How Marvel TV May Handle Avengers: Infinity War

WARNING: This post contains SPOILERS for Avengers: Infinity War.

The ending of Avengers: Infinity War will have a major impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including many of Marvel TV's series across networks and streaming platforms. When Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. first launched on ABC in 2013, it was essentially a spinoff from The Avengers. The show's pilot re-introduced Phil Coulson, who had been resurrected since his death in the movies, and focused on the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's team. Since then, the TV side of the MCU has grown exponentially to include six series on Netflix and Runaways on Hulu. Additionally, Cloak & Dagger will premiere on Freeform this summer.

With so many moving parts on the TV side of the universe alone, the shows rarely interact with each other. Netflix's Marvel universe is cohesive in itself, but beyond referencing the Battle of New York from The Avengers, it sticks to its own corner of the MCU. Season 1 of Runaways existed with little to no ties to the larger franchise, while it seems Cloak & Dagger will feature loose connections with the inclusion of Roxxon Oil Corporation. Still, the cliffhanger ending of Avengers: Infinity War has a major impact on the MCU. But, will we see that impact reflected through the TV series?

Avengers: Infinity War ends with Thanos acquiring all the Infinity Stones to complete the Infinity Gauntlet and he snaps his fingers, wiping out half the universe. In the final sequences of the movie, we see various heroes disintegrate to dust as a result of Thanos' actions. Although this cliffhanger directly leads into the story of Avengers 4, there's still a year before that movie hits theaters. So, that begs the question of how Marvel TV's various shows will deal with Thanos wiping out half the universe - that is, if they deal with it at all.

This Page: Infinity War's Ending Affects The Entire MCU

Infinity War's Ending Affects The Entire MCU

Avengers Infinity War Thanos Finger Snap

Although the majority of the characters we see affected by Thanos' finger snap are members of the Avengers or their allies, the Avengers: Infinity War end credits scene confirms it affects the entire planet - and we can presume it affects most other planets in the universe. This means that Thanos' actions affect not just the big screen heroes but the small screen characters as well. Even if, miraculously, all the main characters of Marvel's TV series survive the culling, they'll be dealing with the fallout from half the Earth's population disappearing.

This is especially true of Marvel's shows that are currently ongoing, like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or those that will premiere before Avengers 4 hits theaters next year. This includes Freeform's Cloak & Dagger and Hulu's Runaways season 2 as well as additional seasons of Daredevil and Luke Cage on Netflix. Netflix also has second seasons of Iron Fist and The Punisher currently in production, though it's unclear when they'll debut.

Considering the massive implications of Thanos wiping out half the universe, Infinity War should directly impact all of the Marvel TV series set in the MCU. However, since recognizing the events of Infinity War would undoubtedly derail all the shows and force them to focus on the consequences of Thanos' finger snap, they could go a different route. In fact, there a few ways for the Marvel TV shows to deal with Avengers: Infinity War.

Marvel TV Could Ignore Infinity War

For the most part, Marvel's TV shows already ignore the movies set in the same universe. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. referenced Avengers: Infinity War in its most recent episode with a throwaway line of dialogue, and the other shows may go the same route. In the past, other Marvel series may acknowledge the Battle of New York, but little else. Though another exception is the Sokovia Accords introduced in Captain America: Civil War, which are referenced in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Jessica Jones and Inhumans. Still, the majority of the TV characters are unconcerned with the goings on of the Avengers.

As such, Marvel's TV series could ignore the latest development on the film side of the MCU. Certainly, Marvel fans would question the continuity of the shows ignoring an event as massive as half the universe turning into dust. But if each show is stronger and more compelling because they ignored Thanos' finger snap, perhaps it's for the better. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has moved away from direct tie-ins to the Marvel movies and the show is stronger for it. Many of the Marvel Netflix shows ignore the movies and they're largely critically acclaimed, though that's not necessarily because they ignore the films. However, an argument could be made that they are stronger because they're concerned more with their own storylines than connecting to the larger universe.

Further, though Marvel TV head Jeph Loeb has said from the start that "it's all connected," there is a division between the film and television sides of the MCU from a production standpoint. Because of the structure of Marvel Studios and Marvel TV under the Disney umbrella, they're even more separated than many fans know. Perhaps Infinity War creates the perfect opportunity to acknowledge that not everything in the MCU is connected, and it doesn't have to be. If Marvel TV continues delivering quality shows, fans may be happy enough to let the continuity slide.

With that said, there are other ways the Marvel TV shows could handle the fallout from Avengers: Infinity War without creating continuity issues.

Avengers 4 & The Timeline May Provide Answers

We don't know very much about the plot for Avengers 4, but we do know it has something to do with time travel. Set photos from the film depicted members of the Avengers in their costumes from the first Avengers film. Presumably, members of the team will go back in time to unsnap Thanos' fingers and recton the majority of the deaths in Avengers: Infinity War. Even if that's not exactly what happens in Avengers 4, we know at least Peter Parker comes back to life because a sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming has already been confirmed. So, it follows that Avengers 4 somehow reverses what happens at the end of Infinity War so half the universe isn't wiped out in the MCU.

Additionally, we know that Infinity War and Avengers 4 were once a two-part storyline. While Marvel Studios has worked to distance the films, we know that Avengers 4 will pick up the narrative threads from Infinity War. Essentially, it's one story across two movies. As a result, the TV shows may not want to deal with any ramifications from the movie side of the universe until that story is completed. Because, if Avengers 4 does undo the cliffhanger ending of Infinity War, then that will also ripple throughout the MCU, causing more issues for the television series - unless Marvel TV uses the timeline to their benefit.

Although there's separation between Marvel Studios and Marvel TV, the television series creators likely know where the movies are headed with Avengers 4. If the Marvel TV shows ignore Infinity War, it may not actually cause an issue in continuity if their seasons take place after Avengers 4 undoes Thanos' finger snap (if, of course, that's what the Phase 3 capper depicts). Or, an easier timeline solution is to simply establish the shows take place before the events of Infinity War. It may be too late for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to pull off that explanation, but with only three episodes left in its season and an uncertain future, the show's connection - or lack thereof - to Infinity War may become a moot point.

All in all, Avengers: Infinity War undoubtedly causes problems for Marvel TV, but they aren't insurmountable. Still, since Infinity War is the biggest event the MCU has ever seen (both in universe and in the real world), fans will no doubt be looking to see how the TV shows deal with Thanos' finger snap. Unfortunately, how exactly each Marvel television series chooses to deal with it, if at all, remains to be seen.