How Peter Dinklage's Infinity War Character Could Be Key To Avengers: Endgame

Is Peter Dinklage reprising his Infinity War role in Avengers: Endgame? Star of stage and screen, Peter Dinklage is best known for playing the part of Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones. He made his first foray into the superhero world back in 2014 when he played the anti-mutant scientist Bolivar Trask in X-Men: Days of Future Past, but it wasn't until 2017 when there were reports he was coming to the MCU.

With rumors suggesting he'd signed up with Marvel Studios for the back-to-back third and fourth Avengers films, the internet was soon abuzz with speculation as to just who he could be playing. One popular theory was that Peter Dinklage could be M.O.D.O.K. in Avengers: Infinity War, a scientist who was transformed into a brutal killing machine. But it was hard to see what relevance M.O.D.O.K. could have on the plot of Avengers: Infinity War, which was centered upon Thanos, and gradually fans began to work out the truth.

Not only was Peter Dinklage in Avengers: Infinity War, he played a crucial role; he was Eitri, the ill-fated King of the Dwarves of Nidavellir. An ancient race of metalworkers and blacksmiths, the Dwarves are legendary across the cosmos for creating some of the most powerful weapons ever made. When Thanos decided he needed a device to help him contain the awesome, unlimited power of the Infinity Stones, he knew exactly where he had to go - with tragic consequences for Eitri and his people. The Dwarves were forced to create the Infinity Gauntlet, and for their troubles were rendered almost extinct. Dinklage's Eitri was the only one left alive, and in Avengers: Infinity War he sought his revenge on the Mad Titan. That could easily set Peter Dinklage up to play a major role in this year's Avengers: Endgame.

This Page: Is Peter Dinklage in Avengers: Endgame?
Next Page: What Role Could Peter Dinklage Play in Avengers: Endgame?

Peter Dinklage's Role in Avengers: Infinity War

Before Avengers: Infinity War, the Dwarves lived on Nidavellir, working their forges and tapping into the power of a Neutron Star. They had worked for Asgard for millennia, even forging mighty Mjolnir, and had probably created the rest of Asgard's weapons as well. In return for their service, Asgard guaranteed them protection from the many races who hoped to plunder Nidavellir or force the Dwarves to work for them. Unfortunately, in modern times Asgard had been unable to fulfill that pact: the Bifrost was shattered in Thor, Loki took the throne from his father in Thor: The Dark World, and Asgard itself finally destroyed in Thor: Ragnarok.

Bereft of Asgard's help, Nidavellir had fallen prey to Thanos. He had forced the Dwarves to create the Infinity Gauntlet itself, a device that allowed him to harness the power of all six Infinity Stones. Once the Infinity Gauntlet was complete, Thanos slaughtered all 300 of the Dwarves who lived on Nidavellir, leaving just Eitri alive. Sadistically, Thanos removed Eitri's hands in an attempt to ensure he could never forge anything to counter the Infinity Gauntlet, but left him alive to grieve the deaths of his people.

Unfortunately for Thanos, he had underestimated the Dwarven King's resourcefulness. When Thor arrived in Avengers: Infinity War, he was able to encourage Peter Dinklage's surviving Dwarf to seek revenge on the Mad Titan, and help him to relight the fires of Nidavellir's forges. Eitri made Stormbreaker for Thor, a weapon like no other, one so powerful that it could even summon the Bifrost. Using Stormbreaker, Thor came within a hair's breath of killing Thanos and averting his snap. All in all, then, Eitri was absolutely central to the entire plot of Avengers: Infinity War. And that may well set up a major role for Peter Dinklage in Avengers: Endgame as well.

Is Peter Dinklage In Avengers: Endgame?

Tony Stark in ship closeup in Avengers Endgame

There's certainly a solid chance Peter Dinklage is in Avengers: Endgame; back in 2017, it was reported that he was in talks to appear in both Avengers films. Of course, this was never officially confirmed; Avengers: Infinity War was one of the most secretive movies ever, and Endgame is downright enigmatic. Kevin Feige has even indicated trailers for Avengers 4 may only use shots from the first 15-20 minutes of the superhero team-up movie so as to avoid spoiling the plot. Any appearance of Peter Dinklage in Avengers: Endgame will be held back as a welcome surprise. Still, the odds are good, given those initial reports were correct about Dinklage appearing in Avengers: Infinity War.

If Peter Dinklage does return, then the only reason will be if someone - whether the Avengers themselves or even Thanos - head back to Nidavellir, presumably wanting Eitri to forge something for them. It's important to remember that Marvel shot Dinklage's scenes on blue-screen, meaning they could have shot any number in a block, not needing any other actors on set; he could conceivably interact with anybody from Captain Marvel to Tony Stark.

Page 2 of 2: What Role Could Peter Dinklage Play In Avengers: Endgame?

Will Peter Dinklage's Eitri Make A New Infinity Gauntlet In Endgame?

If there's one reason to include Peter Dinklage in Avengers: Endgame, it's because his character Eitri is required to forge something to help the Avengers defeat Thanos. Earth's surviving heroes are no doubt attempting to either undo or avert the snap, and realistically the one mechanism that could accomplish that is an Infinity Gauntlet, harnessing the power of the six Infinity Stones. Unfortunately, continuity errors aside, there's just one true Infinity Gauntlet in the MCU at this point - and not only does it belong to Thanos, it was also badly damaged when he used it to kill half the life in the universe with a snap of his fingers; going by Infinity War's final scene, Thanos is no longer able to take the Infinity Gauntlet off.

Given this is the case, if the Avengers are to use the Infinity Stones to bring half the universe back to life, they'll need a new Infinity Gauntlet. As Thor knows, the one place they could get one is Nidavellir, made by the hands that fashioned the first one.

Will Peter Dinklage's Eitri Bring Back Mjolnir In Endgame?

Another possibility for Peter Dinklage to reprise his Avengers: Infinity War role is that Eitri could create weapons for Earth's Mightiest Heroes to use in their battle against Thanos - perhaps even a new version of Mjolnir. Thor's beloved hammer was destroyed by Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, and the God of Thunder mourned its loss like the death of an old friend. Given how iconic Mjolnir is, though, Marvel may want the Uru hammer to return in a big way in Avengers: Endgame. That said, while it would match Infinity War set photos, it's worth noting that recreating Mjolnir would be an unusual move on Marvel's part, particularly since Eitri has already given Thor a far more powerful weapon.

In the comics, Eitri has also forged other weapons for the Avengers. During the "Fear Itself" arc, the Dwarves worked with Tony Stark to create enchanted weapons for every member of the Avengers at the time, giving them a massive power-up so they could battle against the Serpent. Concept art for Avengers: Endgame has teased the introduction of a double-bladed ax, one that looks very like a weapon created for Captain Marvel during "Fear Itself." This could give a natural, organic role for Peter Dinklage in Avengers: Endgame; he could be the Avengers' weaponsmith, creating enchanted tools for the Avengers to help them in their battle against the Mad Titan. Perhaps he'll even work with Tony Stark to make them, as he did in the comics.

The odds are good that Peter Dinklage will indeed return in Avengers: Endgame, and that certainly suggests Eitri is making something for the Avengers to use in some way. Ironically, this is sure to be something of an emotional scene; because he's the last of his race, Eitri won't even be aware Thanos won at the end of Infinity War. The greatest act of genocide in the history of the entire universe will have passed him by unawares. But no doubt Eitri will be more than happy to help Earth's surviving heroes avenge the untold billions Thanos has slaughtered.