Super Bowl 53 brought us a tons of great commercials. It is the only good thing to come out of it, as it was one of the worst football games ever, and a boring halftime debacle to match. But, we not only got some fantastic commercials (the NFL 100 years one is a definite stand out), but we also got another Avengers: Endgame trailer! And, if you thought the first trailer was a tear-jerker, this one will have you sobbing uncontrollably! So, let’s break down the trailer and discuss just what it may all mean.
The trailer starts right in the feels, showing quick clips of all the fallen Avengers, gray-scaled, turning to dust, with only red tones visible. This dissolved into the 10 year Marvel Studios logo, which also turns to dust. Not only does this punch home the impact that Infinity War had, but there is also another bit of symbolism here. Endgame represents the end of the road for the first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This film is the finale of the first decade of Marvel Studios. So, while we’re all expecting a (mostly) happy ending to this film, it is the end of an era. It is, however, also a starting point for a whole new era.
The overall tone of the trailer is bleak and grey, starting right from the start. We see a desolate New York, in the wake of the ‘Decimation’. While the city is mostly empty, there is a moment of note involving the Statue of Liberty. The harbor, famously known as America’s hub of immigration, is surrounded by boats. It would seem that in the wake of this global disaster, the survivors have flocked to a symbol of hope and acceptance in a moment of despair. We also see an empty stadium and barren streets, to help hit home of the sheer volume of loss.
We then get our first shot of one of our heroes, as Steve Rogers sits in on a group therapy session. It is obvious that this event has hit him harder than anything before, and with good reason. No matter what has happened, what extinction level event he has faced, good has always triumphed over evil. But not this time. This time they failed, and billions died. Moreso then they can even fathom, really, as the ‘Decimation’ traverses the entire universe. And, Rogers most likely takes it personally. He refused to let Wanda destroy the Mind Stone earlier. Had they just done the deed back when Vision first brought it up, Thanos would have never known when or where it was obliterated, so he couldn’t possibly go back in time to find it.
Another thing to point out is the simple voice over in the trailer. It’s Steve Rogers stating “Some people move on… But not us.” This is a poignant statement from a true hero. A hero doesn’t just give up. Even with the sheer amount of loss, heroes look for a way to rectify the situation. That’s what all of our heroes will be doing.
The next major moment is another bit of symbolism. We see Tony Stark and Nebula working tirelessly to seemingly rescue themselves. The shot is reminiscent of Tony’s first appearance, back when he created Iron Man in that cave. Tony is his most inventive during the most dire of situations, so this could be a good sign of things to come in the film. We do know that he and Nebula are obviously rescued at some point, but how is the real question.
We then see the surviving Avengers outside their complex before transitioning to a shot of Rocket entering a cabin. It looks like Rocket, the sole surviving Guardian, has sequestered himself to a simple life of the coast of somewhere. There is not much here to go on here, but it may be that Rocket has accepted the inevitable and is planning on living out his life in solitude. Rocket has a history of giving up when things are at their worst, and needing a guiding voice (Groot, Yondu, etc) to finally move forward. Who will be his guiding voice this time?
There are more moments with Black Widow stay sharp with target practice, War Machine and Ant-Man suiting up, and a quick shot of Clint Barton as Ronin, but the most important scene could very well be that fact that Captain America is getting his shield back. In the scene where he straps the shield on, it seems rather painful, as if he’s already taken a beating of sorts.
We also see the Avengers walking through the HQ, Cap with his shield, and although shadowed, they may very well be in their white and red Quantum suits. These two moments seem the most important here, as this may the moment where the plan to reverse everything begins. Remember, the marketing for this film is only supposed to use the first 15-20 minutes of the film. These shots of Cap reclaiming his shield and the Avengers suited up could be the catalyst for the second act, or at least the pinnacle of the first act.
We’re not sure if we’re going to get another trailer or not, before the film hits theaters in April. Regardless, the anticipation is through the roof for the MCU’s Phase 3 Finale, Avengers: Endgame.
What did you think of the latest trailer? Did anything catch your eye? Let us know in the comments below!