During a San Diego Comic-Con panel on Friday, Avengers: Endgame co-writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely revealed that they wanted to do an “extreme” idea of time-travelling with Thanos (Josh Brolin), where he carries the decapitated head of past-Captain America (Chris Evans).
It would see 2014 Thanos enter the mainstream timeline during the climax set at the destroyed Avengers Headquarters where he would throw down the severed head of 2012 Captain America who was earlier defeated by his 2023 counterpart.
However the idea was omitted as quickly as it was considered, with Markus joking that it would have been “awesome.”
Another idea which did not make it to screens is to show Giant Man’s corpse, a nod to the Old Man Logan comic book, which presented the Marvel Universe in ruins after Red Skull and a slew of supervillains massacred the world’s superheroes – in the background when the Avengers first attempted to work the time travel device.
Markus and McFeely had a happy ending for 2023 Captain America.
“From the very first outline, we knew he was going to get his dance,” McFeely told the New York Times of the ending that reunites long lost lovers Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell).
“On a separate subject, I started to lose my barometer on what was just fan service and what was good for the character. Because I think it’s good for the characters. But we also just gave you what you wanted. Is that good? I don’t know. But I’ll tell you, it’s satisfying. He’s postponed a life in order to fulfill his duty. That’s why I didn’t think we were ever going to kill him. Because that’s not the arc. The arc is, I finally get to put my shield down because I’ve earned that.”
Added Markus, “A hero without sacrifice, you’re not going to get the miles out of that person that you need to for these movies. That’s what makes them a hero, it’s not the powers.”
Avengers: Endgame is available to own on Digital HD July 30 and on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray August 13.