We're In The 'Endgame' Now.. Literally. A Timeline Of The Infinity Saga's Epic Conclusion

On April 2023, 2019, Avengers: Endgame, the conclusion of Marvel Studios' decade long, three-phase, twenty-two film Infinity Saga hit theatres, becoming a cultural phenomenon and one of the highest grossing films of all time.

The film was full of surprises upon its release, with one of the biggest being a five-year time jump that takes place early in the film. While the jump may have seemed large at the time, we are now in 2023, the year of the Endgame. Through a series of timeline clues in later MCU projects such as Spider-Man: Far From Home and WandaVision, as well as a few snippets from a soon to be released official MCU timeline book, fans have pinpointed that the majority of the film takes place in October of 2023, aka, this very month.

We really are in the Endgame now. Let's take a look at the timeline of the film's events.

October 3, 2023: Scott Lang escapes the Quantum Realm

In the post credits scene of Ant-Man and The Wasp, Scott Lang becomes trapped in the Quantum Realm while collecting Quantum energy, due to Hank Pym and Hope and Janet Van Dyne falling victim to the Blip before they can activate his return trip through the Quantum tunnel. Sometime after this, the van housing the tunnel is placed in storage.

Five years later, on October 3, 2023, Scott returns from the Quantum realm after a rat in the storage unit activates the Quantum Tunnel. For him, it is as if no time at all has passed, but it quickly becomes clear that something is not quite right, as he moves through near-empty streets and discovers his own name on the Wall of the Vanished, a memorial to the victims of the Blip. Relieved to not see her name on the wall, Scott rushes to reunite with his now teenage daughter, Cassie.

October 7th, 2023: Scott Arrives At The Avengers Compound

On October 7th, Steve Rogers arrives at the Avengers Compound to visit Natasha Romanoff, who oversees the operations of a few remaining active heroes. Both are surprised when Scott, whom they believed to be blipped, shows up at the compound gates.

Scott explains where he has been the last five years, as well as his theory that the Quantum tunnel could be used for time travel, potentially giving them a way to reverse the Blip.

October 8th, 2023: Tony refuses the team

Having hope for the first time in five years, Steve, Natasha, and Scott visit Tony Stark at the Lake House where he now lives with his wife Pepper Potts and their young daughter, Morgan. They hope to secure his help with their potential plan, dubbed the 'Time Heist' by Scott.

Tony dismisses the trio on the basis of Scott's plan being based on Back To The Future rather than any real Quantum physics, and also his belief that Time Travel cannot be successfully achieved.

Afternoon of October 9, 2023: Meeting with Hulk

Following Tony's refusal, Steve arranges a meeting with the Avengers other big brain, Bruce Banner, who has now successfully merged his Banner and Hulk sides into one being.

While also skeptical regarding their chance of success, Bruce agrees to experiment with Scott's Quantum Tunnel.

Evening of October 9, 2023: Tony Stark cracks Time Travel

Despite turning away his former team mates, Tony has second thoughts upon discovering an old photograph of himself with the decimated Peter Parker. Asking F.R.I.D.A.Y to run simulations, Tony is surprised to stumble upon a potentially viable method of time travel using a mobius strip.

Tony at first attempts to talk himself out of doing anything with his discovery, but is convinced by Pepper to rejoin his fellow Avengers.

October 10th, 2023: A failed test, Tony returns

Meanwhile, at the Avengers Compound, things aren't going well. Bruce's initial test, with Scott as the subject, has Scott cycling through various stages of his life rather than physically travelling through time.

Thankfully, shortly after the failed test, Tony arrives at the compound. He agrees to help with the Time Heist plan, so long as his current life with Pepper and Morgan is not affected.

October 11th, 2023: Avengers Reassemble

With a plan clicking into place, it is time to get the team back together. Shortly after Rhodey, Nebula, and Rocket Raccoon arrive at the Compound, Rocket joins Bruce on a trip to New Asgard to recruit Thor. Thor has sunk into an alcoholic depression, wracked with guilt over his failure to prevent Thanos's fatal snap of the fingers. However, he is eventually convinced to rejoin the team.

Meanwhile, Natasha travels to Tokyo in search of Clint Barton. Having lost his whole family to the Blip, Clint has travelled the world, slaughtering unworthy criminal Blip survivors as the vigilante Ronin. Unable to give up even a faint hope of restoring his family, Clint agrees to return to the compound with Nat.

October 14th, 2023: A Successful Time Travel Test

A few days later, on October 14th, Tony Stark and Rocket Raccoon successfully complete work on the new and improved Quantum Tunnel. When Scott panics and uses one of the groups few precious Pym Particles, leaving enough for just one practice run, Clint agrees to be the test subject.

