[Thanos puts the Power Stone back in the glove, and Stark grabs the glove. Without Thanos’s knowledge, the Stones move from the glove to Stark’s suit.
THANOS
Now comes the snap, which marks my destiny! 320
I am inevitable! Thanos rex!
[Thanos snaps his fingers and nothing happens. Thanos realizes in dismay that the Stones are gone. The Stones take their place in Stark’s glove.
STARK
I, though, am Iron Man, come thou to vex.
[Stark snaps his fingers. Exeunt Thanos and all his warriors as they vanish and die.
ROGERS
’Tis like the first snap, turn’d upon our foes—
The just and proper recompense for Thanos.
[Stark collapses. Rhodes approaches him.
RHODES
Impertinent—yet bravest, noblest soul! 325
[Parker approaches.
PARKER
O, Master Stark. Canst hear me? Peter ’tis.
Our cause hath won—our triumph now is nigh.
Thou didst accomplish it for all of us.
Ah, Tony, thou art faint—apologies.
[Potts approaches.
POTTS
My love.
STARK
—It’s thee, Pep.
POTTS
—Friday, make report. 330
FRIDAY
Life functions critical—the man is dying.
POTTS
Pray, look thou, Tony, on me. ’Twill be well—
Thy daughter and I, we shall come out right.
Thou mayst now rest, thou good and faithful servant.
[Stark dies. Potts weeps. Nearby, looking on, Rogers and Thor mourn their friend.
ROGERS
O, mighty Stark! Nay, dost thou lie so low? 335
Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils
Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.
We’ll mourn thee with a funereal knell.
[Exeunt.
SCENE 2
The Stark homestead.
ENTER STEVE ROGERS, THOR, JAMES RHODES, PEPPER POTTS, MORGAN STARK, AND HAPPY HOGAN, WATCHING A RECORDING. ENTER TONY STARK, RECORDED, IN BEAM.
STARK
It’s said that ev’rybody doth desire
An ending glad—all’s well that endeth well.
’Tis true? Yet ’tis not e’er how life unfolds.
Perhaps this time, we finally have done it.
My fondest hope, if you should play this back, 5
That ’tis in celebration of success,
That families are reunited gladly,
That we restore the planet we once had,
That simple normalcy doth come again—
If such a thing were e’er reality. 10
By heaven, what a world we have been giv’n!
Forsooth, now ’tis a universe entire.
Ten years ago, if you had said to me
That, in the galaxy, we weren’t alone—
To the extent we understand at present— 15
I’d not have been surpris’d, and yet: who knew?
Who knew the boundlessness of space and time?
Who knew the creatures dwelling far beyond?
Who knew the beauty of the stars and suns?
Who knew the vastness of which we are part? 20
Such epic forces of the dark and light
Have come within our purview suddenly.
For better or for worse, such is the world
In which my Morgan—treasur’d child—must blossom.
Methought, therefore, I should record this greeting 25
In case of some untimely death, e’en mine.
Yea, death at any time untimely is—
The undiscover’d country from whose bourn
No traveler returns. Our perilous
Time travel scheme that we, tomorrow, try 30
Doth plague my mind with nagging questions of
Survivability. Yet, is this not
The hero’s place, the privilege and risk?
Part of the journey is its blessèd end.
Yet wherefore is my mind o’erwhelmèd so? 35
All shall be well, precisely as we plan.
And I love you three thousand, come what may.
[Exit Tony Stark from beam. The others walk outside.
ENTER BRUCE BANNER, DOCTOR STEPHEN STRANGE, WONG, PETER QUILL, DRAX, ROCKET, GROOT, MANTIS, T’CHALLA, OKOYE, SHURI, PETER PARKER, AUNT MAY, SCOTT LANG, HOPE VAN DYNE, HANK PYM, JANET VAN DYNE, CLINT BARTON, LAURA BARTON, COOPER BARTON, LILA BARTON, NATHANIEL BARTON, WANDA MAXIMOFF, BUCKY BARNES, SAM WILSON, MARIA HILL, THADDEUS ROSS, CAROL DANVERS, NICK FURY, AND HARLEY KEENER. ALL WATCH AS STARK’S FUNERAL WREATH IS LAID ON THE WATER AND FLOATS OUT TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE LAKE.
POTTS
[recites:] Done to death by murd’rous throngs
Was the Tony who here lies:
Death, whatever were his wrongs, 40
Gives more fame which never dies.
So the life that was not tame
Lives in death with glorious fame.
Hang a wreath upon his tomb,
Proclaim his heart amid our gloom. 45
[The crowd disperses into smaller groups. Exeunt Strange, Wong, T’Challa, Okoye, Shuri, Rhodes, Potts, Parker, May, Lang, the Van Dynes, Pym, Laura Barton and her children, Hill, Ross, Danvers, Fury, and Keener severally.
