Captain America Unsure He Can Lift Mjolnir In Official Endgame Art

Captain America is unsure if he can lift Mjolnir in official Avengers: Endgame keyframe concept art for a scene that wasn't in the movie. Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame hit theaters earlier this year, bringing the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Infinity Saga to a close. Since Endgame capped off the Infinity Saga, much of its focus was placed on the original six Avengers, giving them a great deal of screen time. Further, the movie concluded the stories of a few characters, particularly Tony Stark aka. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers aka. Captain America (Chris Evans). The Avengers: Endgame ending featured the death of Iron Man and the retirement of Captain America, allowing their characters to exit the MCU.

Because Avengers: Endgame was the epic conclusion to the MCU thus far, Marvel Studios and directors Anthony and Joe Russo made sure to include plenty of fun moments for fans. One of these - and perhaps many fans' favorite moment in the movie - is when Captain America picks up Mjolnir during his, Iron Man and Thor's fight with Thanos. It's a callback to the moment in Avengers: Age of Ultron when the team is hanging out and various members try to pick up Mjolnir. No one was able to budge Thor's hammer, though, with the exception of Steve Rogers, who moves it just a little bit. The Russos have since said Captain America could've picked up Mjolnir in Age of Ultron, but chose not to in order to protect Thor's ego. However, new Avengers: Endgame keyframe art seems to go against the Russos' reasoning.

Marvel Studios Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding posted a photo of a poster given out to D23 Expo 2019 attendees this past weekend that features keyframe concept art he did of Captain America trying to pick up Mjolnir - but not being sure if he'll be able to wield Thor's hammer. In the caption of Meinerding's Instagram, he wrote, "I thought it would be great if we could see Cap uncertain if he could lift Mjolnir or not." Check out the image below.

Meinerding doesn't explain why this particular scene wasn't included in Avengers: Endgame, but it might be because a moment in which Captain America isn't sure he can wield Mjolnir doesn't fall in line with the Russos' reading of the scene from Avengers: Age of Ultron. Or, another possibility is the Russos decided a more compelling visual sequence would be what ended up in the movie: a closeup on Mjolnir shaking, then flying into the hand of Captain America. Certainly, the way that sequence is structured in the final cut of the movie, it emphasizes the reveal that Captain America can wield Mjolnir in an epic way - even if, as some fans argue, it requires retconning most viewers' reading of the scene from Age of Ultron.

Whatever the reason behind this scene not being included in Avengers: Endgame, there are sure to be fans disappointed Meinerding's art wasn't brought to life in the film. After all, most fans believed Steve couldn't lift Mjolnir anymore than he did in Age of Ultron. As a result, the scene in Avengers: Endgame when Steve calls Mjolnir without any hesitation whatsoever confused fans. It might be more epic to see Captain America confidently wielding Mjolnir, but from the perspective of many viewers, it doesn't make as much sense as Meinerding's interpretation of Steve hesitantly picking up the hammer.

So there will no doubt be some Avengers: Endgame fans who think this scene should've played out like Meinerding's art. But while it didn't end up in the final cut of Avengers: Endgame - nor is it included on the home release as a deleted scene - at least fans can check out this alternative interpretation of the Captain America Mjolnir scene through Meinerding's art.

Next: Avengers: Endgame’s Final Battle Cut An Entire Aerial Sequence

Source: Ryan Meinerding/Instagram