A new theory reveals why Doctor Strange had to surrender the time stone to Thanos in order to influence events that we’ll see in Avengers: Endgame.
At the end of Avengers: Infinity War, Tony Stark, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man and some of the Guardians of the Galaxy are battling it out with Thanos on Titan. After Iron Man loses his one-on-one match with Thanos, Doctor Strange surrenders the time stone to the Mad Titan in order to save Tony Stark from certain death. Audiences would have certainly been shocked after seeing this because sometime before, Strange told Stark that he would never let go of the time stone, even over his dead body.
What changed in Strange’s mind for him to surrender the time stone for Stark’s life? Well, it may have something to do with what Strange saw while scouting the future in a scene before the battle against Thanos. He saw 14.000.605 futures in which they only won in one of those. Fans have been speculating that Tony Stark will feature heavily on this scenario where the Avengers ultimately defeat Thanos since Strange surrendered the infinity stone for his life. That’s why a theory involving these events appeared on Reddit trying to explain the masterplan on Stephen Strange’s mind:
“We’re in the endgame now.”
At the end of Infinity War, Stephen Strange traded arguably the most important piece in the game, the Time Stone, for a single man, Tony Stark. The question is, why?
My theory is that Strange realized the Snap was a one-time-only event, one which Thanos, even with the full compliment of the Infinity Stones, could never replicate.
First, the Snap damaged the Infinity Gauntlet. While it’s still a powerful weapon, in its current state it can probably not be used to perform the Snap a second time.
Second, Thanos himself destroyed any hope of creating a second Infinity Gauntlet. When Thanos mutilated Eitri’s hands, he destroyed the only craftsman capable of harnessing the true might of the Infinity Stones.
Together, these facts mean that if the Decimation can be reversed, Thanos will be well and truly thwarted.
The only issue is that Thanos could, at least in theory, use the Time Stone itself to repair the Gauntlet or Eitri’s hands. My best answer to this is that Strange foresaw that the assembled might of the Avengers would be enough to wrest the Gauntlet from Thanos before he was able to do so, though it is also possible that reversing the damage to the Gauntlet would also reverse what caused the damage, again thwarting Thanos’ plans.
Bonus theory: in a chess endgame, one of the priorities is promoting a pawn, turning it into a more powerful piece. I suspect Ant-Man of being that pawn. He’s had relatively little impact on the MCU to date, but we know he shows up at Avenger’s headquarters. My guess is that the quantum technology he has access to will be used to open a portal to the Soul Realm and “reclaim the captured pieces,” so to speak.
This would also explain why Strange sacrificed himself in order to save Stark: Stark has the kind of intelligence necessary to adapt PymTech to access the Soul Realm, while Strange, as smart as he is, lacks those kinds of skills.
Do you agree with this theory? What do you think Doctor Strange’s masterplan will be? Sound off in the comment section down below!
Avengers: Endgame will serve as both a follow up to Avengers: Infinity War as well as the conclusion to the 22 films that came before it before Marvel kicks off Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Spider-Man: Far From Home in July.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, the film is expected to star Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Paul Rudd, Jeremy Renner, Brie Larson, Josh Brolin and Chris Pratt.
A culmination of 22 interconnected films the fourth installment of the Avengers saga will draw audiences to witness the turning point of this epic journey. Our beloved heroes will truly understand how fragile this reality is and the sacrifices that must be made to uphold it.
Avengers: Endgame is scheduled to be released in theaters on April 26, 2019. Stay tuned to Heroic Hollywood for the latest news on the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we learn it.
Source: Reddit
Here’s What We Learned From The ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Trailer
Today, Marvel Studios unveiled the first official trailer for Avengers: Endgame and the preview offered fans more insight into the aftermath of Thanos’ decimation.
After Avengers: Infinity War concluded with Thanos using the power of the Infinity Stones to erase half of the population in the universe from existence, fans spent the rest of the year speculating on how our heroes could reverse the Mad Titan’s decimation and what would have to be sacrificed as a result. Now, the first official trailer for Avengers: Endgame offers fans their first look at how the surviving heroes have coped with the loss of their loved ones and may provide insight into how they plan to defeat Thanos.
Tony Stark Is Adrift In Space After His Showdown With Thanos
Following the showdown on Titan, Tony Stark and Nebula were left alone after Thanos eradicated the rest of the heroes who were present. While some assumed that the genius billionaire would find a way to return to Earth, it appears Tony is adrift in space on a vessel with limited supplies and oxygen.
Nebula Is With Tony
While Tony Stark may be lost in space with no chance of being rescued, it appears he will be accompanied by Nebula, the only other survivor of the showdown on Titan. How the two characters are getting along in what could be their final days remains unknown, though Nebula appears to be faring better than her new companion.
Scott Lang Escaped The Quantum Realm
During the first post-credits scene for Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scott Lang found himself trapped inside the Quantum Realm after his friends were erased by the Thanos snap and some speculated that the Avengers would have to rescue him. However, it appears Scott Lang managed to escape the realm on his own and brought the van containing the way to the alternate dimension with him.
Possible Time Jump
During the final moments of the new trailer, Captain America and Black Widow view a video of Scott Lang asking to be let inside Avengers headquarters. Captain America wonders if the message is old, meaning that some time may have passed since Thanos’ decimation and Scott’s escape from the Quantum Realm.
Hawkeye Is Definitely Ronin
After months of speculation, the Avengers: Endgame trailer essentially confirmed that Hawkeye will assume the Ronin mantle when he returns. Furthermore, Captain America line about losing family being said over footage of Clint Barton’s appearance suggests that the archer’s family perished in the decimation and their deaths prompted him to take on a new identity.
They Know Spider-Man Is Missing
During the trailer, Bruce Banner can be seen assessing a list of victims of Thanos’ decimation and it appears the team knows Spider-Man is among the missing. This may come as a surprise to some considering Spider-Man was with Tony Stark during the events of Infinity War.
Captain America’s Winter Soldier Suit is Back
After returning in Avengers: Infinity War with a full beard and disheveled costume, Captain America will return to a more familiar look that includes the suit from The Winter Soldier.
Thanos Is Still Wearing The Burned Gauntlet
After Thanos acquired all six Infinity Stones and used them to accomplish his mission, the gauntlet he used to harness their power was severely damaged. However, it appears the Mad Titan continues to wear the worn gauntlet, perhaps in an effort to ensure no one else can wield the power of the stones and undo his actions.
The Avengers Have A Plan
Though all may seem hopeless, our heroes aren’t heading into their next showdown with Thanos without a plan. Hopefully, it will work, because Steve Rogers certainly seems concerned about what they will do if the Avengers fail for a second time.
