As Avengers: Endgame drew closer, many fans anticipated that they would need to say goodbye to some of their favorite heroes and the characters who helped start the MCU. As it turns out, two of the biggest heroes ended their stories, albeit in very different ways.
In the final fight against Thanos, Iron Man sacrificed himself to defeat the Mad Titan and his forces while Captain America went back in time to live a happy life with Peggy Carter. As fitting as the end seemed, some fans think it should have been the opposite. Here are some reasons Captain America should have died in Avengers: Endgame and some reasons it should have been Iron Man.
Captain America: The Leader
The Avengers come together as a team to fight the forces of evil, but it's clear that there is one hero leading them into battle. Captain America's military background comes as second nature, and he proves to be the perfect leader of the team.
As leader, Cap also sees himself as responsible for the others. He looks out for his team and is always willing to be the one to put his life on the line. For him to be the one to secure the Avengers' victory and save the others would have been what he wanted.
Iron Man: The Start Of The MCU
The MCU may not have ever grown into the amazing franchise it is today if it wasn't for Iron Man. Though the character was not a household name, Robert Downey Jr.'s performance and the fun of the film made it a smash hit that laid the foundation for everything to come.
Iron Man had become the face of the MCU, and though Cap gets the final scene, Iron Man's sacrifice is the big hero moment. It feels like the character earned that ending more than any of the other heroes.
Captain America: Making Things Right With Tony
Though he seems like it on the outside at times, Captain America is not a perfect man. He makes plenty of mistakes himself, including a rather significant one involving Tony. When Tony finds out that his parents were killed by The Winter Soldier, Steve admits he knew already.
While he hid the truth to protect Bucky, it was a major betrayal for Tony. They eventually make peace to save the day, but if Cap took Tony's place to make that sacrifice, it would have helped right that wrong between them.
Iron Man: "It Was The Only Way"
In Avengers: Infinity War, Doctor Strange says that it is his job to protect not just Earth but our entire reality, which means he is willing to sacrifice one life to save many. It seems odd then that he willingly gives up the Time Stone to save Tony from Thanos.
However, with the events of Endgame, it becomes clear Strange wasn't saving Tony, he was ensuring he would live to sacrifice himself later. As he tells Tony "It was the only way" almost apologizing for what will happen. It sets Tony on a path where he somewhat realizes his death will be inevitable for victory.
Captain America: The Sacrifice
Before Steve Rogers was even a super-soldier and was still just a skinny kid from Queens, he proved he was always a hero. He is chosen for the super-soldier program because of the man he is on the inside as he proves he will jump on a grenade to save others around him.
He proves it again when he takes down the plane carrying Hydra's bombs. He has shown time and time again that he is the one who will make the sacrificial play without a second thought. It would have made sense if he pulled off the ultimate final sacrifice.
Iron Man: The Redemption
When we first meet Tony Stark in the first Iron Man film, he is far from a hero. He is a selfish weapons manufacturer who blindly profits off of war and death. In that first film, he grows a lot, understanding his responsibility as a hero.
Throughout the rest of the films, he continues to grow as a hero while still making plenty of mistakes along the way. His final sacrifice completes his arc as a hero as he becomes the man who is willing to lay down on the wire for everyone else.
Captain America: Reunited With Peggy
The relationship between Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter is one of the most effective in the MCU. They were kept apart by time, and it seemed like they lost their chance at happiness together. To see them reunited at the end of Endgame was a touching moment.
However, there is a way that could have achieved that happy ending while still giving Cap a big hero moment. If it was Cap who snapped his fingers, we could have seen him reunite with Peggy in the Soul World in a bittersweet ending for the character.
Iron Man: He Can Rest
From the time Tony Stark becomes Iron Man, his one main focus in being the hero. Sometimes that leads him in the wrong direction, but it overall grew him into a better person. But it became more and more apparent that this mission would never be over for Tony.
Whenever he says he's walking away from being the hero, he is inevitably drawn back in. When he is dying, Pepper assures him that he can rest now. It is almost a moment of relief for Tony as he did everything he could, and now his mission is complete.
Captain America: A Man Out Of Time
When Captain America goes into the ice in the 1940s, he believes it will mean the end of his life. When he makes up in the 21st Century, it is as if he is given a second life. But it never feels like his own life.
While Tony has a wife and daughter he leaves behind, Steve has already lost everything from his old life. He is a man out of time, and it feels like sacrificing himself to save the universe would be the fulfillment of his selfless act back in the 1940s.
Iron Man: His Vision
The events of the first Avengers film changed Iron Man and put him on the path that concluded in Endgame. He realized there were powerful forces outside of Earth that threatened everything he held dear. He became obsessed about protecting his world from those threats.
After building countless suits and trying to design a "suit of armor around the world," he is finally faced with the real threat. By dying to defeat Thanos, he is able to bring an end to the nightmare that haunted him for years.