Spoiler Warning for Avengers: Infinity War
There has been much speculation (and surely even more to come) about who is really dead in Avengers: Infinity War. While most everyone agrees that the Avengers who were "dusted" by Thanos' snap are going to come back somehow, and may actually still be alive elsewhere thanks to the specific power of the Soul Stone, what about those who died in a more traditional manner? (That is, being murdered by Thanos in a not Soul Stone-related death). Those deaths include several early scenes revolving around the fleeing Asgardians, with both Heimdall (Idris Elba) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) being felled by Thanos (with both dying to try and protect Thor, bless).
While Loki does have a history of resurrections (both in the MCU and in the comics), his continued presence is not particularly certain. As for Heimdall, it seems like he might be out for good. On Twitter, Elba wrote "#SpoilerAlert Gonna miss my guy...Heimdall..."
Obviously this could mean anything. Hemdall did die in Infinity War, but he (or anyone) could ultimately come back. On the other hand, this does feel fairly definitive, especially since Elba has been outspoken about his lack of affection for being part of the MCU (other than Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok). The actor told the Telegraph in 2014 that, regarding reshoots of Thor: The Dark World:
“I’d just done eight months in South Africa. I came to England and the day I came back I had to do reshoots on Thor 2. [...] I’m actually falling down from a spaceship, so they had to put me in harness in this green-screen studio. And in between takes I was stuck there, fake hair stuck on to my head with glue, this f------ helmet, while they reset. And I’m thinking: ‘24 hours ago, I was Mandela’. When I walked into the set the extras called me Madiba. I was literally walking in this man’s boots. [Within] six months, the crew, we were all so in love with this film we had made. I was him. I was Mandela, practically,” he insists. “Then there I was, in this stupid harness, with this wig and this sword and these contact lenses. It ripped my heart out.”
However, Elba told EW in 2017 that,
“I like that I have a little part in Thor. I’m neither movie star or day player. It allows me to do other things I love.” But he continues: “The last one [Ragnarok] was fun. The others weren’t fun. They’re work. But on this one, Taika [Waititi, the director] was great.”
It sounds like he made peace with the role to such a degree that, later in that article, he mentions wanting a bigger role in the MCU, or to even play a superhero himself. So maybe he is a little sad to say goodbye to Heimdall (I mean, I certainly am), but he may also be ready to let that particular character go.
If Heimdall is well and truly dead though, as seems to be the case, what does that mean for Loki's chances of survival? Or even characters like Vision? For now, keep those theories coming.
