Watson Smith: No, none of phase four happened.
Guest 1: I don't think it was surprise to see him, but as Thor said in Ragnarok, they lal thought he was dead. I think seeing him alive and well, after three years no less, was a bit jarring for them.
Guest 2: Yep, Thor will.
Guest 3: He also states that he, and I quote, used the stones to destroy the stones. And even in your scenario, if true, Thanos is still changing a fundamental aspect of the universe. If you decided to, for example, make lasagna but replaced the noodles with lettuce, you'd just get a big mess because you'd changed something so important. Like I said, everyone is open to their own interpretation, but it seems manipulative to me because, if you watch the scene, Vision almost seems to be coaching Wanda to tell him to stay.
Guest 4: Yep.
Guest 5: To my knowledge, the Russos have never said what Groot said.
In a flashback, a little Gamora was shown crying as a sobbing woman held her while they hid in a hut. A massacre was going on outside. Gamora screamed as the door was kicked open.
"What is this?" Thor said confused.
"I believe it is a flashback," T'Challa mused as he looked over at the future Avengers. "I assume that the young girl is Gamora?"
"That's right," Lila said with a nod and her next words made the past viewers stiffen. "This is the day she met Thanos. It's not a pleasant memory."
The Chitauri and Leviathans massacred people and caused chaos as a Chitauri dragged Gamora.
"Good god," Sam said as they all stared in horror.
None of them had words, all of them rendered speechless by the scene. It was just…too horrible to put into words.
She cried for her mother before she hit it and it let go, moving onto someone else as an armored Thanos arrived and looked down on her, asking her what was wrong.
"Maybe it's the fact that you're invading her planet and massacring her people," Clint sneered as they all felt their hatred for the mad Titan increase.
As Maw spoke in the background, Gamora fearlessly asked where her mother was and Thanos knelt down and asked her name. She said it was Gamora and Thanos said she was quite the fighter.
"Even as a kid she was fearless," Parker noted.
"Reminds me of someone else I know," Scarlet said with a tight smile as she glanced over at Peter, who was watching the screen in horror.
He then took her hand and led her over to a shrine of some kind. Thanos showed her a two sided knife, balancing it on his fingers, "Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. Too much to one side or the other... " He asked her to try as Maw said, "Now, go in peace to meet your maker." The Chitauri slaughtered the people and Gamora tried to look but Thanos returned her attention to the knife.
"Son of a bitch," Tony said hoarsely as Peter jumped and everyone else stared in horror. "This is…"
"This is what would have happened if we'd failed in New York," Steve said, swallowing thickly.
A shutter ran through the room as they imagined that. It just made them more determined not to let Thanos win.
The bodies lay as Gamora continued balancing the knife and Thanos said she was learning.
"Bastard thinks he's helping her," Clint said in disgust.
"He's making her into a weapon," Natasha seethed, reminded of her time in the Red Room.
In present day, Gamora was looking at the knife as Quill arrived and asked about some weapons he needed to hang from his belt. She said she had a favor to ask and he agreed. She said the path they were on led to Thanos on way or another. He tried to interrupt but apologized as she said, "If things go wrong... If Thanos gets me... I want you to promise me... you'll kill me."
"What the hell?! Scott couldn't help but exclaim.
"But why?" Peter asked stunned.
"She knows where the Soul Stone is," Natasha said, already having figured it out.
"She doesn't want Thanos to know," Steve said, having put it together as well.
"If he finds out, the whole universe is doomed," Rhodey said and the future Avengers all flinched.
"You have no idea," Barton muttered.
Quill was shocked as Gamora said she knew something Thanos didn't and if he found out, the entire Universe could be at risk. Quill said he should know too but Gamora said only if he wanted to die. Quill asked why somebody had to die in this scenario and she told him to trust her and possibly kill her. Quill joked he'd like to and, in exasperation, Gamora put a hand over his mouth and told him swear to her on his mother before lowering her hand. Quill agreed and the two kissed.
"He'd kill his own girlfriend?" Tony asked shocked.
"That remains to be seen," T'Challa noted. "We do not know how we will react in this situation until we are forced into it."
Then they heard crunching and turned to see Drax eating stuff. They asked how long he'd been there and he revealed an hour to their shock.
"So he just…stood there watching them?" Wanda asked not sure whether to laugh or be creeped out.
"That's Drax for you," Parker said with a grin.
Drax said, "I've mastered the ability of standing so incredibly still... that I become invisible to the eye. Watch."
"Is he serious?" Tony asked with a laugh.
