The Written Podcast: Avengers Endgame – A Spoiler Filled Ride

With Avengers Endgame now officially the second highest grossing film of all time, with high expectations of it surpassing Avatar, I’d like to believe I’m save from giving spoilers without a warning, but it’s also understood that the majority of the ever growing figure is due to a vast number of the audience re-watching it to truly soak all its glory. If I had the opportunity to go and see it twice, I most definitely would because there are scenes I absolutely want to watch again, and there are scenes that I have to watch on the basis of being so star-struck with epic intensity, they were practically blurs in front of my eyes.

I’ve mentioned this in my non-spoiler review – Avengers Endgame is extremely satisfying. What I’m going to do in this article is explain why and hence the spoiler warning. The first highly satisfying moment comes during the monumental battle between everyone and Thanos when Captain America held Mjolnir for the first time. It was heavily teased in Age of Ultron, and Thor from that moment on believed Stave Rogers was worthy. In Endgame we finally see Captain America wield the mighty hammer. It was a moment we all wanted to see actually happen ever since he nudged it in Age of Ultron, and to finally get that glorious scene where he fights Thanos made my jar finally hit the floor after dangling numbly for the entirety of the film.

Pepper Potts finally becoming her alter ego, Rescue and teaming up with Tony – that was also heavily teased throughout the MCU, and we were all wondering if that would happen. You may have already noticed a pattern evolving with these satisfying moments. The climactic battle between Thanos saw Pepper and Tony finally fight side by side. When I eventually get round to re-watching the film, that’s one moment I absolutely want to watch again purely because I was in such a state of awe I couldn’t remember how much we actually got to see Pepper as Rescue – I’m sure it’s a lot of screen time, it couldn’t be only but a couple of seconds, could it?

Focusing back on Captain America, right at the very end of the film we see Steve getting the much promised dance way back in Captain America: The First Avenger. His arc in the future saw him slowly accepting being out of time, in a strange world, never getting to spend his life with the love of his life, Peggy Carter. Endgame proved to Steve there was a way to return, and he took that opportunity immediately. A perfect ending for Steve, and a much deserving one after suffering through so much.

“Avengers assemble.” If you believe the gigantic battle between the Avengers and Thanos wasn’t big enough, you’re lying or slept through the entire battle only to wake as the credits started to roll. The battle was glorious, with everyone throughout the MCU teaming up to take on the Mad Titan’s army. Before the two armies clashed or even started to run at each other across the battlefield, it was instantly satisfying by the audience hearing the words we so nearly neared way back during Age Of Ultron.

What could have been extremely satisfying was when Tony Stark took control of the Infinity Stones, he used them on his left hand instead of his right. Sounds like a nit-pick, I know, but once I’ve explained why they missed a great opportunity there, you’ll notice yourself. Way back when the MCU first started in Iron Man 1, during Tony’s first run out as the hero saving the town from the terrorists, he gets hit by a tank’s shell in his left arm. Throughout the MCU, we’ve seen visible evidence of Tony suffering from that injury, with him actually mentioning it being numb in Captain America: Civil War, and holding it with his right in Spider-Man Homecoming. It was a subtle but strong piece of continuity, so when Tony snapped his fingers and defeated Thanos, ultimately sacrificing himself in the process, he didn’t use his left hand. The arm that’s been injured throughout his run as Iron Man, being the arm of which held the gauntlet to wipe out Thanos for good, would have been a nice endpoint for that piece of continuity. Unfortunately, he used his right side. Nevertheless, the scene where Tony uses the infinity stones to dust Thanos away was extremely satisfying. Sure, it would have been made even more so if he had used his left hand, but the fact that Tony began the MCU and subsequently ended that massive storyline, giving the MCU to continue and flourish, certainly outweighs a small nit-pick.

There are so many satisfying moments throughout the film, and also shocking ones. Of all the deaths we all predicted, I don’t think anyone was expecting Natasha to go, but it made sense as to why she had to. Clint had a family, she was making the sacrifice to keep not only his family intact, but also hers. She grew up with nothing, and so to die with the chance of bringing back everything she had ever wanted, a family, “whatever it takes” is a line we weren’t expecting to be her final farewell to the team.

There was a lot of debating as to who out of Tony any Steve would pass away, but no one mentioned them both bowing out with victory and grace. Tony passing away from saving the universe, Steve retiring from having spent his much wanted life with Peggy, the MCU continues without Tony Stark or Steve Rogers anymore, and that’s sad to think about. But, the world (the universe) will forever be grateful, even if they have no idea who Tony Stark is. His legacy is forever implemented in the MCU from now on, no matter what. Captain America is still very much within the MCU, but not helmed by Steve, but his good friend Sam Wilson takes the mantle.

Alright, I think I’ve covered a few hard hitting spoilers, so I’ll stop there. This article could have literally been two words long – Avengers Endgame, but I thought I’d point out a few moments that I cannot wait to see again.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)