If there was an award at the Oscars for "Best Trailer" this would no doubt be the year's early winner. What a glorious piece of art this trailer was. This is how it's done folks. This right here. There is a ton to break down and discuss, so let's not waste any time...
...let's break this puppy down.
Monochrome Foreshadowing
This magnificent piece of art begins with a black and white shot taken from the one that started it all....the grand-pappy itself....Iron Man. Here we hear Tony continue his transmission to Pepper in what has been assumed to be his death diary.
"God it seems like a thousand years ago...I fought my way out of that cave...became Iron Man...and realized I loved you. I know I said no more surprises, but I was really hoping to pull off one last one."
Wow what a way to start the trailer. Super Smart move by Disney to match Tony's monologue with those iconic shots from the first film. Again, as stated in my breakdown of the Superbowl teaser trailer (you should definitely check it out) this black and white shot is an iconic moment for the character in question. This was the first time Tony donned the Iron Man suit and cemented his legacy forever. Now when dealing with a character such as Tony Stark...one of the two bases upon which the MCU was built...there is more than one defining moment in their arc, and the trailer goes on to show a few more of those defining moments. Taken from the same movie is the "Proof that Tony Stark has a heart" gift that pepper gives him. This is extremely important for multiple obvious reasons...namely the love of his life Pepper, and the fact that Tony finding himself as well as his heart has been an enormous driving force for the franchise up to this point. The sequence ends with another iconic shot of Pepper resting her head against an Iron Man helmet before moving onto the second big platform upon which this towering franchise was built...the Captain himself.
For God and For Country
The trailer moves onto everyone's favorite Boy Scout by putting us back in a place that feels warm and familiar...the military recruiting center from Captain America: The First Avenger. Again, this scene is in black and white (except for the red which will be touched upon in a minute) and again, it is taken from a defining moment in the character's arc within the larger universe. However, I think the scenes they chose to show for Captain America go a little deeper than just being Iconic to their stories. This may be the case for all the black and white scenes we have seen thus far, but with Cap...it's obvious. They really aren't even trying to hide it from us. Allow me to explain...
I don't know if it's just a trick of the lighting, but it looks to me as if the all colors except red are dulled out in these black and white flashback scenes...except the American Flags in Cap's scenes. Take a good long look at the American Flag to the right of Steve in this iconic pic. Definitely seems as if the Red White and Blue are all showing.
Again, this could just be my eyes playing tricks on me, but if not...and they really did leave the colors of the flag showing...this could indicate something huge in connection with the remaining two images they choose to show for Cap. Again, take a good look at these stills. Think for a second. Anything come to mind?
Seems like a dead giveaway to me. Yes, I think they will kill Captain America in this film. I think everyone knows it deep down in their heart...even if you didn't happen to see Chris Evans's tweet after concluding filming for Endgame. This is nothing more than a bit of foreshadowing on Marvel's part. I have a sneaking suspicion that this film will actually end with Steve's funeral...similar to how Batman V Superman ended with Clark's funeral. This theory becomes a bit more obvious under further examination. For example, notice the design of Captain America's suit for Endgame. Now compare it to the outfit that Cap wears on his death day in the comics.
Yeah.
It's even got the scaly part in the center! Here are a few more snippets from Captain America's death in the comics, and you'll notice the imagery is quite similar with the flag draped over the casket.
Pair all of this together with the Peggy Carter voice over:
"The world has changed. None of us can go back. All we can do is our best...and sometimes the best that we can do is to start over."
Now while I think this is indeed another nod to Cap's inevitable demise...I think it goes a little deeper than that. This voice over is perhaps the most important tidbit of the trailer. To me, this was Marvel telling us that they are basically rebooting the MCU and recasting characters through this film. I think it's really the smartest and most obvious way to go...but there will be some that say they didn't see it coming and might be triggered. This quote pretty much puts that anxiety to rest, and we can now enjoy this movie for what it is. A tribute to the heroes that started it all. The ones that gave us this marvelous universe in the first place. This one will be for them...and for those of us that have been here the entire time. Marvel is telling us that they are going to do their very best to keep this up and to try and keep us happy in the process.
The end of an era that began with these two men. It only makes sense that so much of this film be devoted to them. Bravo.
Passing of the Torch??
Also shown during this chilling voice over are a few images that, upon first viewing, made my eyebrows perk up a bit. They both deal with Hawkeye (who seems to be a really big part of the film. Yay.), and both spark a bit of intrigue. The first of the two depicts Hawkeye training his daughter how to shoot and high-fiving her when she naturally hits the bullseye. Now this doesn't confirm that she will take his place (as she is most likely dead in that universe) but I think it is a huge nod towards Kate Bishop...the 3rd successor to Hawkeye in the comics. It's not a lot to go on, I know, but either way it's a bittersweet shot that works well to give us a little more depth on how Clint fits into the story.