"Drax's species can't see slow moving objects," Barton explained. "He assumed it was the same way for everyone else."
Quill said he was eating a zarg-nut and he said his movement was so slow it was imperceptible until Mantis greeted him while Quill and Gamora shook their heads. He walked off dejectedly.
"Poor Drax," Wanda said as everyone else laughed.
Later, The Benatar arrived at Knowhere and flew over it as Quill said it looked deserted but Drax was reading movement. They stopped at the 3rd Quadrant and snuck into Collector's museum. As Thanos' voice was heard, Quill raised his fist to stop the others but they walked past him.
"Well, they clearly respect him as a leader," Tony said sarcastically.
"Quill's not very…strict as a leader," Parker said lamely.
"By that, he means that it's a wonder Quill's ship hasn't been set on fire the way he runs his team," Lila supplied.
"Thanos is there," Steve said as they tensed.
"Well, looks like they got there too late then," Rhodey muttered dismayed.
Thanos was seen standing over Tivan and said he knew Tivan had the Reality Stone. Giving it to him would spare him a great deal of suffering, Thanos said as he placed his foot over Tivans abdomen and pressed down. In pain, Tivan said he had sold it and asked why he would lie. Thanos said it was like breathing for him.
"He's not wrong," Thor muttered, remembering his few encounters with The Collector.
As Thanos continued interrogating Tivan, Drax brandished his knives and said Thanos would pay for the deaths of his wife and daughter while Quill tried to stop him.
"Drax is gonna mess it up, isn't he?" Scott said as the future Avengers winced.
"Drax's home was one of the planets Thanos had massacred. His wife and daughter were among the casualties," Barton explained and everyone felt sympathy for Drax. "He's lived his entire life since trying to get revenge. He's a loose cannon, but he's a decent person."
Scarlet and Lila each took one of his hands, knowing Barton was talking about himself as much as Drax. Barton had never quite moved passed his actions as Ronin, despite everyone's understanding and forgiveness.
Quill tried to stop Drax and reason with him but he muscled past him and was about to attack till Mantis put a hand on his head and made him sleep. He fell to the ground with a clang which Thanos heard.
"Shit," Tony said what they were all thinking.
As Thanos threw Tivan into a glass display, Quill told Gamora and Mantis to go right but Gamora still charged and leapt at Thanos. She struck him with her blade but he grabbed and shattered it. She still managed to stab him in the neck with the broken and piece and taking out the dagger he had made her balance all those years ago, stabbed him in the heart.
"She got him," Peter said in shock.
"Well that was…easy," Scott said.
"Too easy," Steve said with narrowed eyes. "We wouldn't be here if he was beaten that easily."
"Thanos is a lot of things. Easy to beat is not one of them," Barton said grimly.
Blood poured out of Thanos' mouth as he collapsed and died, asking why Gamora as she sobbed. Quill noted that was quick as Drax got up and Tivan started clapping, saying it was magnificent.
"She still cares," Tony noted shocked.
"Stockholm syndrome. Plus a lifetime of indoctrination," Scarlet said sadly.
"Is that sadness I sense in you, daughter?" Thanos' voice suddenly spoke as Gamora looked up in shock.
"What?" Scott asked shocked as they all tensed.
"Too easy," Steve repeated wearily.
"In my heart, I knew you still cared," The voice said as the dead Thanos and the surroundings faded with Tivan, revealing the entire place burning badly and destroyed.
"He already got there and took the stone. It was a trap," Wanda realized in horror.
"But one never knows for sure. Reality is often disappointing," Thanos said as he finally appeared. "That is, it was. Now... reality can be whatever I want." He revealed the Reality Stone in the Infinity Gauntlet with the Power Stone and the Space Stone.
"Three Stones," Clint breathed, a horrible feeling settling in his stomach.
"He's picking them up one by one," Tony said paling.
"He won't this time. We'll stop him," Steve said firmly as he looked around at them. "Whatever it takes."
Barton grimaced, remembering another time Steve had said that phase. And what had happened after.
Gamora realized he'd known she'd come and Thanos said he'd counted on it, saying they needed to discuss something as he disarmed and grabbed her. Drax roared at him but Thanos used the Reality Stone to turn him into pieces and a scared Mantis into strips.
"What the hell?" Sam asked shocked.
"Damn it, he's already mastered the Reality Stone," Thor swore.
"He's been studying them for years, he knows exactly how they work," Scarlet said lowly.
