Before Avengers: Endgame released, most Marvel fans assumed that Joe and Anthony Russo would give Captain America (Chris Evans) the honor of sacrificing his life to save the universe from the hand of Thanos (Josh Brolin). However, the role went to Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) instead.
Speaking with ComicBook.com after their panel at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con last weekend, Endgame screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely explain why they wanted to keep Captain America alive throughout the film.
"It's too easy. That guy will jump on a grenade every movie," McFeely told the publication, "Tony's going one way and Steve is going another. Over the course of many movies, Tony is going from selfish to selfless and Steve's not doing exactly the opposite but he's certainly starting at selfless and learning to get a life and to be self-interested. When he makes the decision at the end to go back, put his shield down, and be the soldier that comes back from war, that's the biggest journey. Jumping on another grenade is not a move for him."
It does make sense. In all his time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Steve has always been putting others' wellbeing ahead of his own. Having Marvel's First Avenger sacrifice his life would be too easy. In fact, it was expected.
Allowing Rogers to make it out of the fight with Thanos alive was more of a twist than having him give up his life. In the end, McFeely and Markus find the perfect way to close Captain America's story – allowing him to go back in time to live out his life with Peggy (Hayley Atwell). It's a selfishness that Cap deserves after all that he's been through, and it's a fitting end to his story.
Marvel Studios begins Phase 4 of the MCU with the release of Black Widow on May 1, 2020.
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