Is the 'Avengers: Infinity War' Post-Credits Scene a Shout Out to 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'?

Fans who sat through the credits for Avengers: Infinity War were treated to a scene that teased the arrival of a new member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While many audiences knew exactly who the scene was referring to, some fans thought the ways in which the hero was called had a direct connection to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Avengers: Infinity War.

After Thanos snaps his fingers and eradicates half of the universe's population, audiences saw some of our favorite characters morph into dust and fly away. In the post-credits scene, audiences witness Maria Hill and Nick Fury suffer the same fate, though not before Fury can send a signal on a beeper that seemingly reaches out across the galaxy as a distress signal to Captain Marvel.

In the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series, which took place in the '90s, one of the lead character's most iconic lines was, "If the apocalypse comes, beep me." The line was meant to represent the Slayer's casual approach to battling the undead and her preoccupation with having a social life over heeding every beck and call to combat dark forces.

The upcoming Captain Marvel is set to take place in the '90s and feature a younger Nick Fury, which explains why the former Agent of SHIELD would be offered the most advanced technology of the time, a beeper. The scene likely wasn't crafted as a direct nod to the TV series, though it's hard to ignore the coincidental nature of the sequence.

One reason some fans are theorizing this was more than a coincidence is that Joss Whedon directed Marvel's The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, with Whedon having created the Buffy TV series. Were Whedon himself to have directed this third Avengers film, it's possible the reference would have been much more obvious, though it was likely more of a reference to antiquated technology.

Whedon may have begun to explore opportunities with the DC Extended Universe, yet he couldn't help but feel envious of the directors of Avengers: Infinity War.

"I'm less tired, and excited because I don't know what happens, and, you know, a little jealous," Whedon shared with The Hollywood Reporter at the film's world premiere. "Well, [directors Anthony and Joe Russo] got the Guardians in there, and every living human being who wasn't in a Harry Potter movie is in this film. I don't envy them the gig - there's a reason I said two and out - but I do wish I had gotten to play with those characters a little bit."

Avengers: Infinity War is in theaters now while Captain Marvel lands in theaters on March 8, 2019.

Other upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movies include Ant-Man and the Wasp on July 6th, the fourth Avengers movie on May 3, 2019, the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming on July 5, 2019, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2020.

Do you think this was an intentional reference? Let us know in the comments below!

[H/T Reddit, MarvelStudios]