The 5 Best Avengers: Endgame Fan Theories

Speaking of elusive Infinity Stones, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the Soul Stone. After all, it’s the only stone that didn’t appear in any MCU films prior to Infinity War, at which point Thanos claimed it by sacrificing the one thing he truly loved: Gamora. As a Reddit user points out, though, it’s possible another sacrifice – perhaps one made by the surviving heroes – could cause the Soul Stone to change hands. If that’s the case, then it’s also possible the Avengers would be able to communicate with the souls of those claimed by the Decimation, much like Thanos was able to communicate with the spirit of Gamora. That would certainly prove useful, considering the knowledgeable and powerful Doctor Strange was among those lost in Infinity War.

In Doctor Strange, when we were first introduced to the Time Stone, we were also introduced to the concept of time loops. Basically, if someone without proper knowledge of the stone attempts to use it, it could result in “branches in time. Unstable dimensional openings. Spacial paradoxes... time loops!” That being said, it certainly didn’t appear as though Thanos took the initiative of familiarizing himself with the Time Stone before using it to turn back the clock and prevent Scarlet Witch from destroying the Mind Stone. One Redditor theorizes that, because of this oversight by the Mad Titan, should the Avengers kill him, it will trigger a time loop and bring them all back to the very moment he first used the Time Stone. As such, the Decimation will have been undone, and the heroes will have another opportunity to stop Thanos from snapping in the first place. Perhaps Thor could even go for the head this time.

As of right now, it’s all but certain Endgame will feature time travel in some capacity. The most intriguing theory surrounding this potential plot point, though, stems from the first trailer. As a Reddit user points out, in the final shot, when Scott Lang is attempting to access the Avengers compound, the screen Cap and Black Widow are staring at appears to contain the word “archive” and the year “1983.” Cap, of course, asks if it’s old footage, as Scott was believed to be dead when he was actually trapped in the Quantum Realm, but Natasha affirms that it’s “the front door.” Well, perhaps it is the front door of the Avengers compound, but it’s also 1983. After all, in Ant-Man, Hank Pym referred to the Avengers compound as “one of Howard Stark’s old storage facilities,” so it’s possible Scott is attempting to reach the Avengers while also unaware that he’s in the wrong year, likely as a result of a time vortex in the Quantum Realm. This could then set the stage for the heroes to use time travel to their advantage against Thanos later in the film.

One popular theory is that, in Endgame, the Avengers will use time travel to retrieve the Infinity Stones before Thanos can get his gauntleted hand on them. However, a far more captivating theory surfaced on Reddit that suggests it’s not the stones the Avengers are after, but rather the heroes associated with them. You see, a number of heroes in the MCU are intrinsically tied to the various Infinity Stones. Captain Marvel retrieved her powers through the Space Stone. Vision and Scarlet Witch both gained their abilities (and in Vision’s case, his sentience) from the Mind Stone. Star-Lord was able to wield the Power Stone. Thor, Loki and Jane Foster all came into contact with the Reality Stone. Doctor Strange was the protector and wielder of the Time Stone. And finally, Gamora turned out to be the key to Thanos unlocking the Soul Stone. That being said, instead of the Avengers traveling back in time to assemble their own Infinity Gauntlet, it stands to reason that they could assemble the fallen heroes who were actively tied to the Infinity Stones at different points in their lives.

Of course, whether any of these theories pan out remains to be seen. Thankfully, though, we don’t have long to wait, because Avengers: Endgame arrives April 26.