How do you solve a problem like Thanos?
Frankly, it will be disappointing if Avengers 4 is simply a rehash of the past, preventing the events of infinity War from happening, as so many theories believe.
It also doen’t fit the repeated asserions by the film makers that all the deaths we saw on screen are real.
The entire Marvel franchise up until now has been all about the Mad Titan. It is fitting that he will decide how it ends.
A compelling new argument points to the drastic changes in Thanos as he collected all the stones.
He went from “having fun” fighting Hulk, killing Loki and gloating over tormenting Thor to a, it must be said, soul-weary man by the end.
What if the Soul Stone gives the bearer the ability to sense and bear the souls of those it touches? Thanos’ grief over killing Gamora is compounded by his clear hesitation and struggle when facing Iron Man, Captain America and Scarlet Witch. He feels their pain, sactifice and suffering.
Now, imagine if he feels the weight of every life he took in The Snap?
The new theory says: “We see Thanos being overwhelmed by all the sorrow he feels when he wields the gauntlet… So he shatters the gauntlet, killing himself in the process, and separating the infinity stones believing that no one can safely undo the snap without him. Thanos’ arc is over, and instead of just being defeated, he has become the ultimate hero in his own arc and sacrifices his own life for what he believes to be universal salvation.
This completes his arc and shows that even though his viewpoint was flawed, it was completely selfless. He truely believed that what he was doing was right and he is forced to kill himself to ensure the snap stays permanent. He worries his will is not strong enough to resist the temptation of undoing the snap for the rest of his life, so in a final heroic act of selflessness, he kills himself, believing it is the only way. This also ties into the fact that he said “I was the only one with the will to do what is necessary”. He always believed the culling of the population should be dispassionate, but it is literally impossible now that he has to bear the burden of all the sorrow in the universe.”
“The Russo brothers did a great job of making Thanos perhaps one of the most empathetic villains in the MCU, so I really don’t think they’ll go the “Ultron route” and have the Avengers defeat Thanos by shooting different energy beams at him… They want the audience to feel conflicted about the defeat of Thanos. They see a character who sacrificed the only person he loved in the world and also killing himself, only to have his life mission undone. Obviously most of the audience will root for the avengers, but I think ending this arc on a bittersweet tone really will separate this movie from others.”
Of course, this still leaves the problem of what to do with all those lost in The Snap. How will the remaining Avengers and Captain Marvel restore those lost in The Snap?
Fans have almost a year to try and figure it out…
AVENGERS INFINITY WAR IS OUT ON APRIL 27, 2019
