BEWARE: The following post, of course, contains massive SPOILERS for Avengers: Infinity War!

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Avengers: Infinity War is one of the most secretive movies of all time. What are the spoilers that Thanos demands your silence on?

Earth's Mightiest Heroes are uniting against their most formidable threat to date, as Thanos the Mad Titan finally launches his quest to collect the six Infinity Stones. As promised, the film ” currently playing in theaters everywhere ” offers more than its share of shocking twists as it sets the stage for Marvel Studios' untitled Avengers 4.

For those looking for a chance to relive the shock of the film (before that inevitable second, third or tenth viewing), we're here to help. Now the movie's on general release, we're going to assess the biggest plot twists and turns. If you've not seen the movie yet, now's your last to chance to get out. You have been warned.

10. Thanos Claims The Power Stone Offscreen

Power Stone in Guardians of the Galaxy

Over the years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has maintained an ongoing scavenger hunt of sorts as it has introduced and shuffled around each of the six Infinity Stones that Thanos needs to wield his godlike Infinity Gauntlet. However, even audiences who haven't got the entire MCU canon memorized will be shocked to find that Thanos has already acquired one of the Stones before Avengers: Infinity War begins.

While Thor: Ragnarok sets up Thanos' acquisition of the Tesseract ” a.k.a. the Space Stone (more on that in a moment), he has already decimated Xandar and retrieved the Power Stone from the Nova Corps. The Guardians of the Galaxy delivered the Orb/Power Stone to Nova-Prime (Glenn Close) in their first film, and though the chance to see Thanos wreak havoc there feels like a missed opportunity, it immediately sets up his threat. And it's not like the film doesn't kick off with a bang...

9. Loki Dies In The Opening Sequence

Loki holding the Tesseract in Avengers Inifnity War

Judging from the trailers, many fans assumed that Loki's days were numbered, and Infinity War doesn't disappoint in that regard. Thanos and his children appear and slaughter most of the Asgardians, including Heimdall, leaving Loki with a decision to make. After first seemingly choosing the Tesseract over Thor's life, Loki cannot bear to see his brother suffer and gives the Space Stone to Thanos so that he'll spare Thor.

Read More: Where The Infinity Stones Are At The Start Of Avengers 3

Then, rather than escape and save his own life, Loki makes a last-ditch effort to betray Thanos. Pretending to swear his "undying" loyalty, Loki ” ever the God of Mischief ” goes for Thanos' throat, only to be stopped at the last moment. For that act, Thanos strangles Loki to death, proclaiming that he will receive "no more resurrections." This time, it looks like the fan-favorite character is really gone. For now, at least.

8. Hulk Barely Makes An Appearance

Don't let that slow-motion shot of all the heroes making their last stand in Wakanda fool you. Bruce Banner's alter-ego only appears once in Avengers: Infinity War, and it happens right in the opening sequence. After his brief fight with Thanos, Hulk/Banner arrive in New York just before Thanos' children make their bid to claim the Eye of Agamotto (the Time Stone) from Doctor Strange.

Although Iron Man urges Banner to Hulk out and help him, Strange and Wong defeat them, Banner finds himself unable to tap into the green monster within. Hulk refuses to participate in the fight, leaving Banner with nothing to do but get out of the way. The Hulk's stubbornness continues throughout the rest of the film, even as Thanos arrives on Earth himself. Banner pilots the Hulkbuster armor instead.

7. Red Skull Returns As Keeper Of The Soul Stone

Red Skull Death and Comic Survival

MCU fans haven't seen him since Captain America: The First Avenger, but that film's villain finally makes his return to the franchise in Avengers: Infinity War. Last we saw Red Skull, he was transported into space by the Tesseract. As it turns out, he wound up on the distant planet of Vormir, where he was tasked with protecting the Soul Stone, the elusive final Infinity Stone.

Related: Red Skull's Return Explained

Although Hugo Weaving doesn't reprise the role of Red Skull, actor Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead) effortlessly slips into the part. It's not clear if Red Skull's reappearance here means there's more in store for him in the future, but the callback is a much-appreciated move on the part of Marvel. Moreover, now that Red Skull has come back into play, perhaps other at-large villains from the MCU may be next in line.

6. Thanos Kills Gamora To Acquire The Soul Stone

Gamora in Avengers Infinity War

Because of her close ties to Thanos, it was always figured that his daughter Gamora would have a pivotal role in Avengers: Infinity War. However, even those who theorized that the Guardians of the Galaxy would suffer losses against the Mad Titan may have failed to deduce that Gamora would fall by his own hand. But that's exactly how it plays out, as a heartbroken Thanos sacrifices Gamora's life in order to access the Soul Stone.

In the film, Gamora reveals that she is the only one who knows the Stone's location, and so Thanos takes her along on his quest to claim it. When Red Skull proclaims that Thanos would have to kill someone he loves to get it, Gamora laughs, believing Thanos' own vengeance has robbed him of a chance to retrieve the Soul Stone. But, much to her surprise, Thanos does love his adopted daughter, just not enough to stop himself from killing her in service of his ultimate goal.

