History Analysis / AvengersInfinityWar

So again, Tony tried to course correct, using his trusted AI J.A.R.V.I.S. as the basis for his next attempt: Vision. This time it seemed to go well, creating a noble, worthy android who could help stop Ultron, and maybe be the deterrent Stark wanted to protect earth. Give him the justification to finally just step aside and rest with Pepper. And then the Sokovia Accords came along. Tony, still wracked with guilt, and hoping to keep the team together so they'd be ready for that invasion, tries to play along after having his ambitions continually ground down, but due to friction, ego and clashing ideals, it all falls apart. Vision makes a mistake, by accidentally hitting his best friend, showing he's not as flawless as he thought. Captain America forces the issue of Bucky killing his family, fracturing trust, and leaving his team seemingly broken. He then tries to make up for it with 2 final attempts. His mentorship of Franchise/SpiderMan, seeking to get the teen ready to take over as a hero from him down the line, and finally, creating a nano-tech suit. Not for missions though, but as a promise to Pepper. Only as safety to keep their future secure.\\

Drax's culmination here is simple: Thanos, ordering the massacre of his planet, caused the death of his wife and daughter. After learning the truth about how [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy Ronan was only a puppet]], Drax swore that one day he'd kill the mad titan for his cruelty. He found new avenues to begin to move on thanks to the guardians giving him a new family, but still Thanos loomed in the back of his mind. And when he sees him in person for the first time, his rage begins to take over. And even when Quill begs for him to think, to see that if they get the reality stone first, then they can take him on more safely, but the old wound was made anew, and Drax had to be mentally sedated before ruining their strategy. Of course, then Thanos revealed he already got the stone, which finally gave Drax the excuse to just attack without restraint, only to be foiled again and again by Thanos's cunning and power at his disposal. And in the end, he was dusted, unable to sate his vengeance.\\

Star Lord had deep seeded issues with facing loss. It started from when he lost his mother, and he just kept running, trying to bury that loss under a masculine persona, [[SadClown wit]] and snark. Then he found [[AntiHeroTeam a new family]]. The Guardians of the Galaxy forced peter to take on not only leadership, but also responsibility, empathy, and finally get some closure from his mother's loss through interacting with Gamora.\\

Bruce's first role in the movie then is that of Prophet. Giving his first warning to Dr. Strange: [[AStormIsComing "Thanos is coming. He's Coming!]]" His position then gives him credibility to then warn his old friend Tony Stark of the oncoming storm. And in addition, serve as the OnlySaneMan to Tony's hesitance to recontact Steve Rodgers. Emphasizing that with Thor gone and such a great threat coming, all their ego has to be put aside for the sake of the universe.\\

Steve Rogers insists on the opposite: "We don't trade lives" of others (they are [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commensurability_(ethics) not interchangeable]]), we can only lay down our own. Taken UpToEleven by [[Creator/FyodorDostoevsky Dostoevsky]] : "The higher harmony is not worth the tears of one tortured child." From this standpoint, Thanos is a murderer "on a scale hitherto undreamt of", the characters who refused to trade the lives of their siblings for an abstract "greater good" and died for them are morally justified in their choice and have performed a HeroicSacrifice, and all the rest (Doctor Strange, Quill, Wanda) are in the grey area. (Quill having sworn on his mother's memory to fulfill [[ThePromise his promise]] to Gamora; and Wanda helping Vision to make ''his'' HeroicSacrifice after he assures her that she could never hurt him).\\

To quote Screen Prism’s [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ADMwOX30PLY video on the film]], the key reason why the cliffhanger ending affects the audience on such a visceral level is the fact that “the ''wrong'' characters disappear”. The majority of fans went into this movie expecting to see characters who’ve been part of the MCU for a while now be killed. Instead, all of the original Avengers are left standing, while much of the new guard, (in other words, the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe), turns to dust. Of course, it’s highly unlikely the deaths we saw will last past ''Avengers: Endgame''. Not only do many of the dead have confirmed roles in upcoming movies, they’re necessary for the broader theme. The MCU is growing up, and for this franchise to have a future, so must its characters. But as for right now, this crisis belongs to the old guard. It’s up to them to assemble and set things right, to assure that they can pass the torch to the next generation of heroes.

