Part of the journey is the end.

December 7, 2018 5:53 AM

Avengers: Endgame The epic conclusion to Avengers: Infinity War
posted by Fleebnork (151 comments total)

Also screams about this

There's a lot of screaming this morning.
posted by dinty_moore at 5:56 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

::kermit flails::
posted by Faintdreams at 5:57 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

Ok. I would like to see the movie now. Can I go in the quantum realm to skip the next few months of stupid boring life so I can see the movie now?
posted by wabbittwax at 5:58 AM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

I, for one, am encouraged that this film appears to be about our heroes sitting and discussing their problems as opposed to kicking names and taking ass.

(Just kidding, there's a lot of excitement here for the kiddos between this and the Captain Marvel trailer a few days ago).
posted by nubs at 5:59 AM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

Aaaaaaaaaalso.

I had a LOT of questions about how they might sucessfully finish this MCU story arc *before* the trailer landed.

I now have approximately a Bajillion different questions that need answering.
posted by Faintdreams at 6:00 AM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

I’m so confused
posted by sixswitch at 6:04 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Really exciting and also Hawkeye.
posted by Artw at 6:06 AM on December 7, 2018 [11 favorites]

Gotta say I'm pretty disappointed in Nebula. Her dad snaps away half of all life in the universe; the least she could do is give Tony a ride home.
posted by wabbittwax at 6:06 AM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

please let this be the only trailer, please please please!

I like how it illustrates that Scott managed to escape the quantum realm after the end of Ant-man and The Wasp. The truck implies he has some special equipment from that movie and obviously the quantum realm will play a key in defeating Thanos.

It's interesting how the trailer hits common beats, aka hero in peril, doom and loss, then logo with swelling music, then a bit of humor. Damn if it isn't rote, but damn if it doesn't work in this case because I like and care about the characters.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:06 AM on December 7, 2018 [10 favorites]

Ok yeah, I mean how does Scott get out of the Quantum Realm? He's in Luis' van, so maybe he pushes a button or something?
posted by Fleebnork at 6:07 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

Scott's escape fro m the QR will probably be a plot point and matter to the final battle.

PLUS, how does CM factor into all this?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:09 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I meant maybe Luis was there to push said button. He could tell a story too, I'm cool with that.
posted by Fleebnork at 6:09 AM on December 7, 2018 [10 favorites]

Ok yeah, I mean how does Scott get out of the Quantum Realm?

He cashed in a No-Prize.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:16 AM on December 7, 2018 [26 favorites]

RONIN! ANT-MAN! LUIS? SHURI IS "MISSING"!?! CAN'T WAIT!

Right now with a friend who has seen none of the MCU movies we are doing a total rewatch/marathon. Tomorrow night were are up to "Iron Man 3". We are doing it in this order:

Captain America: The First Avenger / "Agent Carter"
Iron Man
Iron Man 2 / "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer"
Thor
Incredible Hulk /"The Consultant"
Avengers / "Item 47"
Thor: The Dark World
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Iron Man 3 / "All Hail the King"
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Ant-Man
Captain America: Civil War
Black Panther
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Doctor Strange
Thor: Ragnarok
Avengers: Infinity War
Ant-Man & The Wasp

We are having a lot of fun with 1 of us a *total* MCU/comic book nerd, another one that has seen each film maybe once maybe only a couple of times and now is discovering more details, and the other one a total MCU virgin that is discovering all of this for the first time with 1 film a week (or as schedules allow).
posted by alchemist at 6:22 AM on December 7, 2018 [34 favorites]

I had joked that the post-credits scene for Infinity War should have been Hawkeye waking up and saying “What a crazy dream”, and while this wasn’t exactly that I still gave an excited little yelp when Clint showed up.

I know that Marvel isn’t in the business of losing money, but bro, give us Renner in a Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye movie, bro.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 6:35 AM on December 7, 2018 [15 favorites]

Alternatively: Give us somebody who isn’t Renner in a Matt Fraction Hawkeye movie.
posted by Artw at 6:37 AM on December 7, 2018 [49 favorites]

I, for one, am encouraged that this film appears to be about our heroes sitting and discussing their problems as opposed to kicking names and taking ass.

Oh, I am sure ass will be taken at some point. But I also enjoy the downbeat focus on those beaten down, the After The End gloom that it evokes.

At the same time I wonder that Marvel held off six months on divulging the title because its title was a spoiler for Infinity War. Okay then.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 6:38 AM on December 7, 2018

Also, Clint is definitely wearing the Ronin outfit, but since that’s a homonym for Ronan (from Guardians of the Galaxy and I believe Captain Marvel) I’m guessing they’ll call him something else.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 6:40 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

- We don't know what's up with Nebula--we only get a glimpse--but it looks like she may be on the ship with Tony, just not in the same exact area.

- I've always been kind of meh with Ronin in the comics; his/her secret identity was supposed to be this big mystery, but I could never figure out why anyone particularly cared. Maybe this version will have a little more juice. (I can certainly imagine Clint having some remorse over sitting out the last battle--although what he could have done vs. Thanos, short of coming up with a nuke-tipped arrow, is beyond me--and this being some sort of expression of a need to vindicate himself.)

