‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Directors Confirm Which MCU Supporting Characters Lived or Died

Avengers: Infinity War directors Anthony and Joe Russo have confirmed the fates of little-seen Marvel Cinematic Universe characters who didn’t appear in the crossover blockbuster, including characters from The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Black Panther.

Speaking to Huffington Post, the directing duo opened up about characters who may or may not have — spoilers — survived Thanos’ (Josh Brolin) judgement of the universe, handed down by way of the Infinity Stone-powered Infinity Gauntlet.

With all six stones assembled, the alien warmonger completed his mission of balancing the universe by snapping his fingers — with devastating results. Thanos successfully wiped out half of all life in the universe, including most of Earth’s mightiest heroes, with only Rocket Raccoon (voice of Bradley Cooper) being the surviving member of the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers decimated to just Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), War Machine (Don Cheadle) and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr).

Wakandan general Okoye (Danai Gurira) was spared, but her king, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) wasn’t. Nebula (Karen Gillan) survived the snap, but watched helplessly alongside a defeated Iron Man as Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Drax (Dave Bautista), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) were turned to ash.

M’Baku (Winston Duke) was confirmed to survive, but the fate of Shuri (Letitia Wright) remains up in the air — as does the fate of retired Avenger Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), who doesn’t appear in Infinity War (but is expected to return in Avengers 4).

The directors tip-toe around spoilers, but they’ve now confirmed the fates of fan-favorite supporting characters:

Howard the Duck

The anthropomorphic duck appeared briefly in the post-credits scene in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, voiced by Family Guy‘s Seth Green. Howard made a second cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, where he’s seen flirting with a woman in the Iron Lotus brothel on Contraxia.

The dapper duck “survived,” Joe Russo said.

Jane Foster

Astrophysicist and astronomer Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) first appeared in 2011’s Thor and again in its 2013 sequel, Thor: The Dark World, currently her last appearance. Thor and Jane became star-crossed lovers, but the relationship ultimately failed, as confirmed by the Asgardian Avenger in Thor: Ragnarok.

Jane’s fate was dubbed “too spoilery.”

“When we say spoiler, [we mean] potential spoiler,” Anthony Russo said.

The Academy Award-winning actress said earlier this year she’s “completely open” to a possible return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Actor Loki

Matt Damon made a surprise appearance in Ragnarok when he appeared on Asgard as an actor melodramatically portraying Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor’s trickster half-brother.

He “did not survive,” Joe confirmed, a fate sure to please Matt Damon nemesis Jimmy Kimmel.

Betty Ross

It’s been a decade since Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), daughter of now-United States Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt), was seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Betty appeared in just 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, where her relationship with big-brain Bruce Banner (played there by Edward Norton) proved to be a dead end.

Banner has since found a sort-of relationship with fellow Avenger Black Widow, but what happened to Tyler’s scientist-slash-professor?

“Gone,” Joe said simply. 

Miek and Korg

Alien space buddies Miek and Korg (Taika Waititi) swiftly proved fan-favorites in Ragnarok, becoming loyal allies to a then-displaced Thor.

They were last seen in the Thor threequel aboard the Statesman, the Grandmaster ship commandeered to save the Asgardians from extinction, but come Infinity War, the duo are nowhere to be found.

That ship is attacked in the earliest moments of Infinity War, with half of its inhabitants slaughtered, but Thor confirms the other half of his people made it to safety.

Though they may have survived that initial onslaught, were they wiped out by the snap?

“Spoiler,” Joe said.

No mention was made of fan-favorite Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), but the director previously confirmed the Asgardian warrior was among those who escaped the Statesman.

Shuri

And what about Wakandan princess and genius inventor Shuri?

The young scientist was last seen in Infinity War in her lab, where she attempted in vain to free the Mind Stone from the head of Vision (Paul Bettany). She was forced to try and ward off an attacking Corvus Glaive (Michael James Shaw), who sought the Stone coveted by Thanos.

The film left Shuri’s status unknown, but if she survived the snap, she would inherit Wakanda’s throne as queen in light of her brother’s death.

Shuri’s fate is a “spoiler,” Joe said.

Nakia

Another Black Panther fan-favorite, War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), was not seen or mentioned in Infinity War. So what happened to the globe-trotting spy?

The brothers didn’t say if she was annihilated by the snap, explaining only, “She’s on missions,” Joe said.

Added Anthony, “Yeah, deep undercover.”

Ned Leeds

And what of Peter Parker’s guy in the chair-slash-best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon)? The teen had a scene-stealing comedy cameo in Infinity War when he covered for best bro Peter to transform into Spider-Man, but his fate remains in the air.

“Spoiler,” said Joe.

 

Aunt May

Peter Parker’s best friend is a big question mark, but what about his hot aunt?

Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) first appeared in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War before reprising her role in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, where she learned her 15-year-old nephew was a wall-crawling superhero.

Was Peter Parker’s unusually attractive aunt wiped out? 

May is “safe,” Anthony said.

Don’t celebrate just yet: with Peter turned to dust, that means Aunt May lost her husband and her nephew in the span of just a couple of years. 

Lady Sif

And what of valiant warrior Lady Sif (Jamie Alexander), who was off-world in Thor: Ragnarok and was subsequently spared death at the hands of Hela (Cate Blanchett) and Asgard’s destruction? Will she make a triumphant return in Avengers 4 and help save the day?

HuffPost reports the Russo brothers confirmed she won’t be involved in the Infinity War sequel.

“Gone,” Joe said.

At least we have Galaga Guy. No, he’s dead too. 

Avengers: Infinity War is now playing. Avengers 4 opens May 3, 2019.