In the run-up to Avengers Endgame’s release, many fans believed Captain America would die by the film’s end. After all, he’s this pure messianic character who died in the comics after Civil War. But Avengers Endgame came and went and it was Iron Man who ultimately paid the sacrificial price, while Steve Rogers had the life he always wanted. Now director Joe Russo has revealed why Captain America wasn’t killed off.
Speaking with Comic Book, the director admitted that he and the writers wanted to “subvert expectations”.
He said: “Which is why we didn’t kill him.
“It’s not about trying to subvert expectations all the time, even though that comes into it.
“Typically when you’re in a writer’s room and you’re working through storytelling, and somebody says something feels obvious you go, well that’s the expectation.”
They continued: “I don’t think there were any mandates. If we had a good reason to not do it, certainly people would have entertained it.
“The watchword was, end this chapter, and he started the chapter.
“In a way, he has been the mirror of Steve Rogers the entire time.
“Steve is moving toward some sort of enlightened self-interest, and Tony’s moving to selflessness. They both get to their endpoints.”
