The End of the Line: My Thoughts on Avengers Endgame

I’ve seen Avengers: Endgame twice now. The first time it was waaaayyy too late opening night with a big group. Not something I would usually go for but I decided to be spontaneous, and It. Was. AMAZING. No chance for spoilers, and the entire theater was so hyped we were literally cheering and howling.

The second time, my brother and I took Anna to see it (after rewatching a few more Marvel movies), and this time I could just really soak in every detail, every easter egg, every emotion. Also amazing.

This movie will not leave my mind for some reason. Probably because I’ve been delaying writing about it (which is never a good idea). I thought maybe it was because it was so hyped. Or because it was the last of its kind. Or maybe because the internet was literally filled with fan theories and random facts and observations, a.k.a. some of my favorite things. (Like this article about MCU stunt doubles [heads up: some language] or this cool news story.)

It was definitely a little of all of those things, but mainly I think it was because the movie really, really delivered. It delivered in ways I didn’t even know I needed it to, and at the end of the line, every character had their moment. A brilliant and heartfilled piece of writing that captured my attention more than any other Marvel movie before. (I don’t usually even think of myself as a Marvel fan, so it’s a little funny for me to be writing this post. XD)  It had themes I wouldn’t even expect from secular filmmakers and some moments that were literally perfect.

I can barely remember what I was hoping for before the movie. I think it went something like, “I need Black Panther back, and Steve Rogers’ death better be amazing and so him.”

I think I was vaguely expecting some time travel, and I was sure Captain Marvel would take over the team and there would be a weird power struggle.

But other than that, I was pretty much a bundle of I’m-so-tired-from-watching-Infinity–War-for-the-first-time-last-night-but-let’s-do-this-thing-anyway and some social anxiety.

What is Riversong doing here? XD

Ubiquitous Warning Spoilers ahead. The internet is literally seasoned with them by this point, but if you managed to avoid spoilers, please don’t let me ruin that for you. In order to fangirl properly, I will be sharing some of the most amazing moments of the movie. You have been warned. End of Ubiquitous Warning

From this Twitter post by the Russo brothers

One of the biggest surprises of this movie and something that made me love it so much was that this movie was focused on the original six Avengers. The team was bigger than just them of course, but they were the main characters and each had their own moment that either perfectly wrapped up or carried forward their storyline.

While I have quite a lot to say about the movie, including a file of memes and theories on time travel and Hawkeye’s hair, I’m gonna be focusing on these characters too. 😀

And these thoughts are by no means chronological or even sensical. 😉

Steve Rogers — a good man

❤

When Steve first gets souped up, his doctor makes him promise him something. “Promise me that you will stay who you are, not a perfect soldier but a good man.”

In this movie, I saw Steve for the good man he is. I mean, he is a pretty perfect soldier actually (#Frisbeeskills) and a great leader of the Avengers as always, but that’s not all I saw.

I saw him visiting Nat even though they didn’t have any missions together, just to see how she was doing. To encourage her if he could, to be her friend.

I saw him finally pull out the skill he’d originally hidden for the sake of his friend to now save his friend’s life (if only for a few more moments) when he wielded Mjolnir. (And you can believe I HOWLED like I was at a football game when that happened. ❤ ❤ )

I saw him willing to die alone on that hill fighting Thanos just like he was willing to jump on that grenade or pilot that ship into the ocean or let the Winter Soldier pulverize him or go down on Sokovia or literally arm wrestle 2018 Thanos. He didn’t die like I expected, no, but he was willing to.

YES! YES! ALL THE YES!

I saw him trusted by all of his friends to carry the Infinity Stones–all of them!–and to return them to their proper times. Huge responsibility there.

And I saw him go home. Now that the world was saved and all his responsibilities taken care of*, he went home to the woman he truly loved and who believed in him right there at the beginning. (And he had that dance!!! ❤ ❤ Thank you, filmmakers!) “The war’s over, Steve. We can go home.”

I honestly think going home was his moment. He’s always been a man out of time, doing his best and continuing to fight and fight and fight other people’s wars, but never really being part of this time. Mjolnir was a fantastic moment, but that was more for us than for him, and I am happy to see the storyline of Steve Rogers, a good man, wrapped up so perfectly. (Go listen to that song. ❤ )

*Sam will make a great new Captain America, and I’m sure he’ll keep an eye out for Bucky. Bucky is free to either continue to be a soldier or live in his adopted nation of Wakanda, and I’m sure they’ll be able to help him if he has any more mental problems. And though Steve misses Natasha, he no longer has her to care for either. And the world is saved now too, obviously.

Tony Stark — a man with a vision

Wee disclaimer, I have never loved this character. In fact, I really, really, really disliked him until Spiderman: Homecoming. He has some great lines, makes some cool stuff, but his immorality and selfishness (especially in Iron Man 2) just really turned me off. In fact, when I first saw the poster for Endgame, I was like, “Seriously? Why is Tony so big? Is he the main character?” (Spoiler: he plays a big role. Big role = big on the poster.) His character arc has been a slow one, but in the last couple movies or so, I’ve enjoyed seeing him grow up into a man who, despite still being broken, haunted by his vision in AoU and a long line of earthshattering mistakes, is ultimately a hero. End of disclaimer.

After rewatching Age of Ultron, I was shocked by how much the vision Tony had has really affected him, shaken him, and caused him to make some really bad decisions. If you remember, he saw all of the Avengers lying around dead or dying and Steve Rogers asked him, “Why didn’t you do more?” (And by the way, Steve’s shield was literally cracked in half, just like in Endgame’s final battle. O.o. Good writing, people.) I honestly think that made a huge impression on him and is a large part of the reason, despite having the life he had always wanted, he was unable to rest.*

Looking back over his storyline, most of his problems/villains were created by himself.** So it was so AMAZING and terrible to see the gauntlet he made nearly kill him and then allow him with some sleight-of-nano-hand to give his life for everyone. Yeah, I cried.

