Avengers: Infinity War's Many Unanswered Questions

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Avengers: Infinity War.

Avengers: Infinity War is truly the culmination of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which means there's a lot to unpack because of that. Bringing together virtually every major character in the shared universe (including their individual story arcs) for an ultimate showdown with the Mad Titan Thanos (Josh Brolin) and his loyal Black Order makes for a compelling action film, but it also opens itself up to a breadth of new questions.

One of the best things about Avengers 3 is that it acknowledges the past, answers questions that fans have been asking for several years, and sets characters and their storylines onto new paths that wouldn't have been possible before. Unfortunately, in doing so, the movie becomes over-packed, which leads to even more questions stemming from all the events that do happen in the new film. Sure, some of these questions may be answered by looking at the comics or supplemental material for Infinity War, but that's not necessarily fair since the movies don't strictly follow the source material and supplemental materials are, by nature, meant to enhance an understanding of a film, not explain one.

This Page: Xandar And The Power Stone

What exactly happened on Xandar?

Avengers: Infinity War starts off with Thanos already having the Power Stone, which was being safeguarded by the Nova Corps on Xandar. Unfortunately, it's never revealed what happened on Xandar and how Thanos ended up getting the Power Stone in the first place. The only instance in which it's even mentioned is when Thor tells the Guardians that Xandar had been destroyed a week prior.

Thor found out at the very beginning of the movie, but the audiences never know more than that. The word "decimated" can have multiple meanings. But based on Thanos' modus operandi, it's presumed that he killed half of Xandar's population. It would be strange if he completely destroyed the entire planet, but that's something audiences may have to wait until Guardians of the Galaxy 3 or another movie to find out (or even wait for a new comic book).

Why couldn't Xandar defend against Thanos, who had zero Infinity Stones?

The Nova Corps armored up in Guardians of the Galaxy

While audiences never find out exactly what happens on Xandar, how did Thanos even beat them, to begin with? Of course, it's plausible that Thanos used the Outriders to overrun Xandar, but why would the Nova Corps, of all organizations, not be able to defend themselves against a force like that? The Avengers were coming close to defeating the Outriders before Thanos teleported into Wakanda, and Wakanda's force resembles the Nova Corps.

Plus, the kicker here is that Thanos and his Black Order must've arrived on Xandar without any Infinity Stones in hand, so they had nothing but an army to defeat them with. That's something at least explaining in some detail or showing on screen. It's explained how Thanos gets every other Infinity Stone, so not showing Xandar seems like a strange decision, but doing so is what allows the filmmakers to start the movie right after Thor: Ragnarok.

Why doesn't Thanos kill Thor?

The beginning of the movie focuses on Thanos obtaining the Space Stone from Loki, who he kills for attempting to kill him while Loki pretended to offer his allegiance and guidance on Earth. After killing everyone aboard the ship, which includes killing both Loki and Heimdall, Thanos and his Black Order departed the vessel, leaving Thor alive. Why?

Towards the end of the film, Thanos is seen about to kill Tony for trying to stop him, but he doesn't choose to kill Thor for the same reason. And it seems that the only reason Heimdall dies is because he transported Hulk back to Earth through the Bifrost (as mentioned). Thor is arguably Thanos' greatest enemy (as evidenced towards the end of the movie), and they had him secured. It just seems strange - Thanos decides to destroy the ship using the Power Stone but not kill the last person remaining on it. That could've been because they wanted Thor to suffer, but audiences probably will never know.

How does Heimdall know to send Hulk to Doctor Strange?

It was revealed fairly early on that Hulk arrives in the Sanctum Sanctorum and warns everyone about Thanos - it was even shown in the film's trailers and clips - but how he got there was always a mystery going into the movie. It becomes clear that Heimdall actually sends Hulk to Earth when Thanos and the Black Order are a bit distracted. But how does Heimdall know to do that?

