Avengers: Endgame has one of the biggest casts to ever appear in a comic book movie, and there’s a particular scene in which many of them appear.
36 characters from every corner of the MCU, along with a few nameless groups, clashed in the final battle of Avengers: Endgame. Bringing Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga to an epic conclusion, Anthony and Joe Russo’s Avengers: Endgame focused on the original six Avengers for one last mission. Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, Thor, and Hawkeye, as well as the other remaining Avengers, came together to reverse the devastation caused by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, embarking on a quest of their own to collect the Infinity Stones and defeat Thanos once-and-for-all.
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The Avengers’ escapades on their Time Heist allowed the 2014 version of Thanos to journey forward in time, instigating the largest battle that Marvel Studios had brought to the MCU since its inception in 2008. Against Thanos and his giant army stood almost every superhero from previous projects in the MCU, making Avengers: Endgame’s final battle something that will be nearly impossible to top in future comic book movies. Filming Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle was a daunting task, but remembering every character on the battlefield is perhaps just as daunting. To help with that dilemma, below is every character who appeared in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle.
Avengers, Guardians Of The Galaxy, & Other Main Heroes
Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man – Marvel Studios’ first superhero, Tony Stark, saves the universe as Iron Man one last time in Avengers: Endgame by solving the issues of time travel and using the Infinity Stones to wipe out Thanos and his army. His death at the end of Avengers: Endgame’s final battle remains one of the most emotional moments in MCU history.
Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America – As the first chronological Avenger, Captain America fulfills his duty that began decades before. After becoming worthy of wielding Mjolnir, Steve Rogers returns to the love of his life, Peggy Carter, in the 1950s and passes the Captain America mantle on to Sam Wilson.
Thor – Considered a failure at the start of Avengers: Endgame, Thor, a.k.a. the God of Thunder, finds the courage to face Thanos once again in the final battle and help defeat the Mad Titan once and for all. In the end, Thor understands what it truly means to be king – by not being one anymore. Thor returned in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder.
Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye – In the years since losing his family to Thanos’ snap, Clint Barton leaves behind his identity as the superhero Hawkeye and becomes Ronin, hunting down cartels and gangs around the world. But the hope of seeing his family again brings him back into the fold. Since the reunion, Hawkeye starred in his self-titled Disney+ show, which saw him take Kate Bishop under his wing.
Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk – After Infinity War, Bruce Banner spent 18 months figuring out how to merge the brains and brawn together to create Smart Hulk. He becomes vital to not only figuring out time travel but also making sure that The Avengers don’t doom the universe by creating too many alternate timelines. Banner returned in Phase 4’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, mentoring Jennifer Walters, his cousin, on how to be the MCU’s She-Hulk.
Sam Wilson, a.k.a. the Falcon – Falcon returns to fight alongside Captain America one last time in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle after first being dusted in Infinity War. His voice is the first one audiences hear after the snapped victims return. Of course, his first line is, “On your left” – a reference to Steve Rogers’ line from Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Rogers gifted Sam Wilson the title of Captain America, along with the iconic shield, though he didn’t embrace this role fully until The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+. Wilson will return as Captain America in Phase 5’s Captain America: New World Order.
James “Rhodey” Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine – Col. James Rhodes became War Machine in Iron Man 2, fighting alongside his best friend, Tony Stark. Rhodey had the opportunity to do so one more time in Avengers: Endgame while also having the experience of time traveling and journeying into outer space. War Machine is set to return in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Armor Wars film.
Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch – Appearing first in Avengers: Age of Ultron as an adversary, Wanda Maximoff eventually became one of the Avengers’ strongest heroes, with her superpowers being enhanced by the Mind Stone. Most recently, she appeared in her own Disney+ show, titled WandaVision, and co-starred as the Darkhold-corrupted villain in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant-Man – If it wasn’t for a rat, Avengers: Endgame‘s story wouldn’t be possible, and time travel itself wouldn’t have happened without Scott Lang, who returns as Ant-Man. Scott Lang returned in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, finding himself trapped in the Quantum Realm and going toe-to-toe with Kang the Conqueror.
