'Avengers: Endgame' Writer Supports This Fan Theory About Captain America
By Ryan Carroll
Though Avengers: Endgame was acclaimed as a deeply satisfying culmination to the past eleven years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film’s ending also laid the groundwork for future projects--and extensive fan theorization. Recently, the film’s writers spoke up about one such theory, saying that they support the idea that an aged Captain America (Chris Evans) was present at Peggy Carter’s (Hayley Atwell) funeral.
The theory in question revolves around a certain understanding of the time travel that took place in Endgame, which saw Captain America go back in time to live out his life with Peggy Carter, then return to the present to hand off his shield to Sam Wilson. In one interpretation of these events, he simply lived out his life in the same Marvel Universe timeline, meaning he presumably would have been present for Peggy’s funeral in Captain America: Civil War.
Co-screenwriter Christopher Markus threw his support behind the theory, saying to the Los Angeles Times (via CinemaBlend):
“I love the idea of having two Steve Rogers in the timeline. One who lived a long life with Peggy and is in the background of that funeral scene watching his young self carry his wife’s coffin. Not just for the time travel mumbo-jumbo of it but for the weird personal pain and satisfaction that would be happening between two Steve Rogers there. I kind of love it.”
Interestingly, however, alternative interpretations exist for the film’s time travel--including from directors Joe and Anthony Russo. In an interview with Fox 5 DC, the Russos asserted that, in their interpretation, “When Captain America goes back, he would create a branch reality. Now he would exist in that branch reality with a second Captain America who was frozen in ice.” Subsequently, he would have used Pym Particles to return to the original MCU timeline, in events not explicitly shown in Endgame.
In any case, we’re glad to see Endgame’s writers engaging with the film in this way--it speaks to the movie's enduring appeal and interpretability.