Elizabeth Olsen Believes Tony Stark’s Nightmare Had Nothing to Do with ‘Infinity War’ or ‘Avengers 4’

Avengers star Elizabeth Olsen believes the nightmare Scarlet Witch inflicted upon Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in Avengers: Age of Ultron signaled doom by Ultron (James Spader) instead of acting as a premonition warning of the Avengers’ decimation at the hands of Thanos (Josh Brolin).

“I don’t know. I don’t know if that’s what could have happened if Ultron took over,” Olsen said.

“I’m not sure. I think it’s up to interpretation. It wasn’t something that I remember someone was saying that we’re going to go full circle to Infinity War — there wasn’t an Infinity War at that time [laughs]. But I think I always thought of it being what would happen if Ultron won. But I think it’s more interesting the way you’re thinking about it.”

“Well,” Hiddleston countered, “maybe Tony has got the long view.”

Ultron saw Scarlet Witch, then an enemy of Earth’s mightiest heroes, use her mind-bending powers to implant a horrific vision in Tony’s mind: the Chitauri soaring over his slain or nearly dead teammates Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) — all of whom were spared by Thanos’ snap that erased half of all life in the universe.

That same film also saw Wanda peer into the mind of the just-born Vision (Paul Bettany), telling him, “I looked in your head and saw annihilation,” referring to Ultron’s plans to transform Sokovia into an asteroid and use it to obliterate the Earth.

A PTSD-ridden Tony Stark was deeply scarred by the events of The Avengers in Iron Man 3 — events initially put into motion by Infinity War villain Thanos, then acting behind-the-scenes when he sent Loki and an invading Chitari army to Earth — and was plagued by his deepest fears again when he learned from best friend Bruce Banner that the alien warmonger was headed to them in search of the coveted Infinity Stones, which would see him become the most powerful being in the galaxy.

When they reassemble to avenge the fallen and course correct the disastrous events of Infinity War, the Avengers may next encounter a threat even greater than Thanos.

Avengers 4 opens May 3.