Thor is captured at that moment, and he doesn't tell Heimdall to do that, nor does he tell him to send Hulk to the Sanctum Sanctorum. What's interesting is that omni-senses are one of Heimdall's many powers, meaning he can see pretty much every soul in the universe. He used that multiple times throughout the franchise, which is why it's possible that Heimdall could sense that Thor wanted Hulk sent to Earth, but that's still a reach without any sort of confirmation.

Why doesn't Heimdall Bifrost everyone out (or Thanos)?

What's interesting about Heimdall sending Hulk to Earth is that he mumbles in incantation requesting his forefathers to let dark magic flow through him once more, which then opens up the Bifrost allowing him to send Hulk away. How he knew to send him to Doctor Strange, though, and how he did so remains unclear. If Heimdall can summon the Bifrost from somewhere other than Asgard, then why hasn't he done it before and why didn't they all escape together? The Bifrost can certainly transport multiple people at a time to different realms.

Granted, the only other time something like that has happened was when Thor came to Earth in the first Avengers movie, which was chalked up to Odin summoning dark magic. Taking that into account, it's possible only one person can be transported at a time. But again, that's just a potential answer to a question that has been asked multiple times since 2012 - and it doesn't seem like it's going to go away anytime soon.

Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie in Thor Ragnarok — Marvel Studios' THOR: RAGNAROK Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) Ph: Film Frame ©Marvel Studios 2017

Where is Valkyrie?

Avengers: Infinity War takes place right after the events of Thor: Ragnarok, which begs the question, where is Valkyrie? She's one of the most powerful Asgardians out there, and she was present aboard Thor's ship when they departed on their journey to Earth. They didn't get there, of course, and the only people audiences saw among the wreckage of the ship was Thor, Loki, and Heimdall. Did Valkyrie die, or did she abandon ship beforehand? What happened?

And along those lines, where are Korg and Miek? It's certainly possible that all three of them could've perished at some point in the opening battle (which isn't really shown in the movie). If that's the case, then not showing their bodies on screen so that audiences can acknowledge their deaths feels like a disservice, especially since Thor 3 was the direct lead into Infinity War.

Where's Lady Sif?

Another Asgardian missing from Avengers: Infinity War is Lady Sif. Jaimie Alexander didn't appear in Thor: Ragnarok due to a scheduling conflict with her NBC series, Blindspot. Alexander claimed that she wasn't given enough notice to appear in the movie, which ended up being a blessing in disguise, seeing as virtually every Asgardian was killed by Hela in Thor 3.

Still, that doesn't mean her whereabouts not being acknowledged in Infinity War should be excused. At this point, Lady Sif's location and purpose in whatever she's doing is almost as confounding as the location of the Soul Stone was. At least that got solved in an intriguing fashion.

Why did Hawkeye fight in Civil War but not Infinity War?

Hawkeye isn't in Avengers: Infinity War, despite appearing in the movie's poster at SDCC 2017. The reason is that Clint Barton struck a deal with the government to let him go home to his family in the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War. That's all that was said on the matter. While the fight in Civil War was about ideals for most Avengers, the fight in Infinity War is about survival - and not just humanity's survival - which should require all hands on deck.

Sure, if this was any other movie, then it would make sense why Clint would choose to remain with his family so that he doesn't get sent back to the Raft (a prison for superpowered people). But everyone else - including everyone that fought alongside Steve Rogers in Infinity War - gave up their safety and freedom to safeguard Vision and prevent Thanos from wiping out half of all life. So, saying that Hawkeye essentially decided to stay at home simply doesn't cut it in this movie. The least they could've done is ask him.

Where are Ant-Man and Wasp during this?

Ant-Man and the Wasp aren't in Avengers: Infinity War either, primarily because they are both slated to appear in Peyton Reed's Ant-Man and The Wasp movie later this summer, which deals with the aftermath of Scott Lang's decisions to fight alongside Steve Rogers in Captain America: Civil War - against the government. Sure, Scott was formerly a criminal, but he knew that he had to keep his family safe - and that meant not signing the Sokovia Accords.

