AVENGERS: ENDGAME Director Explains Why Iron Man Had To Be The One To Die Instead Of Captain America

AVENGERS: ENDGAME Director Explains Why Iron Man Had To Be The One To Die Instead Of Captain America

Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo has addressed the decision to have Iron Man make the ultimate sacrifice at the end of the movie instead of Captain America. Find the full story here...

News
By JoshWilding - Apr 05, 2022 09:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Avengers: Endgame
Source: Deadline

Avengers: Endgame is likely destined to go down as one of the greatest comic book movies ever made, and the surprises in the epic "Infinity Saga" finale came thick and fast. The biggest, however, was Marvel Studios' decision to kill off Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark/Iron Man when the Armoured Avenger made the ultimate sacrifice in order to put an end to Thanos' dastardly plans once and for all. 

During a panel at the Sands International Film Festival of St. Andrews, co-director Joe Russo addressed the decision to have Iron Man use the power of the Infinity Gauntlet instead of Captain America.

"If you think of Captain America as a character, you go 'Okay, Captain America dying is fairly obvious,' right? [Self-sacrifice] is something he would do," Russo said. "This is a guy who offered to be a guinea pig in a science experiment in order to be able to go fight Nazis in the war. He's intrinsically a hero. There's not a lot of complexity there. It might be emotionally impactful because you like him. He's a very likeable character, but it’s not necessarily the most compelling arc."

"Tony Stark is a character who was supposed to die," Russo continued, alluding to what happened in 2008's Iron Man. "So that seemed like the more compelling arc to us, that it would be Stark who died. So that it would be a richer, more complex arc, and that’s why we chose him."

Steve Rogers travelled back in time and got his happy ending with Peggy Carter, returning to the present as an old man. Since then, the former Captain America has been missing in action, with only vague references alluding to what might have become of the hero. Some fans believe he's died off-camera, while others hope the stage is being set for Steve to show up down the line.

There have been rumours that Chris Evans has signed a deal with Marvel Studios for future MCU appearances, but we're not expecting those plans to become clear until Captain America 4 is released.

What's your take on Joe Russo's comments?

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inkniron
inkniron - 4/5/2022, 9:48 AM
File this one under "No Shit Sherlock".
The1st
The1st - 4/5/2022, 11:32 AM
@inkniron - Agreed, it's so obvious.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 4/5/2022, 9:51 AM
I kinda expected Cap to wield Stormbreaker and kill Thanos (the 2018 version) in the end, but what they ended up with makes so much more sense
Forthas
Forthas - 4/5/2022, 9:58 AM
@bkmeijer1 - I thought that ultimatley Peter Quill would do the snap to undo everything. They kind of set it up in Guardians of the Galaxy that he could withstand the power of the Infinity Stones.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 4/5/2022, 10:10 AM
@Forthas - that could've worked too. Although if it was a Guardian going to undo it, I think Nebula would've been the more obvious choice
Forthas
Forthas - 4/5/2022, 10:12 AM
@bkmeijer1 - Why Nebula? I am thinking Peter would have used it and survived!
Razorface1
Razorface1 - 4/5/2022, 10:28 AM
@Forthas - Nah, he lost his powers when Ego died.
Forthas
Forthas - 4/5/2022, 10:52 AM
@Razorface1 - He held an Infinity stone in Gaurdians of the Galaxy before he met Ego...
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 4/5/2022, 11:08 AM
@Forthas - yeah I agree Peter still had a tremendous amount of power, but with Nebula it would've felt more personal. Although you could argue 2023 Nebula already got her closure by shooting her past self.
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 4/5/2022, 11:10 AM
@Forthas - I think the reason they used Banner was that they wanted a major action or arc concluding moment for all the original Avengers in IW or Endgame.

Iron Man- The Final Snap
Captain America- Wielding Mjolnir and going back in time with Peggy
Hulk- The Second Snap
Hawkeye- Turning into Ronin and redeeming himself by bringing everyone back
Black Widow- Sacrificing herself for the soul stone
Thor- Overcoming his ptsd and grief and proving he’s still worthy

It’s the reason all the originals managed to magically survive the snap when in theory 50% of them should have been gone
The1st
The1st - 4/5/2022, 11:35 AM
@Forthas - Well Nebula cuz comics. You're right though, there were probably others that could have done it, but it was always going to be Tony I think. Quill still has to figure out why is Gamora.
IronSpider101
IronSpider101 - 4/5/2022, 5:04 PM
@Forthas - My understanding was that Ego was always a part of him. That when they finally meet he unlocks Peter's power so he can do all that cool shit on the Ego-planetoid, but prior to that he still had some semblance of connection purely from just being his son. They make a big point at the end of GOTG2 that when Ego dies Peter will be "just like everybody else" so I assume that means he no longer has the ability to wield one.

It's a bit unclear to be sure, and I suppose they could retcon it if they felt so inclined, but I assumed that he was now a normal guy and wouldn't be able to handle it.
Forthas
Forthas - 4/5/2022, 5:42 PM
@IronSpider101 - You could be right! I have not seen GOTG2 in a while but to your point I vaguely remember he did reject being "god like" by killing Ego!
Razorface1
Razorface1 - 4/5/2022, 10:56 PM
@Forthas - Before he met ego he already had his powers. Because he is egos son.
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 4/5/2022, 11:01 AM
@DrReedRichards - Exactly what I came here to say. It’s the true fulfillment of their arcs as established not only in their origin films but the first Avengers movie.
Fogs
Fogs - 4/5/2022, 11:47 AM
@DrReedRichards - Thank you. That's it.

