2) The Infinity Gauntlet
I imagine most audiences will be pretty underwhelmed by the mid-credits sequence in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Thanos grabbing the infinity gauntlet shouldn’t come as a surprise to many fans, especially as the upcoming Avengers sequels are called Infinity War and any self respecting comic book lover knows exactly what that means. However, the ramifications of this reveal may be more important than they first appear.
Obviously, Thanos’s acquisition of the gauntlet is going to create some big changes for the MCU, but the real question is how the hell did that mad bloody Titan get hold of the device in the first place? That large yet still trendy accessory was last seen in Thor’s first movie, holed up safely in an Asgardian trophy room. Did Thanos sneak into Asgard and simply take what he felt was rightfully his? Did the titan employ someone else to do his dirty work? Or, and this is perhaps the most interesting idea of all, did Thanos strike a deal with Loki?
The mischievous god secretly replaced his father Odin at the end of Thor: The Dark World, so it’s entirely possible that Loki and Thanos are now in cahoots. Thor’s brother has consistently been the most popular Marvel villain by far, probably because he’s the only good one they’ve had up until Ultron, so it would make sense to bring Tom Hiddleston’s character back in future Avengers sequels. If this theory holds true, we may even see this relationship develop first in Thor: Ragnarok, before Thanos’s plans come to fruition in Avengers: Infinity War.
The theory detailed in this last paragraph is admittedly a huge stretch, so if I turn out to be wrong, try not to rub it in please. However, if I’m correct, prepare for more gloating than the world has ever seen. Just saying.