The Eternals trailer subtly explains why the Avengers lost in Avengers: Infinity War. As the beginning of the Infinity Saga's culmination, the 2018 blockbuster directed by Joe and Anthony Russo brought together all side of the MCU as they fought to stop Thanos and his universe-destroying plan. In the end, despite their gallant efforts, the Mad Titan won, dealing the Avengers their first-ever real loss since assembling together.

Directed by Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao, Eternals will introduce a new team of superheroes in the franchise who apparently have been in existence in the universe for centuries, hence why the film's story spans thousands of years, although its primary plotline takes place post-Avengers: Endgame. Created by the Celestials, the Eternals are immortal beings led by Ajak (Salma Hayek). Over the years, they silently oversaw the world without revealing themselves. The promotional clip hints at a story largely removed from the bigger MCU, but Sprite's (Lia McHugh) comment about the Avengers is a reminder that it's still part of Marvel Studios' interconnected storytelling.

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The comment about Earth's Mightiest Heroes highlights that, despite previous assumptions, the Avengers had two leaders: Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. There has been an idea that the first Captain America was the sole figurehead of the MCU team. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, even Tony relinquished that title to Steve, which makes sense. In their group battles, it’s Steve who made the calls, gave directions, and gave pep talks. However, the Eternals trailer cites that Iron Man was as much of a leader as Captain America was. As both were equally important for the group to operate effectively, splitting them up in Infinity War was ultimately the reason they failed to stop Thanos. From a storytelling perspective, this was why Marvel Studios needed to pit them against each other - resulting in their conflict in Captain America: Civil War. Throughout Infinity War, Steve and Tony fought Thanos separately and with no communication whatsoever with each other, ultimately ending without a proper plan to counter the Mad Titan.

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Steve was admittedly better poised to be the leader of the Avengers; he had that innate quality to inspire people and convince them of his cause. He also functioned as the moral compass of the team, which made sure they never lost sight of their mission - to protect people from threats bigger than themselves. Tony was important in a different sense; he was pragmatic and futuristic which balanced out Steve's idealism and conservatism. He also made their operations possible thanks to his resources. Together, they ensured that the Avengers were centered; the team needed both of them to thrive because they brought different things to the equation - without the other, they were handicapped and ineffective, which was one of the reasons they lost in Infinity War. Their successful win five years later in Endgame further backs this idea, as finally, Iron Man and Captain America patched things up and focused on their goal to undo Thanos' decimation.

It's true that Tony and Steve's differences in perspective caused them to clash, with their most serious conflict making it easier for Thanos to attack and ultimately win in Avengers: Infinity War. But at the end of the day, both were brought together by their shared unwavering commitment to the Avengers and their cause. Without them, the MCU is undoubtedly different, but Marvel Studios is pushing forward with new endeavors like Eternals and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to ensure that the franchise continues to be fresh, interesting, and sustainable.

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