How to fix Endgame

[kawherp]

 I have some thoughts on how to fix the biggest problems with Endgame, assuming we leave the Swiss cheese plot mostly intact.


1. When Nat and Clint go to get the soul stone, they should time it for when Thanos gets it after killing Gamora. Yes, Gamora is still dead. I'm fixing Endgame here, not IW/ Infinite Mess.  Nat's job is to distract. Clint uses a special arrow taht retrieves the stone from Thanos' open hand. They slap their wrist time zappers and disappear. Steve can return the stone to Thanos later.

2. Thor. When Bruce and Rocket get there, rather than being shocked at Thor's state, Bruce can chide him for not telling him that the antidepressants he was on stopped helping. "Thor, we talked about this. When I checked in with you last month, you promised me you were still holding your own." Bruce can then ask Whats-his-name on the couch "When is the last time he went running?" Raganrok dude (can't remember his name) shrugs. Bruce turns back to Thor. "Thor, you know that exercise helps with depression. You've been doing so much better the last six months. I wish you had reached out ot me sooner. I'm sorry we haven't done a better job of checking in with you. With your permission, I'd like to have Valkyre give me weekly updates going forward. We're here for you, pal."   

In other words, treat Thor's natural depression and lack of exercise with some compassion and recognition of it coming from trauma (in this case; it doesn't always have tidy cause we can point to.) The audience learns that Thor has been getting help, the team has been trying to support him, and recognize they could do more. Mental illness is normalized, not mocked. Kawherp is happy. This adds maybe 30 seconds to the movie. We can trim some fight scenes to compensate if Marvel complains.

3. When Steve does his tour with the stones, he picks up Helen Cho's cradle and delivers it to teh battlefield right after Tony uses the non-infinity gauntlet set of stones (WTF? Didn't the stones require a gauntlet? Still not sure how his suit worked, but okay..) Steve tosses Tony into the cradle, Friday runs it, Stark lives. Screw the "time line complications" since it's far smaller than any other they introduced the movie. All it negates is the few days to the funeral. We can cope. 

4. After the battle, Thor goes to Valkyrie. "I can't be the leader our people need right now. I'm going to head out with the Guardians and try to get my head on straight. Danvers said Planet X has healers that might be able to help. I'll be back."

Valkyrie says, "It will do you good. But I'm going to make some changes."

"Good. And if you later decide you want to stay in that role,"

"We'll talk about it then, Thor. Right now, you need to take care of yourself. Go, with our blessing." 

5.. Steve's tour to return the stones. Bucky talks to Seve as he's suiting up. 'I know what you're thinking, Steve, and I'm telling you not to do it. We need you here. She lived here iife. She told you it was a good life. Don't take it from her."
"I just want though...."
"I know. Go say goodbye if it helps."

On the pad: Steve returns after 5 seconds, new shield in hand. (Detour to Wakanda of last week, asking Shuri to make him a new shield. He can't explain why right now, but it's important. Shuri did. That can be the unseen backstory if fans ask). 
Steve steps down from the pad. "Sam, this is for you."

"What?" Sam backs up. 
"I"m stepping down. I can't think of a anyone better suited to taking over the role. Go ahead, try it on."
Sam puts it on. "What are you going to do?"
Steve fumbles, "Honestly/ I don't know."
Bucky, who has been watching the whole exchange with fond exasperation. "You are going to finish art school. Every month or so, we'll visit and teach bird brain here how to fling that frisbee around."
"How about you?" Sam looks at Bucky, who shrugs.
"Same old same old, Keep this idiot out of trouble. Buy some land nearby and teach Morgan all about goats. Boring stuff like that."
Sam nods, looking between the two. "You've earned your retirement."

Last scene: Bucky and Steve sit on the dock,
"Did you visit her?"
"Yeah, I did. She knew immediately I wasn't from her time."
"What did she say?"
"We said our goodbyes, shared a dance. She told me to move on, to go live the life I have ahead of me, and keep being a good person." Steve looks off in to the distance. "Art school, huh?"
"Stark and I already set it up. You'll be staying in a house he bought about a mile from campus in Ithaca. Classes start next week."
"What about you?"
"Got me some farm land halfway between here and there. It needs some work. How do you feel about helping me put in fence posts tomorrow morning?

Fade to sense of Steve dancing with Peggy. 


What do you think?