Captain America's Best Endgame Moments Are Because Of Age Of Ultron

Captain America (Chris Evans) had several of his best moments in Avengers: Endgame, and it's all thanks to Avengers: Age of Ultron. As the culminating film for Marvel Studios' Infinity Saga, the Joe and Anthony Russo flick had to make sure to tie-in loose plot ends, while also marking the end of the journey for some of the franchise's founding heroes - including Steve Rogers. Fortunately, before fans bid him goodbye, he had some of the most memorable bits in film and all of them were made possible thanks to the set-up by Joss Whedon's final MCU project.

Admittedly, Age of Ultron isn't exactly a crowd-favorite when it comes to Marvel Studios' lineup. While still a box office smash hit, it was a let down compared to its predecessor - 2012's The Avengers. Overall, it's the weakest among all four Avengers films thus far, with convoluted plot lines and a disappointing villain. All that being said, it had some shining spots peppered throughout the film, and as always, performance was great all over the board.

So, while Avengers: Age of Ultron wasn't the critical darling many thought it would be, it was the foundation of some of the best plot pay offs in Avengers: Endgame. Most of them revolve around Captain America which makes his MCU retirement much more satisfying.

Age of Ultron Set Up Captain America Wielding Thor's Hammer

Captain America with Mjolnir in Avengers Endgame

Arguably the most exciting scene in Avengers: Endgame is Captain America successfully summoning and wielding Mjolnir. With Thanos pummeling Thor (Chris Hemsworth) to the ground, the magical hammer brought to the present MCU timeline from the events of Thor: The Dark World started to move. The Russos filmed the sequence without showing who was calling to the Mjolnir, making the reveal that it's actually Steve much more thrilling.

This set-up, however, started all the way from the first act of Age of Ultron where the team gathered in the new Avengers tower to celebrate their recent win against the remaining people of HYDRA. As part of their time to relax, everyone tried their hand at lifting Mjolnir. Thor was very confident that no one would be worthy to wield it until Captain America tried his hand on it. The Super Soldier wasn't able to lift it, but he did move it by an inch or so, giving Thor pause.

It's a great foreshadowing of Captain America finally being able to lift Mjolnir and wield its powers in Endgame. While there are arguments on why he wasn't able to do it initially, holding off for that moment and saving it for Steve's final hurrah as the Star Spangled Avenger was worth it.

Age of Ultron Cut From Steve Rogers Saying "Avengers Assemble"

The Avengers assemble in the final battle of Endgame

Since the debut of the Avengers, comic book readers had been waiting for Captain America to deliver one of his best lines in print: "Avengers Assemble." Age of Ultron teased the moment while Steve and Natasha Romanoff rounded up the new roster of heroes with War Machine (Don Cheadle), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), and Vision (Paul Bettany). However, the scene was cut just before Captain America finished the phrase. At this point, it was clear that it was only a matter of time before he fully delivered it.

Four years and three movies after, Captain America finally got the chance to say the line - and in the most epic fashion. After the dead heroes returned time to help fight off Thanos and his minions, they all gathered behind the Super Soldier who rallied all of them with the most satisfying delivery of "Avengers Assemble." Evans uttered the words in a quiet, yet powerful manner, leading to an intense all-out battle sequence between the Mad Titan and his army.

Cap Finally Got The Life Tony Stark Was Talking About in Age of Ultron

Chris Evans as Old Captain America in Avengers: Endgame

After returning all six Infinity Stones and the Mjolnir to their original locations, Steve went back to the 1940s to reunite with Peggy (Hayley Atwell) in Endgame. He emerged in the present MCU timeline only to hand off the shield to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), essentially choosing him as the next Captain America. When Sam asked him what happened to him, a centenarian Steve said "After I returned the stones back, I thought maybe I should try some of that life Tony's telling me to get."

This is in reference to his and Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) conversation at the end of Age of Ultron where the latter talked about retiring from being Iron Man. He floated the idea that Captain America might want to do that to since he'd been on the job for far too long and settled in a nice quiet life with a family. Steve rejected it, however, explaining that being at the forefront of the battle was his life, as he had no intentions of tapping out. Of course, it had something to do with him not being able to share that simple life with his one true love - at least that's what he assumed at that point.

Cap & Peggy's Dance Happened In Age of Ultron - But Wrong

Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) in Avengers: Endgame

Endgame ended on a poignant shot of Steve and Peggy sharing their long-overdue dance. The filmmakers, as well as writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, revealed that it's a scene that was long decided on. The dance was set-up all the way from 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger where the star-crossed lovers promised to meet up for a dance after their mission-at-hand. Of course, Steve's decision to go on ice derailed the whole plan. It was once again mentioned in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But it was only in Age of Ultron that we actually see a version of the said dance, albeit in an entirely different context.

In the Wanda-induced visions, Captain America and Peggy's long-due finally pushes through. However, instead of the emotional and happy moment that it was supposed to be, it's a mirror of Steve's fear of no longer having any purpose once the war is over. Fortunately, when the war against Thanos was done, Steve had the chance to return to the past and make good on his promise about that dance with Peggy.

For a film that had so much going on it it, Avengers: Endgame was still able to give its core characters key moments that helped wrap up their respective MCU journeys. If anything, these Captain America moments set up in Avengers: Age of Ultron are a testament to the studio's ability to plant seemingly unassuming plot seeds, only to have great pay offs down the road.

More: Avengers: Endgame - The Biggest Reveals From The Script