Avengers: Who Knows About The Infinity Stones?

When Avengers: Infinity War begins, who in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will have already heard of the mighty Infinity Stones? By now, the six ancient ingots that represent the concentrated power in the MCU - Space, Time, the Mind, Reality, Power, and the Soul - will be very familiar to fans who have been hearing about them in the movies for almost a decade. However, far more people in the real world know about - or have even heard of - the Infinity Stones compared to the inhabitants of the MCU.It's also worth noting that while Infinity Stones have been a fixture of the MCU since Captain America: The First Avenger, four of the six Stones were known by other names when they first appeared. Therefore, villains like the Red Skull and Malekith have wielded these power sources without fully realizing their true nature, or even their true names.Related: The Biggest MCU Narrative Threads Infinity War Must ResolveIn the first Captain America film, and in The Avengers, the Space Stone was referred to as the Tesseract. The Aether in Thor: The Dark World was actually the Reality Stone. The Orb in the first Guardians of the Galaxy was quickly revealed to be the Power Stone, while it was only at the end of Doctor Strange that the titular sorcerer learned the Eye of Amagotto he wore around his neck was actually the Time Stone. The jewel in Loki's scepter highlighted in Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron wasn't given a name, but it was always the Mind Stone. That leaves the whereabouts of the final - and most dangerous - power source, the Soul Stone, the subject of much speculation (though Wakanda is the likeliest bet).When Thanos arrives on Earth, many of the Avengers themselves will be playing catch-up as to why this enormous purple alien with a big chin is attacking, and what exactly he is after. Some of the Avengers have only part of the necessary background, though a few know much more or even all of the facts - and they wish they didn't. Of course, many ancient cosmic beings who are now deceased (like Odin and Ego) were likely aware of the Infinity Stones. Since those characters and others - like the Red Skull, who sought the Tesseract - will not appear in Infinity War, let's look at which of the heroes in Avengers 3 know what the Infinity Stones are, and which ones will be learning all of this for the first time while fighting off aliens.This Page: Avengers Who Know About All Of The Stones And Thanos

Avengers Who Know About All Of The Stones And Thanos

Thor: The God of Thunder is intimately familiar with Infinity Stones. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor became fully aware of the fabled power sources after receiving a vision while immersed in the Water of Sights. He specifically learned that the Mind Stone was in Loki's scepter and used his magic lightning to help birth the Vision, who is powered by the Mind Stone on his forehead. Thor then left Earth at Age of Ultron's conclusion to begin a years-long hunt (in vain) for the rest of the Infinity Stones.

Loki: The God of Mischief has the distinction of having wielded two Infinity Stones at the same time. When he led the Chitauri invasion of Earth, he used the Space Stone that he stole from S.H.I.E.L.D. to open a gateway for the aliens. Loki concurrently used the Mind Stone in his scepter to control several humans, including Clint Barton, to do his bidding. By the conclusion of Thor: Ragnarok, Loki once again had the Space Stone in his possession, which he rescued from Odin's Vault before Surtur annihilated Asgard. Also worthy of note is that Thanos actually already had the Mind Stone in his possession before The Avengers began, but he gave it to Loki, who promptly lost it. Therefore, Loki unfortunately already knows who Thanos is, unlike Thor and his friends.

The Guardians of the Galaxy: They might be their own motley unit, but fans can safely consider the Guardians an adjunct of the Avengers in Infinity War. It's thanks to the first Guardians film that fans received the history of the Infinity Stones. When the ragtag band of intergalactic misfits delivered the Power Stone (which they knew as the Orb) to Taneleer Tivan on Knowhere, the Collector offered a detailed explanation of "the six singularities" formed "before creation itself." Tivan also laid out some of the rules of the Infinity Stones: that they can "only be brandished by beings of extraordinary strength" (hence, there are specific ways to safely wield the devastatingly powerful ingots).

Gamora and Drax have scores to settle with Thanos himself (i.e. they desperately want to kill him). Thus, the Guardians will be key players in Infinity War, as they personally know the Mad Titan as well as have the vital background on the Stones he covets. While their newest recruit, Mantis, was not part of the Guardians when they met the Collector, a number of years have passed in the MCU timeline between Guardians Vol. 2 and Infinity War, so we can assume the subject of Infinity Stones came up at some point and Mantis is clued in as well.

Doctor Strange and Wong: Strange used the Eye of Agamotto to save the world from Dormammu and was later informed by Wong that the Eye was actually an Infinity Stone. In the Avengers: Infinity War Prelude #2 comic, Wong continued the Doctor's education on the Stones, filling him in on recent events involving the Space, Mind, and Reality Stones, while warning of the dangers of the missing Soul Stone. However, as far as the mystics of Kamar-Taj are aware, the Power Stone is still hidden as the Orb on the planet Morag. They have no knowledge of the events of Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and that the Power Stone is now secured by the Nova Corps on Xandar. Nor are Wong and Strange aware of Thanos before Infinity War begins.

