Overlay: Audience perception of characters in Avengers: Endgame

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Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
0	3	0	9

How were these counts calculated?

Missing (3)

Hawkeye (Clint Barton/Ronin): The summary omits Hawkeye, whose descent into the omitted-action Ant-Man (Scott Lang): Ant-Man is the catalyst for the entire plot (returning froincomplete-list The 'Portals' Scene: While 'Avengers Assemble' is mentioned, the specific returnomitted-action

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film Avengers: Endgame (2019), which character does the audience root for, and which do they root against, and why (e.g. which of their actions cause the audience perception)?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

In Avengers: Endgame (2019), audience perception is driven by decade-long character arcs and high-stakes emotional payoffs. The film carefully balances characters the audience is meant to "root for"—the symbols of hope and sacrifice—and those they "root against," primarily the existential threat of Thanos.

Characters the Audience Roots For

1. Iron Man (Tony Stark)

Why: He represents the ultimate journey from ego to altruism.
Specific Actions:
- The Sacrifice: After spending the first act as a dedicated father and husband to Pepper and Morgan, Tony chooses to risk his "perfect life" for the "greater good."
- The Snap: His final line, "I am Iron Man," followed by using the Infinity Stones to defeat Thanos’s army, is the definitive moment for the audience. The fact that he dies to save the universe makes his victory bittersweet and heroically definitive.

2. Captain America (Steve Rogers)

Why: He serves as the "moral center" of the team and the symbol of unyielding resilience.
Specific Actions:
- Lifting Mjolnir: This is widely cited as the most "cheer-worthy" moment in the film. By wielding Thor’s hammer, Steve’s "worthiness" is confirmed to the audience, validating his character’s purity of heart since 2011.
- "Avengers Assemble": Leading the final charge against Thanos’s army provides the emotional peak of the film, as he finally leads the fully reunited team.

3. Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff)

Why: She is the "glue" that keeps the Avengers together during the five-year gap, finding her identity through her "found family."
Specific Actions:
- The Vormir Sacrifice: Her literal fight with Hawkeye to be the one who dies for the Soul Stone shows her growth. Audiences root for her because she chooses to die so Clint can see his children again, completing her redemption arc.

4. Thor

Why: Despite his physical transformation into "Fat Thor," the audience roots for him as an underdog struggling with depression and PTSD.
Specific Actions:
- Visiting His Mother (Frigga): His vulnerability in the past and the moment he realizes he is "still worthy" by summoning Mjolnir allows the audience to root for his recovery rather than just his strength.

Characters the Audience Roots Against

1. Thanos (2014 Version)

Why: While the Infinity War Thanos was viewed by some as a "misunderstood extremist" with a logic to his plan, the Endgame version is more traditional and "ruthless."
Specific Actions:
- The "Grateful Universe" Threat: When Thanos discovers the Avengers are trying to undo his work, he decides to destroy the entire universe and remake it in his image so the survivors are "grateful." This shift from "mercy" to "genocide for ego" makes him much easier for the audience to root against.
- The Assault on Earth: His direct attack on the Avengers' facility and his coldness toward his daughters (especially Nebula) solidifies his status as a villain who must be stopped.

2. Nebula (2014 Version)

Why: She represents the side of Nebula that has not yet found her humanity or family.
Specific Actions:
- Betraying Present-Day Nebula: By impersonating her future self and bringing Thanos into the present, she becomes a personal antagonist. Audiences root against her specifically so that the "Present Nebula" (who has found redemption) can survive and prove she has changed.

3. Star-Lord (Peter Quill) – Polarizing

Why: Though he is a hero, many audience members "rooted against" his impulsive nature due to his actions in Infinity War.
Specific Actions:
- The "Titan" Blunder: Many viewers held a grudge against Quill for losing his temper and allowing Thanos to win in the previous film. In Endgame, he is greeted with a mix of humor and lingering frustration, evidenced by Nebula’s comment about him and Gamora’s lack of interest in his 2014 self.

4. Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) – Mixed Perception

Why: While most root for her as a hero, a segment of the audience felt she was "too powerful," which reduced the sense of stakes.
Specific Actions:
- The "Mary Sue" Criticism: Some viewers found her arrival and immediate destruction of Thanos’s ship (Sanctuary II) to be a "deus ex machina" that felt unearned compared to the decade of struggle the original Avengers endured, leading to a more detached or critical audience perception.
  (Note: This summary was generated by Gemini 3.0 Flash + Search)

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] The 'I am Iron Man' moment is universally recognized as the film's emotional climax and the definitive heroic sacrifice.

[2] Audience reaction videos and reports confirm that Captain America lifting Mjolnir elicited the loudest cheering in theaters.

[3] The Vormir scene is a key emotional beat where audiences root for Black Widow's redemption, though some debate existed over whether Hawkeye should have died instead.

[4] While the 'Fat Thor' depiction was controversial (criticized by some as fat-shaming), the narrative intent and general audience reaction was to root for his emotional recovery and realization that he was 'still worthy'.

[5] The 2014 version of Thanos in Endgame is explicitly written as younger, more arrogant, and bloodthirsty compared to the 'spiritual' Thanos of Infinity War.

[6] Thanos explicitly states his new plan is to 'shred this universe to its last atom' and create a new one that knows not what it lost, confirming the shift to a more hateful villain.

[7] The plot hinges on 2014 Nebula infiltrating the team; she is the clear antagonist proxy for Thanos until 2023 Nebula kills her.

[8] Search results confirm that the 'hate' for Star-Lord from Infinity War persisted into Endgame, influencing audience perception of his scenes.

[9] While general audiences cheered her arrival, online discourse and critical analysis frequently cited her as 'overpowered' or a 'deus ex machina', validating the 'mixed perception' claim.

