Avengers Endgame: Everything you need to know

Iron Man released in 2008 and teased something called the Avengers Initiative. Marvel was bought by Disney in 2009 and the universe flourished under the House of Mouse’s umbrella with movies like The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Thor.

The superheroes were brought together in a massive, never-before-seen-in-live-action crossover The Avengers in 2012. The bad guy was Loki, though he was dancing on the tunes of an even bigger bad guy Thanos.

The Avengers was followed by an even bigger though less successful sequel even as smaller standalone movies continued to flesh out the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Captain America franchise’s third film titled Civil War became Avengers 2.5 with more characters in it than either Avengers movies. The Russo brothers, who had also helmed the second film of the Captain America series, The Winter Soldier, directed it.

The brothers were invited to conclude the Avengers franchise with the last two films, Infinity Wars and Endgame.

All the superheroes came together to take on Thanos as he invaded earth in Infinity War with his alien lieutenants and army of Outriders. Thanks to Civil War, the heroes were divided into two factions. One fought the Mad Titan on his former planet Titan and the other on Wakanda’s grasslands.

Thanos defeated every single superhero (and sometimes many put together), acquired every Infinity Stone, and achieved his goal of killing half of all life in the universe, including some major superheroes like Peter Parker, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, almost the entire Guardians of the Galaxy and so on.

Now comes the Endgame. The remaining superheroes are united and have vowed vengeance against the Mad Titan, who escaped to a planet to spend the rest of his days as a farmer. He still has the Infinity Stones and the superheroes are planning to wrench them from his purple hands and undo the genocide.

The Avengers are joined by Captain Marvel, called the most powerful superhero in the MCU. Many theories are put forward to pave the way for resurrecting the dead, including travelling across time and obviate the snap from history entirely. The Quantum Realm, featured in the Ant-Man films, is also suggested as a way to bring back the dead superheroes.

Most of the old guard among the Avengers are expected to depart the MCU after Endgame and it is said by some they will collectively sacrifice themselves so that their successors, that is the newer superheroes, could live.

In any case, we are about to find out soon.

Avengers: Endgame releases on April 26.