It's been months since Avengers: Endgame hit theaters in April, but the conversation around The Russo Brothers' massive blockbuster hasn't really slowed down since. New information about Endgame is constantly being revealed, especially now that the home release and special features are imminent. Aside from the new intel, fans have also been making discoveries when giving the movie a re-watch; it turns out that Tony and Nebula's game of paper football in space had an effect on the time heist.
Avengers: Endgame's opening sequence was pretty bleak, showing Tony and Nebula stranded in space onboard The Benatar. Following their loss on Titan, the two characters were stuck together, and Iron Man introduced the "blue meanie" to playing paper football. One eagle eyed fan realized that Tony's football flick was brought back when Ant-Man needed to get to 2012 Iron Man. Check out the post below.
from r/marvelstudios
This is such a small moment, but shows how detail oriented The Russo Brothers and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely were with their pair of Avengers movies. No frame is accidental, with every single show of the record breaking movie was crafted to move a specific story forward.
This image comes to us from Reddit, where a Marvel fan realized the cinematic parallels in Avengers: Endgame's opening sequence, and the trip to 2012 to steal the Time and Mind Stones. Tony and Nebula were an unlikely duo in Endgame, who formed a quiet but strong bond throughout the course of the blockbuster.
Their friendship seemed to have begun with playing paper football game, trying to pass the time while hoping and waiting for possible rescue. Nebula won their game, which had a deeper meaning that Tony realized at the time. After all, she spent her entire life losing to Gamora, and suffering great physical harm by Thanos as a result. But the two characters ultimately shook hands, and unlikely friendship was born.
But aside from helping to transform Nebula's character into a more sensitive one, it seems that the game shared between Iron Man and the blue Guardian of the Galaxy. Specifically, when Tony Stark is back in the Battle of New York during the complicated and thrilling time heist.
Related: How The Avengers: Endgame Time Travel Actually Works
The Avengers' Time Heist takes up the second hour of Avengers: Endgame's runtime, and it a wild ride through the MCU's timeline. Iron Man, Ant-Man, Bruce Banner, and Captain America traveled to 2012 New York, to procure the Time Stone and Soul Stone. The latter proved to be the more difficult task, with Scott Lang tasked with giving past Tony a cardiac attack as a distraction.
After talking about America's ass, Ant-Man asks Tony to "flick me" and send him flying through the air to the Iron Man from the past. Originally that exchange came off more as a funny gag, especially with Scott Lang squatting into flicking position. But actually linked to RDJ's first scene in the blockbuster, and his newfound relationship with Nebula.
More new information about Avengers: Endgame should be arriving as the blockbuster is being released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 13th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
