Kevin Feige Answers Avengers: Endgame's Big Old Man Captain America Question With A Star Wars Quote

Since the release of Avengers: Endgame, the debate of how Steve Rogers showed up at the end of the film as an old man to give the Captain America shield to Sam Wilson has raged. Some say he was hiding in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all along. Others say he jumped into the main timeline from an alternate reality. The debate goes as far as the writers and directors disagreeing on the subject.

So, what does Marvell Studios president Kevin Feige have to say on how Captain America showed up in the main MCU timeline as an old man? Well, he referenced Star Wars as a means to give a satisfying non-answer to the whole thing.

"That's a good question, for another time..." Feige told Empire. "Who says that? Maz Kanata in The Force Awakens in regard to, how did Luke Skywalker's lightsaber get in your castle. Ever since I heard that line I said, I'm gonna use that – a lot!"

The writers of Avengers: Endgame have given their blessing to a popular fan theory which claims Captain America was actually carrying Peggy's casket in Captain America: Civil War. This would mean Steve Rogers was hiding in plain sight throughout the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was the father to Peggy's kids referenced in The Winter Soldier.

"I would very much like that. There is no set explanation for Cap's time travel," co-writer Christopher Markus told the Los Angeles Times when asked if Endgame's Old Man Rogers attended Peggy's funeral alongside his younger self. "I mean, we've had public disagreements with [directors Anthony and Joe Russo] about what it necessarily means [laughs], but I love the idea of there being two Steve Rogers in the timeline. One who lived a long life with Peggy and is in the background of that funeral scene watching his young self carry his wife's coffin up. Not just for the time travel mumbo jumbo of it, but for the just weird, personal pain and satisfaction that would be happening between two Steve Rogers there. I kind of love it."

The theory is opposite that of the directors. When explaining their approach to time travel to FOX 5 DC, the Russo Brothers said 2023 Captain America's trip through time to return the six Infinity Stones to their rightful places created a branch reality. "Now he would exist in that branch reality with a second Captain America who was frozen in ice," Joe Russo said.

Which time travel theory do you like better? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram and Twitter!

Avengers: Endgame is available now on digital downloads and hits blu-ray on August 13.