Which then leads to his most...[[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment memorable]] moment on Titan: his TragicMistake. He follows his girlfriend's sister to Thanos's planet, not just with a goal to kill him for the suffering he's created, but also to rescue Gamora like any hero would. His plan to capture Thanos works, his team and "The Avengers" have him restrained, and since they're about to win, he then demands to know where Gamora is. Only...it's too late. As Nebula figures out, the only plausible explanation was that she was killed while Thanos was getting the Soul stone. Thanos even unintentionally rubs salt into the wound saying "I had to". Heartbroken, outraged, and crushed, Peter attacks, causing Mantis to lose her grip, leading to Thanos getting his faculties back, and eventually, Thanos's escape with the time stone. As the Russo's pointed out in their commentary, "It's at that moment when you realize all hope is lost." Quill failed to make his final leap to maturity, and in the end, he even died for it.

When he got a chance to rebuild his blood family with Ego, he was hesitant at first, but [[AGodAmI a temptation for power]] pushed him closer, hoping to combine a spark of normalcy with extraordinary blessings. Then Ego revealed he was responsible for his mom's tumor, and Peter unleashed his anger at once, waking up to the evil his ArchnemesisDad was about to unleash. He was ready to sacrifice himself for his Guardians, only to instead finally see that the man who raised him, whom he had [[ParentalNeglect issues]] with, still cared about him enough to die for him. Quill had now lost all his parents, but at the same time, Yondu's death staring him in the face forced him to confront loss head on. Allowing him to eulogize, remember Yondu warts and all, resolve to be a better dad for his baby groot, and a better lover for Gamora.\\

So again, Tony tried to course correct, using his trusted AI J.A.R.V.I.S. as the basis for his next attempt: Vision. This time it seemed to go well, creating a noble, worthy android who could help stop Ultron, and maybe be the deterrent Stark wanted to protect earth. Give him the justification to finally just step aside and rest with Pepper. And then the Sokovia Accords came along. Tony, still wracked with guilt, and hoping to keep the team together so they'd be ready for that invasion, tries to play along after having his ambitions continually ground down, but due to friction, ego and clashing ideals, it all falls apart. Vision makes a mistake, by accidentally hitting his best friend, showing he's not as flawless as he thought. Captain America forces the issue of Bucky killing his family, fracturing trust, and leaving his team seemingly broken. He then tries to make up for it with 2 final attempts. His mentorship of SpiderMan, seeking to get the teen ready to take over as a hero from him down the line, and finally, creating a nano-tech suit. Not for missions though, but as a promise to Pepper. Only as safety to keep their future secure.\\

He goes forth to do this with his protegee, a team of space heroes, and a master of the mystic arts, but despite their best efforts, in the end, he stands alone against Thanos. Staring his fears in the face, using every bit of skill and tricks he can think of to crush "his curse" once and for all. And despite drawing blood briefly, he fails to do lasting damage. In the end, he's forced to watch as Thanos leaves for earth, clinging to a thin hope that the team he helped assemble will stop him, only to then watch as everyone around him turns to dust. From the guardians, to his rival, and worst of all, SpiderMan dies in his arms. Tony is forced to watch as a young man he wanted to protect and train, a faithful fan whom he had developed a father/son bond he'd always wanted, disappear to ash. He checks himself to see if he's next, but Tony's still solid. After all his preparation, development, hope, and preventative actions, the vision he saw has come to past. [[MyGreatestFailure His worst nightmare]] is now reality, and as we pan away from the Iron Man, all he can do is hold himself, shocked and crushed in spirit.