- Scott got out of the QR by using his radio connection (still obviously intact even after Hank, Janet, and Hope got dusted) to trigger Luis' "La Cucaracha" horn and followed the sound out. That's my headcanon and I'm stickin' to it.

- I assume that they left Carol out of this so as not to possibly spoilerize things for her movie (although she's in the preliminary art, the one that shows Hulk in a big purple suit), but where's Rocket? Or Rhodey?

- When Bruce is looking at the people on the screens, obviously Scott's in the foreground, and in the background there's Shuri, who turns into... who? Looks like Hemsworth.

- Speaking of Hemmo, he sure looks glum.

- Nothing really new with Farmer Thanos. (The scarecrow is from the comic.) But he's still got the Gauntlet.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:40 AM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

Gotta say I'm pretty disappointed in Nebula. Her dad snaps away half of all life in the universe; the least she could do is give Tony a ride home.

I'm assuming she's stuck on the Guardian's ship with Tony; I don't think there was any other way off Titan - the ring ship Tony came on crashed, and Nebula used her ship as a missile against Thanos.
posted by nubs at 6:45 AM on December 7, 2018

But why wouldn't they tell us the title until now? They said the title would be a spoiler, but "Endgame" is not a spoiler.
posted by timdiggerm at 6:55 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Alternatively: Give us somebody who isn’t Renner in a Matt Fraction Hawkeye movie.

Exploding Brain: Give us a Kate Bishop Hawkeye movie.
posted by dinty_moore at 6:56 AM on December 7, 2018 [38 favorites]

But why wouldn't they tell us the title until now? They said the title would be a spoiler, but "Endgame" is not a spoiler.

Like any good DM, I sort of assume that 'that would be a spoiler' is just code for 'we haven't figured that part out yet'
posted by dinty_moore at 6:58 AM on December 7, 2018 [8 favorites]

why did you shave Cap why
posted by lydhre at 7:03 AM on December 7, 2018 [24 favorites]

Endgame is a spoiler of sorts because it references what Doctor Strange said in the first movie and indicates the heroes will win, and Tony will probably be key.

Not a huge spoiler, but yeah, a spoiler.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:04 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Poor old Thor has been having the worst week ever. I'd be looking glum too.
posted by orrnyereg at 7:12 AM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

Brandon Blatcher: "the heroes will win"

That this was at all ever in doubt is the purest testament to the power of "Infinity War" on the imagination.

I do like Cap's variant of it though in this trailer, that he knows [whatever it is] will work because he doesn't know what he will do if it doesn't.
posted by chavenet at 7:12 AM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

I'm assuming that what happened with Hawkeye is that his wife + multiple of his kiddos are part of the vanished 50%, which would be enough to turn anyone into a Brian Michael Bendis character.
posted by lydhre at 7:17 AM on December 7, 2018 [26 favorites]

Ok yeah, I mean how does Scott get out of the Quantum Realm?

Drummer ant saves him.
posted by cmfletcher at 7:18 AM on December 7, 2018 [13 favorites]

That this was at all ever in doubt is the purest testament to the power of "Infinity War" on the imagination.

I suspect the most people won't be too surprised about the hereos winning in the end, but it's, uh, the journey to that conclusion that is most important. How will the heroes win in this situation and what would be considered a win on this sort of fictional scale?

There's theories, and i'm personally not sure the creators can satisfactorily get themselves out of this fictional corner, but like everyone else, I'll be in line that weekend (hell, that Thursday night) to find out!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:19 AM on December 7, 2018

Ok yeah, I mean how does Scott get out of the Quantum Realm?

My theory (based on almost no knowledge of the underlying comics) is that Captain Marvel gets him out somehow. I mean she's got to play some kind of pivotal role here. And she seems to have really extreme power levels so who knows what she can do? But since her movie hasn't even come out yet, she doesn't appear at all in the trailer.

Also, a good indicator of how close my inner 10-year-old is to the surface these days is just how long and completely I laughed at the suggestion I ran across this morning that Ant Man could defeat Thanos by going tiny, crawling up his rectum, and then going giant inside his colon and exploding him. I'm not proud...
posted by Naberius at 7:27 AM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

They said the title would be a spoiler, but "Endgame" is not a spoiler.

Avengers: Endgame an anagram for “greased vegan men”, which suggests things are going to get weird.
posted by dephlogisticated at 7:30 AM on December 7, 2018 [70 favorites]

Hawk Guy!
posted by kokaku at 7:31 AM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

My theory (based on almost no knowledge of the underlying comics) is that Captain Marvel gets him out somehow.

A cursory DuckDuckGo search for "captain marvel quantum realm" sure seems to support that theory.
posted by solotoro at 7:33 AM on December 7, 2018

When they were filming Infinity War and Endgame back to back there were spoiler reports that the Avengers would have to go back in time to events from previous films which I assume means that the team will have to steal back Gray's Sports Almanac from Thanos.
posted by Servo5678 at 7:36 AM on December 7, 2018 [13 favorites]

“The end is in the beginning and yet you go on.”
― Samuel Beckett, Endgame
posted by chavenet at 7:38 AM on December 7, 2018 [11 favorites]

What's the deal with the armor suit scarecrow?
posted by medusa at 7:38 AM on December 7, 2018

Avengers: Endgame an anagram for “greased vegan men”, which suggests things are going to get weird.

