Five Major MCU Questions Raised in ‘Avengers: Endgame’

Avengers: Endgame tied all of the narrative threads from the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a brilliantly satisfying bow to conclude 11 years of storytelling. Of course, the show goes on as Marvel Studios rolls into its Phase 4, and the movie slate has become quite clear. However, the massive film also left us with some major questions.(Photo: Marvel Studios)

Spoilers for Avengers: Endgame follow. Major spoilers!

Though much of the narrative from 21 movies has now concluded, especially the stories of Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Natasha Romanov, there is a lot of room for future stories following Avengers: Endgame. Much of Phase 4 and beyond can spawn from open-ended threads created in the blockbuster movie. While we will get some answers to major questions during Game Over: An Evening With Joe Russo, there are plenty of questions to speculate about right now…

Where is Loki?

Loki died at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War. He remains dead, the character’s story in the regular MCU timeline ended there. However, Loki from 2012 has escaped his imprisonment which was seen in The Avengers. 

After using the Tesseract/Space Stone to dip out of New York city, Loki’s location in 2012 is now unknown. While this looks like it could be a plot hole, this is likely a set up for a new Loki story which might end up coming full circle and sending him right back to the handcuffs where he started.

Tom Hiddleston is set to play Loki on a new series coming to Disney+. With the character dead in the current timeline, it is not unlikely the series will follow the 2012 version of Loki which has not experienced Thor: The Dark World or any story/movie which followed. 

When is Peter?

Peter Parker is going to make the first headlining appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe following Avengers: Endgame in Spider-Man: Far From Home on July 2. However, the big question is, “When is Peter Parker?”

The trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home removed the year of issuing on Peter Parker’s passport to keep fans from the information as a means to prevent spoilers for Avengers: Endgame. At the time, it seemed this was a move to prevent fans from knowing whether or not Peter came back to life after getting dusted in Avengers: Infinity War. Now, though, we know it’s because Endgame ended more than 5 years after Infinity War.

By the end of Endgame, Peter Parker was back in high school with Ned Leeds. In the trailers for Spider-Man: Far From Home, all of his friends are still in high school together. So, did all of his friends get dusted in Thanos snapping his fingers and therefore still have to finish school together? Or is Spider-Man: Far From Home somehow taking place prior to the end of Endgame? It’s a bit of a headache without the confirmation and clarification… Thanks, time travel!

Why is Gamora?

Like Loki, Gamora remains dead after being killed prior to the Snap in Avengers: Infinity War. However, Gamora from 2014 is alive and well but resisting the relationship with Peter Quill and apparently all ties to the Guardians of the Galaxy characters. So, in the words of Drax: Why is Gamora?

Why is Gamora on the run? Why is Gamora still in the present/future? Why did she come around to Nebula but not the rest of the allies? This will all probably be a major story point in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which seems to have added Thor to its roster. While Adam Warlock is guaranteed to be a factor in Gaurdians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Gamora and her new dynamic with the group will likely be a factor as she is a brand new version of the character fans met in 2014’s original Guardians movie. 

While we’re at it, why is Nebula of 2014 dead? How will that rattle the past timeline? Will we ever find out?

How is Cap?

Captain America’s story ended on a heartfelt, satisfying note. But, how is Cap doing what he’s doing?

According to Bruce Banner’s description of time travel and its effects, everything about the past has to be restored in order to maintain safe continuity in all phases of time. Captain America went to the past to restore everything (though Loki’s changes, plus Thanos and Nebula’s removal are entirely bigger questions) and ended up staying there to live happily ever after with Peggy Carter.

But, how is he doing that and living as an old man in the present? Is he the man Peggy Carter married all along? Did she keep it a secret when she saw him on her death bed in Captain America: The Winter Soldier? Or is Steve Rogers just making an entirely new timeline to give himself the love he longed for?

What is Tony?

Iron Man died and we all officially love him, 3000. But, is he gone from the MCU, really? In other words, what is Tony Stark now?

On the pages of Marvel Comics, Tony Stark uploads an essence of himself to a computer. Essentially an artificially intelligent version of Tony Stark is created and live on to coach Riri Williams as she becomes Iron Heart. Before Avengers: Endgame concluded, a tease of this may have been introduced when a hologram of Tony Stark said goodbye to his daughter, wife Pepper, and best friend Happy Hogan. 

Could Tony Stark now be an artificial intelligence which allows him to play a part in the future MCU endeavors? It certainly seems possible, though Robert Downey Jr. might also be due for a break from these movies. For now, he can rest. 

Bonus: Who’s Got Soul?

Bonus questions: Who has the Soul Stone and why are people able to touch?

The tradeoff for the Soul Stone is a soul for a soul, according to the Red Skull. Brushing past how awkward it must have been for Captain America to encounter the Red Skull on Vormir when he encountered him while traveling through time and returning each of the Infinity Stones, the first question is whether or not he was able to return the Stone at all.

If Black Widow’s death is so permanent that the Infinity Stones can’t undo it with the snap of a fingers, how was Captain America able to return the Soul Stone, at all? Who would have thought the days of wondering where this Stone was would end up being simpler times?

Secondly, why was Hawkeye able to hold the Infinity Stone? Only Celestial beings and super powerful, god-like characters are supposed to be able to touch these things but Hawkeye sat there on Vormir with the Stone in his hand like it was nothing. When Peter Quill touched the Power Stone, it nearly destroyed him. Does the Soul Stone operate differently, are there different rules on Vormir, or none of the above?