Avengers: Endgame is more of a pop culture phenomenon than simply a film. With such a weight on its shoulders, it was about time Marvel gave a more apparent nod to its female fans, of which there are many. But was the moment in Endgame enough? And how will the MCU move on after Endgame? Warning: Avengers Endgame spoilers below.
Much like in Avengers: Infinity War, there is a single moment in which almost all of the female Avengers appear together.
During the third act of Endgame, the final battle rages as Thanos attempts to steal the newly made gauntlet.
The Avengers are struggling to get the Infinity Gauntlet to Ant-Man’s van, in which resides the only remaining Quantum Realm time machine.
Hulk gives it to Hawkeye, who gives it to T’Challa, who gives it to Spider-Man.
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Women of the MCU: Marvel gave its female fans a major nod when the female heroes gathered on screen (Image: Marvel)
Spider-Man hands it off to Captain Marvel, saying he isn’t sure how she’ll make it through the hordes of baddies alone.
Shuri, who is revealed to be standing on a rock ledge nearby, replies saying she’s not alone.
The camera pans out, and one by one the surviving female Avengers come into view.
Shuri, Nebula, Pepper Potts in her Iron-Woman suit, Okoye, Valkyrie, Mantis, The Wasp, and Scarlet Witch are assembled, ready to take on Thanos, his Black Order, and Outriders.
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The moment elicited a loud cheer from the audience at the special screening in London on Tuesday, April 23.
And fans have been quick to take to Twitter to champion the scene.
One fan wrote: “I JUST NEED AN ALL WOMEN AVENGERS MARVEL MOVIE I LOVED THAT SCENE. I WOULD DIE FOR THAT SCENE”.
Another tweeted: “Seriously, that one scene in Endgame with the all-women backing up Captain Marvel was the BEST!”
Yet another person wrote: “You thought the women team up in Infinity War was something?? Wait till you watch the WOMEN TEAM UP IN Avengers Endgame WOOOOOO”.
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Women of the MCU: Female cast at 2016 ComicCon (L), Brie Larson and Tessa Thompson (R) (Image: Getty)
However, there are some fans who have said the moment of female empowerment felt contrived.
Since audiences may not expect to see a group of female superheroes together, that moment can be perceived as ham-fisted.
But a convincing counterargument explains that if the genders in the scenario were reversed (if Captain America were surrounded by Thor, Iron-Man, Spider-Man, and Hulk) the moment wouldn’t feel contrived, but natural.
As one Twitter user said, the scene is about: “Women standing together and fighting as one… And male allies fighting alongside them not as superiors, but as equals.
“This is the kind of representation women deserve.”
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Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright (L), Brie Larson (R) are proof representation matters (Image: Getty)
The Tweets go on. Yet though the moment in Avengers: Endgame resulted in uproarious applause, only hindsight will tell us if that moment was truly enough in terms of female representation in a male-dominated genre.
This ‘nod’ to the women in Marvel’s fanbase will only be enough if Marvel continues on the foundation it appears to be building, and the elation representation gives to its viewers.
If Black Panther and Captain Marvel’s success are metrics to measure by, representation is not only good for fans but good for business.
As Tessa Thompson who plays Valkyrie recently told the LA Times: “There are so many compelling female characters inside of the MCU…, I’m just excited that this new phase promises to have women and queer folks.”
Avengers: Endgame is now playing in cinemas.