The Avengers saga is all set to come to a climactic end with Avengers Endgame, that will literally be the culmination of 21 movies and years of build-up of one of the most epic fantasy stories ever.
And in one of the most perfect ways to gear up to see it all come to an end, is the conclusive list of every end credit scene ever. Because, would MCU even exist without it?
1. The first movie in the series, Iron Man, ended with Tony – and the audience – getting a legendary ‘meet-and-greet’ by Nicky Fury. He lets Tony know there are more superheroes and he’s part of a bigger universe. And for the first time ever, the Avengers Initiative is introduced.
*Ah! one of those rare times that Tony Stark was clueless about something*.
2. With The Incredible Hulk, Tony is the one taking the initiative forward. And he lets Thaddeus Ross know that they indeed are ‘putting a team together’.
And when Ross asks, ‘Who’s we?’, Tony’s know-it-all smirk says it all. (Damn! we’ve missed that arrogant confidence).
3. It’s actually in Iron Man 2 that we first catch a glimpse of Thor’s Hammer, as Agent Phil Coulson arrives at the large-ass crater in New Mexico.
4. Naturally, it’s Thor in succession. But what the movie ends with is the first show of Tesseract as Erik Selvig – being mind-controlled by Loki – arrives at the S.H.I.E.L.D facility with Nick Fury.
“History tells us one thing, legend another”. Oh, Nick Fury and his prophetic dialogues. But this is one scene where you have to agree with Loki (okay, I’ve already started missing characters), that ‘it is worth a look’.
5. With Captain America: The First Avenger’s end Fury has a task for Rogers – who’s been out cold, literally, for 70 years.
“Trying to get me back in the world?”
6. We get a ‘snap’ of Thanos for the very first time when Avengers comes to an end and Thanos is informed that ‘to court humans, is to court death’.
That evil smile at the name of death should have been a giveaway.
7. Of course, undoubtedly the MOST FAMOUS end-credit scene ever also occurs at the end of Avengers. When a bunch of tired superheroes – who’ve just saved the world – have shawarma.
Who’d have thought that the end-credit scene that will become almost as famous as the movies, was actually shot after the movie had already premiered!
8. Iron Man 3 ends with Tony Stark and Bruce Banner having a heart-to-heart epic conversation. Or it would have been had Bruce not dozed through it.
“Actively napping” became a legit thing post this.
9. Thor: The Dark World ends with us getting a glimpse of The Collector, one of the six infinity stones, and something far more sinister.
“It will be completely safe here.” Spoiler Alert: it wasn’t!.
10. But of course, it wasn’t the only end credit scene in Thor: The Dark World. Because finally, Thor and Jane reunite.
11. We meet the ‘twins’ Pietro and Wanda Maximoff and are introduced to the extent of Hydra’s experimentation with the mind stone, with the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
12. Additionally Captain America: The Winter Soldier, tells us – and Bucky – everything about his life through the exhibit at the Smithsonian.
Oh, that’s also one of Stan Lee’s many cameos.
13. Guardians of the Galaxy treats us to baby Groot being his super adorable self as he dances to I Want You Back by The Jackson 5.
14. And that’s the only adorable post-credit bit because as Guardians of Galaxy reveals, The Collector lost it all.
But at least we get to see Howard the Duck.
15. With Avengers: Age of Ultron Thanos decides to finally drive the war to the end himself, by retrieving the infinity gauntlet and collecting the Infinity stones.
Who knew ‘Fine, I’ll do it myself.’ would go down as one of the most sinister dialogues ever.
16. When Ant-Man ends, we revisit Bucky (trapped now) as Steve and Sam discuss the best way to offer help. And like always, someone (Sam in this case) ‘knows a guy’.
And then this scene finds its way in Captain America: Civil War.
17. When Ant-Man ends, Marvel also hints at the next film in the Ant-Man universe by showing a prototype for the Wasp Suit.
18. In Captain America: Civil War Steve and Bucky agree to a ‘cold’ solution until Bucky is cured of Hydra’s conditioning. Also, WAKANDA!
19. Oh, of course, there was also Spider-Man being his inquisitive adorable self and emitting the Spider-Man signal in Captain America: Civil War.
20. Doctor Strange brings back Thor – who in an interesting conversation with Dr. Strange (are there any other kind with him) reveals he’s searching for his father Odin. And ‘promptly’ receives help.
And guess where Thor: Ragnarok starts from? Yup, right this scene.
21. In Doctor Strange, Karl Mordo also confronts Jonathan Pangborn, strips him of his magic and vows to destroy all Sorcerors.
22. The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 had multiple end credits scenes. And all of them were worth it. But it starts with Kraglin running for his life, after accidentally stabbing Drax with Yondu’s arrow.
23. The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 end credits scene continues with Stakar Ogord assembling a team of Ravagers.
24. Even Ayesha has created a unique being fit to destroy the Guardians of the Galaxy, who she names ‘Adam’.
25. But what truly seals the deal on Guardians of Galaxy Vol.2 having the most epic end credits scene is watching Peter deal with a teenage Groot.
26. Lastly, it’s another Stan Lee cameo that makes it to the post-credits scene for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, as The Watchers walk away from an informant whose stories just don’t end.
27. At the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Mac Gargan and Adrian Toomes meet in the prison and discuss their ‘spider friend’s’ true identity.
28. Spider-Man: Homecoming also had Captain America film a PSA. Because, why not!
29. At the end of Thor: Ragnarok, when Asgardians are on their way to a safe haven and Thor is convinced ‘everything is going to work out fine’, a large ship approaches. Now we know that was Thanos.
*What’s the point of even stopping the tears at this point.*
30. Oh, lest anyone forgets, the Grandmaster also makes an attempt to ‘justify’ his role in the revolution at Sakaar.
31. When Black Panther comes to an end, T’Challa informs the United Nations that Wakanda will no longer be in the shadows and opens its borders to the world.
32. Also, Shuri proves her mettle once again, as Bucky – free of Hydra’s conditioning – seems to have adjusted to Wakanda well at the end of Black Panther.
33. Definitely a top contender for the most epic post-credit scene. Because as half the world vanishes in a snap in Avengers: Infinity War, Fury leaves a last message to Captain Marvel through a pager.
34. In Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scott is all set to return from the Quantum Realm until Thanos’ snap leaves him stuck. Because Hank, Janet, and Hope dust away, literally.
35. Also, when Ant-Man and the Wasp ends, a giant Ant has a go at the drums at Scott’s apartments. Now that’s a drum roll!
36. Captain Marvel’s post-credit scene shows not-an-ordinary-cat Goose spit out the Tesseract in Fury’s office.
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37. At the end of Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers also has her first encounter with the remaining Avengers, as the pager signal FINALLY gets through. And she asks exactly what we all want to know, ‘where’s Fury?’.
Every movie, every twist, every death, every end credit scene – it’s all been leading to the Endgame. Can there even be an end credit scene that can top all this?
All images from Twitter/Marvel, unless specified otherwise.