BARTON
[to Wanda:] I wish there were a way to tell Natasha
About the end and how our brood hath won.
WANDA
She knoweth well. She and my Vision both,
Which giveth me some needed consolation.
[Barton and Maximoff embrace and exeunt.
HOGAN
[to Morgan:] How art thou, chuck?
MORGAN
—I’m well.
HOGAN
—Art well,
indeed? 50
Wouldst thou eat?
MORGAN
—Yea.
HOGAN
—What shall I make for thee?
MORGAN
Methinks a cheeseburger. What thinkest thou?
HOGAN
Thy father lov’d a cheeseburger as well—
I shall give thee whatever cheeseburgers
Thy heart desireth—thou shalt have a realm 55
Of cheeseburgers to fill thine appetite.
[Exeunt Hogan and Morgan together.
VALKYRIE
[to Thor:] When shall we see you on New Asgard, Thor?
THOR
’Tis possible ye won’t.
VALKYRIE
—The people need
A king, Thor.
THOR
—Nay, already have they one.
VALKYRIE
You do but jest—a man of merriment. 60
[Thor looks at her gravely.
Can you be serious?
THOR
—I am, in faith.
The time hath come for me to be not what
Methought I should be once, but what I am.
Thou art a leader true—’tis who thou art.
VALKYRIE
I would make many changes once in pow’r. 65
THOR
I would be disappointed otherwise,
Thy majesty.
[They shake hands.
VALKYRIE
—This majesty feels more
Than sudden. Tell me what, Thor, shall you do?
THOR
Thy probing question catcheth me off guard.
For m
y first time this past millennium, 70
I have no path, no sure and steady route.
My ride wheree’er I go, though, is secur’d.
ROCKET
[approaching:] Move thyself or lose thy ride—we leave
anon, thou bag of hair!
[Exit Valkyrie. Thor walks aside with Rocket into the Guardians of the Galaxy’s ship, where Quill, Drax, Groot, and Mantis prepare to leave.
QUILL
[aside:] Gamora, though it seemeth thou art lost— 75
A momentary flash within my life,
First lost, then found, now lost again, I fear—
By heav’n I swear I’ll find thee yet again.
THOR
[to Groot:] Well met, friend tree! Here stand we all once
more:
Th’Asgardians of the vast galaxy! 80
[Thor stands next to Quill and swipes at Quill’s navigational map.
Where shall we first?
QUILL
—Be calm, ’tis still my ship.
All charge and captainhood doth fall to me.
THOR
Of course, thus know I well, my Captain Quill.
[Thor swipes at the map again.
QUILL
E’en as thou say’st “of course,” touch’st thou my map?
Belike one would presume thou dost not know 85
Exactly what I said: I am in charge.
THOR
Nay, Quail, ’tis but thine insecurities.
QUILL
Call’dst thou me Quail?
THOR
—’Tis merely mine attempt
To be of service in thine efforts fine.
QUILL
Brute, I am Quill.
THOR
—Indeed, such was my word. 90
DRAX
Forsooth, methinks ye two should fight to win
The honor of the leadership herein!
ROCKET
Yea, what Drax sayeth soundeth fair to mine ears.
QUILL
Ah, ’tis not necessary.
THOR
—Nay, ’tis not.
ROCKET
I have blasters unless ye would rather employ knives. 95
Either way, I shall enjoy the spectacle.
MANTIS
Yea, knives! A most exciting sight!
DRAX
—Aye, knives!
GROOT
Groot—’tis I!
[Thor and Quill laugh.
QUILL
—Ample jests! The duel shall
Be most unnecessary.
THOR
—We shall have
No knifing one another, for all know 100
Who truly is in charge.
[There is an awkward silence.
QUILL
—And ’tis I. True?
THOR
Yea, thou. Ha-ha, of course, thou silly man.
[Exeunt Thor, Quill, Drax, Rocket, Groot, and Mantis in the Guardians’ ship. Rogers, Banner, Wilson, and Barnes prepare a new time portal, aside.
BANNER
Remember, Cap, thy most colossal task:
Return the Stones unto the time exact
When first we did secure them, else we shall 105
Ope vast alternative realities,
Which would be an atrocious, grievous wrong.
ROGERS
Fear not, Bruce, all the branches shall be clipp’d.
BANNER
When I obtain’d the gauntlet and the Stones,
I tried with effort great to bring her back. 110
I miss Natasha truly.
ROGERS
—All of us
Do so, Bruce. Yea, ’tis wherefore we must finish.
WILSON
If ’twere your wish, Steve, gladly I’d join you.
ROGERS
Thou art a good man, Sam, and ever wert.
This undertaking falleth, though, to me. 115
[To Barnes:] Do naught that’s senseless ere I make return.
[Barnes smiles.