Hope van Dyne, a.k.a. the Wasp – Hope van Dyne returns after the snap is reversed, and she wastes no time in getting in on the action as the Wasp, even telling Cap that she and Ant-Man have the task of getting the Quantum Tunnel up-and-running covered. The Wasp became the MCU’s first female leading character in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and that legacy is continued in Endgame. She also returned alongside Scott Lang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man – As one of Marvel’s fan-favorite characters, Peter Parker came back from his emotional send-off in Infinity War as Spider-Man (or, more accurately, the Iron Spider). Spider-Man’s next project, Spider-Man: Far From Home, acted as the epilogue of the MCU’s Infinity Saga, and the web-slinger later teamed up with his Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield-portrayed variants in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord – Redeeming himself after his fateful moment in Infinity War is Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, who’s now trying to hold onto his team while also searching for the person he lost to Thanos – Gamora. That search continued in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and will come to a head in May 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, once again written and directed by James Gunn.
Nebula – Perhaps the most underrated character in Avengers: Endgame and the unsung hero in the fight against Thanos, Nebula returns not once but twice in the movie’s final battle – once as her present self and another as herself from 2014. And she’s, unfortunately, forced to kill her past self in order to protect her sister. Nebula is also set to return in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as a fully-fledged team member.
Gamora – Gamora was killed in Infinity War, and that death cannot be undone, just like Black Widow’s Soul Stone-based death. But Avengers: Endgame brings the past’s Gamora into the future and sets up her story for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which will see her leading a faction of the Ravagers.
Drax – Drax the Destroyer has had one mission: kill Thanos. While he tried and failed to do so in Infinity War, he completed his task in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle by aiding his fellow superheroes. Drax will return for one final adventure in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Rocket – Rocket was one of the last surviving Guardians in Avengers: Endgame, and when Thor was down on his luck, it was Rocket who stepped up and helped the Avengers succeed in bringing everyone back. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will explore Rocket’s MCU backstory in great detail.
Groot – Groot has died twice since first appearing in the MCU in Guardians of the Galaxy – the first time as a sacrifice and the second time as part of the snap – but he was reunited with Rocket in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle, and they battled Thanos’ army together. Since then, he was developed into “Swole Groot”, who will have a major part to play in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Mantis – Mantis is one of the newest members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, but her powers came in handy in Avengers: Infinity War, and they undoubtedly helped some more in Endgame‘s final battle. Perhaps she’ll be able to use her powers to help Gamora learn about her other self, as she will return alongside the rest of the team in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, following the major reveal that she’s Star-Lord’s half-sister in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Stephen Strange, a.k.a. Doctor Strange – Just like Ant-Man, Avengers: Endgame wouldn’t have been possible without Doctor Strange, whose plan was put in place when he gave up the Time Stone in Avengers: Infinity War. While he didn’t have too much to do in Endgame‘s final battle, he knew exactly what needed to be done to make sure they won – and they did. Since then, Strange managed to botch a spell – thanks to Peter Parker – that set Spider-Man: No Way Home into motion, and he also traveled the multiverse in his Phase 4 sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Wong – While Doctor Strange was returning from Titan, Wong took it upon himself to unite the world’s heroes and bring them to the Avengers HQ for the final battle against Thanos. It’s revealed in Spider-Man: No Way Home that Wong also became Sorcerer Supreme thanks to Doctor Strange getting dusted for five years. He has had several cameo appearances in the MCU’s Phase 4.
T’Challa, a.k.a. Black Panther – In an exciting moment, Black Panther is the first major hero to return after the snap, and he was crucial to getting the Infinity Stones where they need to go. Sadly, actor Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020, an event that was written into Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as T’Challa was revealed to have succumbed to an undisclosed illness, though his legacy lives on in the form of his secret son, Toussaint, a.k.a. Prince T’Challa.
