With Avengers: Infinity War now available for purchase, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are getting a chance to better analyze the movie with some emotional remove. There’s no doubt that the mass slaughter of heroes, civilians, and every other living thing at its conclusion is one of the most disturbing moments ever in a superhero movie. Just try to imagine Spider-Man or Groot fading into dust without tearing up. So as we reflect on the events of Avengers: Infinity War and what that will mean for the still untitled Avengers 4, it’s worth taking stock of who is still around.
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We’ve assembled all of the evidence from the films and outside sources to provide a comprehensive list of who survives Thanos‘ genocidal snap. This includes sections with rumored, but unconfirmed survivors, and a list of the true unknowns. So if you’re looking to figure out who is left to mourn the dead and battle Thanos in Avengers 4, keep reading for all of the details.
If you still haven’t seen Avengers: Infinity War, there are obviously spoilers ahead.
Thanos
Thanos steals the final frames of Avengers: Infinity War resting on a distant planet, satisfied with the completion of his plan. While his left hand and the Gauntlet may not have survived, he managed to recover from Thor’s near-fatal blow and looks to be mostly in one piece for whatever comes next.
Iron Man
Iron Man was allowed to live by Thanos after being impaled due to Doctor Strange’s sacrifice of the Time Stone. He is in very rough shape, but is one of the only heroes on Titan to survive the “snappening.” The only question that remains is how he will return home to Earth.
Nebula
Nebula is the only other survivor left on Titan. While she kept her life, it’s hard to find someone who lost more in the final moments of Avengers: Infinity War. Nebula lost her sister, almost her entire team, and watched the man she hated most succeed in his master plan. She will likely play a big role in Avengers 4.
Captain America
Captain America not went toe-to-toe with Thanos, grabbing hold of the nearly completed Infinity Gauntlet, but managed to survive as well. He might be in bad shape after watching his both of his best friends, Bucky and The Falcon, get wiped away, but at least the Avengers still have their leader for whatever comes next.
Black Widow
Black Widow also managed to survive both the battle in Wakanda and the “snappening.” While both she and Cap don’t bring much power to these cosmic battles, their mutual survival helps to set up a reunion of the original six Avengers.
Bruce Banner / The Hulk
It might be unfair to say The Hulk survived considering he refused to even show up for most of Avengers: Infinity War, but his alter-ego Bruce Banner is definitely still around and willing to do anything he can. We expect that Avengers 4 will provide some resolution to this internal feud and give Bruce even more time to shine on his own.
War Machine
Avengers 4 is staged for a reunion of the very first superhero team up at Marvel Studios, as War Machine managed to also survive the “snappening.” Both Rhodey and his armor were in rough shape following his battle with Thanos, but his recovery after Avengers: Civil War proved this is one tough hero to stop.
Thor
It was a surprise that Thanos allowed Thor to live, considering he came closer than anyone to stopping the Mad Titan. While Thanos still lives, Thor also still possess Stormbreaker, the hammer that pierced Thanos’ defenses and almost killed him once already. Avengers 4 may provide Thor an important second chance.
Rocket Raccoon
Rocket Racoon is the only survivor from the original Guardians of the Galaxy and the team’s sole survivor, depending on whether or not you count Nebula as a member. This furry fighter who finally found a family will certainly be out for blood, especially when you consider Groot’s final words to Rocket.
Okoye
While Black Panther might have been killed at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, Wakanda is lucky to still have a strong leader in the form of General Okoye. She has already proven in Black Panther that she can remain steadfast and dedicated to her nation, even in the face of such a monumental loss.
M’Baku
M’Baku was also shown still standing in the midst of the Wakandan battlefield at the end of Avengers: Infinity War. His continued presence, alongside that of Okoye, helps to ensure the nation will remain strong even when facing so much turmoil and tragedy.
Ant-Man
Ant-Man didn’t appear in Avengers: Infinity War and his survival remained a question mark until the post-credits scene in Ant-Man and The Wasp. While Scott Lang is now a confirmed survivor, he is in a tough spot: trapped in the quantum realm with his partner and her parents all killed in the “snappening.”
May Parker
There are a lot of rumors about which characters who didn’t appear in Avengers: Infinity War might have survived. We’re only taking the word of the directors as truth though, and the Russos have confirmed that Aunt May survived the “snappening.” If Avengers 4 shows her realizing that her nephew Peter did not, it’s a guaranteed tearjerker.
Howard the Duck
The Russos also possessed the good humor to provide nervous fans with one more off screen survivor: Howard the Duck. While this joking insertion from the post-credits sequence of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 isn’t currently planned to appear in future films, we can now continue to hope.
Rumored Survivors
All of these characters are currently rumored to have survived, but none have been confirmed by the Russo Brothers or other details as of yet.
Ramonda and Shuri: Angela Bassett insisted that both her character and her daughter Shuri must have survived in an interview with ScreenRant. However, the Russos insist that Shuri’s fate is a “spoiler.”
Everett K. Ross: Actor Martin Freeman has said that Marvel Studios has promised his character will return in future films and that he believes Everett survived the end of Avengers: Infinity War.
The Grandmaster: Actor Jeff Goldblum is every bit as impish as his own character in the Marvel movies, so his confirmation that The Grandmaster survived should be taken with a grain of salt.
Daryl: Thor’s roommate from a short (joking) movie has also claimed to survive the “snappening.” If Taika Waititi returns for a fourth Thor film, we wouldn’t actually be surprised to see this fan favorite make another appearance.
Unknown Status
While there are a lot more characters whose fates remain unrevealed, these are the remaining superheroes and significant others whose deaths have been neither confirmed nor denied.
Hawkeye: It seems likely that Hawkeye survived the end of Avengers: Infinity War, given that every other original Avengers is staged for a reunion, but both Jeremy Renner and the Russos have remained mum on this matter.
Valkyrie: While it has been stated that Valkyrie survived the onslaught of Thanos at the start of Avengers: Infinity War, there has been no word on whether she also survived the end of the film.
Wong: Wong made a big impression early in Avengers: Infinity War, but was absent from the second half, leaving fans to speculate whether he is gone or Earth’s newest Sorcerer Supreme.
Pepper Potts: Pepper also disappeared in the second half of Avengers: Infinity War and nobody knows whether Tony Stark will find even more tragedy awaiting him when he returns to Earth.
Nakia: The Russos have not confirmed Nakia’s fate, only saying that she was “on missions” during the events of Avengers: Infinity War.
Sharon Carter: Captain America’s modern romantic interest has disappeared following the events of Captain America: Civil War and there are no indications as to where she is and whether she survived.
Jane Foster: While Thor: Ragnarok confirmed that Jane Foster had dumped Thor, it’s apparent he still cares for her. It’s unclear if her fate will make things even worse for Thor in Avengers 4.