Maybe there's a surprise tie-in with Scott Pilgrim?
posted by memebake at 7:40 AM on December 7, 2018 [9 favorites]

Alternatively: Give us somebody who isn’t Renner in a Matt Fraction Hawkeye movie.

Jimmi Simpson
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:42 AM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

Medusa: It's Thanos' armor. I'm guessing it's to show he has hung up his boots, so to speak.
posted by aldurtregi at 7:44 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I think they have to focus this trailer on Cap and Tony - they've been the two loci the whole Avengers team has been centered on. (Plus this is likely Chris Evans final film, so yeah.)

Damn, I'll really miss his Captain.
posted by drewbage1847 at 7:49 AM on December 7, 2018 [9 favorites]

Although it will never happen in the movie I'm hoping Thanos will be defeated off-screen by Squirrel Girl and Tippy-Toe as in the comics.
posted by plastic_animals at 7:50 AM on December 7, 2018 [26 favorites]

When Bruce is looking at the people on the screens, obviously Scott's in the foreground, and in the background there's Shuri, who turns into... who? Looks like Hemsworth.

It's Tom Holland (Spider-Man).
posted by SPrintF at 7:57 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I guess I should get around to watching the new Ant-Man movie, huh.

(Also, "Endgame" gets a 5/10 from me, was expecting "Reassembled" when the logo started to form)
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 8:00 AM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

Tony was wearing the bleeding edge nanite armor in Infinity War. That helmet doesn't appear to be from that suit. It also looks like he's on Quill's ship so it's possible Nebula may be there with him.
posted by cmfletcher at 8:00 AM on December 7, 2018

Ant man should of entered Thanos ear and become a forever itch. :D
posted by birmingham at 8:02 AM on December 7, 2018

Also also: The Thanos scarecrow is direct from the epilogue to Infinity Gauntlet. After his defeat and the hands of Adam Warlock & co. he escapes to a remote world and becomes a farmer, with his armor hanging in the field as a symbol that he's done with that life.

Narrator: He was not done with that life
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 8:04 AM on December 7, 2018 [16 favorites]

My best friend is flying across the country so that we can watch this on opening weekend together.

Two years ago neither of us had seen a Marvel movie. We watched every single movie 'together' in the space of about 4 weeks, doing live facebook threads with our reactions so that others could follow along with us. I am Team Tony for ever and always. She is Team Cap. We make it work.

I don't think I have ever been so invested in a group of characters or a multi-movie story arc. I am going to sob uncontrollably when Tony and Cap die (our assumption).
posted by twilightlost at 8:05 AM on December 7, 2018 [9 favorites]

That was a fantastic trailer, it reveals very little, focuses on characters whom we care about, and conveys the movie’s expressive tone well. I hope it’s the only one that we get prior to release.
posted by LooseFilter at 8:13 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

was expecting "Reassembled" when the logo started to form

"Avengers Assemble" will always make me think of this.
posted by xedrik at 8:13 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I, for one, am encouraged that this film appears to be about our heroes sitting and discussing their problems as opposed to kicking names and taking ass.

I'm hoping for a series of scenes where our heroes debate ethics in a beige conference room on a starship, guest starring Professor X.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 8:14 AM on December 7, 2018 [13 favorites]

In Winter Soldier, Steve stops by the Captain America exhibit and watches a film in which a younger Peggy Carter explains how Steve rescued Allied troops caught behind enemy lines. Including, she says, "the man who would become my husband." The husband is not named.

Peggy Carter passes away in Civil War.

My theory: during Endgame, Steve will travel back in time and, after dealing with the Thanos situation, remain in the past and eventually marry Peggy Carter. As Sharon Carter said, "Aunt Peggy had many secrets." The final fate of Captain America may be one of them.
posted by SPrintF at 8:15 AM on December 7, 2018 [30 favorites]

The scene I don't think I really want to see in the film, but would be hella cool. Assuming thatg time travel is the solution.

Thor stands in front of Thanos, driving Storm Breaker deeper into his chest.

            THOR
      I told you. You will die for that.

Thanos suffers for a moment, then almost smiles.

            THANOS
       You should have gone for the head.

He readies his fingers for the snap.

A gloved hand comes into frame stopping inches from Thanos's ear. The camera pulls back to reveal CAPTAIN MARVEL, a portal glowing behind her.

Cosmic power erupts from Captain Marvel's fist, obliterating Thanos's head.

            CAPTAIN MARVEL
            (to Thor)
      He had a point.


My original version of this had Future Thor doing the honors, but he would insist on going back further, to save Loki.
posted by Tabitha Someday at 8:16 AM on December 7, 2018 [8 favorites]

I am still not entirely convinced that Loki is dead. He’s a trickster.
posted by Roger_Mexico at 8:19 AM on December 7, 2018 [14 favorites]

I guess I should get around to watching the new Ant-Man movie, huh.

I haven't watched all of MCU movies -- there are too too many and I have limited discretionary spending -- so I would say Ant-Man 2 was actually a perfect summer kids film. It's light-hearted with lots of action, and it's aimed pretty squarely at kids -- Ant Man guy's daughter plays a prominent role, the violence is toned down and there is this cool thing where Hank Pym and Ant Man carry around a suitcase full of tiny little cars.

