'Captain Marvel' Comic Book Writer Fixes a Huge 'Avengers 4' Plothole

If you’re still having nightmares about the end of Avengers: Infinity War you’re probably not alone (relive that horror in the video embedded above). There are plenty of people to blame, from Thanos himself to Star-Lord and his hot-headed mistake on Titan. But is Nick Fury actually responsible for the deadly Snap and the reckoning that’s sure to come in Avengers 4 next year? Here’s why he might be, and how one Marvel comics writer helped clear his name.

You could make the argument that Fury had the ability to end the entire Infinity War before it ever began by simply calling up Captain Marvel on that retro pager he’s apparently been carrying around and asking her to beat the snot out of Thanos. That actually seems like a pretty huge plothole heading into Avengers 4, but a new comic from Marvel may offer a bit of an explanation for Fury’s deadly blunder.

'Avengers: Infinity War' Nick Fury Post-Credits Scene
Nick Fury in 'Infinity War'

Captain Marvel Prelude #1, which released Wednesday as Marvel ramps up to the cinematic release of Captain Marvel, helps explain Fury’s actions in Infinity War. That explanation comes in the form of a quote from the comic’s author Will Pilgrim (via Comic Book.

Here’s how he explains Fury’s actions in the film:

“Carol’s the biggest gun you’ve got and Fury’s never one to waste a silver bullet, so if he’s finally making that call after all this time and after all he’s faced alongside the Avengers, then he’s truly seeing the situation as a last resort.”

That might not be the most satisfactory answer, but at least it helps clear up why Fury didn’t call up Captain Marvel at the first sign of trouble. If Carol Danvers really is a “last resort” then maybe only the end of the world is a good enough excuse to put her into action. Anything less would be overkill.

Still, we have a feeling that Fury may have regretted waiting so long when he was turning to dust in the Infinity War post-credits scene.

Captain Marvel flies into theaters on March 8, 2019. Avengers 4 arrives a few months later on May 3, 2019.

Media via Marvel Studios, Marvel