Does time heal all wounds? Because it has been over seven years since Avengers: Endgame released, and it turns out, I am still mad about Steve Rogers’ ending in the movie. I wasn’t mad a couple of days ago. I wasn’t thinking about it at all. But then Steve and Bucky appeared to have a reunion in the Avengers: Doomsday trailer, and I’m right back in my feelings again. Bucky didn’t really look happy about seeing Steve again, and neither did Sam, who was standing next to him. And we didn’t look very happy either. Because, oh yeah, in Avengers: Endgame, Steve decided to behave like a selfish villain, go back in time, interfere in the life of Peggy, a person who couldn’t ever understand that trauma he’d experienced in the future, and leave his best friends, Sam and Bucky to pick up all the pieces of a broken world on their own. Now, Steve Rogers is back in Avengers: Endgame, and we don’t want him; we don’t want to see him reunite with Bucky and Sam, and we are MAD all over again.
Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers was, at the very least, supposed to be gone, if he had to have such an abysmal ending. So much was made of Avengers: Endgame being Chris Evans’ last MCU movie as Steve Rogers. But, of course, what’s dead, or in this case, what’s gone back to the past, forgetting about all his morals, principals, friendsd, and lessons he learned across several movies, won’t ever stay dead.
In the Avengers: Doomsday trailer, we see a shot of what looks like Evans’ long-haired Steve Rogers coming to stand in front of his purported best friends, Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson. Bucky and Sam don’t look thrilled about this Doomsday reunion with Steve, and we can’t blame them. Let’s review this bit of MCU history. Bucky Barnes was kidnapped by Hydra, brainwashed, tortured, turned into a shell of himself, and forced to do terribly things until Steve saved his life. After that, Steve chose his team and shield over Bucky, left everything behind for him, and watched him turn to dust in Avengers: Infinity War. Then, despite the fact that Steve’s overall MCU arc was about learning to let go of the past and embrace who he has become, Steve, decided, yeah, Bucky would be fine on his own after all of that, heading back to a world he wasn’t a part of anymore was a much better option. Similarly, Sam also risked his life for Steve, went on the run for Steve, turned to dust in Infinity War, was given the Captain America title… And then left to his own devices by one Steve Rogers. Yep. Not great, Bob.
But Bucky and Sam aren’t alone in their annoyance over this little Avengers: Doomsday reunion with Steve. Aside from me, there’s a whole internet clamoring out there. First, we all want to know: What in the world was Steve Rogers thinking? Second, we all agree, stay away from them!!! Haven’t you done enough damage? You can check out some of the reactions to Steve, Bucky, and Sam’s Avengers: Doomsday meeting below.
We feel every single one of these. There had better be one good apology from Steve to Bucky and Sam that comes after this reunion moment, or we do not want it. Godspeed to Sam and Bucky… And to all of us. Steve Rogers, we’re watching you.
Avengers: Doomsday releases on December 18, 2026.
Rotem Rusak is the Editor-in-Chief at Nerdist. She swears she is over Endgame… but is she?