Another one I really liked taking my younger son to was Thor: Ragnarok.
posted by JamesBay at 8:24 AM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

Oh, I definitely want to watch it -- tried to make time during the theatrical run and couldn't -- but it seems like it's going to be required viewing before April.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 8:26 AM on December 7, 2018

A trailer for a new Dragon Age video-game, a trailer for Avengers: Endgame, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is out. Today is like early Christmas for my nerd-heart.
posted by Fizz at 8:26 AM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

A trailer for a new Dragon Age video-game, a trailer for Avengers: Endgame, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is out. Today is like early Christmas for my nerd-heart.

And Katamary Damacy Reroll for Switch. Today is a good day to be a nerd and I cannot wait to get home from work.
posted by Twain Device at 8:27 AM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

Plus this is likely Chris Evans final film, so yeah.)

Has it been eight already? I’ll have to go count them up, but since he’s original deal was an eight picture one, this won’t be his last if it’s only been seven or less.
posted by sideshow at 8:29 AM on December 7, 2018

I do not have time for an entire MCU rewatch before this. But oh, how I want to.

Thank you for that Beckett quote. That makes perfect sense. I think you’re right that’s what they’re going for.

I will miss Cap like a hole in my heart.
posted by greermahoney at 8:29 AM on December 7, 2018

Chris Evans has confirmed leaving, yeah.
posted by greermahoney at 8:30 AM on December 7, 2018

I do like Cap's variant of it though in this trailer, that he knows [whatever it is] will work because he doesn't know what he will do if it doesn't.

He's Captain America. He always finds a way. It's his superpower.
And honestly it's one of my few complaints with these films--they haven't really sold the point that Steve can, in fact, handle all those fights where he's completely outclassed in power levels and still come out on top.

Chris Evans has made noises that he'd like to keep doing MCU stuff if they can find a way to make it happen. He has also talked about how he just can't handle the physical regimen to keep his body in Cap shape in the long term, and I can't blame him at all for that. But if the studio could, I dunno, give him a break on the shirtless scenes, maybe?

Which of course points back to every goddamn studio never giving women a break on how ideal their figure is for every goddamn role ever...
posted by scaryblackdeath at 8:31 AM on December 7, 2018 [8 favorites]

Ok. Kinda takes the fun out of it for some people, but figuring out “is x character really dead/leaving??????” is as easy as finding their original deals. If Evans is up to eight, some of the other early ones must be finishing up soon as well.

And yeah Evans can come back, but he’s not some relatively no name dude this time around. Studio is more likely to find the next unknown dude/girl and sign them up for an eight picture deal.
posted by sideshow at 8:35 AM on December 7, 2018

> "Ant man should of entered Thanos ear and become a forever itch. :D"

That's basically how The Atom took down Darkseid that one time.
posted by kyrademon at 8:38 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

Which of course points back to every goddamn studio never giving women a break on how ideal their figure is for every goddamn role ever...

Which ironically seems like it would make superhero movies more convenient for women, since they're required to be in superhero shape for any movie they do, so why not do the ones where they actually get to punch people. If only they got offered the roles in the first place.....
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 8:39 AM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

Hopefully Steve doesn't go back in time and end up becoming the "Commie Smasher" Cap from the 1950s.
posted by tobascodagama at 8:45 AM on December 7, 2018

please let this be the only trailer, please please please!

Yeah this is good.

I decided that if I could love Infinity War in spite of being 95% sure from the comics it was gonna end the way it ended, I'm not going to fuss about making some pyrrhic effort to avoid spoilers for this one. But I am shaking my head at everybody saying "Where's so-and-so?" Do we have to actively demand more spoilers in our trailers?
posted by straight at 8:55 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

A trailer for a new Dragon Age video-game, a trailer for Avengers: Endgame, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is out. Today is like early Christmas for my nerd-heart.

And the Psychonauts 2 trailer is more beautiful than I'd hoped. I love how much it makes me want to replay the first game.
posted by straight at 8:56 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

My theory: during Endgame, Steve will travel back in time and, after dealing with the Thanos situation, remain in the past and eventually marry Peggy Carter. As Sharon Carter said, "Aunt Peggy had many secrets." The final fate of Captain America may be one of them.

Dammit. Speculation doesn't count as spoilers unless you come up with something so perfect that they'll either do that or something not as good.
posted by straight at 8:57 AM on December 7, 2018 [7 favorites]

Which of course points back to every goddamn studio never giving women a break on how ideal their figure is for every goddamn role ever...

There's a delightful but kinda sad interview where Evangeline Lilly is saying, "I thought you boys said these suits were unbearable? It's no more uncomfortable than the stuff they always make us wear."

(Also, I really enjoyed Ant-Man & the Wasp--it's kind of a madcap "Who's got the MacGuffin?" comedy to the first one's heist movie--but I gotta say that while Lilly was pretty good, she has more life and humor in that one interview than she had in the whole movie.)
posted by straight at 9:10 AM on December 7, 2018 [10 favorites]

This trailer looks pretty grimdark, but I am so, so hoping for the the joy that will be Black Panther Shuri.
posted by ourobouros at 9:11 AM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

How does cap live happily ever after in the past when he knows what is happening to Bucky?
posted by cmfletcher at 9:22 AM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

Howard The Duck Saves The Multiverse.

