The culmination of 11 years and 22 films, Avengers: Endgame was a comic book movie on a scale unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.
Packed to the brim with characters, storylines, battles, Easter Eggs, and fan-service moments, Avengers: Endgame served as the ultimate love letter to both the rich history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its fans.
But of all of those various heroes, which were the most valuable in the battle for the fate of the universe against Thanos?
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR ‘AVENGERS: ENDGAME’ WILL FOLLOW AFTER THE GIFs (LITERALLY, RIGHT AFTER THE GIFs).
The Top Five MVPs of Avengers: Endgame
5. Captain Marvel
Marvel Studios
If there was any doubt before that Captain Marvel is the strongest Avenger (there wasn’t), that doubt has been completely eradicated following Captain Marvel’s momentum-shifting Endgame performance.
Not only does Captain Marvel brings a sense of power that the Avengers simply didn’t have before, as Carol Danvers easily destroys Thanos’ monstrous ship during the climactic battle, but it’s her initial fighting spirit that spurs the Avengers back into action.
4. Thor
Marvel Studios
Thor — or as we like to call him around these parts nowadays, Thicc Thor — went through arguably the most difficult arc during the course of Infinity War and Endgame, as the guilt he felt for not “aiming for the head” almost consumed him.
However, when push came to shove and the line in the sand needed to be drawn, Thor was there towing that line, being a constant and driven threat towards Thanos.
If Captain Marvel is the Avengers 1A, then Thor still remains their 1B.
3. Tony Stark
Marvel Studios
While Captain America has long been the moral compass of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was Tony Stark who was the emotional core of Avengers: Endgame, as his first-act outburst at Cap and his third-act sacrifice against Thanos provided two of the most emotional moments in the movie.
Following his return to Earth from Titan, Tony leaves the Avengers and settles down to have a daughter with Pepper Potts. But when Captain America, Natasha Romanoff, and Scott Lang come (literally) knocking at his front door asking for help, Tony is reluctant to risk his newfound family life.
However, because Tony Stark is Tony Stark, he ultimately does the right thing and joins the gang, providing them with the last piece of the puzzle that they need to unlock time travel.
Oh, and he also is the one who ultimately snaps Thanos into the ether, costing him his life. If putting your life on the line for the squad doesn’t constitute an MVP performance, I’m not sure what does.
2. Captain America
Marvel Studios
The heart and soul of the Avengers, it was Captain America’s leadership that got the team back off the mat to go again for another round with the mad titan.
Not only did Cap inspire the team into action, but he finally fulfilled his destiny when he wielded Mjolnir in one of the most fantastic scenes in the history of the MCU.
1. Dr. Strange
Marvel Studios
This may be a controversial pick to some, but let me spit some quick #facts at you: not only was Dr. Strange the MVP in the actual battle against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War (run back the tape if you have to), but he was the MVP of the entire story as it’s his plan that ultimately leads to the defeat of Thanos.
And when my man Strange rolls up with essentially the entire MCU during the climactic battle, he has this look about him that says “yup, this is all playing out exactly how I planned.”
The fact remains, no matter how physically powerful Thor and Captain Marvel may be, Dr. Strange has something that no other Avenger — not even the massive minds of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner — have: knowledge of the universe.
And you know what they say about knowledge.