BARNES
How could I? You are taking ev’ry ounce
Of senselessness with you. I’ll miss you, friend.
[Rogers and Barnes embrace.
ROGERS
All shall be well, Buck.
[Rogers mounts the portal’s platform, holding Mjölnir.
WILSON
—How long shall this take?
BANNER
For him, as vast a time as he may need. 120
For us, ’twill be no more than seconds five.
[To Rogers:] We’ll meet thee here again.
ROGERS
—I stand equipp’d.
BANNER
Th’extensive Quantum Realm in three…two…one—
[The portal fires. Exit Rogers.
Returning now in five…four…three…two…one—
[The portal does not engage.
WILSON
Where is he, Bruce?
BANNER
—Alas, I do not know. 125
There is some error sizable—he blew
Beyond the time stamp we establishèd.
By ev’ry measure, he should have appear’d.
ENTER STEVE ROGERS AS AN OLD MAN, SITTING NEARBY WITH A SATCHEL. BARNES NOTICES HIM.
WILSON
Pray, get him back!
BANNER
—I’m trying earnestly,
Yet ’tis a problem largely past my reach. 130
wilson
Hell’s fire, make him return!
—Sam, Bruce! Observe.
[Banner, Wilson, and Barnes look at Rogers.
WILSON
Our friend—our Captain mighty—old hath grown.
BARNES
Go thou and speak to him.
[Wilson approaches Rogers.
WILSON
—Cap, is it you?
ROGERS
Well met, Sam. Here I am, return’d as plann’d.
WILSON
Hath something gone amiss withal our plan, 135
Or mayhap something went aright for you?
ROGERS
Once I had put the Stones where they should be,
Methought perhaps I would yet live the life
That Tony so encourag’d me to get.
WILSON
How was it? Did you have the life you wish’d? 140
ROGERS
’Twas beautiful.
WILSON
—Past any measure and
Beyond such words my poor tongue can employ,
I am most happy for you, verily.
ROGERS
My gratitude, Sam.
WILSON
—One thing works me woe:
I must now dwell within a harsh world sans 145
Our Cap’n America.
ROGERS
—Such calls to mind
This gift I’ve brought for thee within my satchel.
[Rogers opens his satchel to reveal his shield.
Pray, try it on. Wouldst thou take up the mantle?
[Wilson picks up the shield.
How doth it feel within thy skillful hands?
WILSON
’Tis like a dream that someone else hath dream’d— 150
The shield feels like ’tis someone else’s tool.
ROGERS
But it is not—’tis thine and thine alone.
WILSON
I thank you, Captain. I shall do my best.
[Rogers and Wilson shak
e hands.
ROGERS
’Tis wherefore this great duty falls to thee.
[Wilson notices the wedding ring on Rogers’s finger.
WILSON
Will you tell me the chronicle of her? 155
ROGERS
Nay, for some tales are far too pure to tell.
[Exeunt all but Rogers.
The dance once promis’d for a Saturday
I finally return’d to share, in time.
My Peggy Carter—beauty past all sway,
Intelligence born from a mind sublime, 160
Whose wit and acumen once won my love—
She was profoundly worth our lengthy run.
The perfect dance, bequeath’d us from above,
The perfect life united, two as one.
Full many wars, full many battles fought— 165
That such a warrior, so toss’d about
Could live a life by love and passion wrought
Is gift beyond comparison, sans doubt.
Our tale we wrote withal a lover’s heart,
A tale of romance till death do us part. 170
[Exit Steve Rogers.
ENTER CHORUS.
CHORUS
There is not time enow to show to you
The many scenes of sweet reunion’s hue—
How Barton did return unto his life
With living, breathing children, loving wife!
How Peter Parker did to school return, 175
Though sorrow did inside him hotly burn.
How Scott and Hope to Cassie did come back
To start a life of quiet, post-attack.
How brave T’Challa to Wakanda went,
His family united and content. 180
These many scenes, which gladden and inspire,
Took place around the galaxy entire.
With this, let the Avengers’ story rest—
The curtain falls, the Bard hath done his best.
[Exeunt omnes.
AFTERWORD
When I was younger, I had a collection of three Shakespearean tragedies in a single volume: Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear. Think of this book as a similar volume—a four-part compendium of the four Avengers plays by Shakespeare. In my imagination, these are the highlights of a larger cycle of plays written by the Bard; to be exact, they are the sixth, eleventh, nineteenth, and twenty-second installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In homage to the MCU, the opening Chorus soliloquy of each of these four plays contains an acrostic naming the movies that came before it.
As I started writing, I decided each Avenger would have something unique about their speech. You might disagree with my list of who made this list and who didn’t. I chose not to include supporting characters from movies that feature other Avengers—a list that includes James Rhodes, Pepper Potts, Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, Mantis, Okoye, and Shuri. That still left twenty characters.