Why Drax The Destroyer Might Die In Avengers: Infinity War

"Dread it. Run from it. Destiny still arrives." In the trailers for Avengers: Infinity War, the tyrannical Thanos may be referring to his impending conquest of the universe. However, this quote could easily be applied to our attitude towards the film itself. Certainly, everyone is excited for the next Marvel movie, but the hype is tinged with trepidation. Ever since Infinity War was announced, the internet has been rife with rumors about which heroes will perish. In fact, there are various dead pools (no, not that kind of Deadpool) being created for fans to bet on each Avenger and whether they will make it out of the movie and/or its as-yet-untitled sequel alive. Several of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes seem more and more likely to bite the dust - looking at you, Stark and Cap - but we need to consider the other contenders. That’s right; there's another team that's set to join the fray of Infinity War. And, several of these quirky characters could very well end up in a coffin by the time the credits roll. So, on that note, here’s why we think Drax is the most likely character to die. The Guardians Of The Galaxy Going Forward As we all know, the Avengers will tackle Thanos alongside the garrulous Guardians of the Galaxy. It really makes sense for them to join this fight, too. After all, the Mad Titan is the biggest threat that the MCU has faced thus far. Even with all of the danger that Thanos and his Black Order will bring, though, it doesn’t seem like anything drastic will happen to the Guardians, on first glance at least. From everything we’ve been told so far, the team is taking a backseat to the villain, as well as the rest of our Earth-bound heroes. Moreover, director James Gunn reportedly has quite a large say in what happens with his characters. When questioned about the team’s part in the film, he replied thusly: “Somebody said everything changes after the Infinity War, and it’s not – you can still watch the three Guardians movies as a whole and they’ll still basically make sense, with maybe a couple of little elements you’re going to have to be caught up on.” In the past, Gunn has said that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 would be the end of the team’s current line-up. So, it seems certain that none of them will die in Avengers: Infinity War. Or does it? “Sometimes You Gotta Run Before You Can Walk” As inclined as we are to believe James Gunn – and Marvel Studios by extension – we can’t take them at their word alone. Prior to the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Gunn arranged for Michael Rooker to turn up where Infinity War was filming. In doing so, he disguised the fact that Rooker’s character, Yondu, was already meeting his maker in Vol. 2. Additionally, the marketing for Thor: Ragnarok conveniently showed Thor in “God mode” with both eyes. This is despite the fact that, at this point in the film’s runtime, Thor had lost one of them in his battle with Hela. These cases go to show that both Gunn and Marvel are increasingly willing to spare spoilers for audiences whenever possible. Plus, it’s becoming pretty clear that the studio is no longer reluctant to make drastic narrative moves going forward. Since the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the MCU has advanced through several unexpected events. Already, fans are discussing the large amount of seemingly dead Asgardians in the trailer for Infinity War, which flies in the face of how the end of Thor: Ragnarok featured the protagonist saving them from extinction. This has only emphasized how likely it is that some big hitters are going to bow out under Thanos’ onslaught. With all the mayhem that’s set to ensue in Infinity War, the casualties can’t just be confined to the Avengers, can they? Surely a Guardian of the Galaxy will be a goner, too, right? The Dejection Of Drax Star-Lord is the focal point of the Guardians, and thus he probably won’t die. Groot and Rocket are likely to survive, too, because they’re highly marketable and popular (cynical, but true). Nebula and Gamora, meanwhile, are key to Thanos’ story, since they’re set to suffer retribution for fleeing his control. Yet, the sisters are more likely to experience catharsis in his defeat, instead of tragedy in death’s release. As such, we fall to that one tattooed tough guy on the team. Look, we’re really not saying that we want Drax to die. On the contrary, we love Drax. His struggles to understand human hang-ups – along with his very literal takes on the subtleties of communication – are endlessly endearing. Plus, whether it’s Drax’s take down of a troublesome Sovereign craft or