8 Years Ago, the MCU Made Everyone Think an Important Character Was Dead (& It Still Hasn’t Set the Record Straight)

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe frequently uses fake deaths as a plot device. A prime example is Loki in Thor, where he seemingly falls into space, only to reappear in The Avengers and confront a grieving Thor. He repeats this trick in Thor: The Dark World, leading his brother to believe he’s dead before secretly taking the throne. But it’s not just gods who can fake their demise. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Nick Fury is shot and appears to die during surgery, but he quickly recovers and plays a key role in defeating HYDRA later on.

As a huge Marvel fan, I’ve always appreciated that they usually tie up loose ends with their characters. It feels like everyone, even the smaller roles, has a purpose in this massive universe they’ve built. But there’s one exception that really bugs me – they still haven’t given us any closure on what happened to a character who appeared to meet a pretty awful fate near the end of Phase 3. It’s been a while, and I’m still hoping for some answers!

Avengers: Infinity War Doesn’t Pull Any Punches

The first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe carefully established Thanos as a formidable and dangerous villain. This preparation proved to be an understatement when, in Avengers: Infinity War, he began his search for the Infinity Stones, leaving destruction in his wake. He immediately attacked the Asgardian refugee ship, easily defeating both Hulk and Thor before confronting Loki. Knowing Loki’s deceptive nature, Thanos killed him outright, preventing any future interference. After dealing with that threat, Thanos moved on to a well-known location to obtain another Infinity Stone.

After Thanos leaves, Thor is left drifting in space, grieving his losses. The Guardians of the Galaxy find him and offer him a place to stay, but they don’t have much time to rest. They know where Thanos is going next and head to Knowhere, a giant Celestial head that serves as the home of the Collector – the character who first introduced the Infinity Stones in Guardians of the Galaxy. There, they find a former ally imprisoned. They quickly learn Thanos has already obtained the Reality Stone, which he uses to deceive Gamora and her team. Once Thanos finishes his business and leaves with Gamora, the film doesn’t reveal what happened to the Collector, heavily implying Thanos killed him.

The MCU Isn’t Trying Hard Enough to Confirm the Collector’s Fate

Superhero movies often leave characters’ fates ambiguous – if we don’t see a body, they’re usually assumed to be alive. In Infinity War, we never see the Collector’s body, and even a brief illusion of him suggests he’s still around, emphasizing Thanos’ ruthlessness. After Knowhere is abandoned in Infinity War and throughout Avengers: Endgame, there’s no need to mention the Collector, as the Avengers have bigger problems. However, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, being the team’s first appearance since Endgame, feels obligated to address him, particularly since a significant portion of the special takes place on Knowhere.

During the special, Nebula reveals the Guardians now own Knowhere, having bought it from the Collector. However, we don’t know who they bought it from – it could have been someone in his family or at an auction after he was gone. It’s odd that Howard the Duck and Cosmo, who likely know what happened to the Collector, never mention him, either in the special or in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. While the Collector isn’t a major player in the MCU, he deserves a better fate after being part of the universe for so long.

Avengers: Infinity War is streaming on Disney+.

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2025-11-24 23:40