Peter Dinklage is Eitri

5. Peter Dinklage Plays Eitri, Who Forges Stormbreaker

Prior to Avengers: Infinity War's release, one of the biggest mysteries was that of Peter Dinaklage. It wasn't even confirmed that he was in the film until the final poster was unveiled, and after that things only got more confused, with a multitude of theories about who he was playing.

Dinklage actually plays the giant dwarf Eitri, a weapons forger whose people were slaughtered by Thanos. Eitri was forced to make the Infinity Gauntlet for him but redeems himself by creating Thor's new weapon, Stormbreaker. Like Thor's beloved Mjolnir, Stormbreaker is made from the heart of a dying star, and the God of Thunder believes the ax will be powerful enough to help him defeat Thanos.

4. Doctor Strange Gives Up The Time Stone

Doctor Strange using the time stone in Doctor Strange

Early in the film, Doctor Strange is taken by one of Thanos' ships, and Iron Man and Spider-Man get caught up in a rescue mission of sorts to retrieve both Strange and the Time Stone he carries. However, Strange makes it very clear to Iron Man that, given the choice to protect the Time Stone or save the life of Stark and Spider-Man, he must keep the Eye of Agamotto out of Thanos' hands.

Related: Avengers 4 Is Definitely A Time Travel Film

That declaration makes Strange's decision later all the more puzzling. When Thanos escapes a nearly successful plot to wrest the Infinity Gauntlet from him, he attacks Iron Man, stabbing and almost killing him. Strange offers the Time Stone in exchange for Stark's life, later saying that he had no choice. Exactly what Strange's plan was or how it will affect the plot of Avengers 4 remains to be seen... but he definitely has a plan.

3. Scarlet Witch and Thor Nearly Defeat Thanos... But He Still Wins

No one can blame the Avengers for a lack of trying. Because Scarlet Witch's powers were derived from an Infinity Stone, only she has the power to destroy the Mind Stone in Vision's head, with the only roadblock being that doing it while still attached would kill in the process. Despite her feelings for him, she sacrifices his life to keep the Mind Stone away from Thanos. However, Thanos ” now with the Time Stone ” undoes her effort and rips the Mind Stone from Vision's forehead, completing his Infinity Gauntlet.

Even though the Avengers' defeat is nigh, Thor swoops in with Stormbreaker and buries it deep within Thanos' chest. The wound very nearly overwhelms him, but the Mad Titan still has enough energy within him to snap his fingers, thereby enacting his plan. Thor demands to know what Thanos just did, but the smiling villain simply disappears to heal, leaving the Avengers to face the fallout themselves.

2. Half Of The Avengers Die

And what a fallout it is. Fans had already been theorizing that Infinity War might end on Thanos' iconic finger-snap from the comics brought to life, and while that moment isn't the very last one in the film, it does still essentially serve as the cliffhanger that will leave fans hanging until next year's sequel. We learn throughout the film that eradicating half of the universe's population is Thanos' twisted plan to protect it and demonstrate his own power in the process.

Read More: Avengers: Infinity War's Ending: What Happens, What It Means, & What's Next

So, with that finger-snap, roughly half of our heroes crumble into dust. The casualties include Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Winter Soldier, Scarlet Witch, Falcon, Star-Lord, Drax, Mantis and teenage Groot. Since the focus is on the heroes facing Thanos, it remains to be seen what fate has befallen other supporting characters ” such as Pepper Pott and Shuri ” throughout the MCU. Nevertheless, this turn of events leaves Captain America, Thor, Bruce Banner, Black Widow, War Machine, Rocket and Okoye - and Iron Man and Nebula on Titan - agape and wondering what to do next.

1. Captain Marvel Is Teased In The End-Credits

Playing off of the dark, seemingly helpless state in which it leaves our heroes, Infinity War makes audiences sit through the entire credits sequence before offering even the slightest respite of hope. The scene features Nick Fury and Maria Hill as they witness the aftermath of Thanos' finger-snap. Cars and helicopters begin to crash as people everywhere begin to disappear. Panicked, Fury turns to see Hill herself fade away, as he pulls out a device and sends out an SOS.

Read More: Avengers: Infinity War End Credits Scene Explained

Then, in one final comedic beat, Fury disappears as he very nearly lets out a Samuel L. Jackson-style expletive, and the camera zooms in on Fury's communicator, which flashes the iconic starburst logo of Captain Marvel. Oscar-winner Brie Larson is set to debut as the character in next year's 1990s-set film, but the post-credits scene of Infinity War indicates that Carol Danvers may be the key to the Avengers' defeat of Thanos in Avengers 4. Considering how suddenly short-staffed they are, Earth's Mightiest Heroes could certainly use some backup.

Next: The Many Unanswered Questions in Avengers: Infinity War

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