The Infinity Stones have been a driving force in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a long time. Ever since The Avengers and the revelation of Thanos, those colored rocks became a huge part of fan discussion.
While we know a lot about where the Infinity Stones are, we haven’t really thought about what collecting them all together could mean. Let’s take a look at how these tiny pebbles could change the MCU in ways that would alter the franchise forever.
An Unbeatable Foe
The main draw of the Infinity Stones is their immense power. We’ve seen their unique effects utilized in separate films, but having them collected together would give the wielder an unfathomable advantage. We’ve never seen a villain at the center of an MCU film be truly unstoppable. Every foe has been bested. What if Thanos can’t be?
This wouldn’t be the first time a Marvel villain survived to the final reel (we’re Loki-ng at you, Trickster), but it is an exceedingly rare occurrence for the antagonists of the MCU to return to do battle with our heroes once again. If Thanos does end up with all of the Infinity Stones, what could possibly stop him?
It would be the first time in an MCU film where there doesn’t seem to be a good way to dispatch of the bad guy. That could open up the rest of the MCU to films where we see more recurring villains. Heck, I think Thanos should be the protagonist of Avengers: Infinity War but that’s a whole other discussion.
But, the biggest change the Infinity Stones could wreak on the MCU is much, much crazier…
Welcome to the Multiverse
As Patton Oswalt deftly explained in the above Parks & Recreation outtake, one of the Infinity Stones is the Reality Stone. And in Doctor Strange, the Ancient One introduced the idea of the Multiverse, a limitless number of different dimensions and realities. There have been small peeks into this wacky concept — Hell and the Quantum Realm for example — but the Infinity Stones joined together could not only be a source of physical power but metaphysical power as well.
So far, the MCU has stayed away from a true Multiverse. Unlike the Earth-Two shenanigans of The Flash and other DC shows, the MCU has kept itself fairly grounded when it comes to multiple universes. The Infinity Stones have the potential to blow that concept wide open.
Imagine an MCU where we could get multiple incarnations of certain characters. Wanna see an army of Spider-Men and Women? How about a brand new Iron Man character like Ironheart? And what about crossing over with characters like the Fantastic Four and the X-Men if that Fox deal goes through? The Infinity Stones allow for that. And they could even bring in realities we can’t even conceive of.
There’s the capability to do some serious continuity craziness with the Infinity Stones, and that’s very exciting considering that the MCU has stayed on a fairly straight path for the last ten years. Breaking the mold and taking the franchise to crazier comic book realms sounds like the kind of freshness the MCU needs.
Ending the Narrative
The Infinity Stones have been so important to the overall narrative of the MCU that their storytelling potential is reaching its climax. Something a lot of people aren’t talking about is what happens after their story has been told.
Will the Infinity Stones be destroyed? Exactly how will they exit the giant overarching tale that the MCU has been built upon? What does the MCU focus on once these plot devices have been removed from the scenario?
Avengers: Infinity War will hopefully answer a lot of these questions and theories when it hits theaters on May 4.