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

Medium

Hawkeye (Clint Barton/Ronin)

The summary omits Hawkeye, whose descent into the murderous 'Ronin' persona and subsequent fight for redemption (and the Soul Stone) was a major emotional arc that audiences rooted for.

Low

Ant-Man (Scott Lang)

Ant-Man is the catalyst for the entire plot (returning from the Quantum Realm) and is generally rooted for as the 'everyman' optimist, which is missing from the list.

Low

The 'Portals' Scene

While 'Avengers Assemble' is mentioned, the specific return of the dusted heroes via portals (signaled by Falcon's 'On your left') was a distinct and massive 'cheer' moment separate from Cap's final line.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 Audience reaction to Hawkeye Ronin arc Endgame

#02 Was the female Avengers scene in Endgame well received?

#03 Smart Hulk audience reception Endgame

#S SOURCES

quora.com movieweb.com reddit.com reddit.com cinemablend.com people.com mensxp.com interbasket.net quora.com screenrant.com

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

▼

In *Avengers: Endgame* (2019), audience perception is driven by decade-long character arcs and high-stakes emotional payoffs. The film carefully balances characters the audience is meant to "root for"—the symbols of hope and sacrifice—and those they "root against," primarily the existential threat of Thanos. ### **Characters the Audience Roots For** #### **1. Iron Man (Tony Stark)** * **Why:** He represents the ultimate journey from ego to altruism. * **Specific Actions:** * **The Sacrifice:** After spending the first act as a dedicated father and husband to Pepper and Morgan, Tony chooses to risk his "perfect life" for the "greater good." * **The Snap:** His final line, *"I am Iron Man,"* followed by using the Infinity Stones to defeat Thanos’s army, is the definitive moment for the audience. The fact that he dies to save the universe makes his victory bittersweet and heroically definitive. #### **2. Captain America (Steve Rogers)** * **Why:** He serves as the "moral center" of the team and the symbol of unyielding resilience. * **Specific Actions:** * **Lifting Mjolnir:** This is widely cited as the most "cheer-worthy" moment in the film. By wielding Thor’s hammer, Steve’s "worthiness" is confirmed to the audience, validating his character’s purity of heart since 2011. * **"Avengers Assemble":** Leading the final charge against Thanos’s army provides the emotional peak of the film, as he finally leads the fully reunited team. #### **3. Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff)** * **Why:** She is the "glue" that keeps the Avengers together during the five-year gap, finding her identity through her "found family." * **Specific Actions:** * **The Vormir Sacrifice:** Her literal fight with Hawkeye to be the one who dies for the Soul Stone shows her growth. Audiences root for her because she chooses to die so Clint can see his children again, completing her redemption arc. #### **4. Thor** * **Why:** Despite his physical transformation into "Fat Thor," the audience roots for him as an underdog struggling with depression and PTSD. * **Specific Actions:** * **Visiting His Mother (Frigga):** His vulnerability in the past and the moment he realizes he is *"still worthy"* by summoning Mjolnir allows the audience to root for his recovery rather than just his strength. --- ### **Characters the Audience Roots Against** #### **1. Thanos (2014 Version)** * **Why:** While the *Infinity War* Thanos was viewed by some as a "misunderstood extremist" with a logic to his plan, the *Endgame* version is more traditional and "ruthless." * **Specific Actions:** * **The "Grateful Universe" Threat:** When Thanos discovers the Avengers are trying to undo his work, he decides to destroy the *entire* universe and remake it in his image so the survivors are "grateful." This shift from "mercy" to "genocide for ego" makes him much easier for the audience to root against. * **The Assault on Earth:** His direct attack on the Avengers' facility and his coldness toward his daughters (especially Nebula) solidifies his status as a villain who must be stopped. #### **2. Nebula (2014 Version)** * **Why:** She represents the side of Nebula that has not yet found her humanity or family. * **Specific Actions:** * **Betraying Present-Day Nebula:** By impersonating her future self and bringing Thanos into the present, she becomes a personal antagonist. Audiences root against her specifically so that the "Present Nebula" (who has found redemption) can survive and prove she has changed. #### **3. Star-Lord (Peter Quill) – Polarizing** * **Why:** Though he is a hero, many audience members "rooted against" his impulsive nature due to his actions in *Infinity War*. * **Specific Actions:** * **The "Titan" Blunder:** Many viewers held a grudge against Quill for losing his temper and allowing Thanos to win in the previous film. In *Endgame*, he is greeted with a mix of humor and lingering frustration, evidenced by Nebula’s comment about him and Gamora’s lack of interest in his 2014 self. #### **4. Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) – Mixed Perception** * **Why:** While most root for her as a hero, a segment of the audience felt she was "too powerful," which reduced the sense of stakes. * **Specific Actions:** * **The "Mary Sue" Criticism:** Some viewers found her arrival and immediate destruction of Thanos’s ship (Sanctuary II) to be a "deus ex machina" that felt unearned compared to the decade of struggle the original Avengers endured, leading to a more detached or critical audience perception. (Note: This summary was generated by Gemini 3.0 Flash + Search)

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

▼

In Avengers: Endgame, the audience primarily roots for the original six Avengers, specifically Iron Man (for his sacrificial redemption), Captain America (for his leadership and wielding Mjolnir), and Black Widow (for her sacrifice). Thor is rooted for as an underdog, though his "Fat Thor" depiction was divisive. The audience roots against Thanos (2014 version), who is depicted as a ruthless, genocidal warlord distinct from his "noble" 2018 counterpart, and Nebula (2014 version). Star-Lord faces lingering resentment from Infinity War, while Captain Marvel receives a mixed reception—cheered for her power but criticized by some as a "deus ex machina."

OVERLAY REPORT