Clint is sent on a succesful trip to his family farm in the year 2018, which would have placed it during his post-Civil War House Arrest/Retirement.

October 14 & 15, Planning the Time Heist

With a succesful test making the Time Heist a reality, it comes time to plan which points in time the Avengers must travel to to retrieve the six Infinity Stones. Rocket states that the Power Stone can be found on planet Morag just prior to the formation of the Guardians of the Galaxy, while Nebula informs the group that the Soul Stone can be found on Vormir. The biggest breakthrough of the planning stages comes when Natasha realises that three stones (Space, Mind, and Time) can potentially be recovered in the aftermath of 2012's Battle of New York.

It is also believed that Tony Stark recorded a message for his daughter Morgan during these two days, and also made plans to bequeath control of E.D.I.T.H to Peter Parker in the event of the Heist being successful, but Tony losing his life.

October 16, 2023

October 16, 2023 is the day on which the majority of Endgame's second act takes place, including some of the most pivotal events in the film. Events such as:

The Avengers embark on the Time Heist

Splitting into three teams, The Avengers embark upon the Time Heist to retrieve the Stones and reverse the Blip. All successfully reach their required time periods, but almost nobody's mission runs entirely smooth.

2023 Nebula is captured, alerting Thanos to the plan

While Rhodey and Nebula successfully retrieve the Power Stone on Morag before Peter Quill steals it in 2014, Nebula's memory drive becomes entangled with that of her past self, whom still serves Thanos. Nebula is captured, alerting Thanos to the Time Heist plans and giving him access to Pym Particles.

2014 Nebula is sent to 2023 in her future counterpart's place, ready to facilitate the arrival of Thanos and his army in the future.

Natasha Romanoff sacrifices herself for the Soul Stone

While Rhodey and Nebula are busy with the Power Stone, best friends Clint and Natasha travel to the planet Vormir in the same year in search of the Soul Stone. Unfortunately, upon their arrival, they are informed by the Red Skull, Guardian of the Stone, that it can only be obtained by losing that which you love, ie, sacrificing that person over the cliffs of Vormir.

Neither Clint or Natasha willingly agree to let the other be the sacrifice, so they fight for the deadly privilege. Ultimately, Natasha is the one to fall, and a devastated Clint is granted the Stone.

October 17, 2023

Everything comes to a head in Endgame's final act.

The Avengers grieve the Black Widow

After returning from the mostly successful heist, The Avengers, especially the five surviving members of the original team, grieve Natasha's loss. They forge on with the plan to reverse the Blip, eager to ensure her sacrifice means something.

Hulk Reverses The Blip

Tony and Rocket complete the Nano-Gauntlet, which will allow someone to safely hold the stones. Bruce agrees to wear the Gauntlet and perform the restorative snap, as the Hulk has the highest likelihood of surviving the Gamma radiation emitted by the Stones.

The effort is successful. Offscreen, the restored Doctor Strange begins gathering heroes from across the universe, knowing The Avengers will soon need help.

The Battle of Earth

The Avengers' celebration of the early signs of their victory are short lived. Past Nebula sneaks off and uses the Quantum Tunnel to bring her Father and his army to 2023, where his ship fires a shot that destroys the Avengers Compound. While Clint recovers the Nano-Gauntlet and Rhodey, Rocket and Scott remain trapped in the rubble of the destroyed compound, Tony, Steve, and Thor are left to take on Thanos alone.

Things look grim when the Mad Titan calls upon his army, but the restored heroes arrive just in time, joining the Avengers in a fight for the fate of their world.

Tony Stark's sacrifice

Despite the valiant efforts of our heroes, all is almost lost when the Nano-Gauntlet, still containing all six stones, makes it's way into Thanos's hands. However, in a brief scuffle, Tony uses the nano-tech of his own suit to take the Stones, snapping his fingers to wipe out Thanos and his army.

Unfortunately, the impact of this was too much for a human body too survive, and Tony passes away soon after.

October 29th, 2023: A Hero's Funeral

Eleven days after the Battle of Earth, the surviving heroes gather at Tony Stark's Lakehouse to attend a memorial service for their fallen friend.

October 30th: Passing the Mantle

Steve Rogers travels back in time to return each Infinity Stone from the point at which they'd been taken. However, he chooses not to return, instead remaining in the past to live out his days with the love of his life, Peggy Carter. In the present day, an elderly Steve arrives, passing on his shield to Sam Wilson.

Elsewhere, Thor abdicates the throne of Asgard in favour of Valkyrie, and embarks on a soul-searching space tour with the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Endgame was certainly a wild ride. We can't wait for more adventures in the MCU!