It seems like only yesterday that Marvel Studios announced two Avengers movies: part one and part two. Here we are almost five years later, and we’re already on the fourth Avengers movie. The events of “Avengers: Infinity War” had everyone shocked and teary-eyed, but there’s one more movie left before the end.
Whether this is your first time watching, your fifth or your hundredth, here’s a list of the proper way to marathon all of the Marvel movies before “Avengers: Endgame” comes out in a month. Even if you are not a superfan, once you’ve watched all the films you’ll be filled with enough information to tide you over. This might take a while so clear your schedules, grab your drinks and snacks, get comfortable, and have a pack of tissues nearby if you’re like me and cry at everything.
1. ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’
Set in the 1940s, Steve Rogers becomes the first enhanced superhero when he agrees to take part in an experimental program that injects him with super-serum. With his new body and his vibranium shield, he has to fight HYDRA operatives in the form of Nazis.
INFINITY STONE COUNT No. 1: The Tesseract, aka The Space Stone
2. ‘Captain Marvel’
Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is a Kree warrior caught between the battle of the Kree and Skrulls, who are shapeshifting aliens. When she crash-lands on Earth, she has recurring memories of her life as an Air Force pilot as she struggles to remember who she was and who she is now.
DO NOT WATCH THE END CREDITS! (Stop once the title sequence starts going. We will come back to this, don’t worry.)
3. ‘Iron Man’
Billionaire, playboy and philanthropist Tony Stark is a weapons designer and manufacturer kidnapped by terrorists who want him to build them a weapon. Instead, he builds himself a super suit and escapes. He returns home and decides to refine the suit and use it to fight crime.
4. ‘Iron Man 2’
The world is now aware that Tony Stark is, in fact, Iron Man, which opens up the playing field to those who want to copy his work and build their own super suits and weapons. Whiplash emerges and he is determined to ruin Stark.
5. ‘The Incredible Hulk’
After being exposed to a gamma radiation explosion which contaminated his cells and turns him into the Hulk, Bruce Banner goes into hiding and looks for a cure. However, he must come out of hiding when the government experiments using the same type of radiation and accidentally creates the Abomination.
6. ‘Thor’
Thor, son of Odin, the king of the Norse gods, is set to take the throne when Frost Giants enter Asgard as a violation of their treaty. Thor reacts harshly and brutally and his father banishes him. Thor lands on Earth where he must prove himself worthy of both his hammer Mjolnir and the throne.
7. ‘The Avengers’
Faced with the threat of an alien invasion led by Loki, who is in possession of the Tesseract, Nick Fury recruits superheroes to fight together. He recruits Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, and they fight together to stop Loki and the Chitauri from destroying New York.
8. ‘Iron Man 3’
After the events that happened during the battle of New York, Tony Stark deals with PTSD by building many suits in order to perfect them. However, Tony must let go of all of that when a new enemy emerges: the Mandarin.
9. ‘Thor: The Dark World’
Eons ago, there was a battle between the people of Asgard and a race known as Dark Elves. The Dark Elves lost and their ultimate weapon, the Aether, was buried. In the current day, the Aether is found by Jane Foster and becomes its host, and Thor does his best to help her.
INFINITY STONE COUNT No. 2: The Reality Stone
10. ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’
As Steve Rogers attempts to adjust to modern times, an attack on S.H.I.E.L.D. reveals that the organization had been infiltrated by HYDRA. Rogers must also deal with an unexpected assassin who is sent their way, known as the Winter Soldier.
11. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’
Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, makes the mistake of stealing an orb when an endless number of bounty hunters, sent by Ronan, go after him to recover it. He teams up with Gamora, Rocket, Groot, and Drax to save the universe once they realize what the orb can do.
INFINITY STONE COUNT No. 3: The Power Stone
12. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2’
The Guardians are hired by a powerful alien race, the Sovereign, to protect their batteries. However, it is revealed that Rocket stole some and the Sovereign send a fleet of warriors after them. They are saved by a man who claims to be Peter’s dad, but something doesn’t seem right about him.
13. ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’
In an effort to build a peacekeeping artificial intelligence program, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner accidentally create Ultron. The Avengers must assemble again in order to stop Ultron from wiping out the human race.
INFINITY STONE COUNT No. 4: The Mind Stone
14. ‘Doctor Strange’
After a terrible accident which causes him to lose the ability to use his hands, Dr. Stephen Strange turns to alternative methods of healing. He finds a mystical organization but must choose between the mystical arts or returning to his previous life, when a threat emerges wanting to destroy reality.
DO NOT WATCH END CREDITS!
INFINITY STONE COUNT No. 5: The Time Stone
15. ‘Ant-Man’
Recently out of prison for grand larceny, Scott Lang is recruited by Hank Pym when Pym is forced out of his own company. Pym trains Lang to use a suit that allows him to shrink in size and control an army of ants, in order to stop Yellowjacket from perfecting the same technology.
16. ‘Captain America: Civil War’
After an incident that caused a lot of collateral damage and the loss of many lives, the Sokovia Accords is created, dividing the Avengers. Tony Stark wants to sign the Accords and have oversight of their missions, whereas Steve Rogers believes that the government should not interfere with their work. The rest of the Avengers must pick sides.
17. ‘Black Panther’
Set right after the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” T’Challa must return to Wakanda and take his place as king. However, his authority is challenged and T’Challa must fight for the throne.
18. ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’
Once again, set after the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” Peter Parker returns home and awaits word from Tony Stark as he goes back to his normal life. Parker tries to prove himself as a superhero and must protect his neighborhood when a new threat emerges: the Vulture.
19. ‘Doctor Strange’ End Credits
Watch the “Doctor Strange” end credits that were skipped before!
20. ‘Thor: Ragnarok’
After the passing of his father Odin, it is revealed that Thor and Loki have another sibling. Hela, the goddess of death, has returned to take over Asgard as Thor tries to fight back with the help of his old friend, the Hulk.
21. ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’
Also set after the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” Scott Lang must deal with the consequences of fighting on Captain America’s side and is put on house arrest. Lang is approached by Hope van Dyne and Hank Pym to help build a quantum device in order to save Hope’s mother. However, they must also deal with other enemies who are after the same device.
DO NOT WATCH THE END CREDITS!
22. ‘Avengers: Infinity War’
Thanos is coming. That is all.
INFINITY STONE COUNT No. 6: The Soul Stone
23. ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ End Credits
Watch the end credits of “Ant-Man and the Wasp” and weep.
24. ‘Captain Marvel’ End Credits
Watch the end credits of “Captain Marvel” and weep with joy!
Now that you have watched all of the movies, I hope you’re ready to watch “Avengers: Endgame.” To be honest, I’m not emotionally ready, but I will be more ready to catch the Easter eggs that Marvel loves throwing at us. Grab your snacks, blankets and tissues because the time has come. I do advise not drinking a lot before the movie or getting a large drink at the theater because the run time is three hours long and you do not want to miss any of it to go to the bathroom. All in all, dress up and have fun! Enjoy the movie!
We’re in the endgame now, and it’s time for the Avengers to assemble one last time.