Here’s every character that appeared in the Avengers: Endgame final battle. These 36 characters came from various corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and they united together in their last stand against Thanos, the Black Order, and an army of Outriders in order to protect Earth and, by proxy, the rest of the universe. As the final installment in Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga, Anthony and Joe Russo’s Avengers: Endgame brought back the original six Avengers for one last mission, and it resulted in quite the journey for them (and for audiences).
Of course, that mission was about bringing back all the characters who were killed in Avengers: Infinity War by Thanos’ Decimation, aka the snap. While half of all life in the universe had disintegrated after the snap, practically all of the superheroes in the shared universe disappeared along with them – and the remnants banded together after five years to bring all of those superheroes back into the fold. And when they did come back, it culminated in the biggest scene that Marvel Studios has ever done.
Thanos and his army from 2014 fought against almost every superhero that’s ever existed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date in the Avengers: Endgame final battle, something that will be nearly impossible to top in future comic book movies. The only thing that’s really come close since is the blending of Spider-Man universes seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Filming Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle was a daunting task, but remembering every character on the battlefield is perhaps somewhat daunting as well. So, to help with that dilemma, below is every character who appeared in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle.
Iron Man – Marvel Studios’ first superhero, Tony Stark saves the universe as Iron Man one last time in Avengers: Endgame by solving the issues of time travel and using the Infinity Stones to wipe out Thanos and his army. His death at the end of the Avengers: Endgame final battle remains one of the most emotional moments throughout all the MCU’s four phases.
Captain America – As the first Avenger, Captain America fulfills his duty that began decades before. After becoming worthy of wielding Mjolnir, Steve Rogers returns to the love of his life in the 1940s/1950s.
Thor – Considered a failure at the start of Avengers: Endgame, Thor, aka the God of Thunder, finds the courage to face Thanos once again in the final battle and help defeat the Mad Titan once and for all. In the end, Thor understands what it truly means to be king… by not being one anymore. He’ll return in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder.
Hawkeye – In the years since losing his family in the Decimation, Clint Barton leaves behind his identity as the superhero Hawkeye and becomes Ronin, hunting down cartels and gangs around the world. But the hope of seeing his family again brings him back into the fold. Since the reunion, Hawkeye starred in his own Disney+ TV show.
Hulk – After Infinity War, Bruce Banner spent 18 months figuring out how to merge the brains and brawn together to create Smart Hulk. And he becomes vital to not only figuring out time travel but also making sure that they don’t doom the universe by creating alternate timelines.
Falcon – Falcon returns to fight alongside Captain America one last time in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle after first being dusted in Infinity War. His voice is the first one audiences hear after the snapped victims return. Of course, his first line is, “On your left” – a reference to Steve Rogers’ line from Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Sam Wilson recently became the new Captain America on Disney+’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and will headline a Captain America 4 movie.
War Machine – Col. James Rhodes became War Machine in Iron Man 2 and fought alongside his best friend, Tony Stark, in that film. And he had the opportunity to do so one more time in Avengers: Endgame, while also having the experience of time traveling in outer space.
Scarlet Witch – Appearing first in Avengers: Age of Ultron as an adversary, Wanda Maximoff eventually became one of the Avengers’ strongest heroes, with her superpowers coming from the Mind Stone. Most recently, she appeared in her own Disney+ TV show, titled WandaVision, and will co-star in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Ant-Man – If it wasn’t for a rat, Avengers: Endgame‘s story wouldn’t be possible, and time travel itself wouldn’t have happened without Scott Lang, who returns as Ant-Man (and Giant-Man) in the movie’s final battle. Ant-Man also represents the audience in this film – and for good reason. Scott will return in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Wasp – Hope van Dyne returns after the snap is reversed, and she wastes no time in getting in on the action as Wasp, even telling “Cap” that she and Ant-Man have the task of getting the Quantum Tunnel up-and-running covered. Wasp became the MCU’s first female leading character in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and that legacy is continued in Endgame. She’ll also be back alongside Scott for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Spider-Man – As one of Marvel’s fan-favorite characters, Peter Parker came back from his emotional send-off in Infinity War as Spider-Man (or, more accurately, the Iron Spider). Spider-Man got to kick off the post-Infinity Saga era with Spider-Man: Far From Home, and teamed up with his Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield-portrayed movie counterparts in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Star-Lord – Redeeming himself after his fateful moment in Infinity War is Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, who’s now trying to hold onto his team while also searching for the person he lost to Thanos – Gamora. That search looks to take place in 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, once again written and directed by James Gunn.
Nebula – Perhaps the most underrated character in Avengers: Endgame and the unsung hero in the fight against Thanos, Nebula returns not once but twice in the movie’s final battle – once as her present self and another as herself from 2014. And she’s, unfortunately, forced to kill her past self in order to protect her sister.
