In comic books, characters who die rarely stay dead. After DC Comics’ controversial marketing stunt “The Death of Superman,” it wasn’t long before Kal-El was resurrected. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is no different. Loki has “died” a handful of times, and he keeps coming back. To be fair, in this case, he is the trickster god, but he’s not the only one.
However, the MCU also has some character deaths that should remain permanent to preserve their impact. So, here are five dead MCU characters who could return in the future, as well as five who will definitely stay dead.
Could Come Back: Quicksilver
Although the Evan Peters incarnation of the character in Fox’s X-Men movies was incredibly well-received by fans, the MCU’s Quicksilver left a lot to be desired. Aaron Taylor-Johnson has the range to play a great Quicksilver, but he got the short end of the stick in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Aside from a couple of back-and-forths with Hawkeye about whether or not they saw things coming, he didn’t really get much of a characterization. With Scarlet Witch likely warping reality to bring back Vision in WandaVision, we could be seeing her brother Quicksilver again.
Definitely Stay Dead: Thanos
Thanos was the Big Bad of the Infinity Saga — the collective name given to the first 23 installments of the MCU — so to bring him back following the Avengers’ triumphant defeat would negate the emotional catharsis of that climax.
There’s a chance that a past version of the Mad Titan could appear in movies and TV shows set earlier on the franchise’s timeline, or he could show up alongside the Eternals. But he won’t be resurrected because it would remove the weight of Tony Stark’s sacrifice.
Could Come Back: Mysterio
After using his legions of drones to stage a terrorist attack in London that he intended to thwart, Quentin Beck seemed to die. He screwed over Peter Parker one last time as he posthumously released footage via the Daily Bugle that revealed Peter's secret identity to the world and framed him for the attack.
Mysterio’s whole deal is creating realistic illusions, so there’s a chance that he’s still alive, orchestrating the scandal with the brass at the Bugle and paving the way for the formation of the Sinister Six.
Definitely Stay Dead: Gamora
There’s a chance that Gamora will show up in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as her 2014 self was brought to 2023 in Avengers: Endgame and a deleted scene shows her fleeing the battlefield, but the Gamora that we came to know and love throughout the first two Guardians films and much of Avengers: Infinity War is permanently dead.
She died on Vormir so that Thanos could acquire the Soul Stone and carry out his insane plan to wipe out half of all the life in the universe. If Gamora does show up in Vol. 3, she’ll be a completely different character and her development will be back to square one.
Could Come Back: The Ancient One
The death of the Ancient One seemed pretty permanent in 2016’s Doctor Strange, as it was established that sorcerers can’t see past their own demise, and she couldn’t see the events after the day that she died. But on the other hand, magic is magic. Anything is possible.
Stephen Strange is likely about to become the Sorcerer Supreme in an official capacity, and he’s also about the face “the Multiverse of Madness.” He might need the Ancient One’s help, which could require a dangerous resurrection spell.
Definitely Stay Dead: Yondu
At the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Yondu sacrifices himself to save his adopted son, Peter Quill. It’s one of the MCU’s most heartbreaking moments.
When a fan asked James Gunn on social media, “Will you ever bring Yondu back?,” Gunn replied, “Not to life, no. If a character dies in my films, they will likely stay dead. I think stakes are important.” There’s a chance that Yondu will reappear in a flashback or a prequel, but he’s not coming back to life.
Could Come Back: Hela
Cate Blanchett clearly relished the opportunity to play a snarling villain in the mold of Maleficent or Ursula within the curiously zany tone set by Taika Waititi when she portrayed Thor’s evil long-lost half-sister Hela in Thor: Ragnarok.
The end of the movie seemed to suggest that Hela died with Asgard, but since we didn’t see it literally take place, fans’ fingers are crossed in the hopes that she’ll return in the future.
Definitely Stay Dead: Natasha Romanoff
Natasha Romanoff’s stint in the MCU isn’t over as she’s finally getting a solo movie to kick off Phase 4 (although its release has been postponed due to coronavirus, and it remains unclear when we’ll get to see it), but she won’t be resurrected to appear in future sequels.
Her standalone outing is a prequel set between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. It’s been heavily implied by both Red Skull himself and the Gamora storyline that Soul Stone deaths are permanent.
Could Come Back: Erik Killmonger
Rumors of Erik Killmonger appearing in the upcoming Black Panther sequel have mainly arisen because fans praised him as one of the MCU’s most complex and interesting villains and aren’t ready to say goodbye. If he’s literally resurrected, it would reverse some of his development and take away the impact of his “Death was better than bondage” monologue.
But he was a Black Panther who consumed the Heart-Shaped Herb, so he could appear in the Ancestral Plane alongside all the other deceased Black Panthers.
Definitely Stay Dead: Tony Stark
Multiplexes across the world were flooded with tears when Robert Downey, Jr. made his final appearance as Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame. Tony gave his life for the greater good, proving once and for all that he was a better guy than his father and that you could be damn well sure he’d avenge the Earth.
Per the comics, Tony’s consciousness could return as an A.I. to read bedtime stories to Morgan or endorse Riri Williams as his successor, but Tony Stark, in his physical form, is gone.