Go big or go home.
posted by delfin at 9:22 AM on December 7, 2018 [12 favorites]

The main weakness of Ant-Man & The Wasp was that the Quantum Realm stuff was very disappointing, both visually and narratively. All the speculation that it's going to be a key feature of Endgame is kinda disappointing because so far we haven't seen anything of it that makes me want to go back and see more.

(Yes, giant tardigrades are wonderful, but just a sight you see on the way in or out of the Quantum Realm.)
posted by straight at 9:23 AM on December 7, 2018

Howard The Duck Saves The Multiverse.

Team him up with Spider-Ham and we're talking.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 9:28 AM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

I was astonished that the giant tardigrades were also somehow giant murderous tardigrades. It's like learning the Care Bears are actually carnivorous.
posted by JamesBay at 9:28 AM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

How does cap live happily ever after in the past when he knows what is happening to Bucky?

How long do you think Hydra could have held on to Bucky if Steve had been awake and aware that Bucky was still alive? (If Bucky's not the Winter Soldier, Civil War never splits the Avengers and then we have WHAT IF: The Avengers had been united the first time they fought Thanos?)
posted by straight at 9:28 AM on December 7, 2018 [7 favorites]

A trailer for a new Dragon Age video-game, a trailer for Avengers: Endgame, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is out. Today is like early Christmas for my nerd-heart.

      ___          __   __   __     __                  __   __   __  
|\ | |__  |  |    /  \ |__) /__` | |  \ |  /\  |\ |    |__) |__) / _` 
| \| |___ |/\|    \__/ |__) .__/ | |__/ | /~~\ | \|    |  \ |    \__> 
                                                                      

posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 9:30 AM on December 7, 2018 [8 favorites]

Team him up with Spider-Ham and we're talking.

Spider-Ham is busy with the new Spider-Man movie, Into The Spider-Verse. Seriously. He's voiced by John Mulaney. I saw an advance screening last week and it's insanely glorious, particular Ham's role in it. I can't wait for the FanFare thread.
posted by Servo5678 at 9:32 AM on December 7, 2018 [14 favorites]

Oh, I am very much aware of Spider-Ham's presence in a major motion picture. But what, I ask you, is he doing next?
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 9:34 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

But what, I ask you, is he doing next?

Stick around for the end of the Spider-verse movie and you'll find out! Sony wants to make this thing into its own cinematic universe, so there's plenty of sequel hooks and teases.
posted by Servo5678 at 9:37 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

How am I supposed to continue living when Steve is crying and Tony dreams of Pepper and I am deceased?
posted by nicebookrack at 9:41 AM on December 7, 2018 [8 favorites]

I've seen like a quarter of the MCU movies and really don't give much of a shit about them, but I did read a lot of comic books at a very formative period of my young life and, honestly, the Thanos-armor-scarecrow shot gave me chills when I realized what it was.
posted by penduluum at 9:43 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

the Quantum Realm stuff was very disappointing, both visually and narratively.

Ant-Man and the Wasp - Quantum Realm Deleted Scene

posted by the man of twists and turns at 9:43 AM on December 7, 2018 [7 favorites]

I'm assuming that what happened with Hawkeye is that his wife + multiple of his kiddos are part of the vanished 50%, which would be enough to turn anyone into a Brian Michael Bendis character.

The trailer basically says that with our first glimpse of Hawkeye coming on the beat of Steve saying, "We lost family."
posted by straight at 9:44 AM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

Give us a Kate Bishop Hawkeye movie.

I regret that I have but one favorite to give. The most important part of the casting process will be finding the perfect Pizza Dog.
posted by zeusianfog at 9:45 AM on December 7, 2018 [13 favorites]

Also perfecting time travel so we can get 1973 Elliot Gould off the set of The Long Goodbye for a few days.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 9:48 AM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

The Steve lives happily ever after in the past idea seems nice on the surface but does introduce some serious wrinkles such as: but what about Bucky, because if Steve Rogers became Captain America to save Bucky (First Avenger), was willing to die rather than live knowing he'd killed even a brainwashed and amnesiac Bucky (The Winter Soldier), and gave up being Captain America to save Bucky (Civil War), then I sincerely doubt there's any universe in which he would be okay with leaving Bucky to a fate worse than death while he himself goes through the 20th century the long way around. Also it would turn that admittedly bad but still there attempt at Steve/Sharon Carter romance into retroactive incest. (Making out with your grand niece! Gross.) So. That wouldn't be great.
posted by yasaman at 9:50 AM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

Shuri appears as one of the "Missing" hologram posters which is NOT FUCKING ACCEPTABLE, MARVEL

(Are M'Baku or Queen Angela Bassett the King of Wakanda now? This is VERY FUCKING ACCEPTABLE, MARVEL)
posted by nicebookrack at 9:53 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

All I know is early interviews with the Russo brothers talked about this being a series of heist movies and I'm waiting for the turn.

Thanos goes to smack somebody with the Infinity Guantlet, but pauses. Cosmic Ricky Jay pops out of a portal and says, "Is this what you were looking for?" before handing it to Okoye. Exuent, pursuant by bears.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:56 AM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Ant-Man and the Wasp - Quantum Realm Deleted Scene

It would be really neat-o if the Micronauts somehow played a role in Avengers 4, or the next Guardians movie.