Gamora (2014) – Gamora was killed in Infinity War, and that death cannot be undone, just like Black Widow’s Soul Stone-based death. But Avengers: Endgame brings the past’s Gamora into the future and sets up her story for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Drax – Drax the Destroyer has had one mission: kill Thanos. While he tried and failed to do so in Infinity War, he managed to complete his task in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle by aiding his fellow superheroes. Now, his path is open, just like Thor’s.
Rocket – Rocket was one of the last surviving Guardians in Avengers: Endgame, and when Thor was down on his luck, it was Rocket who stepped up and helped the Avengers succeed in bringing everyone back.
Groot – Groot has died twice since first appearing in the MCU in Guardians of the Galaxy – the first time as a sacrifice and the second time as part of the snap – but he was reunited with Rocket in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle, and they battled Thanos’ army together.
Mantis – Mantis is one of the newest members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, but her powers came in handy in Avengers: Infinity War, and they undoubtedly helped some more in Endgame‘s final battle. Perhaps she’ll be able to use her powers to help Gamora (2014) learn about her other self, as she returns alongside the rest of the team in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Doctor Strange – Just like Ant-Man, Avengers: Endgame wouldn’t have been possible without Doctor Strange, whose plan was put in place when he gave up the Time Stone in Avengers: Infinity War. While he didn’t have too much to do in Endgame‘s final battle, he knew exactly what needed to be done in order to make sure they won – and they did. Since then, Strange managed to botch a spell – thanks to Peter Parker – that set Spider-Man: No Way Home into motion, and also set up his own sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Wong – While Doctor Strange was coming back from Titan, Wong took it upon himself to unite the world’s heroes and bring them to the Avengers HQ for the final battle against Thanos. It’s revealed in Spider-Man: No Way Home that Wong also became Sorcerer Supreme thanks to Doctor Strange getting dusted for five years.
Black Panther – In an exciting moment, Black Panther is the first major hero to return after the snap, and he was crucial to getting the Infinity Stones where they need to go. Sadly, actor Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020, and Marvel has confirmed T’Challa won’t be recast for 2022 sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Okoye – Okoye was the only major Black Panther character who wasn’t killed by the snap in Avengers: Infinity War. She continued to coordinate with the Avengers in the five years since the Decimation, and when the time was right, she brought everyone from Wakanda to the Avengers HQ to fight Thanos and his time-traveling army.
Bucky – No longer the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes became the White Wolf in-between Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War, and he was perhaps the only person wielding a traditional weapon in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle. Bucky co-starred in Disney+’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but it’s unclear what his next movie will be.
Valkyrie – Valkyrie was a disgraced hero in Thor: Ragnarok, but after redeeming herself, she lived up to her name in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle. And now she’s been promoted to the queen of Asgard.
Captain Marvel – Coming on the heels of her solo movie, Carol Danvers helped save the Avengers twice in Endgame – the first time by saving Tony Stark and Nebula and the second time by singlehandedly destroying the Sanctuary-II. Then she took on Thanos by herself. Needless to say, Captain Marvel is now one of the strongest heroes in the universe. She’ll be back to star in 2022’s The Marvels, alongside former friend Monica Rambeau.
Shuri – Shuri was one of the surprise snap victims, as her fate wasn’t revealed until the first Avengers: Endgame trailer. But she came back with her signature hand cannons and fought Thanos alongside her brother, T’Challa, in the movie’s final battle sequence.
M’Baku – One of the breakout characters from Black Panther, M’Baku didn’t survive the snap, but he did help his king lead the armies of Wakanda against Thanos and his army in Endgame‘s big battle sequence.
Pepper Potts – Pepper Potts has been Tony Stark’s rock since the very beginning, and she finally had the chance to use her gift from her husband to fight alongside Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle. But, sadly, it was also the last time that she saw Tony alive.
Korg – Korg and Meik survived the snap only to return in a hilarious scene in New Asgard. But while Korg isn’t too good at Fortnite, he knows how to fight on the battlefield, seeing as he returned alongside his king in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle.
Sorcerers – In addition to Doctor Strange and Wong, sorcerers from all corners of the planet fought in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle, and they were integral to keeping people safe when the Sanctuary-II rained fire on the battlefield.
Wakandans – Just as in Avengers: Infinity War, the Wakandan army faced the brunt of Thanos’ army, except this time they did it with dozens of other heroes from all across the galaxy – and they did so off their home turf.
Howard the Duck – Howard the Duck was a surprise cameo in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and he returned in the final Avengers: Endgame battle against Thanos.
Kraglin – As one of the few remaining Ravagers, Kraglin joined the fight alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy to defeat the Mad Titan and his galaxy-destroying army once and for all.
Ravagers – While only a few of them remain after the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, the Ravagers are still on the side of good, and they proved that in the final Endgame battle.
Thanos (2014) – The Thanos from Avengers: Infinity War was killed early on in Avengers: Endgame, but the Thanos from 2014 managed to use the Quantum Tunnel to appear in 2023 – and although he was perhaps more naive than the one fans are used to seeing, he put up a good fight against the Avengers and their army.
