Avengers Who Could Save The Day In Avengers: Endgame

Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark has been one of the movers and shakers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since day one. Over time, Stark's personality has been tempered by challenge and tragedy. Remember, even if Doctor Strange said it in Infinity War, it was Stark who first uttered "endgame" back in Age of Ultron as he strove to head off his deepest fears. Even Thanos holds a special bond with Iron Man, as was made evident by his line about not being the only one "cursed with knowledge."

While the first Endgame teaser showed Stark out in space, we know the Iron Avenger finds his way home one way or another, and from there he'll likely lead the charge against the Mad Titan when the time comes. From his connection with Thanos to his scientific prowess and ever-improving armor, not to mention the incredible guilt that's clearly on his shoulders after everything that's happened, it's completely reasonable to expect Mr. Stark to be the one to save the day — no matter the cost.

In many ways, Hulk is primed to be the ultimate hero in Endgame. His conspicuous near-total absence from Infinity War was clearly building to something, and the fact that Endgame is going to be the "third act" of his story arc, which has been woven through Ragnarok, Infinity War, and now Endgame, adds fuel to the fire that something climactic is about to take place within Hulk's storyline. There's also rampant speculation that the film will herald the arrival of Professor Hulk, a combo of the Hulk and Banner personalities combined into one character.

There have also been rumors that Hulk could end up fighting Thanos with a second Infinity Gauntlet, which could end with the Green Machine losing an arm. While rumors and speculation are always risky business, it does seem fairly certain that the Russos have something big in store for the Hulk, and it might not be very pleasant.

It's worth bearing in mind that Universal still holds the distribution rights for the character, and the execs at Disney may find Hulk's future in the MCU hardly profitable, which could open the doors for an epic, day-saving ending that could even end in the big guy's — dare we say it — death. We'd hate to see it happen, but that could pave the way for Hulk to be a bigger player in Endgame than anyone expected.

Vision was among those who perished before Thanos' Decimation, but if he were recreated somehow — perhaps building off Shuri's last-ditch efforts to separate him from the Mind Stone — another of the most powerful Avengers could return to face Thanos head on. However, if Vision were to actually save the day in Endgame, it might end up being through something a bit more complicated than a head-to-head duel.

Vision's role in Infinity War had much more to do with self-awareness and personal sacrifice, both of which require a great deal more bravery than a desire to simply defeat and destroy. Early on, Vision recognized the danger caused by his presence and saw the need to destroy his stone long before Wanda could be convinced to do anything about it. Even if he was fully functional and ready to rumble, if Vision were to have a major impact on saving the day in Endgame, chances are that it would end up being through a deeper level of logic rather than brute Infinity Stone-powered strength.

Infinity War already saw Spider-Man play an instrumental role in nearly toppling the Mad Titan. He first popped in to help in the battle with the Black Order in New York City, then hitched a ride with Iron Man on the space donut headed for Titan. He was also the one who came up with the plan that led to Ebony Maw's demise and was front and center when they nearly got the gauntlet off Thanos' oversized purple paw. (Thanks for nothing, Star-Lord!)

While he may be new to the Avengers, and just a kid besides, Peter Parker is a heck of a candidate to save the day — in more ways than one. There are the obvious factors like his Spidey senses and web shooters, but there's more where that came from. He's also surprisingly strong — in the comics, he can typically lift roughly 25 tons — and he's a wiz kid too. He's got a lot going for him and could certainly end up swinging in to save the day. The only question is how he'll be brought back from Thanos' Decimation in time for his second solo film, which comes out not long after Endgame arrives in theaters.

Gamora was one of the most important characters in Infinity War, if only because of her knowledge of the Soul Stone — and her being sacrificed in order for Thanos to obtain it. But her mark on the story is bigger than her tragic demise — Star-Lord's reaction to her death ruined a carefully laid plan to separate Thanos from his gauntlet, and don't forget Thanos' vision of Gamora's younger self toward the end of the movie.

Gamora's complex history with her adopted father makes her a compelling character who could inadvertently save the day in Endgame when we least expect it. It's already been confirmed by actress Zoe Saldana that Gamora will play some part in Endgame, even if the specifics are unknown at this point. Whether she figures in a flashback sequence or comes back from the dead, her potential as a sleeper savior is fairly high. Even if she's stuck in the Soul Stone, her connection to Thanos could mean she's in the perfect position to deliver a few well-placed words at just the right moment. We know Thanos listens to her, after all. Maybe words will be all that's needed.

One more Guardian of the Galaxy that could bring salvation in Endgame is none other than the new addition to the team, Mantis. While she, once again, would need to be brought back from her snapped demise, the empath showed herself to have a uniquely powerful edge over Thanos in the fight on Titan. In the same way that she was able to temporarily stop a being as powerful as Ego from swallowing up the universe, Mantis was able to shut down the Mad Titan mid-battle, giving the team their best shot at getting the gauntlet.

While Mantis lost control after Star-Lord lost his temper, the fact still stands that she stopped Thanos dead in his tracks, which is more than pretty much everyone else can boast at this point. If the team can resurrect Mantis and she can get her hands on the Dark Lord again, that could be all they need.

Last yet absolutely not least, we have Doctor Stephen Strange. Every time Strange has appeared in the MCU he's had the air of a person who knows exactly what's going on. In Infinity War, he took matters into his own hands when he gave up the Time Stone in order to give our heroes that one in 14 million chance to beat Thanos. Even before that, he gave the villain a run for his money in straight up, one-on-one combat. There's no doubt that Strange stood tall among the universe's greatest defenders... until he joined them in an ashy grave.

If Strange manages to come back, which is a distinct possibility for a fellow who can time travel, he could end up being the crux of the entire Endgame scenario, if only because he's clearly been one of the chief architects in setting things up so far. In fact, even if he doesn't physically appear, ultimately his decision to save Stark and surrender the Stone could end up being the move that saved the day before anyone even knew it.