The now-defunct Marvel Creative Committee didn't want Steve Rogers and Iron Man to fight in Captain America: Civil War. Before Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, Civil War was the MCU's most ambitious crossover event. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, the 2016 movie explored the rift that came between the Avengers with the introduction of the Sokovia Accords, a set of laws designed to put superheroes under the control of the United Nations. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) was in favor of the Accords, while Steve (Chris Evans) opposed them.

Even before Captain America: Civil War, there was clear tension between Steve and Tony at various points throughout the MCU, with their differing worldviews often leading them to clash. Fans figured this would come to a head in Civil War, which was itself based on the major Marvel Comics event of the same name. Captain America and Iron Man fought there too, so it was only fitting that they also do so on screen.

Related: Black Widow's Ending Retcons Captain America's Civil War Jailbreak

However, there were those at Marvel who objected to this. As chronicled in the newly released The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (via SlashFilm), the Marvel Creative Committee objected to having Cap and Iron Man fight in Civil War's final act. The Committee was comprised of various Marvel execs and creatives, and it was notorious for negatively interfering in various MCU projects. When it came to Civil War, they instead wanted the Avengers to assemble and battle the super-soldiers in Siberia. "We had to do a draft where they had a fight in a submarine base with five super soldiers," co-writer Stephen McFeely said. The Russos objected to this, stating this wasn't the movie they wished to make. Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige agreed with them, and as Joe Russo said:

"Civil War started a civil war in Marvel. But when we drew the line in the sand, it became a moment where that company was either going to slowly bend back toward where it had come from, or it was gonna slowly start to bend toward new territory."

This creative battle over Civil War's final battle continued up until production was nearly about to begin, and the issue was brought to Disney's CCO Alan Horn. As fans can probably tell by now, the Russos and Feige won and were able to let Civil War play out as the title suggested it would. The climactic fight between Captain America and Iron Man would have lasting repercussions for the MCU, since the reason the Avengers lost in Infinity War can be partially attributed to the fact that they were not united.

For that reason alone, Civil War's actual ending was a smart one. Even beyond that, though, it's clear that the Creative Committee's preferred third act would've been duller and less emotional. By the time Captain America: Civil War came out, fans had spent at least four movies with both Steve and Tony, and they had gotten invested in their friendship. Therefore, watching them come to blows became more than watching two heroes fight - it was about two friends reaching a breaking point. Had Captain America: Civil War ended the way the Marvel Creative Committee wanted it to, it wouldn't have been as memorable, so it's a good thing the creatives won out.

More: Black Widow Was The Only Civil War Avenger Who Was Right (Not Cap Or Iron Man)

Source: The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (via SlashFilm)

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