Ebony Maw – Returning alongside Thanos is one of the Black Order’s main members: Ebony Maw, whose powers rival that of Doctor Strange.
Corvus Glaive – While he was killed in Avengers: Infinity War (by his own glaive), a past version of Corvus Glaive appears in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle and is ultimately dusted alongside the rest of the Black Order.
Proxima Midnight – Proxima Midnight’s role in Avengers: Endgame is much smaller compared to Avengers: Infinity War, but she’s still around to fight alongside the rest of the Black Order in the final battle.
Cull Obsidian – Cull Obsidian is the brute force of the Black Order, and he’s one of the first villains to charge the Avengers in Endgame‘s final battle. Oddly, a mistake meant that Obsidian appears twice in the same shot.
Outriders – Just as in Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos’ army in Avengers: Endgame is primarily comprised of Outriders.
Chitauri – The Chitauri return in Avengers: Endgame‘s time-traveling mission, but their ships also appear in the final battle, with one being knocked down by Giant-Man.
Fitting for a climax involving nearly 40 major MCU characters, Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle is quite long and takes place basically in real-time. The fight in its entirety is a bit over 30 minutes if one begins counting from the moment Thanos arrives and fights Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, to the time he gets snapped away by Iron Man. It’s comparable in scale to the famous final showdown in Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King but even bigger in scope.
While the final battle in Avengers: Endgame featured almost every single superpowered or almost-superhuman individual in the MCU (the good ones, at least), there were some MCU heroes who were notably absent.
Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne were both returned by the Hulk after being finger-snapped out of existence by Thanos in Infinity War. However, neither took part in the final battle against Thanos during Endgame, although both are present at the funeral of Tony Stark. No explanation is given for this, but it might simply be that both are considerably later along in life than most of the other mortal heroes. They may have decided to sit out the battle and let the younger generation handle things. Of course, it might also simply be that there weren’t enough Pym particles to go around, so the older pair let Scott and Hope use them.
Sharon Carter was hiding out in Madripoor for the five years between Infinity War and Endgame. She was incorrectly assumed to have been blipped from the Snap by the Avengers, but she actually used the situation to her advantage to remain off-grid. Sharon Carter was still a U.S. fugitive at the time, and while the Endgame final battle went down, she was probably already operating as Power Broker in Madripoor, where she’s found during Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Nakia from Black Panther was presumably in Wakanda during the final battle. The fate of her character after Black Panther still isn’t known. Outside of in-universe explanations, actor Lupita Nyong’o had scheduling clashes at the time of filming.
Lady Sif was alive during the events of Endgame, but she wasn’t with the rest of the Asgardians on Earth. She’d been exiled by Loki during his tenure posing as Odin and ruling Asgard. While she was blipped and subsequently returned, she didn’t take this opportunity to fight. Sif wouldn’t reunite with the other Asgardians until Thor: Love and Thunder, when she was rescued from Gorr the God Butcher by Thor after losing an arm.
Ghost is still on the run with Bill Foster (aka Goliath) after the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp. Fittingly for the mysterious character, nothing is known about her whereabouts after this, although she is presumably still out there. There’s speculation that Ghost may return as a member of the MCU’s Thunderbolts, although this hasn’t been confirmed. If she is, the show may shed light on her Endgame whereabouts.
Talos the Skrull was traveling the galaxy to find a new home for the rest of the Skrulls during the MCU’s 2020s. They could in theory have returned to take part in the final battle, especially if Nick Fury requested it. It’s possible that Talos chose not to bring the Skrulls into the war as their numbers are already slim.
Despite Endgame having incredibly high stakes as the end of the Infinity Saga, only one hero died during the final battle – Iron Man, aka Tony Stark. While his death was certainly emotional, the fact that only one out of 36 participating heroes perished during the movie takes the teeth out of the intended impact, especially on repeat viewings. The final Infinity War battle ratchets up much more tension, in no small part due to the fact that multiple heroes don’t make it to the end of the sequence (Vision’s death also has much greater significance since the events of Wandavision and Multiverse of Madness, which helps reframe the battle). Endgame doesn’t provide the same uncertainty.
Considering that some characters who took part in the final battle against Thanos were relatively minor, like fan-favorite Korg‘s companion Meik and the Ravagers from the Guardians, there were plenty of opportunities to include a few deaths that would have upped the ante without disrupting long-term MCU stories. A version of Nebula dies in Endgame, but it’s the evil alternate Nebula from a past timeline. The rest of the notable deaths in the Endgame final battle are all villains, namely Thanos and his Black Order. While Marvel Studios have plans for pretty much all the participating heroes, which made killing them off difficult, it doesn’t negate the fact that for a final battle, there wasn’t much finality in Endgame. It seems that even by the time it reached Avengers: Endgame after 22 movies, the MCU still couldn’t shake its problem with meaningful risks and permanent death.
Go to Source
Author: Mansoor Mithaiwala