And then there was an entire Micronauts franchise... starring Bug!
posted by JamesBay at 9:57 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

I sincerely doubt there's any universe in which he would be okay with leaving Bucky to a fate worse than death while he himself goes through the 20th century the long way around.

This. Cap’s motto: “No Bucky? No peace.” And the rest of it.

And honestly, Cap and Thor are neck and neck in the “who has it worse?” battle right now. Cap loses everyone he knows, finally gets Bucky back and loses him again. Thor loses his dad, his brother (again), and his home world. I vote Thor wins, but still.
posted by greermahoney at 9:57 AM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

The Steve lives happily ever after in the past idea seems nice on the surface but does introduce some serious wrinkles such as: ...averting the Cold War and kickstarting American social democracy.

I mean what who wrote that what an insane premise who spends their time thinking like that
posted by The Whelk at 9:59 AM on December 7, 2018 [27 favorites]

"Real People from history I don't like are all HYDRA just go with it" is a fantastic fan-fic tag, The Whelk.
posted by straight at 10:09 AM on December 7, 2018 [12 favorites]

One of my hobbies is perusing extreme right-wing websites to keep informed as to what the other side is doing. One of the stranger things I've noticed is that a lot of right-wingers see it as a point of honor that they "never watch new movies" and "totally avoid these new superhero movies." When Avengers: Endgame comes out in April, they WILL be bragging that they're going to stay home and watch "Sharkey's Machine" instead.

One of their reasons, apart from general grumpiness, is their belief that all new superhero movies contain radical liberal messages in the form of "gay-transgender characters," and "female/black characters always being awesome and right while the white male characters are humiliated and shamed."

I've tried to tell them that this isn't really so, that most superhero movies are pretty conservative in nature and typically feature straight white dudes solving most problems through fighting. They don't believe me. You wouldn't believe how many of them declared that Wonder Woman was going to be a man-hating lesbian before the movie even came out.

Don't get me wrong, that would have been cool as well.

Anyway, super stoked for Avengers!!!
posted by Chronorin at 10:15 AM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

From Twitter: "Are the Avengers asking if it's an old message from Paul Rudd because he hasn't aged at all since they met him?"
posted by straight at 10:18 AM on December 7, 2018 [20 favorites]

Having Tony dictating an emotional final message to Pepper, oh my heart. It's a tribute to the power of how much I love Iron Man that I can ignore the Goopy real life stuff and really enjoy Pepper and Tony's relationship in the movies.

I'm here for a Kate Bishop Hawkeye, something that works off the Hawkeye/Black Widow good stuff in the first Avengers movie (and which was one of my main fic pairing subjects for a while) or a new Hawk-guy movie based on the Fraction run. I just really like the Hawkeyes.
posted by PussKillian at 10:25 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

Avengers: The Avengening

Avengers: The Revengers
posted by nubs at 10:37 AM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

The Revengers

Thor already claimed that name in Ragnarok with Hulk, Valkyrie, and Loki.
posted by Servo5678 at 10:55 AM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

I mean what who wrote that what an insane premise who spends their time thinking like that

I’ve got some fanfic you might like.
posted by greermahoney at 11:07 AM on December 7, 2018

Man Thing where art thou!!? It's time.
posted by Liquidwolf at 11:20 AM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

Thor already claimed that name in Ragnarok with Hulk, Valkyrie, and Loki.

Exactly! He can reuse the T-shirts.
posted by nubs at 11:31 AM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

The Whelk, thank you for avoiding the most obvious cliche (and for a fine fanfic overall).
posted by Halloween Jack at 12:23 PM on December 7, 2018

I'm not thrilled about the trailer's focus being Tony, and hope that it's just the trailer and not the whole movie. I am very tired of Tony and his boring "I never told my dad I loved him" issue.
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:23 PM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

I've been rewatching the Iron Man movies, and they are kinda tedious. I think the character works best in the Avenger movies as part of an ensemble.
posted by JamesBay at 12:27 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

It doesn't help that Iron Man 2 is just not a good movie overall.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 12:29 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

rest easy, I will cry for Tony Stark hard enough for all of us. I just want him and his superhero friends to hug and be happy, god dammit

Also did Nebula stay behind on the IW planet or did she get get so annoyed by Tony that she blasted into the vacuum of space to escape him?
posted by nicebookrack at 12:41 PM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

heist movies

Scott Lang stumbled into time vortexes while floating around the Quantum Realm, and The Leftoveravengers will 100% be using them to time-travel back and steal Infinity Stones from the past before the Gauntlet was assembled.
posted by nicebookrack at 12:44 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

It doesn't help that Iron Man 2 is just not a good movie overall.

Though I like the big CG fight at the end, which is an inverse of normal.
posted by Artw at 12:48 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

Oh, definitely. It's short and cool, which is the polar opposite of, say, Winter Soldier. There's just a big gaping hole in the narrative (where, I maintain, Tony Stark's alcoholism was supposed to be).
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 12:49 PM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

IM2 also has the distraction of "Natalie Rushman", who may as well have shown up with a T-shirt on saying "Really the Black Widow" as far as comics fans were concerned.
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:29 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I liked the gag in Iron Man 2 where Mickey Rourke had a beloved cockatoo he left behind in Russia and then Sam Rockwell presents him with a cockatiel, claiming that it's the same bird.
posted by tobascodagama at 1:43 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

In my headcanon, IM2 is a mismatched buddy film starring Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell. Some other things happened, too, I guess.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:49 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

I loved Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke in IM2. It's just a shame the rest of the movie was a drag.
posted by Pendragon at 3:25 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

The best part of Iron Man 2 was the briefcase suit of armor, a nice throwback to how Stark was always carrying around his suit in the comics. The Rhodey and Tony fight with the suits of armor is very Power Puff Girls, which I like.

