The release of Avengers: Endgame is almost in sight! There are only a few short months before the finale to this saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe premieres, and fans will finally have their questions answered. Since it's the culmination of a decade of filmmaking, Endgame will wrap up storylines and send certain characters off to pasture, all while dealing with its own plot. However, ten years is a long time, and there's a lot that Endgame will have to do before the credits roll to deliver a satisfying ending.
The Russo Brothers have said in the past that the movie is currently three hours long and that it will likely stay in that ballpark throughout the post-production phase. Endgame will need every spare second that it can get bring everything to a conclusion. The movie has a lot on its checklist that it needs to address before the credits rolls, making it one of the busiest movies of the year. How do you end 10 years of storytelling in three hours? Well, you can start by making sure you address these six things.
Cap and Iron Man Make Peace
Perhaps the biggest unresolved MCU plot-line right now -- other than half of all life in the universe getting wiped out -- is the continued beef between Captain America and Iron Man. The two characters had a major falling out in Captain America: Civil War, and three years later, they are still not on speaking terms. Endgame can't wrap up without the two of them making peace. The ball is in Tony's court to make the first move, but even with the fate of the universe on the line, he still hesitated to make that call for help to Cap. The division in the Avengers is likely a big reason for why they lost to Thanos, so Cap and Tony finally burying the hatchet might be the secret weapon needed to save the universe. Plus, nobody wants to see these guys go out on bad terms!
Thanos Needs To Die
The MCU's Grimace needs to go. Thanos did what few villains ever manage to do: completely win. The Mad Titan accomplished his mission of wiping out half the population of the universe and let noting stand in his way. He bulldozed through the Avengers, and even though it came with a personal cost, he still got to sit and watch the sunset when all was said and done. He might be the single greatest mass murderer in the galaxy and there's no way his crimes can go unpunished. The Avengers are looking to do some avenging, and sending Thanos off to jail isn't really an option. He needs to bite the dust (pun slightly intended).
The Universe Needs To Be Fixed
The driving force behind the plot of Avengers: Endgame is that the Avengers are going to try and undo the Decimation that left their world in tatters. How exactly they are going to do this is has been highly debated by fans (time travel is the No. 1 theory), and Marvel isn't dishing anytime soon, but everything has to be returned to some kind of normalcy. It's difficult to keep making fun stories set in this world if everyone remembers the single worst event of all time. It's hard to enjoy your field trip to Europe knowing you used to be dead. Additionally, it wouldn't make for a satisfying experience if the Avengers failed (again) to set things right.
Reveal What Happened To Those Who Were Snapped
Another gaping question fans have is what happened to those who were turned to dust by the Decimation. Fans don't seem too convinced that they were actually turned to dust, and the popular theory is that their souls live on in the Soul Stone. If the Avengers are looking to undo Thanos' snap, then the movie will eventually have to answer this question. It needs to be answered because the whole plot revolves around bringing these people back. The answer could end up being that everyone really is just dead, and while that might be a disappointing answer, it's important for Endgame to address the topic head on.
Say Goodbye To Longtime Characters
While very few actors are actually confirmed to be leaving the MCU after the movie, it's long been believed that Endgame will be the final go-round for some of the longtime actors. This includes Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Hemsworth, among others. Contracts are up after this movie and actors are looking to move on after playing these characters for the better part of a decade. As such, Endgame needs send these characters off and give them satisfying conclusions. That's not an easy task at all, and it's likely at least a few other these characters are going to die. The good news is that death can be satisfying when handled right, and now is finally the time to pass the torch to a new generation.
Set Up The New Status Quo For Phase 4
Even though Endgame is a finale, the MCU will live on. There are plenty of projects slated for Phase 4 of the MCU, and while Endgame's top priority should be to focus on its own conclusion, it still needs to give a taste of the new status quo. This could mean revealing who will comprise the new Avengers team and/or who the major players will be in the years to come. It could also mean offering a tease at the next big villain that the MCU heroes will have to defeat. Maybe Marvel has conditioned us too well to ask what's next, but it's important to know what to expect once the characters that people have been following for 10 years are gone.
We'll see how much of these suggestions are actually included when Avengers: Endgame is released on April 26. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for continuing coverage, and don't forget to look through our 2019 release schedule to find out what else is hitting theaters later this year.