Quill arrived, pointing his blaster at Thanos, telling him to let her go and calling him 'grimace'. Thanos recognized him as the boyfriend but Quill joked he was the Titan killing long-term booty call and said he'd blow the nutsack off his face. Gamora reminded him of the promise and he lowered the blaster to her face reluctantly.
No one said a world, either because they knew what was about to happen or because they were overcome with horror and sympathy for Quill and Gamora. Everyone stilled, no one made a sound as they waited to see what would happen next.
Thanos said Gamora expected too much from him and pushed her into the blaster, telling Quill to do it. Quill angrily said how he had told her to go right. "I love you, more than anything," Gamora said tearfully. "I love you too," Quill said and pulled the trigger but only bubbles flew out as Thanos had used the Reality Stone and the blaster turned to bubbles as well.
"That bastard," Thor growled as he glared at the screen. "He was just playing some sick game."
"It's how he gets his kicks," Lila said disgusted.
"I'm gonna enjoy kicking his ass," Tony said darkly.
"I like him," Thanos said before opening a portal with the Space Stone and disappearing with Gamora.
"He has Gamora," Natasha said as she paled. "He'll do anything to make her talk."
It was silent in the room as everyone began to understand the gravity of the situation.
"Was he serious when he said he liked Quill?" Scott asked randomly and they all looked at him in exasperation. "What, I'm curious!?"
"Yeah, he was serious. Quill put aside his own feelings and was willing to kill the woman he loved for the greater good. Thanos respected that," Barton explained with a sigh.
Quill looked around in stunned disbelief as Drax and Mantis reformed and got up while Quill picked up Gamora's broken blade as Knowhere burnt around him.
Back on earth, The Quinjet landed at the Compound as Rhodey was in a holographic meeting with Ross and other officials.
"Great, Secretary Jackass is back," Tony muttered as they all groaned.
"On the bright side, so am I," Rhodey joked.
Ross asked if there was no word on Vision and Rhodey said satellites had lost him over Edinburgh. Ross added he was with four criminals in a stolen Quinjet as Rhodey said they were criminals because he had chosen to call them that. An annoyed Ross said how Rhodey's talent for horseshit rivaled his own.
"No, nothing rival's him," Barton said gruffly.
Rhodey said Vision would have been here if not for the Accords and Ross pointed out how Rhodey had sighed The Accords. Rhodey pointedly said he'd paid for that and Ross asked if he was having second thoughts. "Not anymore," Rhodey said as Steve, Natasha, Sam, Wanda and Vision arrived. Ross said they had some nerve and Natasha said how he could use some of that. "The world's on fire and you think all is forgiven?" Ross asked.
"Aliens are invading, Thanos is trying to wipe out half the universe, and he's worried about us," Sam said disgusted as they all stared at the screen incredulously.
"He can say he cares all he wants, the only thing he really cares about is his own power," Barton said gruffly.
"I'm not looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking permission. Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight. And if you wanna stand in our way... we'll fight you too," Steve declared firmly as he held Ross' gaze.
"Nice one Cap," Clint said, giving Steve a thumbs up.
"Yeah, that was badass," Scott added.
"He deserved it," Steve said simply.
"I've clearly rubbed off on you," Natasha said with a smirk.
"Maybe you have," Steve said with a matching smirk.
"You think I'm earth's best defender?" Tony asked shocked.
"With Thor gone and The Avengers all but disbanded, you were earth's best hope," Steve said and Tony nodded. "We may not always agree, but I will always consider you a hero worthy to be called an Avenger and someone I'm honored to fight side by side with."
"Thanks Cap," Tony said feeling humbled.
Ross asked Rhodey to arrest them and he was all over it as he shut the meeting off and said this was a court-martial. Steve happily shook his hand as Natasha hugged him and he said they looked like crap. Sam joked the hotels weren't exactly five star.
"No they were not," Scarlet muttered with a grimace.
"Well, glad to see I'm acting like me again," Rhodey said relieved, not seeing the future Avengers exchanging uneasy glances.
Bruce arrived and said they looked great as they looked at him in shock and he said he was back. Natasha greeted him as Sam said this would be awkward.
Wisely, no one said anything and looked anywhere but at Natasha, who seemed completely unaffected.
Later, they stood together as Rhodey said they were coming back and Wanda added they could find them. Bruce asked where Clint was and Natasha answered, "After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal. It was too tough on their families. They're on house arrest."
"Wait, what?" Clint asked shocked as he glanced at Barton. "House Arrest? That's it?"