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But unfortunately, the only being who he knows could do this is Wanda, and she is adamant in Love that she will not kill the last significant emotional figure in her life. The others push to give them more time in Wakanda, and again, it seems that things might work out. Though Thanos's children come for them again, the love his team has protects him, Wanda staying by his side so that the moment they're ready, she can blow the stone and protect Vision from death. But then Proxima and the others deploy attack vehicles, and realizing that she has the power and thus the responsibility to protect the people out there, Wanda leaves to disable the rolling wheels. Only to then have Corvius sneak into the lab to take Vision all over again.\\

Flying into Wakanda, the forces of Thanos came in hard yet again, and this time, Bruce was pushed into a role he never would've expected: As a true hero. Wanting to help out in the defense of Wakanda, Bruce donned The Hulkbuster, and fought alongside everyone else. Making some tactical assesments during the battle, and even being the first on the scene to protect Vision when Corvius Glaive made his move.\\
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However, the final part of this interplay is...[[DownplayedTrope less clear]] -- the one where [[ThePowerOfLove love saves]]. There are numerous smaller moments where [[ThePowerOfFriendship the power of Philia (friendship)]] helps to preserve people. Heimdall rescues Bruce Banner from Thanos, and though he is killed for his act, Bruce lives. Loki gives up the Space Stone, but in doing so, saves Thor's life. Gamora risks the universe, but finally "takes a fall" for Nebula, and lets her live. Groot gives up his arm, but in doing so creates the weapon that saves Thor's life. Vision has plenty of time to escape Corvius Glave, but [[Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron being on the side of life]] chooses to save Captain America. Small sacrifices, undertaken by love, and those who were sacrificed for live beyond Thanos's cruel march.\\

Which then leads to his most...[[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment memorable]] moment on Titan: his TragicMistake. He follows his girlfriend's sister to Thanos's planet, not just with a goal to kill him for the suffering he's created, but also to rescue Gamora like any hero would. His plan to capture Thanos works, his team and "The Avengers" have him restrained, and since they're about to win, he then demands to know where Gamora is. Only...it's too late. As Nebula figures out, the only plausible explanation was that she was killed while Thanos was getting the Soul stone. Thanos even unintentionally rubs salt into the wound saying "I had to". Heartbroken, outraged, and crushed, Peter attacks, causing Mantis to lose her grip, leading to Thanos getting his faculties back, and eventually, Thanos's escape with the time stone. As the Russo's pointed out in their commentary, "It's at that moment when you realize all hope is lost." Quill failed to make his final leap to maturity, and in the end, he even died for it.

Star Lord had deep seeded issues with facing loss. It started from when he lost his mother, and he just kept running, trying to bury that loss under [[JerkassFacade a masculine persona]], [[SadClown wit]] and snark. Then he found [[AntiHeroTeam a new family]]. The Guardians of the Galaxy forced peter to take on not only leadership, but also responsibility, empathy, and finally get some closure from his mother's loss through interacting with Gamora.\\

In Avengers: Infinity War, the main goal of Thanos is that once he obtains all six Infinity Stones, he will use it to wipe out half of the Universe. Thanos's belief is that by culling half of the population, the species can survive as he proves with Gamora's homeworld. However the idea of removing half goes against Chinese Taoism.\\

If Infinity War is the Yin, the dark, it needs to have the Yang, the light to restore everything. Where ever Captain Marvel is, she'll be there. Infinity War is just Part One of the grander story and Part Two will be there. Infinity War has just begun.

