Captain Marvel's Post-Credits Scene Is Set Before Avengers: Endgame

Major SPOILERS ahead for Captain Marvel

Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel has a post-credits scene teasing Avengers: Endgame - but when is it set in the timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Marvel Studios kicks off 2019 with the release of Captain Marvel, the studio's first female-led solo movie and first film to be co-directed by a woman, with Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck at the helm. The movie introduces fans to Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), a fighter pilot who gains superhuman powers and becomes Captain Marvel. The film ends with Carol leaving Earth to help the Skrulls and others in space, and based on previous MCU movies, is not known to most inhabitants of Earth.

Captain Marvel is the first of three MCU movies hitting theaters in 2019, with the next two being Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home. Since Captain Marvel is a prequel to Avengers: Endgame, set in the 90s and introducing the character before she returns in the team-up film, Carol Danvers' solo movie directly ties into Avengers 4. Captain Marvel sets up Avengers: Endgame through a post-credits scene depicting Carol arriving in the laboratory where surviving members of the Avengers are monitoring the devastation of Thanos' snap. However, fans may be wondering: When does the Captain Marvel post-credits scene take place in relation to Avengers: Endgame?

The Captain Marvel post-credits scene features some of the remaining heroes left on Earth after the cliffhanger ending of Avengers: Infinity War in the lab at the Avengers Compound where they've rigged Nick Fury's pager to keep sending a signal. Based on their conversation about keeping the pager powered, we can presume it's been some time since Fury was decimated in Thanos' snap - but Endgame hasn't started. The biggest clue revealing the Captain Marvel post-credits scene takes place before Avengers: Endgame is actually Captain America's beard. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) has a beard in Infinity War, but in the Avengers: Endgame trailers, he doesn't. That means Cap shaves at some point between Infinity War and Endgame - and that Carol arrives before he does, placing this scene before Endgame.

Avengers Endgame Trailer Shot Captain Marvel

Now that we know when the Captain Marvel post-credits scene takes place in the MCU timeline, fans may be wondering what that means for the Avengers. Well, it confirms that Captain Marvel will already have returned to Earth when Avengers: Endgame starts. The Avengers: Endgame trailers haven't included Carol Danvers yet, so fans were unsure when she'd first appear in the film - whether she'd be there from the beginning or not show up until the final battle. Now, thanks to the Captain Marvel credits scene - and the recently surfaced Avengers: Endgame footage description from the Disney shareholders meeting - we know Carol arrives before Avengers 4 kicks off and she's part of the team from the jump.

With that said, it's still unclear how Captain Marvel will fit into Avengers: Endgame. She's sure to be a key member of the team when they take on Thanos again since Captain Marvel is one of, if not the most powerful hero in the MCU. Whether she'll be the one to ultimately defeat Thanos, or the Avengers team will do so all together, remains to be seen. But after Carol Danvers officially joined the MCU in Captain Marvel, fans no doubt can't wait to see her team up with Earth's (other) Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Endgame.