"Yeah, shocked me to. I eventually found out Fury had a hand in…persuading Ross to go easy on us," Barton said and understanding dawned on Clint.1
"Yeah, that makes more sense than Ross suddenly growing a conscience," Clint muttered.
Bruce asked who Scott was and Steve said he was Ant-Man. "There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?" Bruce asked.
"He really missed a lot," Tony noted.
Bruce said Thanos had the biggest army in the Universe and wouldn't stop till he got Vision's Stone. Natasha said they had to protect it but Vision said they had to destroy it.
"And here we go again," Natasha said.
"I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head. About its nature. But also its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source... something very similar to its own signature, perhaps... its molecular integrity could fail," Vision said as he looked at Wanda.
"You want me to kill you," Wanda started as they all looked at Vision in shock.
"It stands to reason that you would be the only one capable of destroying the stone," Vision said, having given the matter some thought.
And once again, he had made a decision about her life without consulting her, Scarlet thought before squashing the thought. This Vision had done nothing wrong, she reminded myself.
"In any case, now that I am more aware of the consequences of destroying the stone, our best bet is to protect it, not destroy it," Vision said, breaking Scarlet out of her thoughts.
"Yeah, and you with it," Wanda said. "We're not having this conversation." "Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it," Vision said. "That's too high a price," Wanda said. "Only you have the power to pay it," he said as he put his hands around her but she walked away. "Thanos threatens half the universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him."
"We don't trade lives Vision," Steve said firmly.
"If we start killing our teammates, we're no better than the bad guys," Tony added.
"And if those two agree, you know you're being stupid Vision," Clint said half joking.
"But it should," Steve said. "We don't trade lives, Vision."
"Don't repeat yourself Cap," Tony joked and Steve shook his head in exasperation.
"Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life... to save how many millions of people?" Vision said. "Tell me, why is this any different?" "Because you might have a choice," Bruce said as all looked at him. "Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. Jarvis, Ultron, Tony, me, the stone. All of them mixed together, all of them learning from one another." "You're saying Vision isn't just the Stone?" Wanda asked.
"No, he's an organism, just like any of us, made up of a lot of different parts," Tony said.
"I'm saying that if we take out the stone... there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts," Bruce said. Natasha asked if they could do that but he said not here and Rhodey said Ross wouldn't let them have their old stuff back.
"Yeah, because why let the fate of the world get in the way of old scores," Natasha said sarcastically.
Steve looked up and said, "I know somewhere."
"Wakanda," T'Challa realized and Steve nodded.
"Wakanda," Steve agreed.
In Wakanda, T'Challa and Okoye walked together and spoke in Xhosa, saying the Kingsguard and Dora Milaje had been alerted and they had to send word to the remaining Border Tribe as well as the Jabbari as M'Baku liked a good fight.
"The Border Tribe is gone?" T'Challa asked shocked.
"After W'Kabi's betrayal, no one trusted them anymore. W'Kabi surrendered and cut a deal with you. He would be imprisoned for the rest of his life and, in exchange, the rest of the tribe would be spared. However, you had to exile those who had helped him. M'Baku took W'Kabi's place on the council and the Jabari more or less helped you with the responsibilities that used to be the Border Tribes'," Barton explained and T'Challa nodded with a sigh.
"And what of this one?" Okoye asked. "This one may be tired of war but the White Wolf has rested long enough," T'Challa said.
"Bucky," Steve realized with a start.
Scarlet smiled, something Clint noticed and raised eyebrow, wondering what kind of relationship she had with Barnes.
Tony had stiffened, wondering if he was ready to see Barnes again. He wasn't sure yet how he would feel once he saw his parents' killer. Well, no time like the present to find out, Tony thought dryly.
"He's okay then?" Steve asked hopeful and Natasha listened as well for the news.
"Shuri was able to more or less deprogram him after about six months. She couldn't wipe out the programing, but she could eliminate the hold the trigger words had on his mind," Scarlet explained and words could not describe the joy and relief in Steve's eyes.
A one-armed Bucky was feeding goats before the Kingsguad placed a case down on some stacks of hay and opened it. Bucky walked over and looked at a Vibranium arm inside the case.
Tony was practically drooling as he saw the arm, to the amusement of everyone. Natasha even pulled out her phone and snap a picture.
"Blackmail material acquired," Natasha smirked.
"Where's the fight?" Bucky asked. "On its way," T'Challa said.
"And coming fast," Lila said as the mood in the room shifted once more.
In space, Strange was suspended in midair, a thousand needles pointed inches from his face as Maw said he'd never failed Thanos and there would be judgment if he reached Titan with the Time Stone still attached to Strange's mildly irritating being.