Sacrifice appears to be the central theme of the movie. Six characters have to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_problem make a choice]] between an Infinity Stone (power to do the "greater good") and another person.\\

Two characters choose to [[KillTheOnesYouLove sacrifice a loved one]] for the Stone at the other's request (Peter Quill attempts to kill Gamora, Wanda - Vision). Both sacrifices are praised by Thanos but ''rejected'': the reality turns out distorted by the Reality Stone, or the time is reversed by the Time Stone. Thanos gets both Stones and kills both victims (Gamora, Vision) anyway. In the end, those who made the choice (Quill, Wanda) also turn to ash.\\

To quote Screen Prism’s [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ADMwOX30PLY video on the film]], the key reason why the cliffhanger ending affects the audience on such a visceral level is the fact that “the ''wrong'' characters disappear”. The majority of fans went into this movie expecting to see characters who’ve been part of the MCU for a while now be killed. Instead, all of the original Avengers are left standing, while much of the new guard, (in other words, the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe), turns to dust. Of course, it’s highly unlikely the deaths we saw will last past ''Avengers 4''. Not only do many of the dead have confirmed roles in upcoming movies, they’re necessary for the broader theme. The MCU is growing up, and for this franchise to have a future, so must its characters. But as for right now, this crisis belongs to the old guard. It’s up to them to assemble and set things right, to assure that they can pass the torch to the next generation of heroes.

Thanos still refers to Gamora as "little one", even though she's already well in her twenties. He calls Wanda - another woman in her twenties - "my child". His followers (and victims, judging by Ebony Maw's speech to the Asgardians) are called "the Children of Thanos."\\

Tony, on the other hand, sees Peter and the Guardians as his equals. While he still treats them - Peter especially - like children ("The adults are talking"), he ''doesn't'' act like they're incapable of holding their own, be it physically or mentally.\\

However, the final part of this interplay is...[[DownplayedTrope less clear]] -- the one where [[ThePowerOfLove love saves]]. There are numerous smaller moments where [[ThePowerOfFriendship the power of Philia (friendship)]] helps to preserve people. Heimdall rescues Bruce Banner from Thanos, and though he is killed for his act, Bruce lives. Loki gives up the Space stone, but in doing so, saves Thor's life. Gamora risks the universe, but finally "takes a fall" for Nebula, and lets her live. Groot gives up his arm, but in doing so creates the weapon that saves Thor's life. Vision has plenty of time to escape Corvius Glave, but [[Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron being on the side of life]] chooses to save Captain America. Small sacrifices, undertaken by love, and those who were sacrificed for live beyond Thanos's cruel march.\\

Vision and Wanda first bonded with each other as the true outsiders of the Avengers. Wanda tried to destroy their team, but in doing so lost her brother and home. And Vision, a unique android given life by an AI, magic lightning and the mind stone, is a truly unique being. So, in time, they bonded with each other, seeing the hero underneath the rough edges, and eventually falling in love. Even during a [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar rough patch in their relationship]], 2 years on, and they're now living together in secrecy. Vision even starts pushing Wanda, saying that while she may have a duty to Cap's secret avengers, what they do together works, and he wants them to stay together.\\

But then Thanos arrives in person, and as they watch, The Mad Titan begins to walk through all the other heroes, and Vision begs Wanda to do what has to be done for the sake of the universe. Recognizing that she shouldn't have to be the one to end him, but that despite their love, their duty had to come first. And despite her immense emotional pain, The Scarlet Witch complied, pouring all her power into holding off Thanos and shattering the mind stone. Giving Vision a proper HeroicSacrifice.\\

Only, then to Wanda's horror, Thanos uses his new Time stone to reverse her actions, batting her aside and prying the mind stone from his head. Taking that which pulled him so close to being human, leaving nothing behind but a grey husk. Only the machine remained, and the stone provided the calculator for Thanos's cruel snap. Wanda soon followed Vision, as she was selected by the snap to become dust. So it was that 2 of the most powerful avengers, despite their best efforts to adhere to their love and their duty, both died despite their best hopes, failing to fulfill either.

