It’s finally here, Marvel fans- Avengers: Endgame, the fourth installment in the Avengers series, has been released in theaters as a conclusion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) phase four. When we left off last, our favorite heroes had disintegrated, and the mad Titan Thanos relished in his victory as he watched the sun set. Now we get to see how the survivors of Thanos’s fatal snap are dealing with their loss, and how our remaining heroes plan to avenge the ones they lost. Warning ahead for major spoilers as we delve into the fantastic conclusion to the beloved Avengers saga.

SPOILERS

Sometimes the best place to start is the end. The final battle between the superheroes and Thanos’s forces in the rubble of the compound is undoubtedly the most epic fight sequence ever to take place in Marvel cinematic history. It tops the final battle of Infinity War, which seemed like an unimaginable feat. One of most significant moments is the grand return of all the superheroes who were snapped back into existence when Bruce Banner wielded the Infinity Gauntlet earlier in the film. As Captain America faces down Thanos, Falcon’s voice echoes in his earpiece with an all too familiar callback, “On your left,” as all the previously dead characters portal onto the battlefield. Once all our beloved heroes line up behind Cap, he says the most satisfying line of the entire film- “Avengers, assemble!” Another iconic moment in the final battle is when Captain America manages to summon Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, which can only be wielded by the most worthy. The camera angles and intense soundtrack all pay tribute to the theatrics of the scene.

Without a doubt, the film is an incredibly well-crafted ending to something that has meant so much to fans over the years. In our heroes’ attempt to travel back in time to collect the infinity stones, we get to see them interact with their past selves in some much-needed comedic scenarios. Other characters are able to seek validation and closure, like Tony Stark getting to thank his father, Steve getting to have his slow dance with Peggy Carter, and Thor having a heart-to-heart with his mother shortly before her death. Given that these three characters have been so ingrained within the fabric of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s only right that they receive a proper ending. Cap gets to grow old with the love of his life, and Thor goes on to travel with the resurrected Guardians of the Galaxy. The hardest ending to swallow is that of Tony Stark. Since 2008, Robert Downey Jr. has been portraying the charismatic, yet deeply tortured, Tony Stark. We’ve watched him survive captivity, fall in love, take down an alien invasion, overcome his own PTSD, and fight the Mad Titan head on. In every film he is in, Tony Stark is pushed to his limits, yet still manages to overcome all boundaries and grow as a person in the process. Now, it is finally time to say farewell to our beloved hero.

In a once-in-reality chance to save the universe from total annihilation, Tony Stark uses the infinity stones to wipe out Thanos and his forces. Thanos attempts to snap his fingers, oblivious to the fact that Tony has transferred the stones to his own gauntlet. He boasts, “I am inevitable,”  to which Tony reveals the stones and declares in rebuttal, “And I am Iron Man,” then snaps his fingers. The blast from the stones is too much for the human body to take, and Tony takes his final breaths surrounded by his wife and friends. Watching Peter Parker break down as Tony dies is eerily reminiscent of Tony having to watch Peter disintegrate after the first snap. At the end of the film, almost every prominent character in the MCU gathers together at Tony’s lakehouse to have a proper funeral service. The scene sets in the absolute finality of Tony’s death; there are no high tech gadgets, magic spells, or epic one-liners, just a family mourning a loved one.

The addition of Tony’s daughter, Morgan,  born in the five-year time jump, poses an interesting question: what will happen next? Will Morgan live out a normal life, or will she carry on her father’s legacy and become a superhero? What about the older version of Ant Man’s daughter, Cassie? In Ant Man and the Wasp, she expressed interest in becoming Scott’s superpower sidekick. In the comic books, Cassie Lang goes on to start her own superhero team known as the Young Avengers. Although Morgan Stark was adapted for the MCU, maybe she will be included in this new team, or perhaps she will follow her own path.

As far as films that have been announced, we can already count on Spiderman: Far From Home to be released July 2nd of this year, which will follow Peter Parker as he balances the struggle between student and superhero as well as trying to cope with the loss of his mentor. Sequels to Black Panther, Doctor Strange, and Captain Marvel have all been announced, as well as the third film for Guardians of the Galaxy. It appears that Chris Hemsworth has signed on to participate in the third installment of the Guardians series, which is evident as his character Thor boards the Guardians’ ship during the final moments of Endgame.

Our beloved Avengers may officially be retired, but that does not mean the MCU is. Fans have so much more to look forward to, and we cannot wait to see how our precious cinematic universe evolves.