Everything we learned about 'Avengers: Infinity War' from just-revealed toys
Avengers: Infinity War might be the most anticipated film of the year, assembling virtually every hero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in an epic donnybrook with the universe-wrecking Thanos, who wields the most powerful glove since Michael Jackson.
While the film doesn’t hit studios until May 4, the toys arrive in stores on Friday. Ahead of the toy release, Disney has shipped out boxes of the goodies to the film’s stars as part of the Marvel: The Universe Unites and #HeroActs initative, which encourages the actors to visit local children’s hospitals and share the toys with patients. Ultimately, Disney, Marvel, and their partners, which include Hasbro and Funko, will donate more than $2 million to various children’s charities, including Make-a-Wish and Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Yahoo was lucky enough to receive an early peek at the wares, which provide some new insight into the film’s top-secret plot. Here’s what we learned:
Thanos has backup
The toy versions of Thanos’s thugs, called the Black Order, are awfully cute. But in the film, the quartet of Cull Obsidian, Ebony Maw, Corvus Glaive, and Proxima Midnight are all formidable foes.
Based on the various Lego sets, Thanos has dispatched his fearsome foursome to help collect the six Infinity Stones that will power his Infinity Gauntlet. The purple Power Stone, the blue Space Stone, the yellow Mind Stone, the red Reality Stone, the green Time Stone, and the orange Soul Stone.
Your friendly neighborhood Iron Spider
Hasbro, Funko, and Lego all have sets featuring Spider-Man’s latest superpowered Stark Tech suit ripped straight from the comics. The Iron Spider armor‘s most notable feature is a set of weaponized mechanical arms, known as “waldoes.”
Lego’s “Sanctum Santorum Showdown” set has the Queens, N.Y.-based Spidey joining forces with fellow New Yorkers Iron Man and Dr. Strange in an effort to protect the latter’s Eye of Agamotto (which contains the Time Stone) from two of Thanos’s thugs, Cull Obsidian and Ebony Maw.
Wakanda forever!
The Infinity War trailer teased a major battle on Wakanda. Is that because the African nation featured in Black Panther protects an Infinity Stone or perhaps its because the land’s vibranium is a rare substance that can inflict damage on Thanos and pals? Three of the five Lego sets are set in Wakanda. “Corvus Glaive Thresher Attack” (with Corvus Glaive and an Outrider minion versus Black Panther, Vision, and everybody’s favorite princess, Shuri, in a clash over the Mind Stone), “Hulkbuster Smash-Up” (with Bruce Banner, perhaps in the Hulkbuster suit, joining Falcon to face Proxima Midnight and an Outrider in a battle over the Soul Stone), and “Outrider Dropship Attack” (featuring Cap and Black Widow, who appears to be brandishing vibranium-infused batons, against an Outrider for the Space Stone).
Get that man his shield
In the trailer, T’Challa orders one of his Wakandans to get Cap a shield, since the first Avenger lost his star-spangled weapon in Civil War. Based on the new toys, before he gets his shield back, the bearded hero fights with some kind of gauntlets, perhaps concocted by tech savant Shuri.
The next best thing to Hulking out
We know from Ragnarok that Bruce Banner and the Hulk are battling for control of their mind and body, and neither wants to give way to the other. In the Infinity War trailer, we see Banner back on earth, presumably after crash-landing following his exit from Asgard. Looking at Lego’s “Hulkbuster Smash-Up” set, it appears Banner might not be in a hurry to transform into Hulk to help his buddies, so instead he pilots the Hulkbuster armor into battle.
Of course, the trailer shows us the not-so-jolly green giant in the movie … and Hasbro has the accompanying Titan Hero Hulk figure.
To infinity and beyond!
In the comics, Iron Man briefly joined the Guardians of the Galaxy, sporting special armor that allowed for space travel. The toy version of Tony Stark models his new suit, which has fancy wings and arm cannons. The Lego set “Thanos: Ultimate Battle” features Iron Man fighting alongside the Guardians on what appears to be an alien world — perhaps hinting of the film’s climactic battle?
What’s not clear, however, is whether Tony’s suit features a bionic arm — there’s a theory floating around that the Avenger will lose an arm in battle. However, the toys show cannons on both arms, which doesn’t necessarily confirm the internet chatter.
Who needs Mjolnir … or an eyepatch?
While there’s speculation that Iron Man might lose a limb, the toys indicate that another damaged Avenger might regain a lost body part. Thor, who was left sporting an eyepatch following the events of Ragnarok, has toys that feature him with his both eyes restored. While one of Hasbro’s Titan Hero action figures has him with a patch, the Titan Tech Power FX version shows him without.
Likewise, both Funko and Lego sets have him with both eyes intact. All the latter toys also depict Thor with his Mjolnir replacement, an axe called Stormbreaker. The “Thor’s Weapon Quest” Lego set suggests that Stormbreaker might draw from the Power Stone (last spotted on Xandar under protection of the Nova Corps), which may also restore Thor’s sight. Also note Stormbreaker’s handle, which some fans believe is created with wood donated by Groot.
Growing Groot
Speaking of the heroic tree, he has grown up from his Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 infancy. He may still be in his adolescence (as shown in the Guardians 2 end credits), since two of the toys — a Hasbro Titan Hero and a Funko Pop! — have him clutching a handheld Gameboy-like unit.
Avengers: Infinity War arrives in theaters May 4. The toys arrive on Friday.
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Watch the Avengers: Infinity War trailer:
