We all know what happens at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, but one thing that hasn’t been so obvious is what exactly we should be calling the genocidal event that saw half the universe turn to dust. Many fans have opted to refer to this event as “The Snap,” or for a quirkier alternative, “The Snappening,” but we’ve generally assumed that the actual inhabitants of the MCU probably wouldn’t use a term so cutesy for the death of half the people they know.
Enter the latest young adult novel from Brandon T. Snider, named The Cosmic Quest Volume Two: Aftermath. As the book’s subtitle would suggest, this Marvel tie-in work tells a story set in the aftermath of Thanos’ purge of the universe, and in this tragic reality, the moment where half the population was disintegrated is referred to as “The Decimation.”
For readers of the comics, this term may ring a bell, with the “Decimation” storyline covering the aftermath of the events of “House of M,” which resulted in most of the mutant population suddenly losing their powers. Like the Decimation of Infinity War, this event had widespread, often catastrophic consequences and was primarily the result of the actions of one person, in this case Scarlet Witch.
Whether or not “The Decimation” will replace currently popular names like “The Snappening” in fan conversation remains to be seen, but you can imagine that the term might come up in next year’s Avengers 4 as the surviving population reflects on this horrific event.
Speaking of which, while Marvel’s releases so far have generally avoided showing the state of the world after The Decimation, we could well be getting a glimpse in the first trailer for the Avengers: Infinity War sequel. The current popular prediction is that the footage will be arriving on Friday morning, and while we’ve been disappointed by such hearsay before, it’s at least looking like the Spider-Man: Far From Home teaser will be good to go this weekend.