What Happened to Gamora? 'Avengers: Infinity War' Director Confirms Soul Stone Theory

There are plenty of fan theories regarding the events of Avengers: Infinity War, and lots of speculation about what will happen in the upcoming Avengers 4 film. However, co-director Joe Russo confirmed one popular theory regarding Gamora and Thanos.

In a visit to Iowa City High, the director fielded questions from fans, including some spoilery material from the movie.

SPOILERS! The following will discuss a major plot point in Avengers: Infinity War. If you haven't watched it yet, turn back now.

UPDATE: In an interview with Comicbook.com, Joe Russo clarified his statements.

"The power that it took Thanos to click his fingers, he's so dramatic that if you look closely at the film and the damage of the gauntlet," Joe Russo said. "You look closely at the very last scene, it damages his arm dramatically. And that moment when he clicks his fingers sends him into this ethereal plane inside of the Soul Stone where as part of his quote unquote hero's journey in the film, he has one last moment to convey a sense of guilt about what he's done. It illustrates what a complicated character he is. So, to clarify, it's a spiritual representation of her and obviously that's something that the Soul Stone has power to do. But really it's there to illustrate his pain and his guilt. I wouldn't read much more into it beyond that."

Original story follows

One of the final scenes shows Thanos snapping his fingers and seemingly kill half the universe. In the explosion, Thanos is transported to a realm where a young Gamora asks him if everything he did was worth it. A student asked if he is inside the Soul Stone when he speaks to the young Gamora.

"Yeah, it's implied [that] it's the Soul Stone," Russo replied. "It's all orange around, then he's inside the Soul Stone with the amount of power that it took to snap his fingers—he has this out-of-body experience. When he goes inside the Soul Stone he has this kind of conversation with the younger version of his Gamora."

The student asked for confirmation whether that was actually Gamora in the Soul Stone, or if it was just a projection of Thanos' mind and heart.

"She in fact is, yes," Russo confirmed. "We don't like two-dimensional roles or three-dimensional villains. Every villain is a hero in their own story, and as insane and psychotic and brutal and violent as Thanos is, he's a more complex villain if you go on a journey with him emotionally. He does care for things, and it is complicated for him to execute his plan, and it cost him something. He said at the end that it cost him everything, and that it was the only thing he loved, which was Gamora, which is why we put him back with her at the end."

In Infinity War , Gamora guided Thanos to Volmir, where the Soul Stone was being held. To access the Soul Stone, Thanos had to sacrifice a loved one, leading him to to toss Gamora over the cliff. There is a shot of Gamora's body at the bottom of the cliff, visibly dead, but it seems her spirit was transported inside the Soul Stone during the ritual, and she's still alive.

What do you think of Gamora not being dead? How do you think the Avengers can get her out? Let us know in the comments section below