Avengers: Doomsday Will Show the Steve Rogers Story That the Infinity Saga Refused To

Bringing back Chris Evans in Avengers: Doomsday effectively compels the MCU to show the Steve Rogers story that it refused to show in the Infinity Saga. A big part of why Avengers: Endgame was so successful was because it truly felt like the end of an era for the MCU. While the Infinity Saga wasn’t perfect, Kevin Feige and his team had been able to weave a single narrative throughout the first 11 years of the franchise, so that by the time it was time to culminate it, directors Joe and Anthony Russo were focused on paying off years of setup.

Rogers’ ending was one of the best aspects of Avengers: Endgame. After the sacrificial death of Tony Stark, the Star-Spangled Avenger was tasked with one final mission — to bring back the Infinity Stones from the time heist to their respective eras. Instead of immediately coming back to the main timeline, however, Avengers: Endgame ended with the revelation that Steve took a detour to live a full life with Peggy in the past. It was the perfect reward for someone who dedicated his whole life to serving others.

Avengers: Doomsday Will Finally Show Steve Rogers’ Life With Peggy Carter

From a storytelling perspective, leaving Steve’s arc with the idea that he got his happy ever after was a great way to end his MCU journey. Still, because there were several lingering questions about specific details about what happened to him during his second time-travel adventure, there has always been interest in learning more about this period in his life. Old Steve Rogers flatly refusing to share details about it to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame only fueled the interest in it.

For a time, it didn’t seem like Marvel Studios would revisit these questions. After all, the Infinity Saga’s end marked Evans’ final outing in the MCU, and the Multiverse Saga, at least, in its infancy, was focused on the franchise’s new heroes. That all changed, however, when details about Avengers: Doomsday started rolling out. Evans’ confirmed return paves the way for the franchise to finally show Steve’s quiet life with Peggy. As seen in the first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, the retired Star-Spangled Avenger is enjoying his domesticated life with his one true love, and together, they are raising a son.

Read Next

Every Original Avenger Actor Officially Confirmed for Doomsday & Which Ones Are Still Missing

The Avengers: Doomsday clip is the most Marvel Studios has shown of Steve’s time with Peggy, and even then, there are still so many questions about this unseen part of his life. It’s safe to say that Joe and Anthony’s upcoming blockbuster will reveal more about this, especially since their son is believed to be integral in Doctor Doom’s mission in the movie. Admittedly, it isn’t the ideal time to catch up. Rogers and his family are in imminent danger brought by Robert Downey Jr.’s villain. However, it’s also the best way to justify Evans’ return to the MCU — with a compelling narrative.

Beyond that, this is arguably a better way to finally show this plot than Old Steve Rogers simply doing an expository scene in Avengers: Endgame. When Sam and Bucky reunited with him in the main timeline after his final mission, the film was already at its tail end. Even if Old Steve Rogers was willing to share where he had been, it’s unlikely that there would be enough time to delve into the details of it in a satisfying manner.

Avengers: Doomsday Can Fully Complete Steve Rogers’ MCU Story

Whether Marvel Studios intentionally left the mystery of Rogers’ alternate-timeline life in Avengers: Endgame is difficult to say at this point. When the Infinity Saga ended in 2019, it did seem like Evans was truly done with the franchise and the universe was ready to turn a new page in the Multiverse Saga. Unlike Tony Stark’s ending, which was definitive and complete, there were stories left to tell when it came to Rogers, as the way it wrapped up made it easy to be revisited later on.

Of course, Marvel Studios could have simply left it with the idea that he got the happy life he deserved, but the specifics of it would have always been a favorite topic of conversation for fans. Aside from the quiet life that he had with Peggy, there’s also the mystery surrounding how returning all six Infinity Stones panned out, especially since bringing back the Soul Stone to Vormir would mean a reunion between him and Captain America: The First Avenger‘s villain, Red Skull.

Considering everything else happening in Avengers: Doomsday, the Russos will have to be efficient if they want to address all the lingering mysteries about Rogers. This will likely be the final opportunity to do this, as bringing back Evans again risks bigger criticisms about how the MCU continues to lean on its original characters instead of developing its new generation of heroes. Still, considering how important the character has been to the Russos’ career, there’s optimism that they will make Evans’ comeback worth it.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!