10 Awesome Fan Theories About The Future Of The MCU
7. The Battle Of New York Was Just A Diversion
According to one fan, The Battle Of New York - the city-wide brawl that took place at the end of the first Avengers movie - was merely a distraction, in order to keep Earth's Mightiest Heroes busy while the seeds were sown for a future invasion.
Reddit user ParameciaAntic states that the Chitauri (the alien cannon-fodder our heroes battled) were attempting to infiltrate our planet and pose as humans, lying in wait until their real attack begins at some point in the future - perhaps during Infinity War.
The random, seemingly aimless way in which they attacked New York suggests that they were never really attempting to take over the Earth; all they needed to do was buy a couple of hours so their fleet of stealth ships could land safely, and in secret, without being apprehended by the Avengers.
In the comics, the Chitauri are shapeshifters, so it wouldn't be completely random were they shown to possess this ability in a future movie.
It's a cool theory, and sounds genuinely plausible given the comic-book background of the Chitauri and the messy battle in which they were suppsoedly trying to dominate.