It’s been nine months since Marvel’s Avengers saga came to a close with the epic Endgame, but the film’s ending is still, apparently, causing some controversy.
The movie, which did bananas at the box office and broke all kinds of records, has been loved by fans and critics, but isn’t without its missteps.
One of the more baffling decisions in Endgame was the way the writers of the film wrapped up Captain America’s story arc. As a refresher, after returning the Infinity Stones to their original time lines, Steve Rogers decided to stay in the past with Peggy, and laid down the shield. Many fans thought it was totally inconsistent with the way the character had previously been written. After all, Cap was not the kind of guy who could look the other way while things were pointed south, though in the end, that’s ultimately what he decided to do.
Fans also complained that Steve’s happily ever after with Peggy also undercut his entire relationship with best friend Bucky Barnes, a take that Sebastian Stan, the actor who played Bucky, might share.
Early Thursday, Stan shared a screenshot of a tweet on his Instagram and added a perplexing emoji.
Now, this is all pretty bizarre.
First, let’s break down the content of the original tweet.
together until the end of the line. Or until bad, inconsistent, out-of character writing turns Steve Rogers into his own anti-thesis. Shouldn't it be "together until the end of the lie" now?
— Nina (@TheNenya) January 29, 2020
In response to a Steve and Bucky fan video from Marvel’s UK account, Twitter user TheNenya roasted them for using the tagline, Together until the end of the line.
“Together until the end of the line. Or until bad, inconsistent, out-of character writing turns Steve Rogers into his own anti-thesis. Shouldn’t it be “together until the end of the lie” now?”
That’s brutal. Clearly, fans who were invested the Steve and Bucky ‘ship are still hurt by the ending. Stan then just dumped a ton of gasoline onto it by sending out his own social media post.
A lot of fans are reading it as Stan’s tacit agreement that he too thinks Steve and Bucky’s relationship was done wrong, but just sharing criticism doesn’t mean he agrees with it. Honestly, that’s a really perplexing emoji. What does that emoji even mean in this context? Does he agree with it? Or is it just a wow, look at this?
What’s more confusing is why Stan, who is currently filming The Falcon and Winter Solider show for Disney+, would even wade into these waters? Why, 9 months later, is Stan trying to bring up old stuff? It doesn’t really make sense. He’s likely got a huge contract with Marvel and since he’s a fan favorite, has the potential to be incorporated into future Marvel films. Why risk all that by oversharing on social media?
Also, is Stan taking the lead from Star Wars actor John Boyega, who also tweeted out a post that was critical of one of the primary storylines in Rise of Skywalker? Boyega certainly seems to think Stan was taking a shot at Marvel.
Welcome Mr Stan ! Welcome. pic.twitter.com/iuhHD2bbnR
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) January 30, 2020
It’s rare for talent in any major film to publicly criticize a movie, regardless of how they feel about it. Stan getting public about thinking Steve and Bucky were done wrong is a bold step. But, if that is indeed what he meant, what it also does is shore up solidarity with a fan base that has undoubtedly made him a star. Bucky started as a minor character in the Marvel universe, but devoted fans and ‘shippers have pushed him into the top tier. That’s not something that he seems to take for granted. Maybe Stan will actually one day just come out and say what he thinks. Right now, it’s just a confusing social media post that hints at an opinion, but doesn’t offer much else.
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