*SPOILER ALERT!!*
It’s here. It’s finally here. Marvel’s Endgame.
Back in May of 2008, I remember seeing Iron Man in theaters with my dad and my younger brother and sister. Earlier that year in March, my parents told my siblings and me that they were getting a divorce. Though I felt like my world was crumbling, I found that this situation was not only good for my parents, but it allowed me to develop amazing relationships with both my mom and dad. My relationship with my dad was founded on music and film. I was influenced by his love for superheroes and fantasy characters. Iron Man was just the start to an amazing journey. We have not missed any movie to date; however, Endgame was the first Marvel movie that I have seen with my father and siblings.
I am sorry to spoil what is about to come. As a true fan, I went directly from a lab final to the theaters last Thursday evening. We got these tickets in the first 30 minutes of the first day when they came out. My eagerness to see the movie was in full force and getting to that day seemed like an eternity.
A true fan, who has seen all the movies, will not only appreciate the emotion and beauty put into the movie but also the craftiness and significance to other former movies. This final movie is the perfect bookend to characters and experiences that have provided confidence and empowerment. This movie allowed the original Avengers to take one last bow on an incredible journey.
A Summary: This movie began unexpectedly with Hawkeye and his family enjoying a peaceful afternoon, and a moment later, they were gone except Hawkeye. The scene cuts to Iron Man and Nebula in the Guardians of the Galaxy’s ship who are barely surviving until Captain Marvel saves them. This final characters from this mass genocide are assembled trying to figure out how to reverse the current event. The solution is to go to the planet where Thanos is “retiring” to get the stones back. However, when the Avenger’s get there, they have realized that Thanos has destroyed the stones. He is immediately killed by Thor out of frustration.
5 years later… I couldn’t believe this moment when I saw it on the screen. We see characters like Captain America, Black Widow, and the Hulk moving on with their lives, but it seems that they can’t move entirely on. Iron Man even marries Pepper Potts and has a daughter. There is still this desire to help those who were lost. Ant-Man, who was in the quantum realm, is finally set free, unaware that the world around him has changed. It is when he comes into contact with the Avengers that he is able to explain an idea to bring everyone back: time-travel. The Avengers are divided up into teams: Thor and Rocket to Asgard to get the reality stone, Black Widow and Hawkeye to Vormir to get the soul stone, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk and Ant-Man to get the time, space and mind stone, and Nebula and War Machine to Xander to get the power stone. However, the retrieval of these stones by going into the past is chaotic and emotional. Black Widow sacrifices herself so Hawkeye can survive and be with his family, Nebula, being partially robotic, exposes the Avenger’s plan to Thanos (Thanos who is from the past), Thor is constantly drunk and can’t pull himself together, and Iron Man and Captain America must go further back in time to get the space stone.
What makes this movie so beautiful is that everyone gets their closure. Iron Man going farther back in time interacts with his father on how to be a good father and man. He realizes that his father always loved him and would do anything for him. Captain America also sees his one true love Peggy Carter and all he wants to do is be with her.
They arrive back at the same time with all the stones, immediately realizing that Black Widow is gone. In her honor, they still want to carry out this mission because she sacrificed herself for her family: the Avengers. Her closure was that she found people that gave her a home and love. These people were everything to her.
Iron Man make another Infinity Gauntlet, and since Hulk is the strongest Avenger, he must wear it to get everyone back. With a snap of his fingers, it seems that everything is perfect. Everything is back to normal. Nope. Thanos has been waiting for the Avengers to get the stones together in one place, so he can come in and get it for himself. Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man fight Thanos. However, when all seems lost, the most beautiful moment in all of Marvel history happened: everyone comes back walking out of Doctor Strange’s time portals. It was the battle of good vs evil, life vs death. Every character was significant in the role of beating Thanos. But it was the sacrifice of Iron Man, that allowed Thanos and his army to be fully destroyed. He puts on the gauntlet, snapped his fingers, and Thanos disappears. Nevertheless, this powerful force kills Iron Man in the process. We see Iron Man as not a conceited genius like in the previous movies, but as a selfless superhero. He saved the world.
To wrap up this summary, Iron Man got a full tribute from his peers. Iron Man showed his true love to his daughter, and she now has an amazing force of people that will always be there for her. Captain America went back in time to put all the stones back, and he decides to find the love of his life and finally dance with her. Thor gives up his reign, so he can do some self-discovery with the Guardians of the Galaxy. The Hulk finds the good in both his human and monster state. Hawkeye is able to reunite with his family. And finally, Black Widow was able to sacrifice herself to show love to the people that provided her with a family.
This movie was unlike any other superhero movie. It’s a masterpiece, and as I stated before, it is the perfect ending to an amazing journey. My childhood was revolved around superheroes and to see this chapter of my life close is somewhat emotional for me. I grew up looking up to and admiring these characters.
I called my dad after he saw Endgame Sunday afternoon, and we talked about all the perfect moments they added to the movie. I like that my father and I are able to connect so deeply on moments like these. I am so thankful that this franchise bonded us together. Though it is the end of this series, I will never forget the memories I have shared with the people around me. Thank you, Avengers. I love you 3,000.