History TearJerker / AvengersInfinityWar

*** Small comfort: As of the ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' trailer, Tony and Nebula are stranded in the middle of space on the ''Benatar'' and they’re out of food and almost out of oxygen.

* The damn ''credits'' end up being this. Instead of a [[CreativeClosingCredits flashy sequence]] like we've seen in previous movies, these credits are over a black background with melancholic music playing, letting what just happened finally sink in to the audience. Then it finally shows the movie's title... before it too disintegrates, [[KickTheDog just to twist the knife in further]]. '''And this is when the Avengers' theme plays quietly on a piano'''. Every time we hear Music/AlanSilvestri's ''Avengers'' leitmotif, it doubles as a ThemeMusicPowerUp / PowerUpMotif for the heroes. [[https://youtu.be/ljYKrdUP9gY?t=139 This time]], [[DarkReprise it emphasizes]] just how badly and soundly all of them were defeated.

*** Rocket Raccoon being the ''the last Guardian''. Let that sink in. In ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'', poor Rocket tearfully admitted why he considered the Guardians his family: no matter how abrasive and horrible his temper was, no matter how much his temper made everything harder for everyone around him, the Guardians never let him down, and never left him alone. Until now, and only because they died, and all at once. All he's got now are the Avengers.

---->'''Steve:''' Oh God.

** Special mention goes to '''[[WouldHurtAChild Peter Parker's disintegration]]'''. There is no [[FinalSpeech speech of bravado or determination to encourage Tony to stop Thanos]]. [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome He's completely, utterly terrified]], as he [[SorryThatImDying repeatedly apologizes]] and [[PleaseDontLeaveMe pleads for Tony to stay with him]], as he is completely terrified of dying. This comes to show, just like ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'', that he is nothing more than a sixteen-year-old boy brought into a war bigger than he had ever thought. After he has finally disappeared, all Tony can do is silently grieve for him, and all his lost heroes, all while Nebula sadly looks on.

** Unlike the others, as Wanda disintegrates, she has a face of relief before she passes. After her franchise-long TraumaCongaLine, can you really blame her?

*** Despite Drax's consistant [[BrutalHonesty quips against Quill]], he considers him a smart guy with all the answers, whether its the little things which confuse him or the big problems they face. His last breath is spent vainly turning to Quill for a solution.

** Okoye's screams at her beloved king's death rip into your heart to shreds. Hell, ou still hear them in the background as the film cuts to the Avengers left standing.

** Just before that scene, and right after Thanos snaps his fingers, Thor, who currently has Thanos impaled on his weapon, just manages to utter a ''horrified'' "What did you do?". Remember, he was on the ''Benatar'' when Gamora explained what this finger snap would do, so he knows something is going to turn ''very wrong'' soon, even if in that moment nothing is ''yet'' happening. You know how bad this will be if someone who recently lost his mother, father, (adopted) brother, best friend, homeland, half of his people, his hammer, and his eye, is still horrified about what is to come. Earlier in discussion with Rocket he says he has nothing to lose. Turns out he was wrong.

* The fact that in the end, no one gained or earned anything. Everyone lost. Sure, Thanos ''did'' achieve his goal in halving the universe, but at the cost of his entire army and his Children (although he won't need either in his retirement), and Gamora, the one daughter he genuinely loved, and can only reflect on his deeds with a heartbroken smile on his face, knowing that his journey ended with him having lost absolutely everything he had. On the other hand, the Avengers have suffered their first complete loss. In ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', Steve proclaims that the team will fight together, even if they lose. But in the end, the team has been divided in this film's ending, separated planets apart with no knowledge of who died or who lived. The surviving heroes are left broken, hopeless and silently mourning their losses, as the reality of the situation impacts them and breaks their spirits. This film is not just heroes versus a villain. It's a montage of so many people suffering and losing what they loved and protected, and culminating in quite possibly the largest kill count of any superhero film. Trillions upon trillions of lifeforms and entities from so many different planets and galaxies, all dead in ashes. A decade in the making, and it all turns out to be the single, most soul-crushing DownerEnding in any comic book film, that hardly any viewer would have seen coming.

* It's quick, but when Thor goes through all of the Infinity Stone locations with the Guardians, he mentions that Thanos had taken the Power Stone a week ago when he devastated Xandar. It's still unclear how badly Thanos destroyed Xandar (whether he left half the Xandarians alive or wiped them all out like he once promised Ronan), but it is clear that, when Thor tells the Guardians this, they had no idea. Quill exchanges a look with the others as they find out too late that the place they fought so hard to defend in their [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy first adventure]] together fell, anyways. All their efforts only delayed Xandar's destruction by a couple years.

