10 MCU Stories The Original Avengers’ Return Could Finally Pay Off

:0:0

Summary

The return of the original Avengers to the MCU could resolve several unanswered questions and tie up loose ends in the franchise's timeline.
Tony Stark's return could provide closure on the mystery of who bought Avengers Tower and potentially lead to the exploration of his stolen tech in an Armor Wars storyline.
The original Avengers' comeback would offer the opportunity to establish their real replacements and finally address unresolved romantic storylines, such as Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff's relationship. Additionally, it could fill in gaps in Steve Rogers' timeline and further explore what life was like during the MCU's Blip.

The original Avengers have been rumored to be returning to the MCU, and their reappearance could create the opportunity for several forgotten plot lines to finally be resolved. One of the downsides of creating a franchise on the scale of the MCU is that there are always going to be plot holes, mistakes, and unresolved storylines, particularly if characters are killed off before they complete their arcs. This is the case for some of the MCU's original superheroes, as Avengers: Endgame saw the deaths of Tony Stark's Iron Man and Natasha Romanoff's Black Widow, and the retirement of Steve Rogers' Captain America, leaving several loose ends in the MCU timeline.
Despite getting satisfying endings in the MCU's Infinity Saga, there have been calls for Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Evans to reprise their MCU roles. Recently, speculation they may be returning has gained traction, as a divisive report by Variety suggested that Marvel Studios executives discussed the idea of bringing back the original six Avengers for a future MCU adventure. While this hasn't been verified, and Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige denied these rumors, the return of the long-gone Avengers would gift Marvel Studios the opportunity to clear up several unanswered questions, and perhaps allow them to leave again having resolved everything they needed to.
10 Who Bought Avengers Tower? Avengers Tower Was Sold In Spider-Man: Homecoming

The new occupant of Avengers Tower - previously Stark Tower - has been a hot topic of discussion since the New York landmark was sold in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming. Theories have ranged from the Fantastic Four turning it into the Baxter Building, Norman Osborn establishing Oscorp, Mister Gryphon (a variant of Kang the Conqueror) setting up QENG Enterprises, or even the demonic supervillain Mephisto having bought the building. While the former Avengers Tower has been glimpsed several times in the years since Homecoming, the current resident of the building hasn't yet been revealed, but bringing back Tony Stark from the dead could clear up this speculation.
9 Iron Man Could Finally Deal With All Of His Stolen Tech War Machine Will Explore This Story In Armor Wars

One of Tony Stark's most pivotal storylines in Marvel Comics was 1987's Armor Wars event, which saw him scour the globe to track down stolen Stark technology being used by a variety of villains. This storyline will be adapted for Don Cheadle's Rhodey, a.k.a. War Machine, but it would be great for Stark himself to embark on this mission. Perhaps a period in the afterlife made him realize how dangerous his tech is in the wrong hands, so his return could lead to this brilliant and expansive storyline. A release date for Armor Wars has yet to be confirmed, but Rhodey is currently the sole hero in the upcoming project.
8 The Avengers Could Establish Who Their Real Replacements Are Legacy Heroes Have Been Introduced In The Multiverse Saga Close Since Avengers: Endgame and the ending of the Infinity Saga, Marvel Studios has introduced many new heroes to the MCU, several of which could be taking their places as legacy heroes for the MCU's original Avengers. While Clint Barton made Kate Bishop the new Hawkeye, Bruce Banner trained his cousin in how to be She-Hulk, and Thor is embarking on a new adventure with his adoptive daughter, Love, legacy heroes for the three missing original Avengers are less clear. Ironheart, War Machine, Harley Keener, and Morgan Stark could all continue Iron Man's legacy, though Sam Wilson and Yelena Belova are primed to be the new Captain America and Black Widow.
The original Avengers returning in the MCU's future would allow them to finally confirm who their legacy heroes will be, much like Steve Rogers passing the Captain America mantle to Sam Wilson directly in Avengers: Endgame.
7 Bruce Banner & Natasha Romanoff's Romance Can Be Resolved Hulk & Black Widow's Romance Was Controversial In Avengers: Age Of Ultron

