its head, showing that the green giant refusing to emerge and leaving Banner to battle Thanos’s minions with the aid of the Hulkbuster armour.

What is he scared of, and how long will he insist on hiding? Avengers 4 is presumably the conclusion of the ‘Hulk trilogy’ that began in Thor: Ragnarok and continued in Infinity War. How will Banner and Hulk’s relationship stand when it’s over?

Avengers: Infinity War is out in the UK now and will be released in the US on April 27. Book tickets now.

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