Whilethe series has taken a sharp decline in quality in recent years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe remains one of the most ambitious and successful film sagas in blockbuster history. It’s generally agreed that the series peaked with the two-part conclusion to the “Infinity Saga,“Avengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame, which successfully brought together over a decade’s worth of stories into a cohesive narrative. While simply assembling such a large ensemble of characters was impressive enough in its own right, it was surprising that the deaths inAvengers: Infinity Warhad such an impact.The shocking cliffhanger inAvengers: Infinity Warwas planned out through a game of cards, as the franchise’s creative leads needed to map out how to shape the final chapter of the “Infinity Saga” story.
Avengers: Endgame
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos' actions and restore balance to the universe.
The ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Twist Was Years in the Making
While the early films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were of varying quality, 2012’sThe Avengerssuccessfully brought together Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), and Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), proving that team up adventures were the gateway to the universe’s success. While fans grew invested in seeing new characters introduced in later phases join the Avengers team,the MCU risked confusing its audience due to the sheer number of characters needed for the two-part “Infinity Saga” story. It was also important for the films to establish Thanos (Josh Brolin) as a credible threat, especially considering thatthe MCU had been criticized for its weak villains in the past.
The shocking twist inAvengers: Infinity Warwas necessary to generate excitement for the next installment; it was a dark direction for the universe to take, proving there were real, emotional stakes for the heroes' failure. While it was obvious that some characters would return, as sequels featuringTom Holland’s Spider-Man andBenedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange were already in the works, having Thanos turned to dust a majority of the identified characters established a sense of mystery surrounding who would be reintroduced. Despite its epic runtime,Avengers: Infinity Warwas among the most tightly-paced installments in the series; a 45-minute deleted scene featuringThanos attacking the Asgardian planet of Xandarwas removed to keep the film’s exposition to a minimum.
Essentially killing off half of the cast was an ambitious idea that ranked amongthe MCU’s most intense moments. However, the creative team behind the MCU needed to ensure that each death had a specific meaning in the context of the story’s trajectory. To determine which characters would survive the snap and make it toAvengers: Endgameunscathed,Kevin Feige, screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, anddirectors Anthony and Joe Russocreated a board filled with cards representing different characters in a game of “Who Lives And Who Dies?“According to the bookMCU: The Reign of Marvel Studiosby Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards, each card contained details about its character’s journey up until that point in the narrative, as well as information about their respective actor’s contractual information. Should any of the actors have wanted to negotiate their contract, the snap could have served as a way to cut them out of the story entirely.
How Marvel Determined Which Characters to Dust
While the desired effect was to shock the audience with the Avengers' abrupt loss, the decisions regarding which characters to kill were not made indiscreetly.Characters were chosen to be dusted based on the emotional impact that they would have on both the audience and the characters. Peter Parker’s death had a significant impact on Tony Stark, who had served as his mentor in bothCaptain America: Civil WarandSpider-Man: Homecoming;the death of Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) devastated Steve Rogers because of their longstanding friendship throughout theCaptain Americatrilogy. Given thatChadwick Boseman’s King T’Challa was last seen on the big screen only a few months prior inBlack Panther, his death wasparticularly shocking for the audience.
It was determined that the story would work best ifAvengers: Endgamefocused on the six original heroes from the 2012 film, who had been given the most character development throughout the franchise. It was evident that the series would be going in a different direction in the aftermath, and that assembling the same cast might not ever be possible again. While trying to service all the new characters and continuing the story of the original heroes could have madeAvengers: Endgamea bloated mess, centering on the six characters that the audience knew the best made the story more focused. It also allowedthe death of Tonyand Natasha to land with a more significant emotional impact.
Why the ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Ensemble Worked So Well
While the six original heroes weren’t the only characters that survived the snap,other characters were included based on how they would affect the ensemble. It was important to include a comedic character likeBradley Cooper’s Rocket Raccoonfrom theGuardians of the Galaxyfilmsto ensure that there was still a sense of humor, especially considering how dark the rest of the story was. However, the inclusion of Nebula (Karen Gillan) added a healthy dramatic perspective that emphasized the importance of finding and defeating Thanos; Nebula’s tragic backstory added emotional weight to the final battle that wouldn’t have been there otherwise.
While not a perfect movie,the MCU has struggled to find another success on the level ofAvengers: Endgame.With its record-breaking $2.8 billion gross,Avengers: Endgamewasbriefly the highest-grossing film of all timebefore it was replaced byAvatar’s re-release in 2021. It also garnered a strong critical reception due to the film’s success in giving each member of the ensemble a satisfying conclusion. Given the changes to the theatrical distribution model and creative hardships in the MCU that developed afterAvengers: Endgame’s release, it’s unlikely that there will be anything else like it ever again.
Avengers: Endgameis streaming on Disney+.
