The end is nigh: After 10 years, 18 movies, and one shawarma industry revived, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will begin to close the book on the Avengers with the release of game-changing Infinity War. If you’re worried about the sheer number of humans, raccoons, talking trees, Norse gods, insect bois, and green people (both men and women) that you need to know going into IW, check out this week’s gallery that doubles as a handy Avengers character guide!
Iron Man
Presumably still a little sore about the events of Civil War, Tony Stark was last seen offering helpful advice to his protégé Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Homecoming. He’ll have to swallow that giant ego and make nice with Cap and his pals when Thanos shows up to say hi.
Steve Rogers
Stevedore left his shield and Captain America identity behind at the end of Civil War. (El Segundo police still on the lookout for his wallet.) In addition, he’s been on the run since breaking out a few Avengers allies out maximum security ocean jail.
Thor
The Mightiest Avenger cut his hair and grew a funny bone in Ragnarok, to the chagrin of purists. After an escape from Gladiator Trash Planet and reluctantly letting go of his home world in the form of spectacular CG explosions, Thor and the surviving Asgardians are travelling to Earth when they are intercepted by Thanos’s larger spaceship.
Black Panther
T’Challa successfully defended the throne in his first starring movie earlier this year, though
there’s little time to celebrate. Not only does he have a diaspora to unite, but Wakanda is soon to be a popular destination for all cosmic despots named Thanos, especially when on the prowl for more Infinity Stones.
Doctor Strange
After his mindbending debut movie, all we saw of Stephen Strange last year was a brief appearance in Thor: Ragnarok. He pointed the way for Thor and Loki to find their father in Norway.
Spider-Man
After an electric introduction in Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker returned to Queens to fight crime on a smaller scale, helping to take down the Vulture in hopes of becoming a full-fledged Avenger. As the threat of Thanos appears over New York City, Spidey whips into action in a spiffy new suit.
Hulk
The green machine spent the two years after Age of Ultron as a gladiator on far-off Sakaar. He, along with Thor and Valkyrie, bounce and impel the destruction of Asgard. He’s on the same vessel as the Asgardians when they encounter the enormous spaceship at the end of Thor: Ragnarok.
Black Widow
Natasha was swept into the events of Captain America: Civil War, siding with Tony Stark as pro-registration. She has a minor and reluctant change of heart when she allows Cap and Bucky Barnes to flee. Afterwards, she disappears.
Star-Lord
In GotG Vol. 2, Star-Lord discovered that his father was a powerful Celestial with genocidal tendencies, so he’s got a decent grasp on why Gamora and Nebula are devoted to taking Thanos down. It’s just not clear if his ego can compete with Tony Stark’s.
Gamora
After she joined up with Star-Lord and the gang, Gamora still had to work out her sibling rivalry with Nebula, which ended about as well as it could. She’ll be a vital part of the fight against Thanos — her adoptive father — since she’s got all the intel on him.
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet fought on the side of anti-registration in Captain America: Civil War, which means she was part of the crew that was broken out of prison at the end of the movie.
Vision
Vision has an Infinity Stone inconspicuously located in the middle of his forehead, which will make him a prime Thanos target. He was last seen in Captain America: Civil War, when he accidentally knocks the War Machine suit out of commission and partially paralyzes Rhodes.
Shuri
Shuri splits her time between running the outreach building in Oakland after Black Panther opens one on the spot where his uncle was killed, and making science magic in Wakanda.
Okoye
Leader of the Dora Milaje unit within the Wakandan military, she and her cohorts were able to suppress an insurrection and keep T’challa on the throne. She’ll still be in Wakanda by the time Infinity War starts.
Rocket & Groot
These two bounty hunter BFFs basically masterminded the Guardians’ escape from prison, and Groot even sacrificed himself for the team. Unfortunately, this also means Rocket gets to babysit a reborn, teenage Groot when the Guardians face Thanos.
War Machine
James Rhodes was crippled by Vision and thanks to that sweet Avengers health plan, has been fitted with bionic leggings and undergoing physical therapy.
Drax
Drax also has an axe — or a couple of huge daggers — to grind with Thanos, who ordered the murders of his wife and daughter. He looks to be the second big, topless green guy charging into battle in Infinity War.
Falcon
Falcon was last seen imprisoned and then freed by Captain America at the end of Civil War.
Nebula
Thanos’ other daughter is even less well-adjusted than Gamora. Her body’s broken and half artificial from all the abuse she’s taken over the years, so it’s no surprise when she leaves on a solo mission to take her daddy down.
Loki
We ask this every other MCU movie, but is Loki a good guy now? He certainly seems to have turned a new leaf again at the end of Thor: Ragnarok
White Wolf
His brainwashed days all but behind him, Bucky Barnes has been dubbed the White Wolf as he undergoes rehabilitation in Wakanda.
Wong
Wong has spent time rebuilding the Hong Kong Sanctum (one of three that shields the Earth from cosmic forces) after being destroyed by a rogue sorcerer. With that done, he jumps between the other Sanctums, including the New York location that Doctor Strange presides over.
Mantis
The Guardians picked up Mantis when they faced off against Ego, who was kind of like a surrogate father to her in the way that he wasn’t for Peter Quill. She’s a little naive, but she’s got empathic abilities, and those antennae are just adorable.