Okoye – Okoye was one of the few major Black Panther characters who weren’t killed by Thanos’ snap in Avengers: Infinity War. She continued to coordinate with the Avengers in the five-year time-jump, and when the time was right, she brought everyone from Wakanda to the Avengers HQ to fight Thanos and his time-traveling army. Okoye had a major role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which saw her become one of Wakanda’s Midnight Angels.
James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes, a.k.a. the Winter Soldier – No longer the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes became the White Wolf in-between Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War, and he was perhaps the only person wielding a traditional weapon in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle. Bucky co-starred in Disney+’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and is set to make his next appearance in Phase 5’s crossover event, Thunderbolts.
Valkyrie – Valkyrie was a disgraced hero in Thor: Ragnarok, but after redeeming herself, she lived up to her name in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle. And now she’s been promoted to King of Asgard, a role which was developed further in Thor: Love & Thunder.
Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel – Coming on the heels of her solo movie, Carol Danvers helped save the Avengers twice in Endgame – the first time by saving Tony Stark and Nebula and the second time by single-handedly destroying the Sanctuary-II. Then she took on Thanos by herself. Needless to say, Captain Marvel is now one of the strongest heroes in the universe. After a cameo appearance in Ms. Marvel on Disney+, Danvers is set to return in The Marvels alongside Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau.
Other Heroes In Avengers: Endgame’s Final Battle
Shuri – Shuri was one of the surprise snap victims, as her fate wasn’t revealed until the first Avengers: Endgame trailer. But she came back with her signature hand cannons and fought Thanos alongside her brother, T’Challa, in the movie’s final battle sequence. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever saw Shuri become the MCU’s new Black Panther.
M’Baku – One of the breakout characters from Black Panther, M’Baku survived the snap, but wasn’t seen during the five-year time-jump, only returning to help his King lead the armies of Wakanda against Thanos and his army in Endgame‘s big battle sequence. It was implied that M’Baku became Wakanda’s new King in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Pepper Potts, a.k.a. Rescue – Pepper Potts has been Tony Stark’s rock since the very beginning, and she finally had the chance to use her gift from her husband to fight alongside Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle. But, sadly, it was also the last time that she saw Tony alive.
Korg – Korg and Miek survived the snap only to return in a hilarious scene in New Asgard. But while Korg isn’t too good at Fortnite, he knows how to fight on the battlefield, seeing as he returned alongside his king in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle. Korg fought alongside Thor in Phase 4’s Thor: Love & Thunder.
Howard the Duck – Howard the Duck was a surprise cameo in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and he returned in the final Avengers: Endgame battle against Thanos.
Kraglin Obfonteri – As one of the few remaining Ravagers, Kraglin joined the fight alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy to defeat the Mad Titan and his galaxy-destroying army once and for all. Kraglin took his place as an official member of the Guardians of the Galaxy in Vol. 2, and will fight with the team in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Various Ravagers – While only a few of them remain after the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, the Ravagers are still on the side of good, and they proved that in the final Endgame battle.
Various Sorcerers – In addition to Doctor Strange and Wong, sorcerers from all corners of the planet fought in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle, and they were integral to keeping people safe when the Sanctuary-II rained fire on the battlefield.
Various Wakandans – Just as in Avengers: Infinity War, the Wakandan army faced the brunt of Thanos’ army, except this time they did it with dozens of other heroes from all across the galaxy – and they did so off their home turf.
Villains in Avengers: Endgame’s Final Battle
Thanos – The Thanos from Avengers: Infinity War was killed early on in Avengers: Endgame, but the Thanos from 2014 managed to use the Quantum Tunnel to appear in 2023 – and although he was perhaps more naive than the one fans are used to seeing, he put up a good fight against the Avengers and their army.
Ebony Maw – Returning alongside Thanos is one of the Black Order’s main members: Ebony Maw, whose powers rival that of Doctor Strange.
Corvus Glaive – While he was killed in Avengers: Infinity War (by his own glaive), a past version of Corvus Glaive appears in Avengers: Endgame‘s final battle and is ultimately dusted alongside the rest of the Black Order.