The second pic, although indeed puzzling, is a little more tame in terms of expectations. I say puzzling because I assume that a big part of Hawkeye's character arc in this film will be the death of his family. With him broken over that...it's hard to see him just hooking up with Natasha like that...but we will see. Maybe I'm over-analyzing this just a wee bit. Also, we have seen Black Widow flirt with almost every male team member of The Avengers...even having a relationship with Bruce at one point. This made me forget the fact that before Bruce...she had a thing with Clint! As Peggy says "start over" Black Widow's and Hawkeye's hands clasp together with a look of despair and longing on their faces. Deep stuff.
With Great Power...
Next up is Thor for his few moments of trailer glory. Keeping in line with iconic scenes, Marvel chooses a very important scene from a movie seemingly long forgotten in the minds of MCU fans. The first Thor movie will always be dear to me, and will forever be one of my favorite MCU films...as well as the most underrated. The first Thor movie is what got me interested in Norse mythology and I owe my love of it to this film.
The scene they choose to show takes place at the very end of Thor when the big guy himself is talking to the even bigger guy...Odin. This is a pivotal moment in the character's arc because it's where he finally begins to show some humility and admit that he has much to learn. Odin tells Thor that he "will make a great king" and that he is already proud of his son for how far he has come. This was some much needed lovin for Thor, and it's what inspires him to continue down the righteous path he had just started on. Now that everyone Thor loves is gone...it would make sense that this is perhaps his fondest memory.
But Not Us.
The final black and white scenes we see before the trailer really begins to pick up are a few interesting shots of Falcon and Scarlet Witch biting the dust (puns) with Captain America stating that while some people move on...The Avengers would not. Although the choices of Falcon and Scarlet Witch seem random on the surface, I'm sure there is a reason they showed those two heroes in particular. We know Wanda was rather significant in Infinity War, but Falcon makes my head scratch. Perhaps he will take on the mantle of Captain America after Steve is gone, but I would have thought Bucky would be the one to do so. Alas, "together till the end" is indeed the saying that binds Steve and Bucky in everlasting frienship, so perhaps Bucky will follow Steve to his death. Now that would be powerful.
Cap's statement is further backed up by Black Widow declaring that the surviving heroes owed it to the fallen to at least try to bring them back. No matter how small the odds.
"Even if there's a small chance...we owe this to everyone not in this room....to try."
I'm not crying. You're crying.
Another interesting detail in this sequence of shots is Black Widow's hair. We have seen multiple shots in this trailer ( and the Captain Marvel post credit scene) of her with her Blond Infinity War hair, but in these, it seems that she has gone back to the classic look. Her hair is also much longer signifying the passage of time. I have an even crazier theory of what this could be as well...but it's quite lengthy and this breakdown is already becoming long-winded. Look for that in an upcoming column though!
We also see a heartbreaking shot of Scott finding out what happened (I wonder who he lost), and another seemingly flirtatious encounter between Black Widow and Hawkeye.
Get Ready to Rummmmmbleeeee!
From here, the trailer goes from 0 to 100 real quick, and shows us some shockingly revealing shots that seem to have come from the final act of the film. Most of what we have seen thus far has apparently been taken from the first act of the film...as claimed by the Russo Brothers themselves. From multiple reports, it seems they have complete control over how much gets shown in the trailers, and they have apparently imposed strict restrictions on how much they can actually show us. To avoid spoilers, of course. They have actually claimed that we won't see anything past the first act in any of the trailers, but after this one, I think it's safe to say that isn't the case anymore.
In a clip that is broken into two, we see Hawkeye running for his life down a red corridor (again with the red) with a big ball of flame hot on his tail. I honestly have no idea where this could be, but I think it has to do with the smoky/dirty shots we are about to see. He also is shown pointing his weapon at a apparent enemy. This most likely takes place before he gets blown to hell. Like I said, I have no idea when this could take place in the film, but if you pay attention to the Hair, my guess would be that it takes place relatively early in the film, as he sports a new hairdo in a few later shots. Perhaps the remaining Avengers go on an early mission? Only time will tell.
...oh and I almost forgot! Rocket and War Machine are looking well. Amazingly cool shot.
....Whatever it takes.
Natasha: "Even if there's a small chance...we owe this to everyone not in this room....to try."
Steve: "We will. Whatever it takes."
Steve: ".....Whatever it takes."
Natasha: "Whatever it takes."
This is the exchange that takes place between Steve and Natasha at the climax of the trailer...or at least it's how they cut it for this trailer. This seems to be the theme for the film, as well as the rally cry for those still struggling with bearing the weight of their failure. They repeat it not once, not twice, not three times, but four times within the last few moments of a trailer that seems much longer than two and a half minutes. This is not just there to pump us up and create a sense of weight to the stakes (although it does do exactly that). No, I think this is yet another message by Marvel that they, as well as the heroes, will do whatever it takes to come out on top while still making Infinity War feel important and heavy. Part of the reason Infinity War was so impactful to not only the MCU, but to the audience members was the fact that it did something no one expected by making Thanos the hero and having The Avengers lose in the most dramatic way possible. To undo that in any capacity would ruin what Infinity War means to us as fans whether we would like to admit it or not. They simply cannot undo it, and something tells me the heroes know this...hence the "Whatever it takes" mantra.
