This is a spoiler-heavy article.
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It was quiet at first, complete and utter silence for what felt like an eternity. And then like a tsunami, the noise came flooding back into the theatre as the credits began to roll. All around the room, audience members were having lively discussions about what they had just seen. Wild theories were being thrown around among friends with regards to the fate of the MCU. There were people Instagramming their reactions left, right and center. Some remained in their seats, mutely absorbing the entire experience. Regardless of the different reactions people had to the film, it’s safe to say that the majority of the people in the theatre that day had their collective minds blown! The aftermath of what occurred in Avengers: Infinity War can be hard to take in due to the fact that there were just so many shocking twists and moments that threw the audience off guard.
Fret not, we got you covered. Whether you’re just so overwhelmed by it all and you’re looking for a recap of all the awe-inspiring moments, or just too cheap to rewatch it, this one’s for you. Here are some of the most jaw-dropping moments of Avengers: Infinity War. Also, spoiler alert but come on it’s been three weeks.
10. Red Skull returns
The one question that’s been on everyone’s mind since the end of Captain America: The First Avenger was: Is Red Skull dead? While we did his body get seemingly consumed by the power of the Space Stone, its primary purpose is teleportation, not annihilation. For 7 long years, we wondered if we’d ever get an answer to that question. Rejoice fanboys, for the Crimson Head of Hydra lives! When Thanos, along with a captive Gamora, arrives on the planet of Vormir to retrieve the long eluded Soul Stone, he is greeted by its keeper. A hooded and levitating Red Skull. I could have sworn I heard a high pitch squeak go off next to me when his face peeked through his shrouded cloak.
This time, however, he seems different, unlike the old confident, megalomaniacal commander we have come to know him as. Instead, he stands guard as an almost ghost-like entity, lifeless and lost in his own thoughts. While this scene answers one question, it also raised a ton more in my head. What happened to him after First Avenger? How did he get to be the guardian of the Soul Gem? How is he able to float? Will he be back for another Captain America film? So much closure and yet so much potential! We honestly thought Marvel had forgotten about him so to see him again on the big screen was soooo cathartic. But we remember that Marvel both giveth and taketh away.
9. Thor gets a new hammer
While that less than delightful family reunion was going on, Thor and half of the Guardians are busy trying to forge a new weapon. A weapon that would be truly worthy of the God of Thunder himself. For that, the merry band travels to the forge world of Nidavellir, where they meet the lone survivor of the giant dwarves, Eitri played by Peter Dinklage. Yes, yes I see the irony. Eitri then informs Thor of his shameful hand, which he lost, he had in creating the infamous Infinity Gauntlet for Thanos and of his treachery.
With revenge and redemption on his mind, he agrees to forge a weapon of immense power, a maul. It’s basically a hammer with an axe-head at the back. But for the smith to shape such a weapon, he’ll require the flame of a star to melt the metal. For that to be achieved, Thor has to hold open the solar gates by hand, allowing a full-blown solar blast to pass through him to reach the forge. And in an epic moment of endurance and heroism, he holds on just long enough for the maul head to be completed with a teenage Groot providing the handle to his badass new weapon. Sculpted from the heat of a star, held together by the arm of a comrade, Stormbreaker triumphantly flies over to Thor! The homages to Ultimate Thor in the comics is enough to make any Marvel fan squeal like a wee girl!
8. Quill’s stupidity
Love can make people do stupid thing sometimes like take out a second mortgage to afford an expensive honeymoon or throw out your entire wardrobe because your better other half says so. Think those are bad? Well, how about dooming the entire universe and all of reality to fall under the whims of a death-loving monster? Because that’s what you did, Quill! Let me set the scene here, Iron Man, Spidey, Strange and Star-Lord are attacking Thanos all at once, in a pretty epic battle. Thanos starts off strong repelling every one of their attacks until he begins to feel overwhelmed. The tension was palpable in the hall I was, we could see the heroes were wearing Thanos out.