Proxima Midnight – Proxima Midnight’s role in Avengers: Endgame is much smaller compared to Avengers: Infinity War, but she’s still around to fight alongside the rest of the Black Order in the final battle.
Cull Obsidian – Cull Obsidian is the brute force of the Black Order, and he’s one of the first villains to charge the Avengers in Endgame‘s final battle. Oddly, a mistake meant that Obsidian appears twice in the same shot.
Outriders – Just as in Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos’ army in Avengers: Endgame is primarily comprised of Outriders.
Chitauri – The Chitauri return in Avengers: Endgame‘s time-traveling mission, and their Leviathans also appear in the final battle, with one being knocked down by Ant-Man.
How Long Is The Final Battle In Endgame
Fitting for a climax involving nearly 40 major MCU characters, Avengers: Endgame’s final battle is quite long and takes place basically in real-time. The fight in its entirety is a bit over 30 minutes if one begins counting from the moment Thanos arrives and fights Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, to the time he gets snapped away by Iron Man. It’s comparable in scale to the famous final showdown in Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, but even bigger in scope.
Why Some Characters Were Missing From The Avengers: Endgame Final Battle
While the final battle in Avengers: Endgame featured almost every single super-powered or almost-superhuman individual in the MCU (the good ones, at least), there were some MCU heroes who were notably absent.
Nick Fury and Maria Hill – Nick Fury brought the Avengers together for the first in 2012’s The Avengers, so it’s a shame he and his right-hand-woman Maria Hill didn’t have larger roles in Avengers: Endgame. However, with no superpowers to speak of, it’s unlikely they would have been of any use in Endgame’s final battle, and it could be assumed that Fury had already started his mission in Earth’s orbit by this point, which will be further explored in Phase 5’s Secret Invasion series.
Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne – The MCU’s original Ant-Man and the Wasp were brought back by the Hulk after being snapped out of existence by Thanos in Infinity War. However, neither took part in the final battle against Thanos during Endgame, although both are present at the funeral of Tony Stark. No explanation is given for this, but it might simply be that both are considerably later along in life than most of the other mortal heroes. They may have decided to sit out the battle and let the younger generation handle things.
Sharon Carter – The Falcon and the Winter Soldier revealed that Sharon Carter had been as hiding out in Madripoor for the five years between Infinity War and Endgame. She was incorrectly assumed to have been blipped from the Snap by the Avengers, but she actually used the situation to her advantage to remain off-grid. Sharon Carter was still a U.S. fugitive at the time, so when Endgame’s final battle commenced, she was probably already operating as the Power Broker.
Nakia – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever revealed that Nakia had moved to Haiti during the five-year Blip in Avengers: Endgame, where she and T’Challa had agreed to raise their son. It could be assumed that she was there caring for the child during Avengers: Endgame’s final battle, not willing to put her life on the line and leave the kid without a mother. Outside in-universe explanations, actor Lupita Nyong’o had scheduling clashes at the time of filming.
Lady Sif – Sif was revealed to be alive during the events of Endgame, but she wasn’t with the rest of the Asgardians on Earth. She had been exiled by Loki during his tenure posing as Odin, so while she was blipped and subsequently returned, she didn’t take this opportunity to fight. Sif wouldn’t reunite with the other Asgardians until Thor: Love and Thunder, when she was rescued from Gorr the God Butcher by Thor after losing an arm.
Ava Starr, a.k.a. Ghost – After the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp, it could be assumed that Ghost is still on the run with Bill Foster. Ghost is set to return as a member of the MCU’s Thunderbolts, so the Phase 5 film could shed light on her Endgame whereabouts.
Talos – The Skrull ally of Nick Fury was traveling the galaxy to find a new home for the rest of the Skrulls during the MCU’s 2020s. They could, in theory, have returned to take part in the final battle, especially if Fury requested it. It’s possible that Talos chose not to bring the Skrulls into the war to keep up their covert appearances, though this will come to a head in the upcoming Secret Invasion series on Disney+.
