Can I get an encore? Avengers: Endgame: Encore arrived in theaters (and Infinity Vision) this weekend, giving MCU loyalists one more chance to see the epic on the big screen. But really, the big promise of this rerelease was additional footage relating to the events of Avengers: Doomsday, so much so that directors Joe and Anthony Russo called Encore “required viewing” ahead of that movie’s December release. At first, it was hard to tell how much of this was marketing fluff, but we’re here to tell you that Encore delivers on the Russo’s lofty promise.
But if you didn’t have time to make it to the theater this past weekend to experience it for yourself, we’ve got you covered. The four (!) bonus scenes attached to Encore set the stage in a major way for what’s to come, while also adding context to the events of Endgame and other movies like Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It goes without saying, but spoilers abound.
A Not So Happy Ending
One of the biggest emotional payoffs in Endgame was Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) getting to have his happy ending with Peggy (Hayley Atwell). The last glimpse of them together was the pair dancing, but Encore hangs on that moment a beat longer. A knock on the door reveals Loki, clad in his Time Variance Authority (TVA) gear. Peggy asks if she can help him and he responds, with his best Jerry Maguire impression, that he can help them.
At an event last week, director Anthony Russo confirmed that, when Steve traveled back in time, he created the conditions under which Doomsday will unfold. That likely substantiates our speculation that some sort of horrific incident happened to Doctor Doom—highlighted by this poster—and his family. Now, he’s seeking vengeance on Steve and the Avengers.
As for Loki’s appearance at the door, he’s likely there to help shuttle them to a new reality, either to hide from Doom or a possible timeline pruning. Either way, don’t expect Loki and Steve to be done with each other—the trailer suggests Loki gifts Steve one of his TVA badges. Might that be a way for Steve to contact the God of Timelines if something worse happens?
Doom Comes to Collect
Set after the events of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the second bonus scene sees a quick check-in with Marvel’s green gamma giant. After Jean Grey puppeteers him, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) locks himself, either by force or on his own accord, in an underground bunker so deep and secure that he’s convinced the Hulk won’t escape. As he continues vlogging, he declares that a newfound suppression treatment has him convinced he can operate normally once again, only for this impending YouTube upload to go horribly awry. The camera cuts in and out as the room turns dark and Doom appears, off-camera, ready to “collect” Banner. As the good doctor hulks out and roars at Doom, the pair vanishes, leaving a Doom-approved, glowing-green runic mark on the floor.
While this scene might have made more sense as a post-credits scene for Brand New Day, it’s good to have some closure about why we didn’t see Ruffalo’s name among the many chairs in the initial Doomsday cast announcement. While it’s certainly possible that Ruffalo still shows up in the film—director Anthony Russo recently stated that they’ve only revealed “some” of the cast—if he does, it’ll be on the side of Doom.
