Avengers: Endgame - What Does The Ending Really Mean?

12. What Happens: The Snapped Heroes Are Back, Battle Of New York II

After Avengers: Infinity War, even when the shock of its ending still lingered, we all knew that one way or another those heroes snapped out of existence would be back. There were LOTS of theories as to how it'd happen, and in the end it comes down to the fact the Avengers have a Hulk.

With the Banner/Hulk hybrid donning the makeshift Infinity Gauntlet and clicking his fingers, all lost life is restored to the universe, including Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther et al. As we learn from Spidey, they remember the dusting, but have no memories of anything that comes afterwards.

The heroes had to come back in some way, and this might be the best option: it doesn't completely avert the Decimation, in the sense that the heroes do still know they disappeared and the memories of those five years for the ones left behind linger, but it still ensures the MCU has a mostly full roster going forwards.

Hulk's snap, meanwhile, coincides with Thanos' arrival on Earth from 2014 (it's... best not to overthink it), the destruction of the Avengers Compound, and one last huge fight to save the planet. The dead heroes arrive in time to form the biggest collection of superheroes we've ever seen, making the Battle of Wakanda seems almost small scale in comparison. Almost everyone gets a moment, from Peter and Tony's hug to that incredible A-Force moment and, of course, Cap wielding Mjolnir.

It all comes down to the Infinity Stones once again, with various heroes trying to get the Gauntlet away to a safe place, and ultimately it comes down to Iron Man and Thanos. Iron Man, with the help of his nanotech, gets the Stones, snaps his fingers, and saves the day.