There was never a shortage of romance storylines in the MCU, as audiences have watched iconic couples such as Tony Stark and Pepper Potts, Wanda Maximoff, and Vision, and Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter develop and grow over a period of years. However, Marvel Studios quickly dropped one romantic partnership after it garnered some controversy, but the fact that it was simply ignored thereafter was even more jarring. Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff struck up a bond in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and this had the potential to be something special, but it felt misplaced for viewers. Black Widow's return could finally provide some closure for this once-promising romance.
6 What Happened When Captain America Returned The Infinity Stones? Captain America's Endgame Mission Hasn't Been Shown

Steve Rogers' final mission before retiring as Captain America saw him travel back through time to return the collected Infinity Stones and Mjolnir to their respective timelines. This would have been a fantastic journey to watch unfold in live-action, as Rogers would have made his way to Asgard for the first time, perhaps interacted with himself in 2012 again, and even come face-to-face with his old foe, Red Skull. However, this was never adapted for the MCU, with viewers only left to assume that he succeeded in this mission. Chris Evans' MCU return could allow this story to finally be told, filling in this major gap in Steve Rogers' timeline.
5 Steve Rogers Could Deal With Sharon Carter's Power Broker Sharon Carter Was Revealed As A Villain In The Falcon & The Winter Soldier

Chris Evans' return wouldn't only allow gaps in Captain America's MCU timeline to be filled in, but could also bring him back into contact with Sharon Carter. Although their relationship may be awkward now that Rogers has lived a life with Carter's aunt, Peggy, the original Captain America's return could help to address the confusion surrounding Carter's sudden and controversial villainous transformation into the Power Broker. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ended with Carter infiltrating the United States government, legally, but this divisive choice by Marvel Studios didn't make much sense for her character, so this could be solved if Rogers makes his way back to the MCU.
Some have theorized that Sharon Carter could be a shapeshifting Skrull in the MCU, similarly to James "Rhodey" Rhodes, which would perhaps explain her transformation into a villain.
4 Smart Hulk's Transformation Can Be Explored Bruce Banner Became Smart Hulk During The Blip

Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner has seen more character development during his MCU journey than most, yet one of his biggest transformations happened completely off-screen. During Avengers: Infinity War, Banner was inflicted with what could be described as impotency issues, with the Hulk refusing to join the fight against Thanos. However, five years later during Avengers: Endgame, Banner had merged the human and Hulk personas, becoming Smart Hulk. This transformation has been referred to several times, particularly in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, yet it would still be great to see Tony Stark and Banner bringing the brains and brawn together in their remote cabin.
3 When Did Damage Control Become Villains? Tony Stark Founded The Department Of Damage Control After The Battle Of New York Close Tony Stark originally founded the Department of Damage Control to be an organization that deals with the clean up operation following massive superhero battles. Their first task was to repair New York City following the Avengers' first battle against Tom Hiddleston's Loki in 2012. However, following Stark's demise in Avengers: Endgame, Damage Control have been shown to have become something of a villainous force in the MCU, chasing down heroes such as Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, and Spider-Man, and using brutal force when necessary. Stark's return could set Damage Control straight, or at least explain why they have taken more extreme measures in recent years.
2 Tony Stark Could Reunite With Pepper Potts & Morgan Stark Tony Stark & Pepper Potts' Daughter Was Introduced In Avengers: Endgame

While Banner and Romanoff's romance might not have panned out, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts' relationship was perhaps the MCU's most successful and emotional partnerships. Potts was originally Stark's assistant, but the pair developed a romantic bond throughout Iron Man and Iron Man 2, and despite taking a break during Captain America: Civil War, they came back with full force. This culminated in a marriage and the birth of a daughter during Avengers: Endgame, and a heartbreaking farewell after Stark sacrificed his life to save the universe. Stark's return in the MCU's future would give him a few precious moments with his loved ones, which would be beautiful to watch.
1 What Actually Happened During The Blip? Five Years Of The MCU's Timeline Are Missing

While many events during Avengers: Endgame's five-year Blip have been explored, the majority of this time period is still a huge hole in the MCU's official timeline. Not one project since Endgame has directly explored what life was like after Thanos' snap in Avengers: Infinity War, even though there have been calls for a Blip-set series to be developed. After almost half-a-decade, it may be too late for Marvel Studios to focus on the Blip, but the potential returns of Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Natasha Romanoff make this a real possibility. Bringing these original Avengers back to the MCU could provide some much-needed insight into life during the Blip.
Key Release Dates