Because as Tony mentions in the movie, [[Film/TheAvengers2012 the attack on New York]] defined Tony Stark going forward. Causing him to become a ShellShockedVeteran, and all his actions following trying to be ready for the next big invasion Earth might face. This was bolstered by Wanda using her mind stone powers on him, and giving him his worst nightmare: a vision of the Avengers defeated, and [[HistoryRepeats another invasion coming to earth uncontested]]. This lead to him trying to create Ultron to protect the world, only for it all to blow up in his face.\\

So again, Tony tried to course correct, using his trusted AI JARVIS as the basis for his next attempt: Vision. This time it seemed to go well, creating a noble, worthy android who could help stop Ultron, and maybe be the deterrent Stark wanted to protect earth. Give him the justification to finally just step aside and rest with Pepper. And then the Sokovia Accords came along. Tony, still wracked with guilt, and hoping to keep the team together so they'd be ready for that invasion, tries to play along after having his ambitions continually ground down, but due to friction, ego and clashing ideals, it all falls apart. Vision makes a mistake, by accidentally hitting his best friend, showing he's not as flawless as he thought. Captain America forces the issue of Bucky killing his family, fracturing trust, and leaving his team seemingly broken. He then tries to make up for it with 2 final attempts. His mentorship of SpiderMan, seeking to get the teen ready to take over as a hero from him down the line, and finally, creating a nano-tech suit. Not for missions though, but as a promise to Pepper. Only as safety to keep their future secure.\\

Finally, since Thor wasn't given a transceiver like the other heroes before the battle in Wakanda, he's the last on the scene when Thanos rips the mind stone out of Vision's head; the last chance that heroics have to stop Thanos before his evil deed.

'''Rhodes:''' Not anymore.\\

->'''Bruce:''' Oh Screw you you big green asshole! I'll do it myself!\\

But before the move can be made, then [[QuirkyMinibossSquad The Black Order]] arrives, and Bruce tries to bring out his big guns again. Only...Hulk won't come out. Though the fans and directors saw the reason for this differently, for the sake of simplicity, we'll just say that Hulk won't be Bruce's easy weapon for his own reasons. And this stuns Bruce, as after ThorRagnarok, you'd think that Hulk would be happy to get out in control again after being in the drivers seat for 2 years. But no, Hulk simply refused to come forth.\\

Vision and Wanda first bonded with each other as the true outsiders of the Avengers. Wanda tried to destroy their team, but in doing so lost her brother and home. And Vision, a unique android given life by an AI, magic lightning and the mind stone, is a truly unique being. So, in time, they bonded with each other, seeing the hero underneath the rough edges, and eventually falling in love. Even during a [[Film/CapatainAmericaCivilWar rough patch in their relationship]], 2 years on, and they're now living together in secrecy. Vision even starts pushing Wanda, saying that while she may have a duty to Cap's secret avengers, what they do together works, and he wants them to stay together.\\

In their individual fights with the Black Order, Wanda and Vision find themselves in need of rescue. The most powerful avengers forced to be protected by Black Widow, Okoye, Bruce Banner and Captain America. And in both these situations, after the initial rescue, both prove their love and duty to save lives by defeating a member of the order on their own. Wanda by flinging Proxima into a war machine, and Vision by protecting Captain America, even giving him an affirmation that, "[[MeaningfulEcho We don't trade lives Captain]]."\\

Drax's culmination here is simple: Thanos, ordering the massacre of his planet, caused the death of his wife and daughter. After learning the truth about how [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy Ronin was only a puppet]], Drax swore that one day he'd kill the mad titan for his cruelty. He found new avenues to begin to move on thanks to the guardians giving him a new family, but still Thanos loomed in the back of his mind. And when he sees him in person for the first time, his rage begins to take over. And even when Quill begs for him to think, to see that if they get the reality stone first, then they can take him on more safely, but the old wound was made anew, and Drax had to be mentally sedated before ruining their strategy. Of course, then Thanos revealed he already got the stone, which finally gave Drax the excuse to just attack without restraint, only to be foiled again and again by Thanos's cunning and power at his disposal. And in the end, he was dusted, unable to sate his vengeance.\\

[[folder: Nebula -- following up on that Sister aspect]]
->'''Gamora:''' You will always be my sister.\\

'''Peter:''' No you didn't.. ''No you didn't''... ''[then with a yell and a whip of his pistol]'' '''NO YOU DIDN'T!'''\\