Spiderman constantly distracting him as Strange lines up his spells to counter the tired Titan. Iron Man comes tearing into him from above while Drax comes at him from below. Quill goes at him at the back and the crowd goes wild! And finally, they release their secret weapon, Mantis who soothes the juggernaut into a more docile state. All is going well until it is revealed to Quill that Gamora is dead. He then proceeds to lose his shit on Thanos as we lose ours on him. He beats on Thanos, wobbling Mantis off and distracting Tony long enough for Thanos to break free to rain hellfire upon them. They were so close! The gauntlet was nearly out of his hand! I get why you did it but still!
7. Hulk’s is a no-show at Wakanda
Halfway through the film, it donned on me that Hulk hasn’t shown up for the majority of the film safe for the part he got his hiney kicked by Thanos at the beginning. His absence has even been brought at some parts of the film and used for comedic effect. It’s a bit of shame that we’re left with Banner (nothing against the guy really) because we’ve seen Hulk being able to turn the tide of battle like he did in the Battle of New York and at the Destruction of Asgard. If there ever was an appropriate time for the Green Giant to come and wreck house, the Battle of Wakanda would certainly be a one of those. Especially with so much at stake. Surprisingly, however, we didn’t get Hulk but rather Banner in a Hulkbuster costume.
At that point, I was a little confused but still nonetheless certain that Hulk would show up sometime to save the day. He has to, I mean he shows up at the battle shown in the trailer. But he just never showed up! Where is he? We get our answer from the Hulk himself halfway while Iron Banner is fighting with one of Thanos’ lieutenant, Cull Obsidian. Banner begs the Hulk to come up to make an appearance before we see the Hulk take over just to yell a resounding “No!” at Banner. Woah, somebody’s feeling awfully shy. When that happened, I heard some lady loudly exclaimed “Huh?”. I agree with her.
6. Thanos sacrifices Gamora (and loved her)
Gamora has always had a tumultuous relationship with her adoptive father Thanos. In Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos willingly allows Ronan to use his other daughter Nebula as an assassin to kill Gamora after she betrays him. And note he also states that Gamora is his FAVOURED daughter. Boy, if this is how he treats his favourites, I’d sure hate to be on his family Christmas list. All jokes aside, it is revealed in the film that Thanos was truthful about his love for her. In flashbacks, we see Thanos and a young Gamora bonding over the art of a finely weighed blade…as he murders half of her people. But still, it’s a start, she even felt comfortable enough to hold his giant hand as they left her ruined world. Contrary to being a cold, detached sociopath, he’s actually seen as somewhat caring and maybe even sympathetic. Which is why what he does to Gamora is so horrifying and heart-wrenching.
For you see to achieve the Soul Stone, one must sacrifice a loved one. Upon hearing the request, Thanos tearfully obliges as he tosses his beloved daughter off the cliff. This scene is such a gut punch because he actually meant how he felt about her. This genocidal maniac is so resolved in his mission, so convinced by his worldview that despite his loss and pain, he believed in his heart that he was doing the right thing.
5. Loki’s death
Right off the bat, the film opens up with one hell of a bang! The bodies of fallen and bloodied Asgardians are strewn all across their wrecked refugee ship as Thanos and his dark servants a.k.a. The Black Order scan the room for the Space Stone. The very stone that Loki took at the end of Thor: Ragnarok. Loki at first is reluctant to give it up but upon seeing his brother being tortured, he breaks and hands it over to Thanos. And then in his typical trickster fashion, he pretends to swear fealty to the Mad Titan before trying to plunge a dagger into his purple hide. Thanos having none of that grabs Loki by the throat and breaks his neck like a freaking twig while Thor watches helplessly! All this in the first fifteen minutes of the film? Marvel ain’t playing around no more.
What’s so shocking and powerful about this scene is how quick and easy it all was. No theatrics, no words just a dead god in a firm grip. He just straight up kills Loki. The cunning god who cheated death twice. The Master of Mischief who fooled Odin, Thor and all of Asgard. To have one of the most beloved characters in the MCU, snuffed out so unceremoniously so early on is a clear statement from the film: No one is safe. And to ensure no chance of a possible resurrection, Thanos annihilates the rest of the ship. Cold blooded.
