'Avengers: Endgame' Spoilers: Kronos Is the "Greater Threat," Theory Says

Marvel’s been building up to Thanos’ evil plan for over 10 years, but what if the Mad Titan isn’t the primary villain of Avengers: Endgame? An earlier leak teased the possibility of a “greater threat,” and a fascinating new theory claims that Kronos, a powerful cosmic entity with the ability to control time, will ultimately be the big bad of Endgame.

Possible spoilers for Avengers: Endgame are ahead.

Redditor u/ak2sup cites specific stories from the limited comic book series Infinity Gauntlet as the reasons for Kronos’ possible appearance in Endgame.

“Some major plot points of Infinity War were taken from Jim Starlin’s ‘Infinity Gauntlet’,” they write. “In that same comic the Snap is also reversed. The Snap will be undone in Endgame too.”

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The theory goes on to list even more evidence, including the fact that Starlin confirmed a character he created will be in Endgame and the fact that the movie’s logo matches Kronos’ purple, transparent design.

In the comics, Kronos has the powers of telepathy and the ability to control time. He’s not really considered a villain, though. He’s a scientist who gained infinite power, including control over time. He also hunts Thanos after the Mad Titan imprisons him. Oh, and he’s Thanos’ grandfather.

Kronos doesn’t want to rule the universe. In fact, he spends a lot of time trying to stop Thanos from becoming all-powerful and is one of the only characters powerful enough to do it. So how could he be a villain in Avengers: Endgame?

Well, for one thing, Marvel has been known to alter characters and their backstories to suit the plot of the MCU. The story could maintain that Kronos and Thanos share a long history, and Endgame could change it so that it’s Kronos who wants to dominate the universe. But if Kronos is such a powerful cosmic entity, where has he been all this time? The Redditor theorizes that Kronos is trapped in the Quantum Realm and the Avengers will go on a mission to release him in the hopes he’ll help them defeat Thanos. Instead, Kronos will reveal his own evil plans, blindsiding the team and posing a larger threat to the universe.

Thanos will most likely be defeated in Endgame, leaving room for another villain to take his place. Introducing Kronos could make him the next big bad of the MCU just when Marvel needs someone new to keep the story going.

Avengers: Endgame hits theaters April 26, 2019.