* Thanos has Gamora in hand, and Gamora had made Quill promise to kill her if she was about to be captured. Both of them are in absolute agony, and Quill is struggling with acting out her request. And he does try it! His shots turn to bubbles, but it's absolute stellar acting from Creator/ChrisPratt with how heartbroken he is.

'''Quill:''' No, you didn't... no you didn't... ''[then proceeds to beat Thanos]'' '''NO! YOU DIDN'T!'''

** Special mention goes to '''[[WouldHurtAChild Peter Parker/Spider-Man's disintegration]]'''. There is no [[FinalSpeech speech of bravado or determination to encourage Tony to stop Thanos]]. [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Oh no]], he is utterly terrified, as he [[SorryThatImDying repeatedly apologizes]] and [[PleaseDontLeaveMe pleads for Tony to stay with him]], as he is completely terrified of dying. This comes to show, just like ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'', that he is nothing more than a sixteen-year-old boy brought into a war bigger than he had ever thought. After he has finally disappeared, all Tony can do is silently grieve for him, and all his lost heroes, all while Nebula sadly looks on.

'''Peter:''' I don't know what's- I don't- I don't know what's happening! ''[Peter falls into Tony's arms, clutching him tight and crying]'' I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go, Mister Stark, please. Please, I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go... '''[[SorryThatImDying I'm sorry]].''' ''[Peter disintegrates into ashes]''

*** Made even more tragic by the aforementioned quote. T'Challa literally says that they won't die here, but he still dies.

** Okoye's screams at her beloved king's death rip into you and you still hear them in the background as the film cuts to the Avengers left standing.

*** Rocket Raccoon. ''The Last Guardian''. In ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'': there, poor Rocket tearfully admitted why he considered the Guardians his family: no matter how abrasive and horrible his temper was, no matter how much his temper made everything harder for everyone around him, the Guardians never let him down, and never left him alone. Until now, and only because they died, and all at once. All he's got now are the Avengers.
*** Making matters worse, Groot's last words, addressed to Rocket, translated to "[[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther Dad...]]"

*** On the Marvel wiki, under the page for the MCU Guardians of the Galaxy, [[SoleSurvivor Rocket is listed as the only active member]].

[[caption-width-right:348:''"[[Film/SpiderManHomecoming And if you died... I feel like that's on me.]] ]][[MeaningfulEcho I don't need that on my conscience]]."'']]

[[caption-width-right:348:''"[[Film/SpiderManHomecoming And if you died... I feel like that's on me.]] [[MeaningfulEcho I don't need that on my conscience]]."'']]

-->''Mr. Troper? [[WhamLine I don't feel so good...]]''

*** And according to interviews from the Russo brothers, Sif was among the offscreen casualties, Thor had truly lost all of his oldest friends [[spoiler: though it is shown in ''Fim/ThorLoveAndThunder'' that Sif is alive.]]

*** And according to interviews from the Russo brothers, Sif was among the offscreen casualties, Thor had truly lost all of his oldest friends.

* The damn ''credits'' end up being this. Instead of a [[CreativeClosingCredits flashy sequence]] like we've seen in previous movies, these credits are over a black background with melancholic music playing, letting what just happened finally sink in to the audience. Then it finally shows the movie's title... before it too disintegrates, [[KickTheDog just to twist the knife in further]]. '''[[UpToEleven And this is when the Avengers' theme plays quietly on a piano]]'''. Every time we hear Music/AlanSilvestri's ''Avengers'' leitmotif, it doubles as a ThemeMusicPowerUp / PowerUpMotif for the heroes. [[https://youtu.be/ljYKrdUP9gY?t=139 This time]], [[DarkReprise it emphasizes]] just how badly and soundly all of them were defeated.

** And [[UpToEleven to nail it in even further]]? Even Nick Fury himself isn't spared. In the film's only [[TheStinger Stinger]], he and Maria Hill are just driving along in a city when they hear the news about Wakanda being attacked. The next thing they know, Hill starts to vaporize. Nick watches the chaos around him unfold, and by chaos, we mean cars and airplanes are crashing and stopping awkwardly because the people operating them disintegrated as well. That's when he realizes, [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness to his horror]], that he's starting to disintegrate as well. That a message is sent to [[Film/CaptainMarvel2019 Captain Marvel]] is the only thing that gives this movie a RayOfHopeEnding.

* The damn ''credits'' end up being this. Instead of a [[CreativeClosingCredits flashy credit sequence]] we see in previous movies, these credits are over a black background with melancholic music playing, letting what just happened to finally sink in to the audience. Then it finally shows the movie's title... before it disintegrates, acting like a KickTheDog to all the viewers. '''[[UpToEleven And this is when the Avengers' theme plays quietly on a piano]]'''. Every time we hear Music/AlanSilvestri's ''Avengers'' leitmotif, it doubles as a ThemeMusicPowerUp / PowerUpMotif for the heroes. [[https://youtu.be/ljYKrdUP9gY?t=139 This time]], [[DarkReprise it emphasizes]] just how badly and soundly all of them were defeated.

** And [[UpToEleven to nail it even further]]? Even Nick Fury himself isn't spared. In the film's only [[TheStinger Stinger]], he and Maria Hill are just driving along in a city when they hear the news about Wakanda being attacked. The next thing they know, Hill starts to vaporize. Nick watches the chaos around him unfold, and by chaos, we mean cars and airplanes are crashing and stopping awkwardly because the people operating them disintegrated as well. That's when he realizes, [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness to his horror]], that he's starting to disintegrate as well. That a message is sent to [[Film/CaptainMarvel2019 Captain Marvel]] is the only thing that gives this movie a RayOfHopeEnding.
** And just to drive the knife in further, who do we get confirmation on returning next movie? Not the Avengers, not any hero; [[ThisIsGonnaSuck Thanos will return]].

Without a doubt, ''Avengers: Infinity War'' is second only to ''[[Film/AvengersEndgame Avengers: Endgame]]'' as the saddest film in the MCU, with many a CharacterDeath, emotional turmoils and traumas plaguing many characters; and the single biggest DownerEnding with a TragicVillain at the helm.

** A low-key indication of this is the scene where Thanos arrives on Titan. He stands for a moment looking around the ruins of Titan... then his shoulders sag and his head looks down glumly. The exact thought process is hard to pin down, although it's likely close to, "No matter what happens next, everyone I ever cared about on this planet is DEAD, including my family." [[{{Mangst}} He doesn't cry, but he's clearly hurting.]]

* The MCU seems to make it its job to make Wanda Maximoff's life more miserable in each installment she appears. After being separated with Vision in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', she manages to have some sort of stability in her life, which comes crashing down when Thanos' children target Vision for the Mind Stone. Despite Vision's insistence for her to leave him for her own safety, Wanda doesn't want that to happen and keeps insisting to stay by his side. Eventually, she realizes that in order to stop Thanos, she has to destroy the Mind Stone, [[KillTheOnesYouLove and Vision with it]]. Throughout the process of her destroying the Stone, you can clearly see Wanda tearing up to no end to do what must be done, and then the deed is done. After losing her parents and then her twin brother, this is yet another beloved person who left Wanda forever... but then Thanos uses the Time Stone to reform Vision ''just to tear the Mind Stone out of him'', killing him and giving him an even more horrible death ''[[ForcedToWatch right in front of Wanda]]''. And then as stated above, Wanda is one of the heroes disintegrated by Thanos, cradling Vision's grayed-out, lifeless, and torn body. Though, after all she went through, you may start thinking that disintegration was a MercyKill...

** Another offscreen death [[https://uproxx.com/movies/russo-brothers-avengers-4/ confirmed by the Russos:]] '''''[[UnexpectedCharacter The]]''''' '''''VideoGame/{{Galaga}}''''' '''''[[Film/TheAvengers2012 Guy.]]''''' And what was he doing when he got turned to dust? He was in the middle of a game, [[JustOneMoreLevel mere seconds from beating the high score.]]

** And what makes all of this worse? The entire scene takes place '''''[[SilenceIsGolden in complete, utter silence]]'''''. Aside from ambient sounds and character dialogues, there is no background music ''at all'' until the event has passed and the reality of what just happened starts to kick in. Makes it all even more impactful.

** Speaking of Ross, her father may have been a {{Jerkass}} and even tried to withhold the Avengers' attempt to save the Earth in vain, but he still was a loving father towards her even though his methods to earn her love in ''The Incredible Hulk'' were wrong and destroyed their relationship. [[JerkassWoobie Who know's what's going on in Ross' mind once he finds out his daughter is one of the casualties of]] Thanos' BadassFingersnap and it's left in the open if her death would wake him up to have a ''major'' JerkassRealization or, given his shortsightedness, make him blame the Avengers for her death along with the deaths of others and using his position as State Secretary to disgrace them for their failure to protect the Earth and turn what's left of the public against them AfterTheEnd.