"Looks who's talking, Squidward," Tony said and they couldn't help but laugh at his joke.
The needles moved towards Strange, one piercing his cheek as he struggled not to scream while the spell protected the Stone.
"Papa Thanos must be so proud," Clint said grimly as the laughter evaporated.
Tony was hidden, watching the scene when the Cloak of Levitation tapped his shoulder, startling him as he called it a seriously loyal piece of outerwear.
"It's more loyal than Aladdin's flying carpet," Tony joked to light the mood.
It didn't work.
Then Peter hung upside down, startling Tony who was furious as Peter tried to explain and he said the suit was ridiculously intuitive so it was his fault.
"Did you seriously just try and blame me for your decision to not listen?" Tony asked incredulously as nearly all the past Avengers turned to stare at Parker in disbelief.
"Yeah, not the smartest thing I've ever said," Parker said with a wince.
"If Tony of all people is scolding you for not listening, you know you messed up," Rhodey said.
"I would take offense to that, but he's right," Tony said.
Tony was furious as he stepped towards Peter as he took that back and sputtered he was in space while Tony said this wasn't where he was supposed to be. It wasn't Coney Island or a field trip but a one-way ticket. They argued until Peter said, "You can't be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man if there's no neighborhood." Tony stared at him.
"I'm sorry, what?" Scott said confused as Parker laughed.
"After Germany, Tony told me to just stay in New York and just be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Took me a while to understand what he meant," Parker said as he looked over at Peter. "I love being an Avenger, but the main thing I do is look out for the little guy. It's what I was always meant to do. Never forget that Peter, because I did for a little while."
Peter admitted that didn't make sense as Tony grudgingly told him they had a situation. Tony showed him Strange was in trouble and asked if he had a plan. Peter asked if he'd seen the really old movie called 'Aliens.'
"I think I know what you've got in mind. Not bad kid," Sam said as he gave Parker an impressed look. "Not bad at all."
"I watched a lot of movies as a kid. It came in handy," Parker said modestly with a shrug.
Strange was screaming as multiple pins impaled him and Maw said they had been made for microsurgery originally.
Peter winced, looking a little green and Wanda placed a hand on his shoulder as everyone else eyed the screen grimly.
Before he could continue, there was a bang behind him and turned to see Tony pointing his repulsors at him. Maw said he could end his friend's life in an instant and Tony said Strange wasn't really his friend but saving his life was a professional courtesy. Maw used his powers to lift up debris, saying Tony's powers were inconsequential compared to his.
"Spare us the 'you don't know the power of the dark side' speech Squidward," Tony said, yawning for effect and everyone laughed at his antics.
Tony retorted the kid had seen more movies and launched a missile from his shoulder, blowing a hole in the ship as Maw and the debris were sucked out. Strange was being sucked out too as the Cloak grabbed him but he slipped. Peter then grabbed him with a web and the suit produced four legs to help him hold Strange.
"Whoa, that is awesome!" Peter exclaimed looking star struck as they all looked shocked.
"It was awesome," Parker said with a grin as he looked over at Tony. "That suit saved my life on more than one occasion. Thank you Tony."
"Don't mention it," Tony said.
Peter used his legs to pull them both back while Tony fixed the hole with his suit's properties. Maw froze to death outside, the vacuum of space killing him.
"Exactly what he deserves," Rhodey said and no one disagreed.
Peter held out his hand to the Cloak, saying they hadn't met but it drifted away.
"That is one rude cloak," Tony said as Peter looked put out.
Tony's suit retracted back into the chestpiece as Strange said they needed to turn around and Tony said he wanted to run but Strange said he wanted to protect the Stone. Tony wanted Strange to thank him and he asked for nearly blasting him into space. Tony said he had saved Strange's magical ass.
"I believe the words you're looking for are 'thank' and 'you'," Tony said.
"Strange never was one to admit when he needed help," Scarlet shrugged.
"You know him well?" Steve asked and she winced.
"He…helped me at a time where I needed it," Scarlet said, the painful memories of when she had snapped mentally flashing through her mind.
As if sensing her dark thought, Barton reached out and grabbed her hand. She smiled at him gratefully as Wanda eyed them curiously, wondering what Scarlet wasn't telling her. Clint simply eyed Wanda in concern, mentally vowing that he would not let her go down the same path.
Strange said he had no idea how Tony fitted his head into that helmet.
