How Each Avenger Got To Endgame

Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. These six heroes have led the charge within the Marvel Cinematic Universe for more than ten years and twice as many movies. And with Avengers Endgame bringing them all together again, it seems fitting to go over each of their story arcs leading up to this epic crescendo. Of course, trying to watch every MCU movie in a row is a nearly two-day-long endeavor at this point, so we've gone ahead and condensed each original Avenger's story for you: here's how each Avenger got to Endgame.

The MCU got its start when Iron Man arrived in theaters in 2008. Robert Downey Jr.'s impressive performance introduced us to a narcissistic Tony Stark who was used to having things his own way… until he got kidnapped by the Ten Rings and had to build his first Iron Man suit to regain his freedom. From there he etched his name into the Marvel hall of fame by helping stop threats such as Iron Monger, Whiplash, the Chitauri invasion of New York, Aldrich Killian, and Ultron.

But Stark's true arc always focused on his own inner struggle as he came to grips with who he was without his "tricks and toys." Once just a billionaire playboy, the man has slowly evolved into a thoughtful, caring hero. His loyalty to Pepper Potts and father figure status to Peter Parker are excellent examples of how he's matured over time.

And then there's the role he's played in setting the stage for the Thanos epic. His prophetic vision in Age of Ultron gave him a unique sense of urgency that continued to fuel him as he tried to prepare for the Mad Titan's impending arrival. Thanos clearly had an affinity with the Iron Avenger, too, as shown through his assertion that they were both "cursed with knowledge" during Infinity War, leaving a potential showdown between the two in Endgame a positively tantalizing prospect.

While Hulk has been a bit of an enigma throughout the MCU thus far, his story can basically be broken down into three eras. First, we have his solo film, which came out after Iron Man. It showcased Bruce Banner, then played by Edward Norton, already on the run, in love with Betty Ross, and relentlessly pursued by her father. The film ended with Banner having more or less come to terms with "the Other Guy."

The second era opened up when Mark Ruffalo picked up the mantle in Avengers. Banner and the Green Machine seemed to have taken a few steps back at that point, as neither wanted to surrender control to the other. The duo continued to help the Avengers for a while afterward, and sparks even began to fly between Banner and Black Widow in Age of Ultron. But it all came to a screeching halt when Hulk took over at the end of the movie and flew the Quinjet into space.

The third era began when Hulk showed up two years later in Thor: Ragnarok, beginning a three-movie character arc. This new story continued as Hulk remained out of sight throughout most of Infinity War. The end of the three-part story will take place in Endgame, with some sort of climactic event likely in store for the Jade Giant.

Black Widow has proven to be an absolutely invaluable addition to the team over the years. She first appeared in Iron Man 2, already trained as an accomplished spy and assassin working for S.H.I.E.L.D. She showed up again in Avengers and played a critical role in ending the Battle of New York when she closed the portal with Loki's Scepter.

She went on from there to help topple HYDRA's infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D and bring Ultron down in Sokovia. She turned heads yet again when she switched sides to join Team Cap in Civil War, helping Captain America and Bucky Barnes escape in the Quinjet. She re-emerged with Cap and company in the early minutes of Infinity War and made her presence known throughout the fight in Wakanda. Black Widow has been featured heavily in the Endgame trailers and seems likely to be right by Cap's side when the action picks up again. Keep watching the video to see how each Avenger got to Endgame!

#Endgame #Avengers #MCU #EndgamePrimer

The Iron Avenger | 0:30
The Jade Giant | 1:39
The Master Assassin | 2:43
The King of Asgard | 3:27
The Archer | 4:39
The Super Soldier | 5:50
The Avengers Initiative | 7:01
The Age of Ultron | 8:10
Civil War | 8:50
Infinity War | 9:43
The Infinity Saga | 10:34
Endgame and beyond | 11:24