Thanos was able to wipe out half of life in the universe in Avengers: Infinity War, despite the best efforts of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, as the survivors witnessed billions turn to dust before their eyes. At the end of the film, it appeared the lost heroes had simply ceased to exist, as the Mad Titan said they would, ensuring life would continue in a balanced existence. However, according to one theory, the trailers for Marvel's Avengers: Endgame may include evidence that the devastating snap left Earth with a serious environmental issue.
The trailers feature shots New York City shrouded in thick fog. I would be easy to dismiss the blue haze as little more than gloom that conveys the somber tone of the film and the despair of those left behind. However, at least one fan suggests the film may be depicting another crisis: the environmental devastation caused by the collective ashes of 3.8 billion people and trillions of other living things floating into Earth's atmosphere.
It's not on an entirely outlandish proposition. For example, the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa in what's now Indonesia spewed black clouds of ash for five days, causing average temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere to fall five degrees, and darkened the sky worldwide for years.
Severe dust storms plagued the American and Canadian prairies in the 1930s, a period known as the Dust Bowl, in which "black blizzards" rolled across the landscape, forcing millions from their homes. About 40 years, later in 1980, Mount St. Helens in Washington erupted, and the 80,000-foot-high column of smoke and ash spread across 11 states, significantly affecting visibility.
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The point is that, if half of all living things on Earth were to suddenly turn to dust, it would make sense that the particles wouldn't simply fall to the ground. The remains would drift into the atmosphere, undoubtedly darkening the sky worldwide.
If we really want to lean into the realism of such an event, the haze would leave the survivors with more than emotional devastation to deal with. Just like a volcanic eruption, the ash could disrupt electrical equipment, affect flights, and disrupt the day-to-day flow of life. That's forgetting the fact that this literal pall hanging over the survivors serves as a painful reminder of everyone who was lost.
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Fans have had a long time to discuss Thanos' plan and its shortsightedness. If the darkened sky in the trailer does turn out to be a result of the Decimation, it would serve as just one more reason toward the argument that the Thanos didn't actually fix anything. His ruthless campaign was just needless destruction.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Endgame stars Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Olsen, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Bettany, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Benedict Wong, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland and Anthony Mackie. The film opens April 26.