After getting back from Guardians of the Galaxy and personally feeling like it was probably my favorite of the Marvel bunch, I figured I would do some speculation based on a VERY key scene towards the middle of the film. As some of you have guessed thar be spoilers ahead. If you have not seen the movie yet, get the frick out of here and go see the movie before I spoil all of it for you. While I was not exactly spoiler free, I didn't know just enough to find it incredible. I imagine how it would have been had I not known about things like the credit tags or what so and so looked like. Come into the film as fresh minded as possible. For me it tops Winter Soldier but this is coming from the guy who ranks Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World as the greatest movie of all time ...so take my criticism with a grain of salt.
Seriously, stop reading if you have not seen the film.
No ...really, this will spoil everything
I am not joking.
Are they gone yet?
Good.
After watching GOTG, for me, the end game of the Marvel UIniverse is a bit clearer now. I am, of course, refering to the scene with The Collector and what is the Power Gem (I wiki'ed that so it could be wrong). That scene was brilliant as it not only gave us the first peak at the Celestials but has given us the most information on the stones so far. The most important thing it did was pretty much spell out how all of this will go down at the end of the Thanos arc. Keep in mind that I have a pet theory that this will go until phase 4 and be wrapped up in an Infinity Gauntlet movie that features the Marvel universe as a whole and not in Avengers 3. I have explained this countless times but summarize my reasons are that Marvel wants to end this with something huge; they want to one up what they did with the Avengers (inadvertently one upping any other studio who try to cross them. Justice League is forming about five years after the Avengers? Sorry, but now we have the whole freaking Marvel Universe banding together). Just as phase one lead up to the Avengers, we are now expanding outside of Avengers with more facets of the Marvel Universe opening up ...only for all of them to align together in one big Cinematic Crossover. The scene in GOTG gave me even more creedence to believe this.
What this scene states, actually it is almost a prophecy, is that in the past, six people were able to band together and contain the stones for a short period of time. While we did get a little bit of that at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy, it was not to the scale that The Collector was speaking of. I believe that this all ends with six figures in the Marvel Universe uniting together to undo whatever damage that Thanos has caused. Fortunately this includes an assault on Thanos, a battle, and then the six banding together to contain the power of the stones. Is it simple? Sure, but sometimes the best stories are the ones that are the simplest.
One question remains though: Who are the six?
Are they heroes, are they villains, combination of both, or neither? We also have to account for the Stones representing one quality in the universe. Thus it makes sense to match up the stones an individual who either represents that quality OR whose story ties into that stone (I.E had a ton of exposure to it). But we do also have to account for popularity and star power here to because I doubt Marvel is going to have Happy Hogan, Hawkeye, Howard the Duck, Skye, Agent 13,and Whiplash represent an infinity stone. To put it bluntly, these will need to be heavy hitters for the most part. They also need to be people that, when combined together, can beat Thanos ...just barely. Here on my guesses on who the six representatives will be.
The Power Gem
While we have not seen him yet, I am positive that Adam Warlock would need to be apart of this storyline at some point. We already so have indication that he will probably show up in the form of his cocoon being noticeable in The Collector's Easter Egg factory. Since the Guardians have already dealt with the power gem AND it is a safe bet that WHEN he shows up, he will be their contact, I think that this will be the stone that he wields as he is mandatory for the final battle with Thanos. While Quill is a decent candidate, I think the movie proved that he could not contain an infinity stone on his own. However, if there is no Adam Warlock, he would be a suitable replacement. But I see the Guardians having another big mission during all of this.
The Time Gem
Who better to wield the time gem than a man who is still lost in time or, at least, not of his own time. While I believe that Steve Rogers could represent a number of thes gems, I think he is the best suited for the time. He represents the ideals of the past while also fighting to preserve the future. Also, so far, one of his movies takes place COMPLETELY in the past which is a good indication that he represents the timelessness of heroics. Either way I think that we will see Steve Rogers in this final showdown with Thanos and the uniting of the stones.
The Soul Gem
If I were to hazard a guess, it would be that the Aether was the soul gem. I am not one hundred percent positive on this but, to me, its powers and way it interacted with Jane Foster, I felt were best representative of the soul gem. Of course this means that Jane Foster will DEFINITELY be part of the six. What? That is a let down? Okay, how about another person we have not seen yet but know is on his way? There is a reason that Doctor Strange is on the horizon and it is not because he is going to be an Avenger. He just is not someone I would associate with the Avengers for the most part. I think his movie is going to do for the mystical part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that Guardians of the Galaxy just did. Seeing that he will be the sole representative AND the biggest name in the mystical sector of the universe, I think it makes sense for him to be the guardian or user of the Soul Gem. Also really hope that we see him have limited interaction with the Avengers or other heroes UNTIL this moment or at the end of his sequel or someone else's movie.
The Reality Gem
I see one of two options being the guardian of the Reality Gem and it really all depends on what is up with Robert Downey Jr. when this movie rolls around. If RDJ signs a contract for one last film as Iron Man then it would totally be Iron Man. He started the Marvel movies and by god he will be there until the end. However, if they do NOT reach an agreement with him and do not choose to recast and instead kill him off in grand fashion in Avengers 3 (I seriously doubt it but it would definitely prove that Thanos is a threat if it were to happen.), then it will go to his science bros. buddy in Bruce Banner. Both work for the reality gem because they represent Science, an aspect of the universe that is grounded in logic and practical thinking. Science also is about being skeptical and not just believing everything you are told meaning that scientists, for the most part, are grounded in reality. Both are researchers and skeptics and are the two best candidates for this stone. Darkhorse: Grandpa Pym.
Space Gem
This is most definitely the Tessaract and represents the unknown; life outside our own. What better person to wield it than the first 'alien' that we witnessed in the MCU? If I am not mistaken the Tessaract is also located currently in Asgard and he would probably have had the most exposure to it by this point. Practically though, he is also one of the bigger names in the Marvel Universe and one I do not see them leaving out in a final battle with Thanos as he is probably one of the most powerful on the side of the heroes.
The Mind Gem
How are they not going to have Loki involved in this in one way or another? He is just too popular to leave and has become sort of an anti-hero to some. While a former servant of Thanos, I have a feeling that he is going to realize the danger that the Mad Titan posesses and form another temporary alliance with the MCU's heroes. The mind gem makes the most sense as it had been apart of his staff for a long period of time. He knows its powers and he knows how to use it. For the series, he makes sense as he was the first MAJOR villain in the MCU and for that reason certainly deserves to stand with the heroes as they defeat Thanos and clean up his mess.
Of course things could definitely change from now until and my theory could be completely off but I have a feeling that we will see a variation of this at the end of this whole saga. If the rest of the movies are HALF as good as GOTG, I cannot wait to see the lead up towards the grand climax of the Infinity Gauntlet saga.
Images used from:
http://static.comicvine.com/ /> http://media.comicbook.com/ /> http://collider.com/ /> http://nerdrepository.com/ /> https://s2.yimg.com