Endgame was the movie responsible for tying up 11 years of intricate storytelling and multiple character arcs. With so many characters involved, so much secrecy behind its making, and with so much at stake after Infinity War's shocking ending, fan theories spread like wildfire for a long while.
Predicting Endgame was definitely not an easy job, as there were many events that no one could have seen coming. However, there were also scenes or moments that fans hoped and even expected would come to life in the Marvel movie to (figuratively) end all Marvel movies. With that said, here are the most surprising moments in Endgame, and the ones we saw coming.
EXPECTED: Ronin
As soon as Clint Barton went missing from Infinity War, people began to suspect what was going to happen. Hawkeye missing, half the universe gone, our heroes heartbroken over losing friends and family, the random introduction of Barton's wife and children a few years back, Hawkeye being seen as the "laughable Avenger" for years, Endgame needing a reason for him to come back... it was well telegraphed, to say the least.
It all came together too perfectly for the Russos to not bring about a tragic loss of the Barton family and the emergence of the ruthless Ronin. Marvel Studios didn't really try to keep it a secret anyway, as the very first trailer saw the archer in his new outfit, sword and all.
SURPRISING: Bro Thor
Hilarious, heartfelt, and completely unexpected. Turning the MCU's hunk into a more depressed and alcoholic version of "The Dude" Lebowski was a stroke of genius by the Russo Brothers. It enabled Thor to be in a place that we had never seen him before - vulnerable, and lost.
The God of Thunder had been a fierce and fit hero all his life, but Endgame finally made us consider how much Thor had really lost. Mother, father, brother, sister, best friend, hammer, eye, and even his own planet. Not to mention the responsibility he felt for failing to prevent Thanos's decimation. It was all too much, and this was the perfect way to show it.
EXPECTED: Time Travel
Infinity War ended with half the universe disappearing. That is no easy action to undo. Endgame promised that it would tie back to most of the previous movies, as far back as Iron Man. For fans, time travel immediately came to mind. Besides that, the Quantum Realm was depicted in the Ant-Man movies as a realm "beyond space and time". Another hint.
And if that weren't enough, in January 2018 set photos from Endgame were leaked. These shots showcased Chris Evans in his 2012 Avengers costume. It could have been dismissed as a flashback except for the fact that the photos also showed Ant-Man, who wasn't even in the MCU at that time.
SURPRISING: Thanos' Quick Death
Thanos was teased all the way back in 2012, with a quick cameo in a post-credits scene. From then on he slowly became the "ultimate foe". Infinity War finally saw him in action against the Avengers, whom he easily destroyed. Endgame was teased as "Avengers vs Thanos: Part 2".
It is understandable that fans were more than shocked when the Mad Titan was killed off less than 20 minutes into the three-hour movie, decapitated by a vengeful, still in-form Thor. After that, it took a while for audiences to understand who exactly the Avengers would go up against. It turned out to be Thanos anyway, but one from the past. Nevertheless, nobody suspected he would be taken care of so early on.
EXPECTED: Smart Hulk
It was back in 2017 when Mark Ruffalo teased the three-movie story arc his character would be a part of, starting with Thor: Ragnarok. Ragnarok was mostly Hulk, a smarter Hulk than before - one who could talk. Infinity War was nearly all Banner. Endgame was responsible for concluding this story arc, and for resolving the conflict between man and monster.
Fans quickly found a comic book version of what they expected to see on screen. Professor Hulk (or Smart Hulk in the MCU) was everyone's bet for Mark Ruffalo's Endgame appearance. Audiences may have been surprised by how quickly he was introduced in the movie, but anyone who was caught up on Marvel news knew he was coming.
SURPRISING: Ant-Man Saves The Universe
If a few years ago someone said that Ant-Man would be the key to defeating Thanos and saving the universe, they would have been called a lunatic. When Ant-Man was released, it was introduced as a funny, lighter alternative to the big Avengers movies. Casting comedic actor Paul Rudd as Scott Lang was already an indication that the hero would not be a central part of any serious or crucial MCU storyline.
How surprising is it then that this "nobody" appeared before the Avengers as their savior? Scott's quantum realm information, plus his idea for a "Time Heist" kickstarted the restoration of the universe. In the words of Ant-Man villain Darren Cross, "Did you think you could stop the future with a heist?" Apparently, yes!
EXPECTED: Avengers... Assemble!
The 22nd MCU movie finally gave us the moment we had been waiting for since Nick Fury showed up at Tony Stark's house in the middle of the night. Every hero together, battling a common foe, lead by Captain America and his battle cry. Age of Ultron teased fans, as the movie ended just before Steve Rogers was able to complete the legendary catchphrase.
Before Infinity War's release, the cast had already teased a huge battle scene with everyone. The movie came and went and no such scene was found. Therefore, the obvious conclusion was that we would witness it during the last Avengers movie of the saga. Captain America's "Avengers assemble" line was a given.
SURPRISING: The Dark World
With the time travel plot in play, Endgame had 21 movies to choose from in regards to where (and when) the heroes would go. One of the MCU's most forgetful movies is that of Thor: The Dark World. Stuck between a good origin story and an amazing third installment, the Thor sequel is considered one of the weakest parts of the Infinity Saga.
The God of Thunder was far from loved back then, Jane Foster and her buddies were forgetful, and Malekieth is arguably the MCU's worst villain. Nevertheless, this didn't stop Endgame from revisiting that specific movie. Not only did it spend a considerable amount of time in 2013 Asgard, but we also got appearances from both Jane and Frigga, who had both been absent since The Dark World.
EXPECTED: Tony Stark's Death
He is the rock on which the MCU was built. He was there from the very beginning. A man in a suit of armor slowly showing himself to be more than just a selfish genius. Endgame gave Iron Man the perfect opportunity to prove, once and for all, that he was in fact "the guy to make the sacrifice play."
We all knew this was the end of the saga, and we all knew it would require a more meaningful death than Quicksilver or Infinity War's "deaths." And what better way to honor the 22-movie-long story than having the hero who was present from the start sacrifice his life to restore the universe and defeat Marvel's greatest foe?
SURPRISING: Cameos
Endgame was rich with cameos. Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, Jane Foster, Frigga, and Rumlow were just a few of them. However, three specific cameos stood out against the rest. The first concerns the Ancient One. After her death and Strange's promotion to Sorcerer Supreme, it seemed as if she had become irrelevant. Nevertheless, there she was arguing with Banner's astral body over the Time Stone.
Alexander Pierce was another. By the time Endgame came out, Robert Redford had already retired, so it was a pleasant surprise to see him reprise the role of "Mr. Secretary." The strangest, most surprising cameo, however, was that of Harley Keener, or as most people know him, "The Kid from Iron Man 3". MIA since he helped out Tony years before, he popped up at the funeral to pay his respects.