his head-butting of a guard that has the audacity to hit him, his bad-assery is fantastic to watch. However, for all of these cheerful aspects, Drax’s story has always been defined by sadness. Sure, many of Marvel’s other heroes have suffered losses; from Tony Stark to Stephen Strange, it’s not a new phenomenon. Yet, in his two outings so far, the murder of Drax’s wife and daughter at the hands of Ronan the Accuser is heavily referenced. Two examples of this are when he pledges his allegiance to Star Lord, and his pool-side chat with Mantis. Tellingly, these are moments in which Drax finds a new sense of purpose with the Guardians (he becomes a friend to Quill and a mentor to Mantis). And yet, Drax nonetheless recalls the memory of his lost family. "You're an honorable man, Quill. I will fight beside you," he says. "And in the end, I will see my wife and daughter again." In some ways, this echoes Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator. During the film, the protagonist Maximus attempts to gain revenge and reform the Roman Empire. Yet, he only manages to find peace when he meets his wife and son at the gates of Elysium – the afterlife. It stands to reason that Drax, another wronged warrior, may meet a similar end. In this way, the death of Drax might lend a sense of tragedy and a depth to a story which definitely needs it. It’s essential that Marvel seeks out these kinds of emotional stakes for their plots to resonate, especially if their upcoming movie is to be worthy of the name Infinity War. Bye-Bye To Dave Bautista Drax’s death might serve the needs of the story, but on the other hand, Marvel might have arranged for the character’s departure purely out of necessity. There have been plenty of rumors circulating on the internet that the man behind Drax, Dave Bautista, could potentially return to his wrestling career in the very near future. This would obviously mean that he wouldn’t have as much time to go hunting for Infinity Stones. Then again, it might be that this burgeoning thespian is willing to flex acting chops outside the cosmic escapades of the Guardians films. Since his first outing as the Destroyer, Bautista has greatly impressed audiences with small, yet impactful, parts in Spectre and Blade Runner 2049. He’s also taken a leading role in the upcoming action comedy Stuber. New movie projects such as this could start to clash with Bautista’s shooting schedule as Drax. As the cases of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans show, these Marvel schedules seem to become more and more demanding as time goes on. Therefore, the lure of new films may prove too good to pass up. Whilst Bautista has long expressed his appreciation for Drax – as it’s the role that catalyzed his career - it’s worth bearing in mind that plenty of actors who prefer to jump ship rather than being pushed away after wearing out their welcome. And speaking of which... Galvanizing The Guardians Avengers: Infinity War is the culmination of some ten years' worth of movies, although it clearly marks the beginning of a new age for the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe, which begins after Avengers 4. Little is known about this upcoming film roster, though we can at least can assume some of the soon-to-be announced movies, such as sequels to Doctor Strange and Black Panther. And there’s also word that things could be getting even crazier as the MCU progressively delves into the cosmic side of things. With the Avengers, there’s chatter that several character deaths will allow new heroes to fill old spaces, and thus invigorate interest in the team. Again, the same thing could occur with the Guardians. Drax partially assumed the role of the experienced warrior/adviser, yet Vol. 2 saw Star-Lord taking on that part for the benefit of Baby/Tween Groot. In this way, the Milano could be getting a shakeup similar to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, especially if Chris Hemsworth’s contract gets renewed. “What’s Thor got to do with it?” you ask. Well, there’s plenty to suggest that he might become a permanent member of the team. It may not have happened in the comics, but hey, his original Ragnarok storyline never featured Hulk in a gladiator match with our hero, and in 2017 we got to see just that on our screens. The stage is set for Avengers: Infinity War and its sequel to be two of the biggest blockbusters in living memory. We seriously don’t want our favorite alien warrior to lay his last, famously-large turd by any means. And yet, there’s a lot to indicate that Drax could meet his demise; heaven help our emotions if he does, though. Thanos demands your silence? Thanos demands the hankies is more like it!