Based on the fact that the Infinity Stones were largely responsible for a number of Marvel's heroes and villains origins and intentions, there wouldn't really be much of an MCU without them. They did, and still do in a way, tie the MCU together. That, however, is not to rule out the possibilities of other circumstances doing this in a different way.

I'm probably missing something, and the Stones probably affect the timeline much earlier, but this is my (not very exciting) what-if scenario.

Captain America: The First Avenger actually might not be terribly different. What If? claims that HYDRA is still a threat without the Tesseract, and its nonexistence shouldn't affect Erskine developing the Super Soldier Serum. So Captain America still defeats HYDRA, but maybe he doesn't get frozen.

Captain Marvel doesn't happen because Mar-Vell doesn't stay on Earth. No Tesseract there, so she'll look for other power sources to save the Skrulls. The Incredible Hulk probably happens the same way if Erskine's unaffected.

Iron Man is screwed. Even if Stark Industries doesn't need the Arc Reactor (which Howard Stark and Ivan Vanko invented based on the Tesseract) to do well, Tony will still get kidnapped by the Ten Rings, and without the Arc Reactor, probably never escape.

Thor either happens similarly or not at all. We know the Asgardians fixed the Rainbow Bridge between The Avengers and Thor: The Dark World using the Tesseract. If they needed the Tesseract to build the Bridge in the first place, that could affect Odin's rule or even his conquering of the Nine Realms to begin with. So if they didn't need the Tesseract, things go similarly. If they did, Odin might still be bloodthirsty or have been defeated, Hela might not have gotten banished, and Earth has no Norse mythology.

Thanos stopped massacring civilizations personally because he knew the universe was too large for him to manage by himself. This led him to seek the Infinity Stones, so either 1) he kept massacring them personally, 2) he sought something other than Stones, or 3) he gave up. Either way, The Avengers doesn't happen, especially if Loki never fell into Sanctuary. Natasha and Clint still work for S.H.I.E.L.D., while Bruce is still in India. Tony and Steve are probably dead. Thor might not exist.

The Guardians of the Galaxy don't form because there's no Power Stone. Ant-Man is probably mostly unaffected, unless Hank Pym used the Tesseract to make Pym Particles or something. Doctor Strange is problematic. Either the Masters of the Mystic Arts have something other than the Time Stone to battle Dormammu, or the world ends. Spider-Man might still exist, since his origin is pretty vague. Probably stays low-level, though.

I don't think the Wakandan meteorite is affected, but Zemo never killed T'Chaka, so Black Panther is different, with Killmonger challenging T'Chaka's rule instead of T'Challa's. Either T'Chaka denies the challenge or accepts it, at which point T'Challa might then challenge Killmonger should the elderly king lose.

So by the end of Phase Three, we have a dead Captain America, a dead Tony Stark, a Hulk in hiding, Black Widow and Hawkeye still working for S.H.I.E.L.D., Ravager Peter Quill, Ant-Man, Spider-Man, and Black Panther. There's also no Norse mythology and now that I think about it, Ego probably consumes almost everything in 2014, promptly followed by Dormammu consuming everything.

"since the very beginning"? probably true in regards to MCU's chronological order. though if I recall correctly, not true in regards to release order.

Hydra's primary aim being to collect all Infinity Stones? I do not recall that being told in any scene. as far as I recall, they seemed to know only about the Tesseract. and from my understanding, Hydra existed sometime before Red Skull began searching for the Tesseract.

What if There was no infinity stones?

These are my ideas which could happen at centuries ago if each stones doesn't exist:

• Celestial couldn't wipe civilization effeciently as there is no power stone.

• Dark Elves conquest could be stopped easily by BOR (Odin's father). Tesseract's acquisition could also be altered too. As Asgardians where the first ones held in its history till now.

• Master of mystic arts could have major alterations as their one of primary weapon or defense not exists.

• Nothing major is known about mind stone beginning.

• Many souls could not be sacrificed as soul stones doesn't exist.

Well What if we remove stone in a particular movie alone (Removed at each individual movie points) :

• CTFA: Captain America exists, Hydra's has definitely major hindrance as tesseract powdered weapons or technology doesn't exist, they have to move to alternate sources.

• CM: So basically Carol doesn't turn into Captian Marvel, if Mar-vell doesn't find another source on her mission in Earth.

• IM1,2, Thor, TIH: I think it goes similar.

• Avengers 1: It has a drastic change as two stones doesn't exist at this movie. This could lead to not even forming of Avengers as there is no necessity and still in development phase.

• IM3, Antman, CTWS: No drastic change.

• TDW: If aether doesn't exist drastic change happens, dated even before Odin itself.

• GOG1: Guardians doesn't form as power stone doesn't there.

• Avengers 2: Mind stone doesn't exist, so no Ultron, which leads to no Vision. Peter is not an quicksilver but Wanda is still a witch, as Mind stone only amplified her powers.

• CTCW, Thor Ragnarok, Spiderman Homecoming, Black Panther, GOG2, AAW: No drastic change.

• Doctor Strange: As mentioned before major alteration.

• Avengers infinity war, Endgame: Doesn't exist.

I seem to recall some movie telling that all of existance is dependant on the Infinity Stones. if that is true, then MCU's universe/multiverse would not exist.

@Jsheelan and @CasualSunGod42 , is it ok if I mention your ideas and cite you (fandom) name on the website I have published this article? Your ideas are terrific and I never thought of this from the perspective... This is only so the views can have a clear idea on what would have happened without the Infinity Stones. I love how you have looked at it from different point of views...

You can mention 👍