Top 10 Characters Likely to Die in 'Infinity War'
There are two things to consider in the upcoming two-part Infinity War movie event. First: Thanos has to be established as a bigger threat that everything that came before. Loki, Ultron and company were nothing to sniff at, so bumping off some major players is a quick way to set that up. The second factor is that this is the end of the story arc that began with Iron Man with a new MCU story beginning afterwards. The spotlight is going to be shifting to the new players. This means the old guard are on their way out, and they need to go out with a bang.
The question isn't whether characters are going to die, it's who's most likely to die. Here's our picks for heroes heading to morgue.
Played by Benicio del Toro
Last we saw The Collector sitting among the rubble of his museum in Knowhere after the energy of the Power Stone was released. Unless something else has happened in the meantime this is still home to the Reality Stone (as seen at the end of Thor: The Dark World), and we know that Thanos is going to bring together all six if the Infinity Gems. Although we haven't seen it in the films, The Collector is no slouch when he unleashes his true form. In spite of this there's a very good chance he's going to get between Thanos and the Reality Gem, possibly during the prologue of the films.
Everyone loves Vision. He's a bit kooky, he has an inspiring outlook on life and he's immensely powerful. But, like The Collector, he's standing in between Thanos and an Infinity Gem, namely the Mind Stone. After it was removed from Loki's sceptre it was used to bring Vision to life and remains implanted in his forehead. No doubt Thanos is looking to dig that out.
Played by Samuel L. Jackson
Nick Fury has always held a leadership role in the series and is responsible for bringing the original Avengers team together. He was responsible for recruiting the individual members and forming a link between the earlier films. Even after he went into hiding during The Winter Soldier Fury has played a key role in motivating the team during the battle of Sokovia. Bumping off Fury is a way for the team to be left to solve the problem on their own and book end the series.
Played by Gwyneth Paltrow
Fine, so it's just wishful thinking because I hate Gwyneth Goop. They've teased us with this...first with a fake-out death in Iron Man 3 and then with Stark and Potts breaking up off-screen prior to Civil War ...can we just be right of her? Please?
Played by Mark Ruffalo/Lou Ferringo
It would be sucky for Hulk to check out of the franchise without headlining his own feature coughWorldWarHulkcough but he's always been one of the emotional cores of the group. He leads a painful life, always bound to the monster that resides within him, and we last saw him cutting ties with the Avengers for their own safety. He'd be a prime candidate for a noble sacrifice and demonstrating Thanos' power by defeating him.
Played by Sebastian Stan
Speaking of sacrifices, is there anything more dramatic than a redemptive arc cut short? Bucky has had a rough post-death life, being turned into the Russian super-assassin known as The Winter Soldier. Through Steve Rogers' efforts Bucky has regained his memory and tried to lie low, but what the Cap really wants is for Barnes to have his name cleared and be redeemed. No better way to achieve that then to put him in the firing line. Unless someone more noble gets there first...
If there's one super soldier willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good there's few as noble as Captain America. Evans has been a potential casualty to the series since Evans expressed his interest in hanging up the shield and going into directing after Civil War. With both Barnes and Wilson in line to take up the stars and stripes he could be looking for an exit.
Played by Tom Hiddleston
This one could move up or down the list depending on how the character winds up in Thor: Ragnarok. Loki was the original big bad for the Marvel universe, bringing the team together in The Avengers... but he's intrinsically tied to Thor (Chris Hemsworth). Initially the two were allies, they became rivals and then enemies, yet Thor never completely gave up on his adopted brother. This could be the conclusion to their journey with Loki sacrificing himself for his brother, or being squashed by Thanos for failing him in his initial invasion and driving Thor to seek revenge.
Played by Robert Downey, Jr.
It began with Iron Man and it could well end with him. Stark has been the driving force of the franchise, the entry point for many viewers and the heart of the team. He's been responsible for some of the major story shifts, including Civil War. If they want to hit the audience hard and make it clear that they're starting over, Iron Man has got to go down.
Let's see...non-essential character who is the adopted daughter of Thanos who failed to bring in Gamora and has recently thrown in with the Guardians of the Galaxy...and she was already dead in the comics for this story...
She's fucked.
