“Avengers: Infinity War” sees Thanos on a relentless quest for the six Infinity Stones, traversing the galaxy and leaving a trail of destruction. His journey leads him to Vormir, a planet harboring a significant secret related to the Soul Stone.
The key to finding the Soul Stone lies with a familiar, yet unexpected face: the Red Skull. Once a formidable adversary in “Captain America: The First Avenger,” Johann Schmidt, a high-ranking HYDRA member and former Nazi, seemingly vanished after an encounter with the Tesseract.
Now, he reappears on Vormir, shrouded in mystery and a black cloak, guiding Thanos and Gamora toward the Soul Stone.
The Red Skull’s Transformation and Role
In “Captain America: The First Avenger,” Schmidt’s ambition led him to inject himself with an early version of the super-soldier serum, resulting in his disfigured appearance and the moniker “Red Skull.” He used the Tesseract’s power to develop advanced weaponry for HYDRA, posing a major threat to the world. During a confrontation with Captain America, the Red Skull was seemingly disintegrated by the Tesseract’s energy, disappearing through a portal.
However, the Space Stone didn’t destroy him; it transported him to Vormir, altering him significantly. As the guide to the Soul Stone, he possesses knowledge of all who seek it, almost supernaturally. He explains that his own desire to wield an Infinity Stone resulted in his banishment to Vormir, bound to serve the Soul Stone without ever being able to possess it.
The Soul Stone’s Sentience and Sacrifice
The Red Skull’s experience introduces a crucial concept: the Infinity Stones are not merely powerful objects but possess a degree of sentience. The Space Stone seemingly rejected him, casting him out for his ambition. This echoes the Soul Stone’s demand for a sacrifice – Gamora’s life – before Thanos could claim it. This raises questions about the stones’ intentions and their role in the larger narrative. Do the Infinity Stones have their own agenda?
The events on Vormir and the Red Skull’s presence add another layer of complexity to “Infinity War” and its implications for “Avengers 4”. The Red Skull is not Hugo Weaving, but Ross Marquand.
Implications for the Future of the MCU
The concept of sentient Infinity Stones raises profound questions about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Could the stones be guiding events towards a predetermined outcome? The answers await in subsequent chapters of the MCU saga.