'''Thor:''' ''[mirthless chuckle]'' Well, if I'm wrong, then ''what more could I lose?''\\

James Rhodes believed in the government. He believed in discipline, hiearchy, strategy and the well intentions of government structures. This strict view was helpful in restraining his less inclined partner Iron Man. And in the end, that devotion gave him a boost as both War Machine and Iron Patriot. His dedicated service helped to protect his country time and again from Vanko, The Mandarin, and Ultron. It also lead to his outright support of the Sokovia Accords. Thinking having supervision was exactly what they needed.\\

->'''Bruce:''' Oh Screw you you big green asshole! I'll do it myself!

And lo and behold, he receives his opportunity by repaying a debt he owed Captain America. The nation did much to give Bucky a partial retirement to peace, but he decided to go even further by offering his sister's expertise to accomplish their goals of getting Vision's stone destroyed and removed safely. And with the coming of the Order, he was ready to lead from the front in asserting his sovereignty with words and fists.

Vision and Wanda first bonded with each other as the true outsiders of the Avengers. Wanda tried to destroy their team, but in doing so lost her brother and home. And Vision, a unique android given life by an AI, magic lightning and the mind stone, is a truly unique being. So, in time, they bonded with each other, seeing the hero underneath the rough edges, and eventually falling in love. Even during a [[Film/CapatainAmericaCivilWar rough patch in their relationship]], 2 years on, and they're now living together in secrecy. Vision even starts pushing Wanda, saying that while she may have a duty to Cap's secret avengers, what they do together works, and he wants them to stay together.

But then Thanos arrives in person, and as they watch, The Mad Titan begins to walk through all the other heroes, and Vision begs Wanda to do what has to be done for the sake of the universe. Recognizing that she shouldn't have to be the one to end him, but that despite their love, their duty had to come first. And despite her immense emotional pain, The Scarlet Witch complied, pouring all her power into holding off Thanos and shattering the mind stone. Giving Vision a proper HeroicSacrifice.

Only, then to Wanda's horror, Thanos uses his new Time stone to reverse her actions, batting her aside and prying the mind stone from his head. Taking that which pulled him so close to being human, leaving nothing behind but a greyed out husk. Only the machine remained, and the stone provided the calculator for Thanos's cruel snap. Wanda soon followed Vision, as she was selected by the snap to become dust. So it was that 2 of the most powerful avengers, despite their best efforts to adhere to their love and their duty, both died despite their best hopes, both failing to fulfill either.

->'''Gamora:''' You will always be my sister.

For her part, Nebula, despite not being a main character, still wasn't ready to give up once she knew her sister's danger. When Thanos agrees to put her back together for Gamora's sake, Nebula breaks out, and gives the Guardians a heads up that Thanos will reach Vorimir next, and that they need to intercept him before any of the Black Order return with another stone. But on her arrival, and seeing Thanos in anguish, Nebula puts it all together: "He took her to Vormir. He came back with the soul stone. She didn't." And this shakes her to the core so deeply, she becomes paralyzed. Unable to react in time for Thanos to escape capture. And yet, somehow, she manages to keep going, and is one of the cursed heroes to survive the snap her father wanted. Knowing just as much as Gamora in Thanos's desires, all she can quietly say is, [[TheBadGuyWins "He did it."]] Where her journey from here is unclear at the moment, but having been pushed to her lowest like Stark, one can only hope she recovers that will to face Thanos one last time.