So far my favorite reaction has been from Doreen Green.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 3:58 PM on December 7, 2018 [10 favorites]

Iron Man is a tricky character to write because every cool new idea you come up with, like armor that can fly by itself and latch onto you, potentially makes another cool idea, like keeping your armor in a little suitcase, obsolete.

I feel like they've done a remarkably good job of slowly ratcheting up the power of Tony's armor from barely able to remain stable in flight by firing jets from all four limbs to each individual piece being able to fly around like a tiny rocket ship to this crazy shape-shifting nanotech that can go a couple rounds against Thanos wielding four Infinity Stones.

It helps that they have a definite end of his arc in mind after which they won't need to worry that he's gotten too powerful to write stories about.
posted by straight at 5:45 PM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

I hope that Shang-Chi will have a cameo
posted by Apocryphon at 6:23 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

I am still not entirely convinced that Loki is dead. He’s a trickster.

I mean, there's some pretty strong meta-textual supporting evidence for that theory.
posted by mstokes650 at 8:11 PM on December 7, 2018

Not that I won’t love a Hiddles show, but am I the only one who would watch the hell out of a Loki: Agent of Asgard show with a younger Loki?
posted by greermahoney at 8:38 PM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

He has also talked about how he just can't handle the physical regimen to keep his body in Cap shape in the long term, and I can't blame him at all for that. But if the studio could, I dunno, give him a break on the shirtless scenes, maybe?

They kind of have been. Cap isn’t shirtless often; he’s not, say, Jackman's Wolverine. He has the famous extended, oiled-up shirtless scene when he gets injected with the serum way back in The First Avenger, but after that IIRC the most undressed he gets is a fairly modest tank top (gasp!) in The Winter Soldier, and a white t-shirt while he’s flexing to keep a helicopter grounded in Civil War.

The workouts are mostly for the action/fight scenes at this point, right? Maybe as long as he wears the suit he could probably get away with skipping everything except arm- and leg-days, even more so if Cap fights less and takes more of a “managerial” position in future movies.
posted by jpolorolu at 10:32 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I am still not entirely convinced that Loki is dead. He’s a trickster.

I mean, there's some pretty strong meta-textual supporting evidence for that theory.

Mmm, there's every likelihood that the stand-alone Loki stories will take place before Infinity War.
posted by tzikeh at 12:23 AM on December 8, 2018

Bucky looks like the bassist for a nu-metal band. He can stay dead, yes?
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 8:05 AM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

He can stay dead, yes?

Pistols at dawn, sir.
posted by greermahoney at 8:47 AM on December 8, 2018 [6 favorites]

Well somebody better die or stay dead
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:01 AM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]

SPOILER: Ebony Maw survived deep space... and he's really Uncle Ben!
posted by straight at 9:12 AM on December 8, 2018 [3 favorites]

Can we at least use the Pantene stone—the stone of lift and bounce—on Bucky’s hair?
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 9:37 AM on December 8, 2018 [4 favorites]

You leave his hair alone! That man is a veteran! He gave his life and his hair for the USA and he didn’t do it to be mocked by those who sat back and didn’t fight the Nazis, just because of bone spurs or not being born yet or whatever excuse you have.

Look, I’m sure when he gets 5 seconds to himself he’ll get a damn haircut. He’s been a little busy, what with deprogramming himself, petitioning the military for 70 years of back pay, and trying to save us all OK? Haircut was a little lower on the list.
posted by greermahoney at 9:55 AM on December 8, 2018 [8 favorites]

He also was sure to wash his hair before Steve arrived in Infinity War.
posted by dinty_moore at 10:03 AM on December 8, 2018 [6 favorites]

The thing I really want to see but know will not happen: during the years since the last film, Pepper got her Extremis powers back and joined up with Misty Knight and Colleen Wing.
posted by homunculus at 11:07 AM on December 8, 2018 [4 favorites]

Thinking about it, they need to up the ante for this one. I reckon Thanos will decide he wants to get rid of the other half of all living beings as well. Something like: He enjoys the solitude of his farm and decides the universe will be better with no-one in it except himself. That would give the movie some stakes, other than just 'lets bring back everyone who got dissolved'.
posted by memebake at 12:05 PM on December 8, 2018

While it makes sense that none of the dusted characters showed up in the trailer, I do hope DoctorStrange has some role to play in the movie itself. The scenes are so much more fun when magic is mixed in. Also, he knows the stones better than anyone else (among the good guys), so it would be conceivable that he is a part of the solution given the various time travel shenanigans afoot...
posted by asra at 1:36 PM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

Honestly, that's not really Thanos' deal? Like, he's an asshole, but he's not inconsistent.
posted by tavella at 2:16 PM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]

Honestly, that's not really Thanos' deal? Like, he's an asshole, but he's not inconsistent.

