So we are now 21 films into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (if you count The Incredible Hulk, which no-one should) spanning eleven quip-packed years.
And Avengers: Endgame is set to end the arc concerning all those various gem-related MacGuffins that are now packed onto Thanos’ clickin’ glove and see at least a couple of the big names from the series go out in a blaze of contract-ending glory.
Ahem.
And yes, technically Spider-Man: Far From Home will be the last film of this fourth “phase” of the MCU – which in itself is a pretty large giveaway that maybe the events of Infinity War aren’t exactly permanent.
But let’s be honest: Endgame is going to be the… um, endgame for a lot of viewers, because keeping up with the continuity is a lot of work and is set to get even harder.
Everyone, once there’s another dozen or so films.
In the event that there’s anyone out there thinking that Endgame should be their first MCU experience would have to do 50-something hours of homework in order even understand the stakes. And who among us can in good conscience turn to people about whom we care and say “…and now we’re going to watch the first two Thor films and also Iron Man 2?”
For established fans Marvel’s commitment to consistency is rewarding, but dipping into the MCU at this point is a formidable task. The price of creating a massive and interconnected ecosystem of movies is that a newcomer is going to spend most of any film nudging their companion in the ribs and going “who’s that guy? Why does he even know her? What’s a hydra?”
And that bit about it “getting even harder”? The MCU shows set to screen on the Disney streaming service are reportedly going to be tied in with the films in a way that wasn’t true of previous series like Agent Carter and Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D, which is really doubling down on the commitment thing.
And there’s only so many hours in the day. So we should all enjoy Endgame, especially those of us who’ll most likely make it the stop at which we get off the MCU train.
After all, engaging with pop culture really shouldn’t be a goddamn slog.
Oh stop it.