Thanos’ victory at the end of Avengers: Infinity War may have been inevitable, but it was still devastating to watch half of our favorite superhero team crumble to ash. We needed answers, and Marvel was no help. The company took its sweet time releasing the first trailer for Avengers: Endgame, and the plot continues to be its most guarded secret. Of course, this hasn’t stopped fans from theorizing about the movie. There seems to be some consensus that Thanos’ collateral damage will be undone. So, queue up that classic Peaches & Herb tune “Reunited” and follow along. Here are the 7 marvelous reunions we need to see after the Avengers reverse Thanos’ snap.
Tony Stark and Peter Parker
Peter Parker and Tony Stark’s quasi-father-son relationship has been pivotal to each other’s character development. When Tony takes his suit away, Peter learns that he’s just as much of a superhero without it, as he’s forced to defeat Vulture using his own wits. Tony later entrusts Peter with the advanced Iron Spider suit, proving that he’s become less of a control freak. With help from one another, both are evolving into their ideal selves — they need each other.
We all want Peter to come into his own, to become the more established version of Spider-Man that we all know and love. But he has a long way to go. With his mentor Tony gone, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man may never develop the confidence he needs to see this to fruition. And Peter isn’t the only one who has work to do. Tony still struggles to be a team player (Civil War, anyone?), a skill he’ll need to develop if fatherhood truly is in his future. With a new wave of Avengers on the horizon, Tony might need Peter to gently remind him that he can trust the others can carry the team forward.
Vision and Scarlet Witch
It’s nice to have someone to lean on, especially if you’re Scarlet Witch and Vision. After both become Avengers, it’s love at first sight. And it’s this love that keeps them strong as they struggle to find their place in the world. Vision longs to be more human, much like Star Trek: The Next Generation ’s Data. Scarlet Witch fears she’ll never be accepted as a hero after the incident in Lagos that triggers the Sokovia Accords. As time goes by, their love only grows stronger. Like their comic book counterparts, these two should be contemplating marriage. Instead, Wanda watches the love of her life die, twice — once by her own hand, and again by Thano’s — before crumbling to dust along with 50% of the population.
A TV series centered on the characters is on the way, and we can’t help but hope this will mean a happy ending for these two. Not to mention that we actually need them back. After all, they’re two of the most powerful members of the Avengers. Also, let’s not forget that Vision and Scarlet Witch stuck by each other’s side until the end. Once reunited, they could teach the team a thing or two about the importance of sticking together.
Gamora and Nebula
Gamora and Nebula‘s relationship is complicated, to say the least. It doesn’t help that their adoptive father is the same Mad Titan that wiped out half of Earth’s population. These galactic sisters grow up to become fierce warriors, but at the cost of the throes of competition. Nebula and Gamora never get to be real sisters, as their drive to serve Thanos turns them into bitter rivals. When a botched quest for the Orb results in Thanos ordering Gamora to leave Nebula behind on Paraxius IX, it appears any chance of these two reconciling has disappeared.
But in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, Gamora saves Nebula’s life during a grueling duel. They clear the air and finally begin to cultivate a sisterly relationship. Realizing the errors of their ways, the two decide to stop Thanos. And then Thanos proceeds to destroy their newfound union by chucking Gamora off a cliff, sacrificing her for the Soul Stone in Infinity War. Nebula is, rightfully, distraught, if the roles were reversed, Gamora would feel the same. These rebellious siblings deserve to work toward redemption together.
Scott Lang and the Pyms
No MCU movie has taught us more about the importance of family than Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp. The Pyms and Scott Lang have certainly experienced ups and downs in their relationships. For instance, aiding Captain America during Civil War results in Scott being placed under house arrest and Dr. Hank Pym and Hope being forced to go into hiding. When the trio discover that Janet Van Dyne is still alive inside the Quantum Realm, they make amends and successfully bring her back. For a brief time, Scott Lang and the Pyms become a family of superheroes akin to The Incredible‘s Parrs.
But other quests await them within the realm, such as healing Ava. Unfortunately, the family’s time together is cut short when Thanos’ snap leaves Scott trapped inside the Quantum Realm as Hope, Hank, and Janet dissipate into ash. There’s a glimmer of hope (get it?) that we will see these four reunited again. The trailer for Endgame seems to suggest that Scott has somehow escaped, and the Quantum Realm could be key to defeating Thanos and reuniting this superhero family.
Drax and Mantis
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Drax and Mantis prove to be every bit the quintessential twosome as Peter and Gamora and Rocket and Groot thanks to their overt bluntness. Like when Mantis reveals Peter’s feelings for Gamora and Drax responds by laughing at his friend’s embarrassment. The duo’s non-existent relationship with subtlety and nuance make their budding friendship an unexpected treat.
Presuming Gamora returns, her relationship with Star-Lord will likely lead a predictable path after recovering from the trauma of nearly losing each other forever. However, this hasn’t come to pass for Drax and Mantis as we’re still waiting to see how their relationship will evolve, which makes for great will-they-won’t-they entertainment. The Guardians wouldn’t be complete without Drax and Mantis shaking things up with their unique brand of innocent and brutal honesty.
Nick Fury and Phil Coulson
Reversing Thanos’ snap might give the Avengers a reset button, and a second chance to become a better team moving forward. S.H.I.E.L.D. deserves this same mulligan. Given the high level of corruption inS.H.I.E.L.D., Steve Rogers makes a persuasive argument for why the organization must go in Captain America: Winter Soldier. But a new and improved S.H.I.E.L.D. could prove beneficial in helping the Avengers deal with future threats. No two men are better suited to lead the improved organization than Nick Fury and Phil Coulson. While both appear to have bitten the dust, death is rarely forever in the MCU.
It’s hard to fathom what the Avengers would be like as a team today had Fury and Coulson not been around. They often push our heroes to set their egos aside for the sake of saving the world. No one believes in the Avengers more than Fury and Coulson. If the two joined forces post-snap reversal, they could convince the world’s governments to amend the Sokovia Accords, which would give our heroes some much-needed relief.
Tony Stark and Steve Rogers
Tony Stark and Steve Rogers haven’t spoken since the harrowing events of Civil War. Infinity War saw the two top Avengers lead separate teams in the fight against Thanos. They both may have walked away unscathed from the Snap, but their emotional scars are raw and cut deep.
The relationship between Tony and Steve has been equal parts interesting and tumultuous. Their preconceived notions about each other keep them from getting off on the best foot in The Avengers. But by the end of Age of Ultron, they’re about ready to form a bromance. As the dust settles from Civil War, the two find themselves now locked in a bitter conflict. Tony’s upset Steve didn’t tell him the truth about how his parents died, and Steve distrusts Tony for signing the Sokovia Accords. This roller coaster of a relationship shouldn’t come as a surprise. Stan Lee and the other creators understood long ago that our heroes are human first, superheroes second.
It’s clear Tony and Steve still care for one another, and they deserve the opportunity to make amends. Sure, we all took a side during Civil War, but things won’t get back to normal without the Tony and Steve’s joint leadership. Reuniting the team is humanity’s only hope against Thanos.