Eternals – The MCU’s Eternals were introduced in Phase 4, but were revealed to have been on Earth for millennia prior to Avengers: Endgame’s final battle. Why they didn’t help in the fight was a major talking point in Eternals, though they mentioned that they were forbidden to interfere with human affairs unless Deviants were involved.
Alexei Shostakov, a.k.a. Red Guardian – Natasha Romanoff’s surrogate father-figure, Alexei is a Russian super-soldier who was introduced in the retrospective Black Widow. Shostakov’s whereabouts are unknown at the time of Avengers: Endgame’s final battle, but he is set to make his next appearance in Thunderbolts.
Yelena Belova – Much like Red Guardian, Yelena Belova was introduced in Black Widow as Romanoff’s younger sister. Hawkeye on Disney+ confirmed that Yelena had fallen victim to Thanos’ snap, and it’s likely she wouldn’t have been able to find out about Avengers: Endgame’s final battle quick enough to make it there, though there’s no doubt she would have helped if she could have. Her grief over losing her sister in the Blip will be explored further in Thunderbolts.
Eros, a.k.a. Starfox – Eros debuted in Eternals’ post-credits scene, going by the moniker of Starfox. Starfox was revealed to be Thanos’ brother, despite being of Eternal origins, so it’s unclear why he wasn’t involved in Avengers: Endgame’s final battle.
Eric Brooks, a.k.a. Blade – Eternals’ post-credits scene revealed that Blade is already active in the MCU, so he could have been recruited to fight alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes – should they actually know he exists. In Marvel Comics, Blade is a British vampire hunter, so it’s possible he wasn’t even in the United States when Avengers: Endgame’s final battle ensued.
Shang-Chi – Shang-Chi was introduced in Phase 4’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and was revealed to be operating as a soldier for his father long before Avengers: Endgame’s final battle. However, by 2023, he hadn’t yet become the hero that Phase 4 debuted, so his absence from Endgame was wholly justified.
Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil – Spider-Man: No Way Home revealed that Daredevil is already active in the MCU, and presumably was during the time of Avengers: Endgame as he gained his powers as a child. Matt Murdock’s absence from Avengers: Endgame’s final battle is likely due to his desire to retain his anonymity, though it’s likely he’ll be involved in future team-up projects, as he joined forces with Jennifer Walters in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
Marc Spector/Steven Grant/Jake Lockley, a.k.a. Moon Knight – Phase 4’s Moon Knight introduced the antihero avatar of the Egyptian God Khonshu to the MCU, who would have been a fantastic addition to Avengers: Endgame’s final battle. However, it’s likely that Khonshu was keeping Marc busy elsewhere during Avengers: Endgame’s final battle, as the high-and-mighty God would have bigger fish to fry.
The Fantastic Four – Although Marvel’s First Family haven’t debuted in the MCU yet, Marvel Studios has confirmed that Fantastic Four won’t be an origin story for the team, suggesting they are already operating together as superheroes. This makes their absence in Avengers: Endgame curious, which is something that must be explained during their premiere adventure in Phase 6.
Tony Stark Was The Only Main Hero Who Died In The Avengers: Endgame Final Battle
Despite Avengers: Endgame having incredibly high stakes as the end of the MCU’s Infinity Saga, only one hero died during the final battle. Tony Stark’s death was certainly emotional, but the fact that only one out of 36 participating heroes perished during the movie takes the teeth out of the intended impact, especially on repeat viewings. The final battle in Avengers: Infinity War ratchets up much more tension, in no small part because multiple heroes don’t make it to the end of the sequence. Endgame doesn’t provide the same level of uncertainty.
Considering that some characters who took part in the final battle against Thanos were relatively minor, there were plenty of opportunities to include a few deaths that would have upped the ante without disrupting long-term MCU stories. A version of Nebula dies in Endgame, but it’s the evil alternate Nebula from a past timeline. The rest of the notable deaths in the Endgame final battle are all villains, namely Thanos and his Black Order. While Marvel Studios has plans for all the other heroes (which made killing them off difficult), it doesn’t negate the fact that for a final battle, there wasn’t much finality in Avengers: Endgame.
