Alternate Destiny for Key Character Unveiled by Avengers: Endgame Writer

With Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, Disney has rolled out a reworked version of the previous film, Avengers Endgame: Encore, which connects more seamlessly to its sequel. Screenwriter Stephen McFeely shared an intriguing detail during a Q&A session after a screening of the re-release. He revealed that in the crucial Soul Stone sacrifice scene, it was nearly Hawkeye who made the ultimate sacrifice instead of Black Widow.

“There was a sense of dread over the decision,” McFeely noted regarding who would be sacrificed at Vormir. “In the design, we needed to ensure that two people who cared for each other were involved, and [Black Widow and Hawkeye] were the obvious choice. Even though their relationship is platonic, they’ve been a duo in the Avengers throughout.”

For those who may not remember, as the heroes attempt to gather the Infinity Stones to reverse Thanos’ snap that wiped out half of all life, Black Widow and Hawkeye find themselves in a position where one must sacrifice themselves to obtain the Soul Stone.

“In our minds, it was always going to be [Black Widow] because she was, in some ways, the greater hero. But selfishly — as part of my job — I want to make you feel the worst you can feel,” McFeely explained. “Moreover, she has red in her ledger and has been trying to atone for that her entire life. When she found the Avengers, they became her new family. So, the idea that she could save her family in a broader sense was really significant.”

While McFeely and co-writer Christopher Markus felt that Black Widow was the right choice, they also had concerns about eliminating one of the few female superheroes in the MCU. “Killing off a principal female character in the MCU is a big deal, so we explored a version where Hawkeye died. Several female colleagues at Marvel approached me after reading the script, urging, ‘Don’t do this to her. Don’t take her heroic moment and give it to him.’ I realized they had a valid point.”

McFeely expressed that his biggest regret about the scene was the lack of time to deepen its emotional impact due to the packed plot. “The sacrifice occurs at the end of act two, which meant there was still a lot of movie left,” he said. “We didn’t have much time to mourn Natasha because we had to bring everyone back, deal with Thanos’ attack, and have the Avengers face their biggest battle in the MCU, plus Captain America wielding Thor’s hammer… there was a lot to cover.”

Avengers Endgame: Encore premiered in theaters on September 25, 2026. More than just a re-release, this version includes two minutes of new footage filmed alongside Doomsday, allowing for a smoother transition into the next film. For those who don’t mind spoilers about the additions, there are three key scenes: an extended ending where Steve Rogers and Agent Carter encounter a 2012 variant of Loki (which may clarify Captain America’s appearance in Doomsday); a segment where Doctor Doom abducts Bruce Banner from a military facility following the events of Spider-Man: Brand New Day; and a scene where the Time Variance Authority detects “incursions” between universes, signaling that the multiverse is on the brink of collapse.

We’ll find out how impactful these scenes are when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 19, 2026.

Will it be worth another trip to the theater before Doomsday arrives?