That was his moment. Saving everyone, and being remembered for that and his mentorship of two teenage boys and a blue meanie, not his mistakes.

You can rest now. ❤

My heart. ❤

*And then there’s his kid, Spider Parker. *sobs*

**(Ironman 1, that missile. Ironman 2, the suits after him. Ironman 3, that guy he dissed. Age of Ultron, that bot he made.)

Natasha Romanoff — she found her place

You all are lucky I hate vlogging because I’d be crying right now. Seriously, this movie made me care about the Black Widow more than I ever have before. Suffice to say, she’s another character I’ve changed my mind about. 😉

Y’all, when Steve visited her near the beginning of the movie (no I’m not reading too much into that scene), they both referred to her as his friend. Such character growth since Captain America 2 when she outright told him friendship wasn’t gonna happen. The Avengers have become her family, and she is holding down the metaphorical fort because its all she has left. From the very first movie, she has been pulling and holding them together.

I knew what was coming when they sent her and Clint to Vormir together. Like, arrrgggh. Do your research before space travel, y’all. It was terrible. But also beautiful for her, because in the end, she saved everyone she cared about and the world.

She saved her best friend Clint in that moment, yes. (And that fight was the most epic of things.) By her actions she saved Steve, just like she’d asked him once if he trusted her to. But most importantly to me, and I think to her… she saved the Barton children.

Clint says to her, “Why do we have to listen to this guy? Just because he knows your father’s name?”

Nat: “I didn’t.”

And I think right there she decided: no more orphans.

Seriously that scene was the most beautiful, terrible thing. I cried so much at her self-sacrifice and ultimately, the redemption of her character. And I think it was amazing how even after their victory of getting all the stones, the guys didn’t rush to snap before anything else could happen, no, they paused to mourn her.

Excuse me while I eat a peanut butter sandwich in her honor.

Thor — still worthy

Thor has been through soooo much in the space of three movies. Like, seriously, I think he should sign a restraining order against Marvel.

Thor: Ragnarok — he lost Dad, hammer, eye, evil sister he just found out about, entire planet

Infinity War — he lost Loki, Heimdall (a better dad than Odin ever was), half of the Asgardians he just saved, eventually the entire world.

And he feels like that Thanos snap was pretty much all his fault, so the moment he gets a chance for what seems like a redo–he takes it. It doesn’t help anything.

When I next saw him in the movie, I found him pretty heartbreaking. I could barely even recognize the “god of thunder” in him, but physical evidences aside, he is not a stable man. He breaks down at everything, and you can tell he is sure that he just doesn’t have anything left to live for any more and that he is not worthy to be Thor.

But what’s interesting, is he’s actually still taking care of his friends in a way, and he goes with Hulk and Rabbit to try to do what’s right.

I loved the strengthening talk he had with his mother. The encouragement she gave him; the chance he had to just vent, confess, and gain some closure. And when he called Mjolnir, I held my breath, because it took so long… I did wonder. Was he still worthy?

He was. 😀 (His moment right there.) And he did some PRETTY AWESOME fighting in that last battle. 😉

It’ll be fun to see where his character goes next.

Bruce Banner — finally reconciled

Bruce Banner took the events of his last two movies and used them to reconcile the strength of the Hulk with the brain and values of himself. Which meant he could be a peaceful member of society. Score! Just what he always wanted, actually. 😉

But more importantly, he was the one who was able to snap the gauntlet and bring everyone back. “It’s like I was made for this.” Best ever moment for this character!!

All this time, he had been fighting the “monster” inside him, and because he conquered it, he was ready to save people. I hope he gets to stay Smart Hulk. 😉

Also, he sweetly gave Antman one of his tacos, and that was probably one of the best scenes.

Clint Barton — redeemed

Marvel, why do you have to break my heart like this???!! The beginning of this movie was so sweet for all of five seconds. *cries*

No wonder he turns into a freaky vigilante (I literally looked away from that fight scene *shudders* ). No wonder he could care less about living and immediately volunteers for the time travel experiment.

And in a short moment (that is making me nearly cry again), his best friend hands his life back to him. Tells him it’s worth it and, “It’s okay.”

From that moment forward, I saw him throw himself into the mission. His big moment was literally running the gauntlet in that last battle. (Let’s not forget he was in the right place just then because Laura called him! ❤ ) He got it away from those creepy monster things and ran it even further after escaping Other Nebula.

His reunion with his family was just one of the best scenes. ❤ And I still think about how his youngest child, Nathaniel Pietro Barton, is named after the two people who have given their life for his father.

Conclusion (If That’s Possible…)

That wraps up my thoughts–or at least all the ones for this post–on the original six Avengers. 😉 I really loved all the first Avenger movie throwback scenes with them. So hilarious…

Some of the other characters had their moments too–Antman bringing in that CRAZY idea, Spider Parker using “instant kill mode”, Wanda power-choking Thanos, T’Challa (YES!) bringing an entire army, and Nebula finally freeing herself and her sister and atoning for her part in helping her father.

And let’s not forget Falcon getting to say “On your left”. Major happy shivers. ❤

This movie had great characters and easter eggs and a plot and fanservice moments. But the themes of self-sacrifice and lasting friendship were the absolute best. ❤

What did you think of the movie? Fangirls, assemble.