And just like what happened with Hawkeye, Ant-Man made an agreement with the government to go home, which is why he's seen wearing an ankle tracker in the first Ant-Man and The Wasp trailer. As for the Wasp, the government probably doesn't know about her and she was most likely busy looking for Janet van Dyne. So, while we can probably deduce their whereabouts by watching Ant-Man 2's trailer, what they're doing in Infinity War is still never revealed. Cap and his team obviously know about him, but they thought it best to leave him be, and if that's the case, then where exactly is he?

Why does Wong protect Sanctum Sanctorum and not go with Hulk?

Doctor Strange and Wong in Avengers Infinity War

Each major superhero appeared to have at least one supporting character from their movies in Infinity War. For Doctor Strange, that was Wong - a fellow sorcerer from the 2016 Doctor Strange movie. Although Wong was vital to protecting New York at the start of the film, he disappeared almost right away and wasn't heard from again. Why? Because he opted to protect the Sanctum Sanctorum instead of going after Doctor Strange and the Time Stone or, at least, helping Bruce Banner find the rest of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

There are lots of mystical items stored inside New York's Sanctum Sanctorum. So, while it makes sense that Wong would choose to stay back, that doesn't explain why he doesn't fulfill his sacred oath to protect the Time Stone above all else? Again, Doctor Strange had it, and Wong stayed in New York instead of looking for him. And what's more, Wong doesn't eventually help the Avengers in protecting Vision either - a situation that he could've easily helped with.

Bruce in the Hulkbuster in Avengers: Infinity War

Bruce Banner not being able to transform into the Hulk certainly didn't help the Avengers' cause, but it's good that they thought ahead and decided to bring the Hulkbuster armor along - but how did Banner get his hands on that in the first place? It's possible could've found the Hulkbuster armor while at the Avengers facility in New York, where Peter Parker's Iron Spider suit came from, but that's not explained nor is it shown on screen.

What's particularly bothersome about this is that there's a scene from the first Infinity War trailer in which Bruce is clearly seen tinkering with the Hulkbuster armor in Wakanda. In the finished product, however, he just shows up with it in the final battle. Of course, his actual debut in the suit was quite hilarious, but just appearing out of nowhere with it doesn't really explain much.

How does Thor's new weapon summon a Bifrost?

Granted, it's a cool scene, and we know it can do it - but how? It's possible that Stormbreaker has been imbued with the Odinforce, but that's something that would at least need to be mentioned once in the movie, aside from Eitri saying that it could potentially summon the Bifrost, in theory. Otherwise, audiences will need to consult the comics (or any supplemental material) for answers, and since the movies aren't entirely comic accurate, whatever they find may not be entirely accurate.

When something like that has become a point of contention for several years, it's worth explaining or at least showing how Thor can open a portal with Stormbreaker. And just like what happened with Hulk and the Hulkbuster armor, a scene that shows Thor using his lightning to open a portal was revealed in the trailers but removed from the movie's final cut. It's great that Thor and his newfound friends were able to make a surprise entrance on Wakanda, but it's unclear how they were able to get there in the first place.

How does Thor's new eye just work?

Thor looking confused in Avengers: Infinity War

It didn't take long for Thor to get a new eye in Avengers: Infinity War. But, while it's curious as to where exactly that eye came from, what's even more interesting is how easy it was to get it to work. Sure, it's great that the visual effects team went into great detail on Thor's new eye, making sure that it looks different than his actual eye, but they didn't go into detail about exactly HOW it just... works.

It was an important character moment for Thor to lose his eye in Thor: Ragnarok just like how he lost Mjolnir, but he had to go to great lengths to get another all-powerful weapon, whereas his eye was just handed to him by Rocket. And what's more, Thor popped in that eye like it was a glass eye and it worked perfectly fine.

How do Spider-Man's extra Iron Spider arms work?

Spider-Man got a new suit in Avengers: Infinity War, but it's still unclear how they work. And the thing is, it doesn't seem like Peter Parker knows how his suit works either. It just... does. The Iron Spider suit was teased in Spider-Man: Homecoming and then it finally made its official debut in Infinity War, which comes with a slew of new abilities to augment Spidey's fighting style. Plus, it has even more features to make sure he stays alive.