I mean, say what you want about the tenets of Thanos, Dude, at least it's an ethos.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 3:37 PM on December 8, 2018 [7 favorites]

> why did you shave Cap why

Rest in Peace, First Casualty of Avengers: Endgame: Steve Rogers’ Beard
posted by homunculus at 4:30 PM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]

I mean honestly. Half of the world gets ashed and you’re like, Hey-o, what if I shave?
posted by greermahoney at 6:46 PM on December 8, 2018

It was what Thor said, wasn’t it?
posted by Artw at 6:53 PM on December 8, 2018 [3 favorites]

Are we sure it's current-Steve who shaved, rather than that being a past Steve they time-hopped to?
posted by tavella at 7:10 PM on December 8, 2018

Rest in Peace, First Casualty of Avengers: Endgame: Steve Rogers’ Beard

That’s a terrible thing to call Sharon.
posted by The Whelk at 7:26 PM on December 8, 2018 [19 favorites]

It was a beard of sorrow, which traditionally is shaved when circumstances force a protagonist to cease moping and resume ass-kicking.
posted by dephlogisticated at 8:12 PM on December 8, 2018 [8 favorites]

Beard shaving is totally all about time jumping. He has to be able to fit in undiscovered during earlier, pre-beard times.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:04 AM on December 9, 2018 [3 favorites]

I'm 100% on board for Captain Marvel & Scott Lang, Team #IHaveNoIdeaWhatsGoingOn

The stinger to Captain Marvel will be Carol literally tripping over Scott in the Quantum Realm, while Scott asks if she has anything to eat that isn't a tardigrade.

Maybe Scott will absorb powers like Janet Van Dyne after getting stuck in Quantum for months. Being able to shift size or manipulate time vortexes without the suit would be super handy.
posted by nicebookrack at 2:23 PM on December 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

Maybe they're going to sneak Phyla-Vell and Moondragon into the MCU.

(They won't, at least not in an Avengers movie, but a guy can dream.)
posted by tobascodagama at 2:32 PM on December 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

The stinger to Captain Marvel will be Carol literally tripping over Scott in the Quantum Realm, while Scott asks if she has anything to eat that isn't a tardigrade.

I'm betting the CM movie will feature mention or an appearance by Thanos, 'cause Fury looked like he had an idea of what was going on at the end of Infinity War.

Also betting the stinger will feature CM stopping by the system where Tony is, rescuing him and both of them heading to Earth.

CM's won't magically fix anything, but she'll have the raw power to deal with Thanos better and potentially wield the Gauntlet.

Back on Earth, Tony (with Scott, Banner and Shuri's help) will work out the Quantum mechanics/realm voodoo to do...SOMETHING. Time travel has been rumored.

All I know is that someone besides Loki better die/has to stay dead for the emotional weight to be there for the story.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:53 PM on December 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

I do think that Cap sacrificing himself to somehow bring everyone else back would be, well, Cap-like, and carry a lot of emotional weight. My bet is on him. And it gives them an out as to explaining away his contract-leaving sitch. If Bucky comes back to no Cap, though, I’m just gonna lay down and die right there.
posted by greermahoney at 4:27 PM on December 9, 2018 [4 favorites]

I hope that doesn't happen. There's the weird history of MCU Bucky being brainwashed and killing people, like Tony Stark's parents, which makes things so awkward.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:24 PM on December 9, 2018

While we're making bets... it would only make dramatic sense for Nebula to finally kill Thanos, and I think she's probably earned it.

That said, I'm not sure that Thanos will be the villain as such in this movie. It would be interesting not to have a villain (in fact, in some ways he was the protagonist of the first part).

My wife is convinced this is the biggest two-part Dr Who season finale ever made and I'm not sure she's wrong.
posted by Grangousier at 5:30 PM on December 9, 2018 [4 favorites]

Repeating my Grand Sappy Theory of time-travel every which way (massive spoilers / speculation), repeating scenes from Avengers 1 & Infinity War, as the Avengers grab the Tesseract pre-Thanos then jump off Vormir together to get the Soul Stone. Plus Steve should get to punch Red Skull the Nazi in the face one last time. Then Nebula pulverizes Thanos as nod to original Infinity Gaunlet comic plus she's the only character who hates Thanos enough on a personal level.

In other hair news, I am almost as sad about Natasha's continued blondeness as I am Beardless Cap. It's probably another visual cue to mark Redhead Natasha as a flashback/time travel—but of all the times Scarlett J. has looked great with blonde hair, Infinity War was not one of them.
posted by nicebookrack at 6:39 PM on December 9, 2018 [4 favorites]

From the NASA (!!!) Twitter account: "Hey @Marvel, we heard about Tony Stark. As we know, the first thing you should do is listen in mission control for “@Avengers, we have a problem.” But if he can’t communicate, then we recommend ground teams use all resources to scan the skies for your missing man"
posted by nicebookrack at 7:55 PM on December 9, 2018 [6 favorites]

That made my freaking day!! Thank you nicebookrack!
posted by greermahoney at 8:07 PM on December 9, 2018

mean honestly. Half of the world gets ashed and you’re like, Hey-o, what if I shave?

Thor keeps his beard, Steve loses his. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
posted by nubs at 6:41 AM on December 12, 2018

Did the snapture make half of all beards disappear?
posted by medusa at 1:32 PM on December 12, 2018