End Game is here!...whether you are ready or not. We are finally going to figure out a solution to this whole Thanos snap mess. The speculation that has been presented so far is all over the spectrum...everything from time travel, to alternate realities, to quantum realms, and don't forget the kitchen sink. It's all the solution to Thanos (I feel a bit like George Costanza...the answer to End Game is in the song 'Downtown' by Petula Clark...its so simple, the answer is right there!) and so we don't care about what may actually happen until it does. Lets dive into a bit of snapulation and see what role the Infinity Stones may hold.
One of the many speculation solutions that I have been toying with is the role of the Soul Gem. We now know that this particular infinity stone was acquired on Vormir and that Thanos himself had to sacrifice the only thing he loved (Spoilers if you have not seen Infinity War, but if you are reading this blog, I am assuming we are good)...his daughter Gamora...to attain the stone. At the conclusion of Infinity War, immediately following the Snap, Thanos is transported to a weird realm where he encounters a young Gamora who asks if he was successful and at what cost. Where was this and why was it necessary? Was this a metaphysical transportation? Did it occur in his mind, in the stone, in reality at all?
The Soul Gem was first introduced in Marvel Premiere #1 in 1972 along with a story arch that would define the hero Adam Warlock. It is said that a pocket utopia exists within the Soul Gem and that the gem is the ultimate resting place for all souls that are lost in the universe. An ancient lost hero or scourge could be waiting to be unleashed, and may be the ultimate solution to fixing the snap. We can wonder if the stones will be a gateway to the introduction of Warlock somehow, or if he will be independent of the stones in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Time will tell if this will be the case and if we will be treated to Warlock at all.
There are a total of 6 infinity stones, and a good portion of Infinity War was devoted to the Soul Gem...this makes me think that time was spent on this story for a reason or a purpose of higher storytelling that we are yet to witness. If the Soul Gem is not super important, did Marvel just waste airtime with bogus content? Was it a vehicle to input Red Skull because Marvel missed him and need more heroes and villains to cram in a movie? I am left trying to discern if I was provided "good content" or if I was just given filler material to push run-times and enhance collectible sales. I guess End Game will reveal all.
Do you feel that the Infinity Stones have a role to play that is of their own agenda? What is your solution to fixing the snap? Drop your comments and join in the snapulation!
