While it’s clear by now that plenty of the deaths from Avengers: Infinity War will be reversed in Avengers 4, next year’s release may not bring such good news for some of the heroes who actually survived the recent Marvel mega-hit.
In these last few months, the internet’s been flooded with predictions of which characters are most likely to die in the final film of Marvel’s Phase 3, and while Tony Stark might be the Phase 1 Avenger whose doom is the most widely prophesized, Steve Rogers may also have plenty of reasons to be worried.
One new Reddit theory, for instance, suggests that Captain America’s death was already foreshadowed at the end of Infinity War. The post specifically refers to the damage that was visibly done to Thanos’ arm after he used the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out half of all life from the universe. Now, assuming it’s possible to use this same gauntlet to bring back every living soul that was disintegrated, it stands to reason that this similarly universe-changing act would have at least as damaging a recoil effect on its user. In fact, it may even be enough to kill them.
This new theory speculates that the one to carry out this necessary un-Snappening will be Cap himself, and that this daring act will cost Steve his life. While the post doesn’t go into any real detail on why Steve could be singled out for this noble act, this development would certainly ensure that the First Avenger goes out on an appropriately emotional note. And with a character like Rogers who’d be unlikely to settle down for a quiet retirement, maybe a heroic self-sacrifice is the most optimistic ending we can expect for the guy.
Of course, the writers of Avengers 4 may well have another conclusion in mind for the hundred-year-old hero’s arc, but either way, we’ll find out just what’s in store when the film hits theaters on May 3rd, 2019.