Did Captain America Alter the Timeline in Avengers: Endgame?
The final climax of Avengers: Endgame leaves many fans questioning the mechanics behind the time-travel paradoxes. One of the intriguing debates is whether Captain America (Steve Rogers) created a new timeline by living with Peggy Carter in 1970. In this article, we will explore the logical reasons behind this question and the official stance of the writers on the matter.
An Inverse Hero Arc
Iron Man (Tony Stark) and Captain America (Steve Rogers) represent the yin and yang of the MCU
Iron Man's Journey
Iron Man returned to 1970, living a life of immense fulfillment with his true love, Pepper Potts, and even established his family. His story concludes with him playing his final heroic role, finally getting to rest as a fulfilled man. Pepper's words sum up Tony's journey: "Tony wouldn't rest until he fulfilled his hero duties."
Captain America's Evolution
In contrast, Steve Rogers lived his entire life fighting, always on a mission. Tony inspired him to live life and stay out of the way of history, while Steve inspired Tony to make the ultimate sacrifice.
CHIEVING A TIME LOOP
In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it is mentioned that Steve had thoughts of living the rest of his life with Peggy Carter in 1970. This decision was ultimately decided in Avengers: Endgame, but the filmmakers sought to maintain a consistent narrative.
The Writers' Intentions
Chris Markus and Stephen McFeely, who wrote all three Captain America films and the Infinity War / Endgame duology, have explicitly stated that Steve lived in a stable time loop. He returned to live with Peggy and their children, representing a quiet life free from the chaos of the Avengers.
This is reflected in Infinity War where Peggy talks about her husband in a recorded message but does not give his name. She is also seen with her family photos, yet the younger Steve is absent from the pictures. This makes sense given that the younger Steve would not recognize himself in the photos as he is from the future.
The narrative is further supported by the words of the Ancient One in Doctor Strange. She explained that timelines are defined by the presence of the Infinity Stones. The removal of a Stone would create alternate branches, implying that removing Stones would erase these branches. Hence, when all Infinity Stones were returned, there should be no branching timelines.
The Directors' Perspective
However, the directors, Joe and Anthony Russo, disagree. They stated that Steve creates a new timeline due to his actions.
Supporters of the directors' view might suggest theories about how Steve traveled from one timeline to another, but the writers' intention offers a simpler and more logical explanation. Steve has always been in the primary MCU timeline, quietly living his life with Peggy and his children, and even potentially grandchildren and great-grandchildren by that time.
He left at the opportune moment to join Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, as seen at the end of Endgame—a conclusion that aligns perfectly with the writers' narrative.
Conclusion
While there are disputed views on this matter, the official stance from the writers suggests that Captain America did not create a new timeline. Instead, he lived a quiet life in the primary timeline and then returned to join the Avengers when needed. This perspective maintains the integrity of the MCU narrative while respecting the characters' journeys and relationships.