Avengers: Endgame Characters Deserving More Screen Time

As a faithful fan, I, like many others, have a list of characters I wished had more screen time in Avengers: Endgame. Despite the mammoth effort to tell a complete story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's heroes, some felt that their stories could have been further explored, particularly through a directors' cut potentially stretching to a 5-hour feature. Let's delve into the reasons why Ronin Hawkeye, Vision, and billionaire tech wizard Tony Stark prominently miss the mark in addressing their character arcs.

The Ronin Hawkeye Character Arc

The character of Ronin Hawkeye, played by Hailee Steinfeld, is introduced in The Avengers: Age of Ultron as a silent, stoic crossbow warrior. However, by the time his character appears in Avengers: Endgame, he is glancingly portrayed without further development, reflecting only a brief cameo toward the end.

Many fans wished for a deeper character exploration for Ronin Hawkeye; his potential dark path is easily recognizable, as seen in The Winter Soldier and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Fans yearned for a more detailed explanation of how he arrived at his Ronin persona and what his internal struggles entailed. It's a missed opportunity, considering the complex narrative that led to his fall in The Winter Soldier and the pathos of seeing him return to being a champion in a more traditional hero way in Endgame.

The Disappearing Vision: A More Epic Arc

When it comes to Avenger characters whose stories were feature-starved, Vision stands out in many ways. Vision, whose sentient mechanism first appeared in Ultron Versus Vision (#99) in The Vision comics in the late 1960s, is a character who had a complex and rich backstory. He began as a sympathetic character, turned against Ultron through his own free will, and quickly became an Avenger.

After being mortally injured in Infinity War, he was expected to have a twofold death and rebirth narrative. However, Vision's death and resurrection lacked the depth that the character deserved. Marvel Cinematic Universe fans were eager to see Vision's detailed narrative through to the end, including his emotional journey and his impact on the Avenger team's relationship dynamics.

The narrative in Endgame merely hinted that Vision could have returned but ultimately did not explore this storyline. His character's history is too packed with compelling moments and his potential to perform in a grandiose way was not fully realized. Vision's Space-Time play was a tease that could have led to a rich subplot in a directors' cut or a future Marvel series, but instead, it was left unfulfilled.

Cap's Bucky Honoring Rifle: A Shattered Promise

Another aspect of Endgame that felt underdeveloped is Steve Rogers using Bucky's rifle to execute the Thanos army. In the comics and their preceding series The Winter Soldier, Steve always carries a rifle dedicated to Bucky, remembering the fallen friend who became his partner. It would have been an emotional and visually impactful moment to see Steve use it against Thanos and his army.

Considering Bucky’s sacrifice for Steve, and how Steve was determined to honor his friend in every way, it would have been a poignant moment to have Steve use Bucky's weapon in the final battle. Additionally, it would have honored Steve's love for Bucky by including a memorabilia that belonged to him. It would have been a powerful tribute that could have added another layer of depth to the character's backstory.

The Gap: Vision's Place in the MCU

One of the most notable omissions in Endgame was Vision's place in the larger narrative. Introduced as a powerhouse character in Avengers: Age of Ultron, there was great anticipation for his continuing role. Unfortunately, his thoughtful and introspective moments were infrequent and often overshadowed by other characters.

The entire storyline surrounding Vision in Infinity War and Endgame is an emotional rollercoaster. He was the only hero who was not erased by the snap but instead was destroyed in battle. Prior to his death, Vision had internal conflicts about his existence and purpose, which could have been explored more extensively. His potential to merge his Baltoran heritage with his role in the Avengers team was underutilized, leading to a significant gap in his narrative development.

Additionally, Vision's connection with Stark Industries and how his synthetic form could evolve and adapt was a fascinating opportunity that the film did not explore. He was also a character with deep multiverse lore and potential for future storytelling, particularly with the Multiversal Vision in the comics. If Vision had a more significant role in a longer narrative, it could have provided an invaluable storyline for future Marvel films and series.

Conclusion

While Avengers: Endgame was undoubtedly a monumental conclusion to a decade-long storytelling arc, there were undoubtedly characters that could have benefited from more screen time to address their respective story arcs. Ronin Hawkeye, Vision, and even Steve Rogers could have had more impactful moments that would have added greater depth and emotional fulfillment. A directors' cut or even a standalone feature on one of these characters could provide a much-needed narrative fix for these missed opportunities.

Key Points

The Ronin Hawkeye character had potential for deeper exploration which the film did not fully utilize. Vision's rich backstory and complex narrative were not given adequate screen time, leaving fans wanting more details about his death and rebirth. Steve Rogers could have honored Bucky's memory through the use of his rifle in the final battle, adding another layer of emotional depth.