SPOILER WARNING
By Carla Rubio

With arguably the largest cinematic universe, the Marvel franchise is made up of iconic comic books, numerous television series and, as of April 26th, twenty two films.

Over the course of eleven years, each and every Marvel movie has been meticulously thought out, to even the smallest of details, in order to be later connected.

In the long awaited finale to the Avengers saga, Avengers: Endgame, the neverending running time of 182 minutes was worth every second, evident by all the fans that ignored a bathroom break or popcorn refill.

The movie was, in a word, marvelous.

The director/brother duo, Anthony and Joseph Russo, managed to bring a very large cast and countless intertwined story arcs to crossover and end in one movie, which will go down in cinematic history for many.

They do this with an astonishing balance of well-placed humor, a wide range of emotions, a plot filled with twists and turns, and a highly anticipated forty minute action sequence.

The movie’s opening scene seamlessly connects to the tragic ending of last year’s Avengers: Infinity War when half of the world, including most of its beloved superheroes, turn to dust after a snap of Thanos’s fingers.

Now, twenty two days later— a salute to the twenty two movies— we are left with the rest of the heroes in anguish after their defeat as the movie’s multiple trailers have shown.

The change in all of the survivors’ character arcs is of epic proportions. The fact that this is the first fight—and the most significant— the Avengers have lost makes their grief that much more agonizing to watch. This gives the opening of the movie a darker tone than most Marvel films, even with a few lines of Marvel’s signature humor to lighten the mood.

Thor is the most noticeable of the Avengers that has an arduous journey in the movie. The death of his mother and father, the loss of Asgard and the protection of his people, and the failure of killing Thanos, all have built up. His grief made the once strongest avenger incredibly weak, a controversial choice to many.

The movie also has the task of wrapping up the storylines of all the characters. When the Avengers, left with no solution, all head their separate ways for five years, they are forced to learn how to move on and let go therefore discovering a new part of themselves and their journey.

This is the same situation the fans are in, they are required to watch as a universe that has been the center of the childhoods of many has now come to the end of its era. Saying goodbye with a crossover larger than any other is the Russo brothers way of showing their admiration to the fans that have been watching since the beginning. The countless easter eggs and references to past films — specifically the 2008 Iron Man and 2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron — are small details that fill the hearts of those that have been watching for such a long time.

Moments such as Captain America’s speech before the big battle are heartwarming, dramatic and most definitely iconic. He says, “This is the fight of our lives. And we’re going to win. Whatever it takes. Good luck.”

Here commences the forty minute, action-packed, battle scene fans were waiting for. Each minute of the battle bringing in a new character or more pandamonium to the scene. The last fight between Thanos and the heroes, most definitely feeling the weight on their shoulders, begins with the nostalgic war cry, “Avengers….. Assemble.”

In the aftermath of the battle, we see the full journey the heroes have experienced throughout the course of the twenty one movies, the main one being Iron Man, the start of it all.

In 2008, Iron Man was the beginning of an era, bringing the idea of superheroes to the box office. Tony Stark was an arrogant and prideful man who only cared about the money he made through his weapons business, Stark Industries. Throughout his journey, all the way to Endgame, he becomes a man who is willing to sacrifice anything for the greater good of the universe, bringing the powerful and iconic character in the MCU full circle.

From a man in an iron suit surrounded by terrorists to an entire universe filled with different stories to tell and new characters to discover, the past decade has been a journey for creators and fans alike.

At the end of the movie, Iron Man gives a moving speech, and without a dry eye in the audience he says, “Everybody wants a happy ending right? But it doesn’t always roll that way….. Part of the journey is the end.”