** The real kicker? Everyone else's FamousLastWords are either of confusion or shock. T'Challa's were optimistic, determined, and encouraging. Everyone clearly ''felt'' their deaths coming, but T'Challa ignored the weird feeling to get his friend and confidant back on her feet so they could continue their work.

** Special mention goes to '''[[WouldHurtAChild Peter Parker/Spider-Man's disintegration]]'''. There is no [[FinalSpeech speech of bravado or determination to encourage Tony to stop Thanos]]. [[RealityEnsues Oh no]], he is utterly terrified, as he [[SorryThatImDying repeatedly apologizes]] and [[PleaseDontLeaveMe pleads for Tony to stay with him]], as he is completely terrified of dying. This comes to show, just like ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'', that he is nothing more than a sixteen-year-old boy brought into a war bigger than he had ever thought. After he has finally disappeared, all Tony can do is silently grieve for him, and all his lost heroes, all while Nebula sadly looks on.

*** ''Series/{{Loki|2021}}'' makes this worse when Mobius plays Loki's file and it doesn't end when Loki gets choked to death but rather when the Statesman explodes. This suggestss that Loki was actually still alive after Thanos choked the life out of him but was within an inch of his life. He may have heard Thor call Loki's name one last time and felt his brother hold him before the explosion truly finished Loki off.

*** ''Series/{{Loki}}'' makes this worse when Mobius plays Loki's file and it doesn't end when Loki gets choked to death but rather when the Statesman explodes. This suggestss that Loki was actually still alive after Thanos choked the life out of him but was within an inch of his life. He may have heard Thor call Loki's name one last time and felt his brother hold him before the explosion truly finished Loki off.

*** Series/{{Loki}} makes this worse when Mobius played Loki's file and it doesn't end when Loki gets choked to death but rather when the Statesman explodes. This shows that Loki was actually still alive after Thanos choked the life out of him but was within an inch of his life. He may have heard Thor call Loki's name one last time and felt his brother hold him before the explosion truly finished Loki off.

*** Some have been harsh on Quill for his TragicMistake, but imagine how Tony would have reacted if Thanos had killed Pepper? Or remember Drax's determination to avenge his wife and daughter when he drunk-dialed Ronan (hell, he nearly did the same thing that Peter did earlier in the film when the Guardians confronted Thanos on Knowhere before Mantis put him to sleep). Or everything Steve went through in ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'' to protect Bucky. Quill's mistake was deeply tragic and, in part, it cost the universe half their lives -- but it's that his reaction is so ''understandable'' that makes it worse. It makes you wonder if anywhere in those 14 million scenarios, did Strange ever see Quill reacting any differently? Or did it even ''MortonsFork matter'' if Quill flew off the handle or not, as Thanos might just [[MortonsFork get it back anyhow]]?

*** Some have been harsh on Quill for his TragicMistake, but imagine how Tony would have reacted if Thanos had killed Pepper? Or remember Drax's determination to avenge his wife and daughter when he drunk-dialed Ronan (hell, he nearly did the same thing that Peter did earlier in the film when the Guardians confronted Thanos on Knowhere before Mantis put him to sleep). Or everything Steve went through in ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'' to protect Bucky. Quill's mistake was deeply tragic and, in part, it cost the universe half their lives -- but it's that his reaction is so ''understandable'' that makes it worse. It makes you wonder if anywhere in those 14 million scenarios, did Strange ever see Quill reacting any differently?

** And while Tony is still standing at the end of ''Infinity War'', nothing shown in the movie guaranteed that Pepper [[FridgeHorror hadn't been part of the unlucky half of the universe]]. Likewise, while she [[Film/AvengersEndgame does survive]], she doesn't know if he did since the last she heard from him was him going off into space.

** Before his battle with the Avengers/Guardians on Titan began, Thanos remarked to Doctor Strange that his presence there (and by extension, the Time Stone) meant Ebony Maw succeeded in his mission (even if he got killed in process). Prior to this, Ebony Maw adamantly feels that if he doesn't pry off the Stone from Strange before reaching Titan, "there will be judgment" for him. The fact that Thanos's reaction to his death is different suggests that despite Maw's own perfectionist insecurities, Thanos [[EvilVirtues does value his service after all]]. The fact that he lost Maw (his nearest aide and "son") just immediately after being forced to murder Gamora does explain why he sees their sequential loss as "the day extract[ing] a heavy toll."