WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Infinity Wars #1 by Gerry Duggan, Mike Deodato Jr., Frank Martin and VC’s Cory Petit, on sale now.
Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Adam Warlock, Loki, Captain Marvel, Black Widow are all at the center of Marvel's big cosmic event, Infinity Wars, locked in a conflict to control the six Infinity Stones, with the fate of all reality hanging in the balance even as the villain known as Requiem makes her move for ultimate power. However, every one of these big name characters may actually be insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
The fate of the entire Marvel Universe is at stake, but if Infinity Wars #1 is any indication, there is may be only one character who can save everyone -- and it's not one of them. In fact, it's a veritable nobody.
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Following Infinity Wars Prime #1, a comic that saw the surprise death of the Mad Titan Thanos at the hands of Requiem, Infinity Wars #1 brings all of these characters together -- but not until it introduces a mysterious character that, if fate is to believed, may just end up saving all of reality.
The issue begins with the new members of the Infinity Watch gathering on Earth at Doctor Strange's request. The first pair we catch up with is Adam Warlock and Drax, who are now in the company of a time-traveling Iron Lad, the young version of Kang the Conqueror. As soon as they arrive on the planet however, the founding Young Avenger stops time. All three cosmic characters find themselves in the middle of a street, filled with oncoming traffic, where one of the cars is in the process of hitting a cyclist. With time stopped, Iron Lad proceeds to save the cyclist's life by moving him to safety.
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"Is this person someone important?" Warlock asks. "I don't know," Iron Lad answers. "But if we save one life, we save an entire universe." They leave the cyclist on the side of the road and continue about their business, leaving what appears to have simply been a character development moment behind.
Later, as time moves forward again, Turk Barrett arrives with his criminal posse, wondering why the park isn't empty like Strange had promised. When Bullseye offers to kill that same cyclist, Turk says there is no need, that thanks to the Mind Stone, he is able to see that he really is just a cyclist, and nothing more.
Really?
If he's a nobody, why the focus on this unnamed cyclist? It would have been one thing if he was only seen once, but the fact that he is brought into the narrative twice would indicate that the cyclist could have some important role to play in the events to come. Iron Lad's words about one life saving the universe are intriguing, to say the least. Yes, a hero would save an innocent person from danger, but you have to wonder: Is there an even deeper reason why Iron Lad saved that specific man?
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If the cyclist is meant to play a role in Infinity Wars, is it through a ripple effect, or could he be revealed to be someone we actually know? The character is never clearly seen, he doesn't he talk, and he isn't named. The fact that Turk downplays his importance should be telling. It's like he's telling us, the readers, not to pay him any attention, but we know that this character was supposed to die just a few panels before, which instantly makes Turk's comments suspect.
The timeline of the Marvel Universe has just been altered. It wasn't a dramatic change, or a monumental event -- it was just the saving of the life of a seemingly random stranger. But that doesn't mean it isn't important. Who is this cyclist, and will he somehow prove to be the key to saving the Marvel Universe?