One of those new features are the four spider arms. The first time they're deployed is when Peter saves Doctor Strange from being shot out into space. They are automatically deployed when Spidey can grab onto something himself. Then, they are used again when the team is fighting Thanos on Titan. In that scene, the arms protect Peter from falling to the ground. While we know what the arms are from reading the comics, we don't know how they work. Do they connect to Peter's neural pathways?

Thanos with the Black Order in Avengers Infinity War

Who exactly are the Black Order?

Comic book fans know who the Black Order are and have been looking forward to their arrival for quite some time; they are the Children of Thanos. But that's all movie audiences will get when they see Avengers: Infinity War. A number of things about Thanos' past are explained in the movie - Infinity War is his movie, after all - but his four henchmen get no such introduction or backstory. Their origins, powers, and purpose are not addressed whatsoever, and that can lead to some confusion amongst non-comic book viewers (which make up the vast majority of moviegoers).

It's mentioned that Gamora was once the daughter of Thanos, and that she was among Thanos' ranks when he conquered various civilizations, but nothing about the four other henchmen are explained. Sure, breaking down each villains' powers can be time-consuming and rather moot, but at least revealing their names should be a priority, given that they are integral to the story.

How does Cap's team of humans beat Black Order so easily?

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers aka Captain America in Avengers Infinity War

The Black Order defeated two of the most powerful beings on Earth - Vision and Scarlet Witch - and then they themselves were defeated by three, non-superpowered humans, just because they were caught off guard. That doesn't make sense, and it was actually something that was brought up prior to the film's release since the particular scene in question was revealed on Good Morning America.

With the Avengers theme song playing in the background, it was as if they didn't break a sweat defeating the Black Order. Of course, it was the first time that Steve Rogers, Black Widow, and Falcon were introduced in the movie, so the filmmakers couldn't have them lose their first fight right out of the gate.

What has Nick Fury been doing this whole time?

No one knows what Nick Fury is doing between movies. After Captain America: The Winter Soldier, he just disappeared. Sure, he showed up again in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but that was the last time anyone saw him until Infinity War's post-credits scene, and this time with Maria Hill by his side. At least her absence can be explained to her working for Stark Industries (and the Avengers).

A lot has happened since the Battle of Sokovia, including the break up of the Avengers. So, what has he been doing all this time? We know he and Hill haven't been working alongside S.H.I.E.L.D. since that particularly organization has been busy trying to save the world on the TV side. Still, at least fans know that Fury and Hill aren't out of the game yet, even if they both did perish in Infinity War. There's always Avengers 4, after all.

What have the Guardians been doing all this time?

All the Guardians of the Galaxy standing together in Vol 2.

The Guardians of the Galaxy have been busy for the past several years, presumably saving the galaxy. But that's just an assumption. What have they really been doing all this time? A lot must've happened between the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Avengers: Infinity War because Groot is now a teenager and Peter Quill and Gamora's relationship has truly taken off. That means at least a few years could've gone by, or at least one year.

On a side note, it's weird that they're all still wearing the same clothes after all this time. Virtually every major MCU character has gotten at least one or two upgrades over the years, whereas the Guardians always wear the same clothes. They've traveled across the galaxy, but their main costumes are always the same.

What happens to the Red Skull?

After years and years wondering, fans finally found out what happened to the Red Skull. After holding the Tesseract, the Red Skull was shot out into space and landed at Vormir, where he was tasked with guiding seekers of the Soul Stone. Apparently, the Red Skull has been doing this for over 70 years, until Thanos came along and took the Stone. But what happens after?

So, once again, although we know what happened to the Red Skull following Captain America: The First Avenger, we now have to ask: what happens to the Red Skull following Infinity War? If his duty is now over, then perhaps he dies, or maybe he gets sent back to Earth.