"We've been trying to figure that out for years," Natasha joked and they all laughed as Tony sputtered indignantly.
Tony said Strange should have ducked out but he had refused. Strange said he didn't work for him, unlike everyone else in Tony's life. Tony said now they were in a flying donut billions of miles from Earth with no backup and Peter said he was backup but Tony said he was a stowaway so he should zip it up while the adults were talking.
"Adults, you're both acting like children arguing over who's in charge," Scott said as Tony looked embarrassed.
Strange asked if Peter was his ward but Peter said he wasn't.
"I'm Peter by the way," Peter said as he held out his hand. "Doctor Strange," Strange said. "Oh, you're using our made-up names," Peter said. "Um…I'm Spider-Man then."
"His name is Doctor Strange," Sam said as Peter and Parker flushed.
"I didn't know that," Parker said embarrassed.
Tony said the ship was on auto-pilot and Strange asked if they could control it. When Tony didn't answer, Strange asked if Tony could get them home but Tony said he wasn't sure he should.
"Please tell me you're not," Rhodey pleaded, having figured out what Tony was planning.
"Would you like the truth or a lie?" Tony asked and Rhodey groaned.
"Under no circumstances can we bring the Time Stone to Thanos," Strange said. "I don't think you quite understand what's at stake here." Tony asked, "What? No. It's you who doesn't understand...that Thanos has been inside my head for six years. Since he sent an army to New York and now he's back. And I don't know what to do."
Tony flinched, remembering the nightmares he'd had about New York, the nightmares that had inspired him to write the flawed Ultron program as everyone looked at him in sympathy. However, they had the tact not to say anything.
"So I'm not so sure if it's a better plan to fight him on our turf or his...but you saw what they did, what they can do," Tony said. "At least on his turf, he's not expecting it. So I say we take the fight to him." Strange actually agreed.
"So, let me get this straight Tony," Natasha said after a moment. "Your plan is go fight Thanos, on his tuff no less, with only the kid and Strange, who was just tortured, as backup?"
"Knowing that he's already beaten Hulk without even trying and has at least two of the six stones?" Clint added in the same tone and Tony winced as several pairs of eyes questioned his sanity.
"When you put it like that, it sounds pretty stupid," Tony admitted.2
"Because it is stupid," Lila said, her tone coming out sharper than she had intended.
Barton placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her. He knew what she was thinking, it was the same thought he'd had when he found out from Strange that Tony had insisted on taking on Thanos without the aid of the others: that maybe, if Tony had turned the ship around, Nat would still be alive.
But that was all hypothetical at this point and there was nothing they could do about it. It was up to them now, Barton thought as he eyed the past Avengers.
Strange then said if it came to saving him, Peter or the Time Stone, he wouldn't hesitate to let either of them die as the fate of the Universe depended on it.
"Wow, great moral compass he has," Tony said disgusted.
"Strange has had to juggle endless possible future to keep an eye on all threats. When you do that, you tend to stop seeing people as…well, people. He lost the part of him that cared about people. He rediscovered that part of him after Thanos," Parker said, not looking at Tony deliberately.
Tony sarcastically said Strange had a good moral compass before walking to Peter and doing the knighting gesture like in medieval times. "Alright kid. You're an Avenger now," Tony said before he walked off as Peter looked shocked before looking satisfied.
"Wow," Peter looked in awe as he absorbed this.
"Not that I mind but maybe this time, wait until I'm eighteen until I officially join," Parker shrugged as Peter glanced at him with a pout. "I wasn't ready to be an Avenger then, I still had some growing to do. You still have a long way to go until you're ready."
"Well, with the Accords, you won't be joining anytime soon anyway son," Steve said and Peter looked let down. "Like he said, come talk to us after you turn eighteen. If you still want to be part of the team, we'll be happy to have you."
1: So, let me get this straight Russos. Ross, who chased Bruce all across the world, ran illegal experiments that ended up creating The Abomination, used his own daughter to track Bruce, and has his own illegal prison for anyone who breaks The Accords that no one can visit, suddenly decided to grow a conscience and let Clint go home to his family with a slap on the wrist? Sure, that doesn't seem weird of out of character at all.
2: I thought Tony was much better here than in Civil War and Homecoming, but this was just one of the stupidest things Tony had ever done, right up there with plugging alien tech into the internet and then leaving it to go party. Going to fight Thanos with only Strange and Peter as backup, knowing Thanos had already beaten Thor and Hulk and already had at least two Infinity Stones, is pretty much a suicide mission. Tony is lucky he ran into the Guardians.