'Avengers 4' Theory Means Horrific Sacrifice For Tony Stark

The Avengers will have to make sacrifices in Avengers 4 to thwart Thanos but Tony Stark might face a particularly horrifying scenario.

Early in Avengers: Infinity War, Tony Stark expressed his desire to have a son with Pepper Potts. By the time Avengers 4 comes around, the dream which felt so real to him according to their conversation might become a reality. After all, a huge portion of Tony's story (especially since the Russo Brothers began working with him in Captain America: Civil War) has been about his desire to have a family.

In this scenario, Tony and Pepper are living in the closest thing to a happily-ever-after scenario with their family blossoming as the world is in turmoil over half of its living beings erased by Thanos and his finger snap. When the time comes to undo Thanos' deed, Tony Stark might have to sacrifice his son.

One theory, as posted to Reddit, claims that Tony will have to mirror Thanos' actions from Avengers: Infinity War. In this scenario, he would make his way to Vormir with knowledge from Nebula (the character he was last seen with on Titan) where the Red Skull would demand the sacrifice of something he loves in exchange for the Soul Stone. The fan's theory claims Tony will be forced to offer up his son in exchange for the power to save the likes of Spider-Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and others.

However, this might not be the way Tony Stark makes a similar sacrifice.

With Ant-Man poised to introduce time travel to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Ant-Man and The Wasp's post-credits scene teased time travel, Tony might face the same dilemma in a less blunt manner.

Set photos and comic stories have fans expecting the remaining heroes to travel to the past in an effort to stop Thanos before he can snap his fingers. In doing so, they will create a new timeline where the events of Avengers: Infinity War are prevented in their entirety. However, this would mean in preventing half of the universe from disappearing, Tony would also erase the timeline in which his son and happy family resides.

It would be a scenario which draws from Marvel's Secret Wars story in which only certain heroes remember the tragic events of the main narrative by the time the story is resolved.

Could Tony Stark have a family and lose them in Avengers 4? Will he create a new timeline but choose to reside in the original? Share your thoughts in the comment section and send them my way on social media, @BrandonDavisBD.

Avengers 4 hits theaters on May 3, 2019.