Karen Gillan as Nebula in Avengers Infinity War

How does Nebula escape?

Although she didn't have much screen time in the movie, Nebula still played an integral role to Infinity War's story. Part of that was because she inadvertently revealed that Gamora knew where the Soul Stone was and she's one of the few remaining people alive after the disintegration. While her story arc was straightforward, one thing is unclear, how does she escape the Sanctuary-II?

Nebula was being imprisoned on Thanos' ship, and she was able to kill the guard and escape without breaking a sweat. How? Sure, it was mentioned earlier that she came very close to assassinating Thanos, so she obviously knows her way around the ship, but how she managed to escape from the chamber she was being held in is still a mystery.

What was Thanos' dreamworld?

Avengers Infinity War Thanos Finger Snap

After defeating both the Avengers and the Guardians, and then snapping his fingers and wiping out half of all life in the universe, Thanos awakes in some sort of dreamworld. In it, he sees a young Gamora (probably because she's the person that he loves the most and he had to sacrifice her to get the Soul Stone), who asks him if he succeeded in his plan and what it cost him - everything.

While it's never revealed exactly where Thanos went, it's presumed that he traveled to the Soulworld. In the comics, the Soulworld is a place located within a pocket dimension that uses the Soul Stone to draw in people (or those who wield the Soul Stone). A number of people have visited the Soulworld in the comics, but Thanos might be the only person to do so in the movies, but that's still unclear.

What's Doctor Strange's "Endgame" plan?

What's Doctor Strange's endgame? He used the Time Stone to look into the future and saw millions of possible timelines unfold before his eyes. Out of all of them, there was only one in which the Avengers and Guardians succeed in their effort to stop Thanos - but that's not what happened. Rather than let Thanos kill Iron Man and then presumably everyone else, Doctor Strange willingly gave up the Time Stone, thus forsaking his sacred oath as Sorcerer Supreme (or the master of the mystic arts).

Thanos succeeded in wiping out half the universe by the end of the film, and it seems that Doctor Strange's plan didn't work. However, that may not be the case. Since Avengers 4 is right around the corner, it's possible that the future Strange saw was one in which they had to sacrifice themselves and let Thanos win initially, only to come back stronger in the second film... with Captain Marvel in tow. So, while we don't know what Doctor Strange's endgame is, it should be something that we find out come 2019.

How will Marvel TV shows handle Infinity War's ending?

It's strange to think that the Defenders and, at least, S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't try to come to the rescue when the Black Order's ship arrives in New York City, not to mention everywhere else the Children of Thanos go looking for the Infinity Stones. That was something that was repeatedly asked leading into Infinity War, and it's a question that won't go away anytime soon.

Sure, they all got their hands full, and S.H.I.E.L.D. is busy saving the world again, so audiences may not find out exactly how Infinity War affects Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. until next season, aside from a handful of throwaway Infinity War references. But with half of the planet's population gone, it can't be easy for everyone to go about their days like everything is fine.

How does Fury know Captain Marvel doesn't disintegrate?

At the end of the film, half of all the heroes (and all life in the universe) is wiped out by Thanos snapping his fingers. It's a big cliffhanger and major setup for Avengers 4 in 2019, but a number of people aren't shown on screen, so it's unclear what their statuses are. First, Hawkeye (who isn't in the movie at all), Shuri, and Wong aren't seen on screen, which means they are probably alive. The same applies to Ant-Man, Wasp, and the rest of their supporting cast since they will all be seen in Ant-Man and The Wasp this summer.

Another person that isn't shown but hinted at in the movie, and who isn't confirmed to have disintegrated, is Captain Marvel. In Infinity War's post-credits scene, Nick Fury sends a message to Captain Marvel. And while the message is received, but why does Fury think to do that specifically? Plus, how does he know she hasn't disintegrated like everyone else? Sure, we know Captain Marvel is the final movie before Avengers 4 releases and that Brie Larson will appear in the final Avengers film as the iconic superhero. So, that's the meta reason, but what's the in-universe reason?