Alternative Endings to Avengers: Endgame
Steve goes back in time to replace the stones
At Voromir, he knocks out Clint so he can’t throw himself off the cliff
Then he intercepts Natasha and they end up hanging off the edge, with Steve hanging from Natasha.
“Don’t you dare—don’t you dare. You said to move on.”
“I did. Now it’s your turn.” (He has left the dream of Peggy behind. She was happy with her life, she died peacefully, he is not that man anymore)
We have a call back to the start where Nat says “I thought I told you to get a life” and Steve says “you first” then like punches or twists her wrist with his free hand so she lets go on instinct and NOT WILLINGLY CLINT
Natasha wakes up in the water with the soul stone and does the same furious, desolate crying that Clint did. She puts it in Clint’s hand, then time-travel-returns to the time/place where Steve left.
When she does, Sam then finds a note in his pocket that Steve tucked in or smth. Says “on your left” and then Sam looks over to see Bucky holding the shield
“Shouldn’t you take it?” Sam asks. Bucky smiles. “I was always a better sniper than a frisbee player,” he answers. “Besides, you’re ready.”
Meanwhile, Nat asks what happened to Tony and Pepper tells her about the epic battle, and with tears in her eyes she says “well, they were both too stubborn to back down from a fight” then she sees Clint and his family and they all run to each other and hug and cry.
Fade to black, but then we cut to a strange place (maybe the soul world) where Steve finds himself in some approximation of heaven
Peggy walks up to him, gives him a tight hug, kisses him on the cheek, then walks away
Then Bucky shows up and throws his arm around Steve’s shoulders and hugs him
Steve asks why he’s there. Bucky replies, “remember, I’m with you til the end of the line” but Steve tells him smth like “it’s the end of my line, Buck. But not yours. You finally have a chance to live your life. No war, no HYDRA. Please, live it.” And they hug again then Bucky also walks off.
Then Tony, who’s also dead, shows up. The pair of them shake hands and walk off side by side, finally reconciled
(could possibly lead towards eventual Stony)
I actually thought Bucky was staring at Natasha standing at the waterline in funeral clothes until the shot actually showed Old!Steve
What would have been satisfactory:
Steve puts the stones back, and returns the Soul Stone last because he doesn’t want to have to see Natasha die. He watches and at least cries a lil but when she lets go he can’t bring himself to look and squeezes his eyes shut
Just after Clint leaves, Steve goes up to Red Skull (which should have him react bc he didn’t know that bit)
Anyway it turns out that by simply returning the soul stone—giving up that ineffable power—he can get back what was sacrificed for it. A soul for a soul works both ways.
So he wakes up in the water, and he’s holding Natasha’s hand
They sit up, stunned and confused, then laugh in that giddy with relief way and hug each other.
Steve then goes back in time to 1945-ish and gives Nat his last Pym particles—enough for one last trip.
So Natasha materialises on the timetravel pad
Sam’s confused and asks how
And Bruce is like “so that’s why I couldn’t bring you back—you were already back, on Voromir”
Then Bucky’s smile sobers to concentration as he looks away from Natasha and notices Old!Steve. Steve hugs Natasha, he missed her so much
The scene is as it played, and after Steve gives Sam the shield, Nat says “good job getting a life” or something and Steve says “your turn” and looks up at Bucky and smiles——he does have a thing for redheads, Steve knows.
Later Quill asks “where’s gamora” and Nat tells him “Thanos died in 2014” so you can still set up what is obviously the plot for Guardians 3
WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFECT:
Steve puts the stones back, wakes up holding Nat’s hand, and they both return to the timetravel pad right on time
“Most people move on,” Natasha says to him, smiling.
He grins back at her. “But not us.”
The bit with Sam getting the shield goes the same, except Steve isn’t old
Later, Bucky’s like “but Steve… you could’ve gone back to Peggy”
and Steve’s like “nah. we both moved on. i love her—always will—but she had a husband, kids. I had one last dance with her, but…” he turns to smile at Bucky “…I think I’ve got a good place for myself here”
Steve nods. “I am. I couldn’t, before. Not as Captain America. I think it’s time Steve Rogers got to know the 21st Century.” He grins. “You wanna come with?”
Bucky grins back. “That guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb to run away from a fight? Always.”
If this is Stucky they take each other’s hands and Steve rests his head on Bucky’s shoulder and they admire the lake or smth. Bucky turns his head and kisses Steve’s hair, then rests his head on Steve’s and as the shot pulls back Bucky says “you’re keeping the suit, though, right?”
If this is Romanogers Steve gets up and walks around the funeral, says his last goodbye to Tony (finally forgives him and tries to make their peace) then looks up where Nat is hugging Clint and his family. She walks over and links her arms around his neck and they kiss, and when they break apart he murmurs “y’know public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable”
