After 5 Years, Marvel Addresses Avengers: Endgame’s Biggest Disappointment

Marvel Animation’s What If…? series has successfully addressed one of the more contentious moments in the cherished 2019 film, Avengers: Endgame. Created by the Russo brothers, Avengers: Endgame is celebrated as a crowning achievement of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), concluding over ten years of interconnected storytelling as the climax of the Infinity Saga. Nonetheless, this highly acclaimed film had its share of shortcomings, with a particularly awkward scene standing out as one of the MCU’s most criticized moments.

The epic Battle of Earth represented the Avengers’ final confrontation with Thanos, portrayed by Josh Brolin. This monumental event congregated a multitude of heroes from across the MCU, setting the stage for surprising collaborations on the battlefield. However, not all combinations resonated with audiences, particularly a sequence that hinted at the formation of an all-female team reminiscent of the A-Force. Fortunately, the third season of What If…? has provided a narrative that reimagines and solidifies this dynamic in a much more satisfying manner.

The Impact of Avengers: Endgame’s A-Force Tease on the MCU

Female Heroes Unite in the Battle of Earth

Female heroes teasing A-Force in Avengers Endgame

As Avengers: Endgame unfolded, Peter Parker found himself in a precarious situation while attempting to deliver the Infinity Gauntlet. Just then, Captain Marvel arrived after swiftly disabling Thanos’ ship. Despite Parker’s uncertainty about Captain Marvel’s ability to face Thanos’s forces solo, a coalition emerged with Scarlet Witch, Okoye, and other powerful female heroes coming together. While Marvel Studios aimed to highlight its formidable female characters, this moment lacked the necessary buildup, coming across as unearned and superficial.

The term “A-Force” refers to an all-female superhero team that debuted during the 2015 Marvel Comics event, Secret Wars. Heroes such as Captain Marvel, Okoye, the Scarlet Witch, Shuri, Valkyrie, the Wasp, as well as Gamora and Nebula, could fittingly contribute to an A-Force team in the MCU. However, the attempt at an all-female team-up in Endgame felt more like pandering than an organic storytelling choice. This misstep has proved detrimental to the introduction of new female heroes in the Multiverse Saga, such as She-Hulk, Monica Rambeau, Scarlet Scarab, and Captain Carter—contrary to Marvel’s original intentions.

What If…? Season 3’s Finale Showcases a New All-Female Superhero Team

Captain Carter’s New Team in What If…? Season 3

The A-Force moment from Endgame casts a long shadow over the MCU’s representation of female characters, even as other all-female teams emerged, such as Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan in the 2023 film, The Marvels. However, What If…? season 3 has made significant strides. In episode 8, titled “What If… the Watcher Disappeared?,”viewers were introduced to Captain Carter’s new team of superheroes. Once a Guardian of the Multiverse and an Avenger in her own reality, Captain Carter now navigates her role as an “Exile”alongside Kahhori, Byrdie, and Storm, the Goddess of Thunder.

What If…? Exile	Voice Actor	Debut Episode
Captain Carter	Hayley Atwell	“What If… Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?”
Kahori	Devery Jacobs	“What If… Kahhori Reshaped the World?”
Byrdie	Natasha Lyonne	“What If… Howard the Duck Got Hitched?”
Storm	Alison Sealy-Smith	“What If… the Watcher Disappeared?”

Captain Carter’s Exiles serve as a potential relaunch for a new iteration of the Guardians of the Multiverse, which may have been established after Captain Carter’s previous encounters with Doctor Strange Supreme in season 2. Together, these Exiles allied with Infinity Ultron to journey into the Fifth Dimension to rescue Uatu from other Watchers, subsequently gaining profound abilities in the process, thus evolving into a formidable force in the multiverse. This powerful all-female team serves as a redemptive arc for what was once an ill-fated attempt at representation in Endgame.

Marvel Poised to Introduce an Authentic A-Force to the MCU

Captain Carter Set for Live-Action Appearance

Captain Carter in Earth-838's Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

In the season 3 finale of What If…?, Captain Carter made the ultimate sacrifice to save Uatu the Watcher, but her newly formed team remains intact and could transition to a live-action setting within the Multiverse Saga. Having already introduced a live-action version of Captain Carter in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and with Hayley Atwell’s return confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday, there is a strong possibility that she could lead a legit A-Force ensemble.

The evolution of Captain Carter into a prominent figure alongside an empowering all-female team, whether as the Exiles or an authentic A-Force, would mark a significant step forward. It would allow both audiences and Marvel Studios to move past the awkwardness of Avengers: Endgame, transforming a moment of missed opportunity into one of genuine impact. Despite some shortcomings, season 3 of What If…? heralded an exciting development with the introduction of this dynamic team.

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