They will indeed do "whatever it takes", but what it actually will take to come out on top will be much more costly than I think anyone realizes. More on that in my upcoming theory piece.
I wanted to mention that the picture of Thor igniting Stormbreaker below looks like he is back in Wakanda moments before he attempts to kill Thanos, but this time he looks conscious of what he is about to do. It almost looks like he is contemplating the gravity of what is about to occur. He certainly doesn't seem to be in the same rush he was in, in Infinity War. This shot could be many things, but I think that it would be cool to have Thor go back in time and try to kill Thanos countless ways, only to find that killing Thanos at that particular time is not the way to beat him. This could be done through dreams/nightmares...or the quantum realm. Interesting shot nonetheless.
The Money Shots
Now usually I pick a shot out from the trailer and call it the "Money Shot", but there was more than just one in this trailer.
The first of these is a short but sweet shot of Nebula looking enraged at some invisible foe and then charging at him/her while scream. In addition, the place she's in seems to be located in the middle of what appears to be a very crispy battleground. I have my theories of what this could be...but again, this is starting to get a bit long. Anyways, I am convinced this takes place in or near the final act of the film. The look on Nebula's face is not just one of battle and physical conflict...there is genuine anger in her face. Now nebula is a relatively emotionless character, and she reserves a select few emotions for the two people she deems worthy of such emotion. She loves Gamora and absolutely loathes Thanos. The only thing I can see her getting this upset over is the sight of her vile father. If this is true, then we can attribute most of the damage we see in the background to the Mad Titan himself. Something tells me he won't be holding back this time.
The second money shot is my personal favorite of the entire trailer. If this is what I think it is, it could actually be a pivotal moment not only just in this film, but in the larger MCU. You guessed it...I think this is moments before the big guy meets his end. The way he tightens that strap....followed by the muddy, beaten state of his face tells me that he is getting absolutely pummeled. If you think about it, we have really only seen cap get slapped around by one person. Thanos. I think this takes place in the same place where we just saw Nebula seconds before. I implore you to pay attention to how the look on his face changes from immense physical pain/anguish to rage/determinism. I have never see cap like this before. This is the final stand. The final battle. Cap even said it himself...whatever it takes.
Whatever it takes. Even his life.
Before I reveal the final money shot I just wanted to comment on the shot of Ant-Man catapulting himself off of a pencil. He appears to be a part of this battle as well. Although I still don't know where the actual battle takes place, or when in the film it occurs...I can be certain that it takes place on Earth based on the fact that there's a pencil, scotch tape, and a headphone jack all in this shot. All things you aren't likely to find off-planet.
Earth's Mightiest Heroes just gained a whole new meaning.
Based on the countless YouTube reactions I've seen, this final money shot is definitely the most popular. It involves that same curious shot I discussed in my previous breakdown...the one of the team waltzing through the hangar bay. In the previous trailer, they were simply silhouettes.
Well they are silhouettes no more folks.
Marvel finally reveals the Quantum suits that I have been ranting and raving about for the past few months. Thanks to the various toy leaks, I had already seen these suits, so they weren't a huge shock to me personally, but that doesn't make them any less rad. These babies look WAY better on screen than they do on those cheaply made toys, and I can't describe how happy I am that they decided to finally show them. I have heard a lot of people calling these "space suits" or "time travel" suits...but I can assure you, that these are quantum suits. It even says on the box of the toys that they go into the quantum realm. Yes, I know that using the quantum realm they could technically go back in time, but everything that has been set up in all of the films thus far points to the contrary. They might go back in time...but it's not how they are going to win. Going into space won't do much either. No....
They are going to alternate realities people.
I'll go into further detail on this in my next piece, but the short version of my theory is that the results of "The Decimation" are permanent. There is literally no way to save the victims of the snap in the main timeline. They will try everything, perhaps even going back into time to fix it...only to come back and find things worse. The only happy ending I can see this film having without ruining Infinity War is for The OG Avengers to accept the fact that they can't save their reality...but they can help save another. A consolation, yes...but perhaps giving everything they have in order to help another reality beat Thanos will allow whoever survives the impending conflict to finally put their soul to rest.
"...and sometimes the best that we can do is to start over..."
I think Marvel is planning something radical. Something that very few people are expecting. Not only will we be leaving certain heroes behind after this film...but we will be leaving the entire original reality/timeline behind and continuing forward with the new reality. One where the X-Men exist, where its the Baxter Building instead of Avengers Tower, and where we never have to think about that horrendously scarring Peter Parker death scene. To me, this would be the best and most logical solution. You can't replicate what you've done, so why try?
Just start over.
...Oh and this takes place right after we see a shot of Tony looking like he has just had a epiphany.
"Whatever it takes" he says.
Let's just hope whatever it is, is enough to salvage something from the damage the Mad Titan has caused.
Until then....
If you liked this breakdown and have any questions, comments, or concerns, please leave a comment! Look for my next Avengers article where I attempt to piece together everything we have been given in the trailers, as well as toy leaks and the like, and try to formulate a theory! Have a wonderful weekend y'all!
- SAF