Plus, Tony had the taste of a good, peaceful life. Steve thought he had lost his chance forever. Those were great, perfect character endings.
Dtx
Dtx - 4/5/2022, 11:39 PM
@DrReedRichards - Thank you. Well done Marvel. Well done
MrDandy
MrDandy - 4/5/2022, 10:07 AM
It made sense. One of the best things about the MCU was how it handled Tony and Steve’s character arcs and how they were the opposite of each other (often leading to conflict between the two of them). Tony had to learn to be less selfish and egotistical while Steve began as a company man who knew nothing but duty and the job and had to find his own independence. Given those two arcs it made sense for Tony to sacrifice himself and Steve to go and actually have a life of his own.
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 4/5/2022, 10:09 AM
Tony and Cap switched views going back to the Accords, really just so well constructed
UXASIS
UXASIS - 4/5/2022, 10:17 AM
Not having a problem with Tony sacrificing himself, but I always thought it was supposed to be Gamora, who killed Thanos.

He practically destroyed/manipulated her whole life, so it would make much more sense for her (or Nebula) to land the final blow.

Forget Drax.
UXASIS
UXASIS - 4/5/2022, 10:21 AM
@UXASIS

Tony met Thanos like for 10 minutes, and sure he killed Peter right before him, but everyone lost someone in this situation.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 4/5/2022, 11:10 AM
@UXASIS - I think it was never about the Thanos-Tony conflict, but moreso it serving as the ultimate cap on Tony's arc throughout the movies.

As for Gamora, I don't think it wouldn't have felt as satisfying as it was a version we never really saw anything from and thus had no connection to. As for Nebula, I guess she got her closure by shooting her past self
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 4/5/2022, 11:52 AM
@UXASIS - It should have been Nebula. She earned it.
UXASIS
UXASIS - 4/5/2022, 12:31 PM
@bkmeijer1

@TheHumanSpider2

Yeah, of course, I meant the old Gamora, who we knew well.

It would make an interesting What If story if Gamora killed Thanos, and Nebula got the Infinity Gauntlet like in the comics.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 4/5/2022, 12:46 PM
@UXASIS - They stablished some kind of connection between Thanos and Tony, and that went nowhere.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 4/5/2022, 2:44 PM
@UXASIS - okay gotcha. That would've been difficult though. Given that she's dead.

But a What If could be interesting. Maybe What If Gamora hurled Thanos down the cliff, and then Gamora and Nebula together use the Stones for their own purposes
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 4/5/2022, 10:17 AM
What they did with those 2 could never fit in one movie. The MCU remains top dog and still will even if they never match the infinity saga: their only competition is themselves!
Typhoon20
Typhoon20 - 4/5/2022, 10:26 AM
I love what they did, and I love the films.

But what a load of shit. I was expecting one of both to die, maybe both.
But to say you picked Stark because he's not as heroic as Cap or not intrinsically a hero lol is disrespectful towards Stark. Even in the very first Iron Man he was a hero beneath all that playboy facade. He does things his own way and beneath all that facade and mistakes he's been pretty goddamn selfless all the way towards the end. And to say it's a richer, more compelling arc lmao. You're not making Citizen Kane. It wouldn't have made it better or worse if Cap was the one who died, or if both died. Honestly I would have preferred if both had died, together, standing side by side knowing the end is near, shoulder to shoulder. That would have been more compelling. Fighting against eachother is one thing, fighting together is another thing and in the end dying side by side ? That would have been the best way (for me). I didn't like that ending. Up until then it was always Cap/Stark as one even when they fought together or against eachother until they teamed up again in the end but it needed to land and they both needed to die together, fighting side by side, killing Thanos while dying at the same time. Pff now that would have come full circle for me. That would have had the best impact, again for me. Either way Infinity War superior to Endgame anyway.

Just say you coin tossed for it. No need to give those laughable reasons on why.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 4/5/2022, 11:50 AM
@Typhoon20 - I kind of agree with this. Sure Stark was a snarky prick. But he was risking his life to save innocent people even in the first Iron Man movie. He flew a goddamn nuclear missile into deep space with his bare hands in Avengers. He may not have died from those things, but he easily could have. He was a hero since the beginning. Being a sparky ass doesn't change that.
JosephCronos92
JosephCronos92 - 4/5/2022, 10:37 AM
Man I still remember going into the movie, being so sure Cap would die and was getting myself ready for it and then Tony's sacrifice happens and i was so damn Godsmacked at that moment, and maaan it hurt tho i didn't agree with him and his ways on Civil War i understood his pain after knowing the truth, so it really hit me in a very unexpected way. My dad had just passed away a week prior to the release and seeing Tony finally having a family and then sacrificing himself to keep that family safe and give them a new chance in a new world just broke me down, i was a goddamn mess through his whole final speech to Morgan.

Man what an experience that movie was, the hype in the room, the emotion, the cheers and AWS it was all nirvana and then and emotional turmoil by the end,I'll never forget about it.

Keep'em coming Marvel Studios
sKeemAn
sKeemAn - 4/5/2022, 10:47 AM
Should've been both Rogers and Stark. Leaving Rogers alive is enabling my MCU habit even more. He has to be brought back at some point. His arc isnt finished.
THEDARKKNIGHT1939
THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 4/5/2022, 10:51 AM
Steve basically died too. He turned himself into a useless old man.
RokoVII
RokoVII - 4/5/2022, 11:06 AM
@THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - turned into an old man by living a long life
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 4/5/2022, 11:54 AM
@THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - "turned"? he went back in time and lived a happy life for the last 60 years.
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