Avengers Who Know About Some Of The Stones

Bruce Banner: We know from the Infinity War trailer that Bruce crashes into Doctor Strange's New York City Sanctum, having somehow survived Thanos' attack on Asgard's ship that was teased in Thor: Ragnarok's mid-credits scene. Therefore, Bruce possesses knowledge of the Infinity Stones and Thanos himself. He already knew of the Mind Stone and the Space Stone from his role in the first two Avengers films. By Infinity War, the gamma-powered scientist will have the full picture - and the raging desire to smash more aliens as the Incredible Hulk.

Valkyrie: Meanwhile, Valkyrie was also on the Asgardian ship with Loki and the Space Stone. She is set to appear in Avengers 3, but in what capacity remains to be seen. Valkyrie spent centuries drinking her sorrows away on Sakaar and hadn't run across the Infinity Stones before as far as fans know. She has no choice but to get very familiar with Thanos and the Stones now.

Team Iron Man

Tony Stark and James "Rhodey" Rhodes: Thor discussed the Infinity Stones and his plans to search the cosmos for them with Stark and Steve Rogers at the end of Age of Ultron. Collectively, the Avengers had encountered the Space Stone and the Mind Stone together. However, the Avengers have had more Earthbound concerns in recent years, with the Sokovia Accords igniting a Civil War that left over half the team as wanted international fugitives. Stark is now the public and political face of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, and his myriad new responsibilities have left him zero time to concern himself with cosmic matters. Rhodey, meanwhile, has yet to deal with aliens as an Avenger. He typically knows much less than Stark does, but he is at least aware of the Mind Stone.

Vision: Vision is intimately tied to the Infinity Stones via the Mind Stone ensconced on his forehead - and this makes him one of Thanos' main targets. If Vision is able to access the Infinity Stone's full power, it would grant him the awareness of absolutely everything there is to know in the universe. However, it doesn't appear as if Vision, who still seeks to understand his power source, has made much progress in unlocking the Mind Stone. From the Infinity War trailer, he seems much more concerned with pursuing a relationship with Wanda Maximoff.

Team Cap

Steve Rogers: The former Captain America currently has other problems, but the Infinity Stones have been tied to his entire adult life - going back to fighting the Red Skull over the Tesseract in World War II. Rogers finally became aware of the name "Infinity Stones" via Thor, but he likely trusted the God of Thunder's word that he would find and handle them when he left Earth at the end of Age of Ultron. Since Civil War, Rogers has been a fugitive, with the Avengers: Infinity War Prelude #1 comic revealing that he, Sam Wilson, and Natasha Romanoff have been chasing contraband Chitauri tech in Syria and other parts of the world.

Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, and Wanda Maximoff: Sam Wilson generally knows what his best buddy Steve Rogers knows, but the Falcon usually prefers not to get too involved with the crazier aspects of being an Avenger (he won't have a choice in Infinity War). Similarly, it's hard to imagine that a trained spy and former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent like Black Widow wouldn't have received intel on the Infinity Stones; after all, she was an Avenger since the beginning, and has encountered the Space and Mind Stones. Natasha would know the reason Thor left Earth, just as she knows what rests in Vision's forehead. However, being on the run with Steve and Sam is her immediate priority. As for the Scarlet Witch, her very power to affect reality was borne from the Mind Stone itself, the same as her paramour the Vision. None of these Avengers likely possess the big picture regarding the six Infinity Stones or are aware of the name "Thanos" when Infinity War begins.

Who Knows Nothing About Infinity Stones?

Chadwick Boseman as King T'Challa in Black Panther

Spider-Man and Ant-Man: Peter Parker hasn't knowingly come across the Infinity Stones in his web-slinging life (he barely knows Vision). So, like wearing the Iron Spider suit, Infinity War will definitely be a first for our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. The same can be said for Scott Lang, whose brief time as Ant-Man has mercifully spared him encountering the universe-threatening ingots or any giant purple alien conquerors thus far.

Black Panther and Bucky Barnes: King T'Challa, as far as fans are aware, has also never heard the name "Infinity Stones", but whether he has actually encountered one remains to be clarified. Many fans suspect the Soul Stone is in Wakanda, possibly generating the versatility of the nation's limitless Vibranium reserves. It's also possible that the ability of the Black Panther to visit the afterlife thanks to the Heart-Shaped Herb is due to the Soul Stone itself. Hopefully, Infinity War will provide definitive answers. Meanwhile, Bucky Barnes has spent most of the past century being brain-washed or cryogenically frozen, so he's a bit out of the loop.

The Wild Card

Karen Gillan as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Nebula: Thanos' 'daughter' is one to keep an eye on. She left Guardians Vol. 2 on the hunt for Thanos, and it's unclear how exactly Nebula will get involved in Infinity War. Nebula likely only knew as much as Thanos wanted her to be aware of; she only knew the Power Stone Ronan tried to keep for himself as 'the Orb'. Since she wasn't with the Guardians to hear the Collector's history lesson on Knowhere, it's unclear whether she has heard the name 'Infinity Stones' before. In The Infinity Gauntlet comics, however, Nebula briefly dons the glove and was overcome by the ultimate power it possesses. Could Avengers: Infinity War follow suit?

Next: Avengers That Could Wield The Infinity Gauntlet