4. Doctor Strange surrenders the Time Stone
Earlier in the film, Strange bluntly told Stark and Parker that he wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice any of them to protect the Time Stone. He made it absolutely clear that he would do everything in his power to ensure Thanos does not attain it, no matter the cost. But when Thanos is right at the verge of killing Iron Man, he proceeds to hand over the Time Stone to Thanos, despite what he said. Af first I thought it was little cheesy and cliche for him to give up one of the most powerful weapons in the universe to save Tony. Why didn’t he just turn back time and find a way to save Tony instead of making such an uneven trade? Then he drops a bombshell on all of us, revealing that that was all part of the plan.
For you see before they engaged with Thanos in battle, Strange used the Time Stone to go through every single possible way they could defeat Thanos and he realized that only one worked. He knew he would give it Thanos. He knew that they couldn’t beat him in combat. There’s a strategy apparently at work here that takes into account Star Lord’s anger, their failure, him handing the stone over to Thanos and apparently everything that comes after. So what is it?! How could this possibly be for the good of all? For now, only the good doctor knows.
3. Thor’s killing blow…NOT
Things are looking dire for everyone, Thanos has single-handedly took down most of Avengers and all of the Guardians. He has found a way to outwit their final plan to destroy the Soul Stone by killing Vision, making his sacrifice all for nothing. He has everything he needs to commit mass murder of cosmic proportions. He has done it, at long last he wields the Infinity Gauntlet in all of its glorious power. Then suddenly, faster than you say deus ex machina, Thor rushes from the heavens with all the power of lightning at his disposal. He strikes Thanos to the ground. He responds to Thor’s attack with a blast of his own only for Thor to fling Stormbreaker at Thanos. Cutting right through the blast and right into his chest. Thanos falls to his knees as Thor shoves the axe-head of his maul into his chest. Thanos groans in agony, bereft of breath.
Thor has done it! He has avenged the death of his brother and ended the Mad Titan’s reign of terror. Yes, this all could have been true if he had, according to Thanos, “gone for the head”. That line sent chills down my spine as Thor in horror realizes that he has failed to kill Thanos. Thanos uses his found power to save his life and finally do the deed.
2. Thanos actually wins
Holy shit, he won. He actually won. An eerie silence falls over the battle-battered field of Wakanda and the moon of Titan. Just as the heroes are to regroup to count their losses, it happens. Some of them begin to fade into dust and disappear right before their comrade’s very eyes. Half of all life in the MCU is wiped out of existence. Bucky, Black Panther, Wanda, Spiderman, Falcon and the list goes on. They just phase out of reality. The theatre was dead silent when that happened as we watched horrified as the surviving heroes desperately try to make sense of what is happening to the world as they know it!
Perhaps, the most tragic moment of the film is when Tony frantically tries to cling onto Peter as he slowly fades away. Tom Holland’s performance as a fearful Spiderman begging for his mentor to try to keep him alive carried such emotional gravitas. We felt his despair and Tony’s loss that day. Strange then leaves Stark with these final haunting words before he is turned into ashes, “Tony…there was no other way.” The final scene shows Thanos on a lush green planet, living in a simple shack as animals graze the field. There is no throne, no kingdom, no army just death and silence.
1. Captain Marvel reveal
If there’s one thing we know about MCU films is that their films never quite end when the credits hit the screen, hell there even sometimes have post-post-credit scenes. Anyway, the theatre became a microcosm of MCU fandom. People from one end of the hall to the other were chattering about the film. But when that post-credit scene came up, everyone went silent again. We watched in anticipation, looking for any sign or clue of what the future holds for the MCU. Nick Fury and Agent Maria Hill are casually talking as he drives in New York city when out of nowhere a car comes smashing into their vehicle. The two of them watch as the city descends into chaos as half of everyone there is dead.
Amidst the chaos Hill herself begins to disappear and so is Nick but before he enters oblivion, he manages to send out a distress signal of some sort. A pager with Captain Marvel’s insignia flashing on it. For those who are uninitiated, Captain Marvel is one of the most powerful cosmic beings in Marvel, in the same league with Silver Surfer and Adam Warlock! If anyone stands a chance against Thanos, it would be her. People were scrambling to find out everything they needed to about Captain Marvel. For me and my mates, we were excited to see that the MCU is about to get a lot bigger and a lot more cosmic!
