Skip to main content
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Black Panther, Iron Man, Vision, War Machine, and Black Widow at the Berlin airport in Captain America: Civil War - part of our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order
Superhero Movies How to watch the Marvel movies in order (release and chronological order)
Loki
Superhero Movies Marvel timeline: The MCU movies and TV shows in chronological order
Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
Marvel Movies Marvel Phase 6 release dates, news, leaks, rumors, and more
Daredevil: Born Again
Superhero Movies Upcoming Marvel movies and shows for 2026 and beyond
Hayden Christensen in Revenge of  the Sith
Star Wars Movies Star Wars fans are debating an iconic Revenge of the Sith scene that's now one of the saga's biggest 'what if' moments
Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Lewis Pullman as Sentry, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, and Wyatt Russell as US Agent in Thunderbolts
Marvel Movies Marvel star Lewis Pullman puts Avengers: Doomsday cameo overload fears to rest: "Every character has their moment"
Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery in Wonder Man.
Marvel Movies When does Wonder Man take place on the Marvel timeline?
Chris Evans as Cap in the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer
Marvel Movies Avengers: Doomsday release date, cast, plot, trailer, and more news
Avengers: Secret Wars - three Spider-Men during the Marvel movie No Way Home
Marvel Movies Avengers: Secret Wars release date, cast, plot, and more news
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams in Wonder Man.
Marvel TV Shows Wonder Man ending explained: Simon's fate and how does it affect the wider MCU?
Robert Downey, Jr. brandishing a Doctor Doom mask at SDCC 2024, against the backdrop of Doom's face on the cover of West Coast Avengers #35
Marvel Movies Avengers: Doomsday merch may have just revealed our first real look at Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom
Yahya Abdul Mateen II in Wonder Man (2025)
Marvel TV Shows Wonder Man reviews, cast, plot, and everything there is to know about the Marvel show
Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, Dune Part 2.
Sci-Fi Movies Dune 3 takes first victory over Avengers: Doomsday on Dunesday thanks to IMAX exclusivity window
Thunderbolts
Marvel Movies More Avengers: Doomsday reshoots are on the way, but Disney executives are reportedly pleased with footage of the film
Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams in Wonder Man.
Superhero Shows Marvel fans are discussing a potential Wonder Man season 2 as they hope for a West Coast Avengers team-up storyline
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies
  4. Marvel Movies
  5. Avengers: Endgame

6 years later, Marvel fans are debating one of the biggest "what ifs" of the MCU involving Thanos

News
By Nick Staniforth published 8 June 2025

What happened when the Mad Titan had a lengthy time out in Avengers: Endgame?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Avengers: Infinity War
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

In 2019, timelines were introduced and swiftly thrown all out of whack thanks to the efforts of Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Endgame. The search for the infinity stones led our team to take trips across the far reaches of space and time to undo the damage Thanos had wrought, but in doing so, drew the attention of the Mad Titan from another time to the present. It's here, though, where one fan on Reddit has questioned that with that Thanos stepping out of his own timeline, what did it mean for everyone else the universe-dividing villain left behind?

"Assuming the TVA didn’t prune that branch (especially after Loki Season 2, where Loki allows all timelines to grow), what would actually happen in that universe?" posited the fan. "Would Vision still be alive, meaning WandaVision never happens? Would Sam even take up the shield without Endgame, so Falcon and the Winter Soldier doesn't play out? Would Wanda ever become the Scarlet Witch without all that grief in Multiverse of Madness?"

There's certainly a debate to be had about the knock-on effect Thanos' absence would've created. Might the Guardians of the Galaxy have even formed, given that Gamora had gone with her father and not been on Xandar to track down Peter Quill? Would it have meant Loki dodged death yet again, with Asgard all safely making it to their new location?

You may like
  • Chris Evans as Cap in the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer Avengers: Doomsday directors may have revealed too much after deleting a video showcasing the biggest fan theories
  • Chris Hemsworth as Thor in the Avengers: Doomsday trailer Marvel fans don't think Avengers: Doomsday can beat Infinity War's $2 billion box office haul: "Not a chance"
  • Chris Hemsworth in Thor Love and Thunder MCU fans are reassessing one of the most controversial Marvel Phase 4 releases

One fan said that this aforementioned timeline actually got off lucky. "That universe was saved from Thanos. The events of Infinity War and Endgame never happen. Tony Stark is still alive. The events of the Guardians of the Galaxy would play out differently." Another fan argued, "Could be that Ultron took prominence in that universe. Much like What if…? Ultron."