Star Lord had deep seeded issues with facing loss. It started from when he lost his mother, and he just kept running, trying to bury that loss under [[JerkassFacade a masculine persona]], [[SadClown wit]] and snark. Then he found [[AntiHeroTeam a new family]]. The Guardians of the Galaxy forced peter to take on not only leadership, but also responsibility, empathy, and finally get some closure from his mother's loss through interacting with Gamora.\\

When he got a chance to rebuild his blood family with Ego, he was hesitant at first, but [[AGodAmI a temptation for power]] pushed him closer, hoping to combine a spark of normalcy with extraordinary blessings. Then Ego revealed he was responsible for his mom's tumor, and Peter unleashed his anger at once, waking up to the evil his ArchnemesisDad was about to unleash. He was ready to sacrifice himself for his Guardians, only to instead finally see that the man who raised him, whom he had [[ParentalAbandonment issues]] with, still cared about him enough to die for him. Quill had now lost all his parents, but at the same time, Yondu's death staring him in the face forced him to confront loss head on. Allowing him to eulogize, remember Yondu warts and all, and resolve to be a better dad for his baby groot, and a better lover for Gamora.\\

And thus his confrontation with Thanos on Knowhere represents what should've been his final step forward. He'd learned to live with grief of his family loss before, but could he finally stand to lose that last someone he felt so close to? Could he live up to her LastRequest to kill her, and accept a loss that was intentional and in his control? In the end, the DyingDeclarationOfLove was said, by both of them, and despite the hesitation, Peter did try to follow through for her sake. To finally accept that he couldn't hold onto all the people in his life, and thus kill her for the sake of the universe. Only...[[SubvertedTrope he failed]]. Thanos took his attempted sacrifice away from him, leaving the pain of making that choice, but not the effect of the choice.\\

So again, Tony tried to course correct, using his trusted AI JARVIS as the basis for his next attempt: Vision. This time it seemed to go well, creating a noble, worthy android who could help stop Ultron, and maybe be the deterrent Stark wanted to protect earth. Give him the justification to finally just step aside and rest with Pepper. And then the Sokovia Accords came along. Tony, still wracked with guilt, and hoping to keep the team together so they'd be ready for that invasion, tries to play along after having his ambitions continually ground down, but due to friction, ego and clashing ideals, it all falls apart. Vision makes a mistake, by accidentally hitting his best friend, showing he's not as flawless as he thought. Captain America forces the issue of Bucky killing his family, fracturing trust, and leaving his team seamingly broken. He then tries to make up for it with 2 final attempts. His mentorship of SpiderMan, seeking to get the teen ready to take over as a hero from him down the line, and finally, creating a nanotech suit. Not for missions though, but as a promise to Pepper, only as safety to keep their future secure.\\

'''Thor:''' ''[mirthless chuckle]'' Well, if I'm wrong, then ''what more could I lose?''

Thor's journey in looking for information on the Infinity Stones seemed to give him a lighter, more jovial attitude compared with his first two outings, but when Thanos came for his brother, he very nearly broke Thor's spirit. Leading to the death of half his people, his best friend [[HeroicSacrifice heroically getting his closer friend away from death]], and his brother being strangled to death in front of him. Picked up by the Guardians, he resolves to take on one final mission to take down Thanos again, teaming us with "rabbit" and "tree" to go build a new weapon in Nidavilir, as he realized that despite his inbuilt powers he learned in Ragnarok, he needs more now after his first fight with Thanos.

In route, Rocket drills a bit at Thor's mental state, and seeing all the losses he's suffered, asks if he could really handle going at this again. And it's here we see that Thor is using certainty in his own abilities to cover up all the pain he has. As the quote above mentions, Thor sees that he's made it so far for so long, that he believes that Fate itself will see him through to the end, and give him his {{Revenge}}. And that ultimately, he's not sure if there's anything more that could ruin him besides death.

Reaching Nidivalir, he strains all his strength and endurance, working with Rocket, Groot and Eetri the Dwarf King to finally forge himself a new ax: Stormbreaker. Tanking the heat of a star to ensure he can get his weapon. And in the end he does, and having willed himself so far, he bifrosts straight to Wakanda with the guardians, rescues his fellow avengers, and begins to break down the battlefield one lightning strike at a time.

And indeed, the Russo Brothers talked about how setting Thor up like this makes it seem like he's going to be the one to win, as he too has gone on a journey to get a powerful weapon to fix their problem. And the way things are structured, as the one person who isn't connected to the other heroes before the battle in Wakanda, he's the last on the scene when Thanos rips the mind stone out of Vision's head, the last chance that heroics has to stop Thanos before his evil deed.

