When Thanos finally arrives on Earth, he and his minions will be striking at multiple locations, including Wakanda. As shown in the Avengers: Infinity War teaser trailer, the African nation will be the site of a major battle, with Black Panther, Captain America, other Marvel heroes and Wakanda's finest warriors engaging the monstrous Outriders. Speculation for why Thanos' forces are attacking Wakanda has ranged from the country being where the Soul Stone is located to the Mad Titan simply wanting its supply of vibranium, but it turns out the real reason this location is so important is because that's where our protagonists are keeping The Vision safe. According to co-director Joe Russo:
Vision is a living MacGuffin. Obviously, that raises the stakes because Vision's life is in danger, and his life is in conflict with Thanos' goals, so something's got to give...Cap makes the decision to bring [Vision] here to Wakanda. Earth is making its last stand to keep the stone from Thanos. It's the best place to make your last stand.
After originally being held in Loki's scepter, the Mind Stone was transferred to Ultron's new body during Avengers: Age of Ultron, and once J.A.R.V.I.S. was downloaded into the body and it was powered up by Thor's lightning, that resulted in the creation of the android we know as The Vision. The Mind Stone gives Vision many unique abilities, but it will also make him a target in Avengers: Infinity War, as Thanos will try to collect all six Infinity Stones so that he can gain control of the entire universe. Fortunately, there's Wakanda, which not only boasts advanced technology, but has also never been successfully invaded. Proxima Midnight, a member of the Black Order, and her Outriders will try to change that.
Unfortunately, the combined power of superheroes and Wakandan warriors may not be enough to keep Vision safe. The below moment was included in the Avengers: Infinity War teaser trailer, though it's unclear if this assault takes place before or after the android is moved to Wakanda.
Paul Bettany is listed as appearing in Avengers 4 next year, so whatever happens with Vision in Avengers: Infinity War, it won't be the last we see of him. And whether or not the MCU heroes can keep the Mind Stone out of Thanos' hands, the battle in Wakanda and Infinity War's other events will help bring the Avengers back together after Captain America: Civil War saw the team fracturing. As Joe Russo also noted to EW:
They're fractured at the start of the movie. It was always the intent, in a larger arc, to split the Avengers up before the greatest threat that they've ever seen. Thanos is a virtually indestructible character, which makes him an extremely difficult character to fight. In the face of this, it's like, 'Can you overcome the divisions that have developed between you to face a common cause?' That's really the question.
Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on April 27, but if you're eager to see Wakanda on the big screen right now, Black Panther is still playing in theaters. You can also bros through our Marvel movies guide to see what else the MCU has in development.
