'Avengers: Infinity War': Did Thanos Expect Iron Man to Die?

Ever since Avengers: Infinity War hit theaters earlier this year, Marvel fans have been tirelessly wracking their brains, trying to piece together the puzzle and figure out how exactly Earth's mightiest heroes could rally back and defeat Thanos in Avengers 4. While most of these theories revolve around Doctor Strange, time travel, and Captain Marvel, there's one other idea that we may be completely passing over.

What if Tony Stark's survival is the key to taking down Thanos?

It may sound strange, but there's a good chance that Thanos isn't even aware of Tony's survival. Think back to the fight between the two of them, when Thanos stabs Tony. Remember what he says?

"I hope they remember you."

Thanos fully planned on killing Tony to get the Mind Stone. He knew that Tony would fight until death, and he was going to take it as far as he could go. That line from Thanos implied that he had respect for Tony, and hoped that his name would live on past his physical life.

When Doctor Strange revealed the stone, Thanos left Tony on Titan, bleeding out from his wound. It's entirely likely that Thanos had intended for Tony to die from his wounds. However, Tony didn't perish from the fight. In fact, Tony was one of the only beings on Titan to survive not only the battle with Thanos, but the Snap itself.

As he proved in the fight, Iron Man is a worthy opponent to Thanos. He's the only one of the Avengers that made the Mad Titan bleed, after all. When Thanos left Earth, feeling as though he'd accomplished his mission, it would stand to reason that he believed Tony Stark was dead. He had stabbed Iron Man, leaving him on Titan to die. Even if Tony survived that encounter, there was a 50/50 chance he would die in the Snap.

There's a good chance that Thanos won't be expecting to see Tony Stark when he comes face-to-face with the team in Avengers 4. While he's not the most likely hero in this scenario, given that he can't manipulate space or time, Iron Man's element of surprise and sheer will to win could be the key to defeating Thanos for good.

What do you think of this theory? Will Iron Man be leading the charge to defeat Thanos in Avengers 4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Avengers: Infinity War is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. Avengers 4 is currently slated to arrive in theaters on May 3, 2019.