And at first, it seems that Thor will do just that. Stormbreaker lives up to its boast as a "Thanos killing kind" of weapon, powering through the blast of power, and finally....embedding in Thanos's chest. Thor than lands, and tries to give a BondOneLiner, proclaiming, "I told you, you'd die for that!" He then shoves the ax deeper, relishing in Thanos's pain.

Thor's journey in looking for information on the Infinity Stones seemed to give him a lighter, more jovial attitude compared with his first two outings, but when Thanos came for his brother, he very nearly broke Thor's spirit. Leading to the death of half his people, his best friend [[HeroicSacrifice heroically getting his closer friend away from death]], and his brother being strangled to death in front of him. Picked up by the Guardians, he's given the new means to try and take down Thanos again, teaming us with "rabbit" and "tree" to go build a new weapon in Nidavilir, as he realized that despite his inbuilt powers he learned in Ragnarok, he needs more now after his first fight with Thanos.

And at first, it seems that Thor will do just that. Stormbreaker lives up to its boast as a "Thanos killing kind" of weapon, powering through the blast of power, and finally....embedding in Thanos's chest. Thor than lands, and tries t

[[folder: Vision and Wanda: Love, Duty and the failure of both]]

So again, Tony tried to course correct, using his trusted AI JARVIS as the basis for his next attempt: Vision. This time it seemed to go well, creating a noble, worthy android who could help stop Ultron, and maybe be the deterrent Stark wanted to protect earth. And then the Sokovia Accords came along. Tony, still wracked with guilt, and hoping to keep the team together so they'd be ready for that invasion, tries to play along after having his ambitions continually ground down, but due to friction, ego and clashing ideals, it all falls apart. Vision makes a mistake, by accidentally hitting his best friend, showing he's not as flawless as he thought. Captain America forces the issue of Bucky killing his family, fracturing trust, and leaving his team seamingly broken. He then tries to make up for it with 2 final attempts. His mentorship of SpiderMan, seeking to get the teen ready to take over as a hero from him down the line, and finally, creating a nanotech suit. Not for missions though, but as a promise to Pepper, only as safety to keep their future secure.\\

And then Dr. Strange and Bruce Banner arrive, telling him about Thanos, and how he's coming for the stones on earth. And Tony realizes that this is exactly what he's been trying to prepare for. The 2nd invasion, and worse still, by the same force that caused the first one. To that end, when the Black Order captures Strange, he goes after them, ultimately forced by pride and fear to finally confront The Mad Titan face to face. To put that genius to use and knock out the foe he'd been preparing for the last 6 years.\\

Thor's journey in looking for information on the Infinity Stones seemed to give him a lighter, more jovial attitude compared with his first two outings, but when Thanos came for his brother, he very nearly broke his spirit. Leading to the death of half his people, his best friend [[HeroicSacrifice heroically getting his closer friend away from death]], and his brother being strangled to death in front of him.

->'''Bruce:''' Oh Screw you you big green asshole! I'll do it myself!\\

->'''Vision:''' If he gets the stone, half the universe dies. It's not fair. It shouldn't have to be you, but it is. It's alright. You could never hurt me. I just feel you.\\

Vision and Wanda first bonded with each other as the true outsiders of the Avengers. Wanda tried to destroy their team, but in doing so lost her brother and home. And Vision, a unique android given life by an AI, magic lightning and the mind stone, is a truly unique being. So, in time, they bonded with each other, seeing the hero underneath the rough edges, and eventually falling in love. Even during a [[Film/CapatainAmericaCivilWar rough patch in their relationship]], 2 years on, and they're now living together in secrecy. Vision even starts pushing Wanda, saying that while she may have a duty to Cap's secret avengers, what they do together works, and he wants them to stay together.\\

'''Drax:''' Including my own.\\