By Jim Frye,
Thanos is coming and it’s going to take the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe to confront him.
After 10 years and 18 films (all of which opened at No. 1!), Avengers: Infinity War is almost here, bringing together the largest gathering of Marvel Super Heroes ever assembled. Fans finally get to see Doctor Strange fight alongside Spider-Man, Hulk duke it out beside Drax, and Peter Quill trade snarky lines with Tony Stark. T’Challa, Mantis, Vision—they’re all there too, as the Guardians of the Galaxy join the Avengers and all the warriors of Wakanda in a battle like we’ve never seen before. With such a large cast of characters, D23 wanted to sort it all out into an easy-to-understand guide, using primarily four films as our reference. Here’s where we last saw our heroes:
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
Anthony and Joe Russo, co-directors of Avengers: Infinity War, also directed 2016’s multi-hero team-up, Captain America: Civil War, pitting Steve Rogers and Tony Stark against each other, splitting the Avengers into two teams. Joining Cap were Falcon, Scarlett Witch, Winter Soldier, Ant-Man and Hawkeye. Lining up with Iron Man were Black Widow (reluctantly), War Machine, Vision, and newcomers Spider-Man and Black Panther.
Everyone on Cap’s side—except Rogers himself and an injured Bucky—ended up in a high-security jail in the middle of the ocean. But neither Stark nor Widow felt good about their victory, especially since Stark’s best friend, Rhodey, sustained an injury during the skirmish that left him unable to walk. In the end, T’Challa accepted the wounded Bucky into Wakanda for safe keeping, and Captain America showed up at the prison, presumably to break his teammates out. Young Spider-Man returned back to New York, where Tony Stark mentored him in the 2017 film Spider-Man: Homecoming. And although passions might still be simmering, it remains to be seen if Team Cap and Team Iron Man can bury their differences and come together to battle Thanos. Their world—and the universe—depends on it.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2
On the other side of the universe, Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, led his misfit family on an adventure against Ego, the living planet—who also happened to be Peter’s dad. Peter’s misfits included Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, and Gamora, all flying aboard the spaceship Milano. Gamora’s estranged sister, Nebula, was onboard as well, chained up so that she couldn’t cause any trouble.
The Guardians eventually free Mantis, an empath, from the clutches of Ego in a spectacular skirmish that reveals Peter to be part human and part “eternal,” meaning he has some abilities and powers far beyond what he understands right now. Having reconciled with Gamora, Nebula decides to leave on a mission to kill her—and Gamora’s—father, Thanos. It’s a mission that will again unite the sisters—and the Guardians—in a quest to save the galaxy.
THOR: RAGNAROK
Neither Thor nor Hulk showed up for Captain America: Civil War. They were busy on the distant planet Sakaar, fighting each other in an epic gladiatorial stand-off, forced on them by the egotistical Grandmaster. Of course, the mischievous Loki was in the mix too, trying his best to save his own hide. Thor and Loki got there with help from Doctor Strange in New York, who agreed to help them find their missing father, Odin.
Eventually, Thor, Hulk, and Loki team up with the fierce newcomer Valkyrie to escape Sakaar and return to Asgard to battle the powerful and destructive Hela—Thor’s older sister. With Asgard in ruins, all the Asgardians—along with Bruce Banner—flee on a large spaceship. Their escape is brief, however, as they are confronted with a huge, menacing spaceship that stops them in their tracks.
BLACK PANTHER
Back on Earth, King T’challa—Black Panther—returns to Wakanda after the events of Civil War, ready to ascend to the throne and protect the nation of Wakanda by keeping it secluded. A struggle with Killmonger, however, changes his mind, forever changing the course of his nation. T’Challa then appeared before the United Nations with Okoye to announce that Wakanda was ready to share its knowledge with other countries. Shuri, princess and head of Wakanda’s technology and scientific research, prepares to work at Wakanda’s embassy in Oakland, California. The future seems bright for Wakanda—Thanos, though, will soon change everything.
Thanos
Thanos. He’s the big purple bad guy who originally cracked a stoney smile in 2012’s Avengers and has been popping up sporadically ever since, always reminding audiences of his ultimate goal—obtaining all six Infinity Stones. These stones, once assembled together, contain power that can—as Gamora warns—wipe out life in half the universe with just a snap of a finger.
Infinity War promises to be the ultimate showdown, and the ultimate test of Marvel’s Cinematic Heroes. It all begins April 27. Are you ready?