Rewriting Endgame (Part 1)

A quick note before I begin. This is purely my opinion on what I would have loved to see in the theatre - no one else has to agree with this. I hope everyone just treats it like they would any fanfiction. I also hope you enjoy reading this series, even if you enjoyed Avengers: Endgame as it is now.

Clint Barton is spending time with his family, happily, at his farm, when the Snap occurs, leaving him to tragically watch as his wife and children disappear before his eyes. He screams into the emptiness.

Tony Stark is lost in space. Every night, he records a message for Pepper Potts, imagining it to be his last – the fuel and food in the Guardians’ spaceship is steadily decreasing. But he is also slowly developing a friendship with Nebula in the meantime. They eventually realize that the arc reactor is the key to powering the ship again, and decide to use their dwindling resources to make a final run to collect materials for a larger reactor. Nebula, due to her past adventures, knows the right places to go. They succeed in finding what they need and she tells him that they can go home now, but he tells her that he can't bear to go back to Earth and face his friends, whoever remains. He thinks of his failure as the ultimate nail in the coffin. So, he decides to remain in space and perhaps, find a solution, or at least more information. Nebula understands, because she too once set out on a solo mission like this. And they decide to part ways, her to Earth to gather the remaining Avengers - she may be able to track Thanos down once more – while he decides to stay on in the planet where they are and attempt to find some transportation. As she leaves, Tony gives her the messages he recorded for Pepper, they are for her eyes only.

Meanwhile, the Avengers on Earth are hopeless and depressed. Captain Marvel had arrived a few days ago, after receiving Nick Fury’s message. This gives them some hope, but they are still at a loss as to where Thanos is, or what to do. They spend the time in between, trying to help everyone that remains. Nebula eventually arrives on Earth, reunites with Rocket and gives Pepper the messages. The Avengers (including Carol Danvers and the remaining Guardians of the Galaxy) thus begin two operations. One, they try to find Tony and bring him back to Earth, though Nebula tries to defend his need for distance. Two, with Nebula's knowledge of Thanos and Carol's experience in space, they try to identify the location of The Garden. They find success in the second project and immediately set out to exact vengeance. The team is still extremely volatile, brimming with energy and bitterness. Their manners suggest rashness. Carol is the calmest of the lot. Steve Rogers has not shaved his beard off.

Thanos, in the Garden, is trying to live a quiet life. He plucks fruit, and lives humbly. The most important mission in his life was successful and he seemingly has nothing more to strive for, but protect the work he has done. He is in his hut when he senses something approaching. He barely avoids a plasma beam from Carol and the Avengers ambush him. But, Thanos is not very weakened and has had time to recover from the Snap. A huge fight ensues in which the Avengers initially have the upper hand. Captain Marvel comes close, but finds herself unable to pull the gauntlet off as it is now fused to Thanos' arm. However, when Thanos notices Nebula among the ranks of those fighting, he flies into a rage and begins to unleash the full power of the Infinity Stones. Suddenly, the Avengers find themselves disordered and on the losing side as they all wish to exact revenge. Thanos manages to hold them off by utilizing the Reality and Space stones. Eventually, when Thanos finds himself cornered, he uses the Space Stone to teleport himself off the Garden – he has no urgent goal that can be gained by fighting any longer. The Avengers are all furious, but Thanos is now lost again, and this time without leaving any more clues as to his hideout.

Their fury subsides, and they realize that they let vengeance consume them, thus leading to yet another loss. They are all devastated.