The MCU's Infinity Saga came to a conclusion with the film Avengers: Endgame. In an epic battle against the great Titan Thanos for the ever-coveted Infinity Stones, the mighty Avengers rose to the challenge and brought back those who were lost in The Blip five years prior. But the story didn't end there.
After Endgame, the heroes of the MCU mourned over those they'd lost and did what they could to carry on. Thor lost weight and joined the Guardians of the Galaxy to explore the universe and find a sense of purpose, while Spider-Man asked Doctor Strange to bend the fragments of reality. All the returning heroes set off on their own adventures, but who will eventually take their places?
The MCU has struggled to moved past the characters from the Infinity Saga. Not including the Disney+ shows, the MCU has released 8 sequel films that are about characters from the Infinity Saga compared to the 2 films that introduced new heroes. With the immensely dense catalog of superheroes Marvel has under its name, it might be time to move forward with some fresh faces.
Marvel Should Have Retired All Its Former Heroes
So far, the heroes from the Infinity Saga that have continued their journeys after Endgame (with their own film or TV series) include: Thor, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther, Loki, Wanda Romanoff/Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, The Falcon, and the Winter Soldier, with the exception of Black Widow getting a prequel film. The only additions to the cinematic universe are Shang-Chi, She-Hulk, Moonknight, Ms. Marvel, and the Eternals.
The number of heroes returning versus the number being introduced is way too far apart. Many fans may be bored with seeing the same character go on yet another adventure and are losing the excitement they once had for these well-established characters.
The difference between comics and films is that with the comics, the same hero can go on countless adventures because there are so many different storylines with different versions of the same character, while with the films, viewers are following the same story arc. This can often lead to plots becoming predictable or repetitive. Plus, the premise of Endgame serves as the perfect reason to have the Avengers retire, since both leaders are gone and the greatest threat to the universe has been defeated.
However, there are some exceptions and heroes that many fans are happy didn't retire, including the Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man. Spider-Man is especially exempt from being retired for a number of reasons: he's still so young, he was Iron Man's apprentice (so, in a sense, he is carrying on Tony Stark's legacy), and fans have yet to see the classic "friendly neighborhood Spider-Man" because of his heavy involvement with the Avengers. Not to mention both Doctor Strange and Spider-Man only had one film so far in the franchise.
Trying to Bridge the Gap Has Been Clunky
The MCU initially did well at bridging the gap between pre- and post-Endgame with the film Spider-Man: Far From Home. While the sequel film is still considered part of Phase 3 of the MCU, it's the first movie to take place after the events of Endgame, and does a decent job at following both Peter Parker and the rest of the world as they all cope with the aftermath of their loved ones returning five years after The Blip. However, after that, it got clunky.
What made the Infinity Saga so good is that every movie not only was able to stand on its own, but they each felt cohesive to each other and helped bring the entire universe together. Nearly every individual story served its own purpose throughout the first three Phases with a hint towards what's to be expected in the future. Now, the films seem to be sort of "set up" movies for the next ones, and with that, fans can't connect with the characters as deeply as they did with the original Avengers. Instead, fans spend the majority of the movie trying to figure out who the next Thanos will be, rather than focusing on the lives and stories of the possible new Avengers.
New Heroes Need The Spotlight
A possible solution could be to focus more on the newest heroes and what their individual roles will be for when the Avengers assemble once again. Older fans were able to follow along from the beginning of the Infinity Saga and build attachments to characters and truly care about them. And while these fans still care about them, the MCU can really reel them back in by starting that connection process all over again. But, that's hard for viewers to do when the older characters are constantly in the spotlight.
Most of the films that have come out centered on older Avengers have been films that are less serious and depict a simple adventure that does little to add to the greater scheme of things. In a comic book franchise like this, it's crucial to incorporate both the individual story as well as the overarching connectivity in which brings each of the heroes together to battle against a common enemy.
By focusing more on the newer heroes, like Shang-Chi or the Eternals, then fans get to experience the excitement and care they felt for the original Avengers, which will then allow them to connect with the heroes more easily and be eager to see where their story goes. Will fans get to experience another colossal event as Avengers: Endgame where their favorite heroes band together to save the universe? It may be still too early to tell, but if Marvel can go about it properly, then they can achieve that feeling again.