9 'Avengers: Infinity War' Death Theories Because No One Is Safe In The Marvelverse

Now that we are officially a decade deep into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is a pretty good chance that we will be saying goodbye to some of the franchise's most iconic heroes very soon. Marvel may have been laying the groundwork for a handful of shocking deaths in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War, and now fans are starting to worry that the new big bad Thanos will kill off a few notable Avengers. So, will Captain America die in Avengers: Infinity War? Or what about Iron Man, or Loki, or Hawkeye? Well, no one is completely safe, but there are a few heroes that are definitely on red alert in the new Avengers flick... so get ready to cry, Marvel fans.

There are a few factors to consider when theorizing about what deaths Avengers: Infinity War may have in store for us. The major things to look at are each character's arc going into the movie (have they had a good run already, or do they still need more screen time?), and whether their solo properties already have confirmed sequels in the future. Thinking about that gives us a pretty good idea of who will most likely survive Infinity War:

1. Who Is Safe?

As one of the most recent introductions into the Marvel Cinematic Universe — and also soaring at the box office in his standalone flick — Black Panther is the hero that is probably least likely to be killed off in Infinity War. Also in that boat: your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man will keep on swinging, seeing as Marvel has already confirmed a Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel for 2019. The same goes for Ant-Man and the Wasp, whose new movie drops a couple months after Infinity War.

The only standalone Marvel film confirmed besides those is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and that most likely adds Star Lord's name to the safe list as well, although it's possible that not everyone in that franchise may make it to the third movie.

2. Which Guardians Need To Be Careful?

Let's not forget that the Guardians of the Galaxy are the Marvel superhero team most connected to Infinity War's main villain. Thanos raised both Gamora and Nebula, which could definitely but the two sisters in harm's way when the mad titan threatens their allies. Both Gamora and Nebula have a relatively high probability of meeting their end in Infinity War, but Nebula seems to be the safer bet, given that she is not in the central cast of Guardians and seems much more driven by her hatred for her father.

Now let's get into the Avengers that we might see die in Infinity War, starting with the least likely:

3. Scarlet Witch

It doesn't seem too likely that Scarlet Witch will die in Infinity War, but Elizabeth Olsen's admission that she doesn't see a solo film in Scarlet Witch's future does have some fans worried. Marvel has also been ramping up her love story with Vision, who doesn't look like he's going to have a great time in Infinity War, and that could put Wanda Maximoff in Thanos' crosshairs. Still, Scarlet Witch hasn't really gotten a big chance to shine in the Marvel movies yet, and there is still a lot more to her character left for fans to discover, so it would be pretty unexpected to see her killed off.

4. Hawkeye

Clint Barton may be flinging his last arrow in Infinity War — at least that is what the promotion for the new movie makes it seem like. One of the ongoing questions that keeps popping up as new trailers and posters are unveiled is: Where is Hawkeye? The super-archer's notable absence from any Infinity War promo could spell trouble for him in the movie, and it does sort of feel like the Marvel movies are done with Hawkeye at this point. Then again, maybe instead of dying in battle, Hawkeye decides to hang up his bow and retire to his farmhouse with his wife and kids? Either way, it's bye-bye to Hawkeye.

5. Heimdall

Idris Elba has made it clear that he doesn't exactly love his role as the all-seeing Asgardian gatekeeper Heimdall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Obviously, Elba is one of the biggest stars in the movie biz, but his part in the Thor and Avengers movies has been relatively small — he admitted last year that he wished he played a different role in the films. With Asgard destroyed, now might be the time to get Elba out of the Marvel universe by killing Heimdall.

Adding to this death theory is the possibility that Heimdall has the Soul Stone, a theory that has become increasingly popular heading into Infinity War. If that's true, then Thanos will definitely be going after Heimdall.

6. Loki

This might finally be the end for Thor's trickster brother. Loki is one of the only characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe who has been linked with Thanos in the past, after the intergalactic despot gifted him the Mind Stone and sent him to retrieve the Space Stone for him in the first Avengers. In the trailer, we see Loki handing the Space Stone over, but it doesn't seem likely that the gift will get the trickster god off of Thanos' hit list after he ruined his first mission.

7. Vision

Well, this one just seems obvious now. A shot from the Infinity War trailer shows Thanos prying the Mind Stone out of Vision's forehead. Thanos wants the Mind Stone; the Mind Stone is what keeps Vision alive; therefore, Vision is very likely going to die.

8. Iron Man

There have been rumblings about Robert Downey Jr. leaving the MCU after Avengers: Infinity War, but nothing has been totally confirmed. Still, after a full decade of helming the Marvel film franchise, Tony Stark seems like a very likely candidate to bite the dust in Infinity War to make way for the MCU's newer heroes. There just does not seem like he has much left to do.

9. Captain America

Chris Evans has been the most vocal Marvel star about his plans to leave the franchise. Earlier this year, he told the New York Times that next year's Avengers 4 will be his last film as Captain America, now that his contract has reached its end. That seems to suggest that Cap will survive Infinity War and die in Avengers 4, but a confirmed follow-up appearance doesn't exactly mean he won't die in this movie. With flashbacks, dream sequences, visions, and Doctor Strange's time manipulation in play, there are a ton of ways that Cap could show up in the next Avengers after dying in Infinity War. This would definitely be one of the most heartbreaking deaths for Marvel fans, so be prepared to cry your eyes out if that's the way Infinity War is going to go.