Steve Rogers’ Return Means the MCU Can Finally Solve Avengers: Endgame’s Last Mystery

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The movie Avengers: Endgame ended with a lingering question about Steve Rogers, and Marvel is now addressing it with his upcoming return in Avengers: Doomsday. While Endgame was presented as the conclusion to the first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it gave Captain America the happy ending he deserved. Using time travel, he reunited with his love, Peggy Carter, and lived a peaceful life. However, the specifics of how this time travel worked have always been a bit unclear, even causing disagreements among the film’s creators.

Although Steve Rogers seemingly disappeared after the battle, he actually returned as an older man, having lived a full life. He met with Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes to pass on the Captain America shield to Sam. This created a difficult situation for Sam, as he couldn’t easily explain how he’d received the title. However, this moment also presented a significant problem for the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe, though it wasn’t immediately obvious.

Steve Rogers Shouldn’t Have Had a Shield to Give to Sam

The main issue is that Steve Rogers never should have been the one to pass on his shield to Sam Wilson. During the massive final battle in Endgame, Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man initially faced Thanos alone. Steve gained a significant boost in power when he proved he was always worthy of wielding Mjolnir, but had previously chosen not to. While this gave Captain America power comparable to Thor’s, it still wasn’t enough, and he was clearly struggling even before Thanos brought in more help.

The Avengers got a lucky break thanks to Doctor Strange, who had meticulously planned for a situation like Thanos – it was a one-in-a-million chance! Using magic portals, he quickly gathered heroes from across the globe, including the Guardians of the Galaxy and the armies of Wakanda. Steve Rogers surprisingly wielded Mjolnir again, which pleased Thor, as the complete Avengers team finally came together. Despite reversing Thanos’s snap, Captain America was still injured and weakened from the fight.

Steve Rogers’ shield was also broken during the battle with Thanos, who had severely damaged it. Steve was left with just a small piece, which offered little actual protection and seemed more like a reminder of what he’d lost. After the fighting stopped, the Wakandans hadn’t given him a new one. This creates a puzzle: Steve traveled to the past without a shield, but the older version of himself somehow had one to pass on to Sam Wilson.

Steve Rogers’ Return Means We Can Finally Learn the Origin of Sam Wilson’s Shield

As a huge Marvel fan, I always felt something was still brewing with Steve Rogers, even after that seemingly perfect ending in Avengers: Endgame. The fact he got his shield back hinted his story wasn’t truly over. Now, this new Doomsday teaser – which I’ve heard is playing with Avatar: Fire and Ash – seems to confirm it. It shows Steve looking at his old Captain America suit, then holding his baby, and honestly, it’s pretty clear he’s about to jump back into action, fighting to protect the people he loves. It’s exciting to think his adventures aren’t finished after all!

Steve Rogers will likely need to get a new shield somehow. Considering the events of Loki showed how alternate timelines work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the most plausible explanation involves traveling between universes. This suggests that the upcoming Doomsday and Secret Wars storylines – which will conclude the MCU’s Multiverse Saga – will likely involve Steve acquiring a shield from another reality. This could be the same shield he passes on to Sam Wilson at the end of Endgame.

Interestingly, Endgame effectively concluded not only Phase 4, but also Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Steve Rogers’ final scene, when viewed chronologically, reveals the predetermined ending of the Multiverse Saga. We know he ultimately survives – or will be revived after a temporary setback – because the film already shows us that’s what happened. While Marvel may not have fully anticipated this when initially planning the Multiverse Saga, time travel and alternate timelines can create unexpected consequences if not carefully considered.

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2025-12-27 18:42