It makes for an interesting concept, but one that we doubt will get revisited in the future. Given how things are going now, all roads lead to Doom, with Robert Downey Jr. becoming the new threat of the MCU with Avengers: Doomsday. The only concern is whether it will be able to match what still stands as the highlight of the MCU thus far. We'll have to see if the former Iron Man's Latverian leader can compete.

While we wait for Doomsday to appear, check out our ranking of every MCU movie so far here.

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Nick Staniforth
Nick Staniforth
Social Links Navigation
Contributing Writer

Nick is a freelancer whose work can be found at Screen Rant, The Digital Fix, and Looper. He loves movies, TV, DC, and Marvel. He also believes that the best Robin Hood is still a talking fox.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Chris Evans as Cap in the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer
Avengers: Doomsday directors may have revealed too much after deleting a video showcasing the biggest fan theories
 
 
Chris Hemsworth as Thor in the Avengers: Doomsday trailer
Marvel fans don't think Avengers: Doomsday can beat Infinity War's $2 billion box office haul: "Not a chance"
 
 
Chris Hemsworth in Thor Love and Thunder
MCU fans are reassessing one of the most controversial Marvel Phase 4 releases
 
 
Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
Marvel Phase 6 release dates, news, leaks, rumors, and more
 
 
Robert Downey Jr. in the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement video
Marvel is wiping the Avengers: Doomsday trailer leak from the internet, but its main spoiler is already out there
 
 
Chris Evans as Captain America in Avengers: Endgame
Marvel fans are remembering the moments they were genuinely scared for their favorite heroes
 
 
Latest in Marvel Movies
Dafne Keen brandishing her claws as Laura/X-23 in Deadpool and Wolverine
Marvel fans are debating whether Dafne Keen should become Wolverine or stay as X-23, and I've already chosen a side
 
 
Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Lewis Pullman as Sentry, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, and Wyatt Russell as US Agent in Thunderbolts
Marvel star Lewis Pullman puts Avengers: Doomsday cameo overload fears to rest: "Every character has their moment"
 
 
Spider-Man, Hulk, and Punisher posing in the jungle alongside a carved stone head
Writer Jonathan Hickman is bringing Spider-Man 4 stars Spidey, Hulk, and Punisher together just in time for the movie
 
 
Chris Evans as Captain America in Avengers: Endgame
Marvel fans are remembering the moments they were genuinely scared for their favorite heroes
 
 
Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim in Sinners
Sinners star Delroy Lindo told director Ryan Coogler that he wants to be in Black Panther 3 "if the stars line up"
 
 
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse
Spider-Verse 3 producers know it's taking a long time: "There's no one that puts more pressure on us than ourselves"
 
 
Latest in News
Palworld Pal with shocked expression
"I wouldn't rule out a Palworld 2.0," says Pocketpair publishing head, but don't expect a "No Man's Sky situation"
 
 
Dafne Keen brandishing her claws as Laura/X-23 in Deadpool and Wolverine
Marvel fans are debating whether Dafne Keen should become Wolverine or stay as X-23, and I've already chosen a side
 
 
Peak mesa biome
Peak came about after a bet between Content Warning and Another Crab's Treasure leads to see whose game would sell more
 
 
Jin, Mugen, and Fuu standing in a row
Samurai Champloo is getting a live-action Netflix series from One Piece studio, and the original creator is on board
 
 
Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise in the It: Welcome to Derry finale
It: Welcome to Derry season 2 is officially in the works, as showrunner promises "something greater" than season 1
 
 
Mass Effect
"F***ing Colonel Shepard dies in Mass Effect 3, and that makes us the Worst Company in America," former EA exec laments
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Dafne Keen brandishing her claws as Laura/X-23 in Deadpool and Wolverine
    1
    Marvel fans are debating whether Dafne Keen should become Wolverine or stay as X-23, and I've already chosen a side
  2. 2
    "I wouldn't rule out a Palworld 2.0," says Pocketpair publishing head, but don't expect a "No Man's Sky situation" with a "decade of continuous, massive updates"
  3. 3
    "Whoever sells more copies pays for the other's therapy": Peak came about after a bet between Content Warning and Another Crab's Treasure leads, and ironically the friendslop collab that followed sold more than both games combined
  4. 4
    Samurai Champloo is returning as a live-action Netflix series from One Piece adaptation team, and the original creator is on board: "We've learned" after Cowboy Bebop
  5. 5
    It: Welcome to Derry season 2 is definitely in the works, as showrunner promises to "deliver something that is greater" than season 1

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...