Teen At The End Of Avengers: Endgame Is Actually Incredibly Important

Warning: Contains Spoilers

Marvel Studios

I’m just warning you now: If you haven’t seen Avengers: Endgame yet, spoilers lie ahead.

I don’t want to be the reason the entire franchise is ruined for you, but you’re here now.

This is your last chance, I’m going to start giving spoilers in three… two… one… Right, that should be enough warning for everyone. Let’s get down to business.

So, a couple of things you’re all probably aware of by now: Firstly, the film has succeeded in smashing box office records here, there, and everywhere, with people rushing to watch Endgame in their millions.

Raking in $1.2 billion in its first five days alone – the fastest a film has ever reached the billion dollar mark – blowing Avengers: Infinity War out of the water by quite some way.

Secondly, people do not – on any level whatsoever – want any spoilers for the film before going to see it. One guy felt the brunt of this when he got beaten up for allegedly revealing the plot outside a screening, so there you go.

Marvel Studios

One thing you might not have realised though, is that the teenage boy at the end of the film is actually incredibly important. (Another warning that ginormous spoilers are ahead).

Okay, so during Tony Stark’s (aka Iron Man’s) funeral at the quiet lakeside cabin where he spent the final years of his life, many of his family and friends turned out to say goodbye one last time.

Among the grieving faces, standing towards the back of the crowd, was one boy who you might not necessarily have recognised right away but who is a major throwback to Iron Man 3, as BuzzFeed reports.

That’s right: Harley Keener, who was the young boy Tony befriended while stranded in Tennessee, came back to say goodbye to his friend and mentor.

Marvel Studios

If you need a refresh, Harley and Tony worked together to repair the Iron Man suit with the young boy even helping Tony with his panic attacks. Tony eventually leaves, but not before giving Harley a workshop to allow him to keep inventing.

Towards the end of Iron Man 3, Harley frets that Tony will be like his father who he hasn’t seen for six years. And here’s the tear-jerker: Iron Man 3 and Avengers: Endgame were released exactly six years apart. To the date.

I’m not crying, you are. This has served to fuel fan theories that Harley could be the next Iron Man, with many taking to social media to express their thoughts on the matter.

Obviously, we don’t know the true meaning of this interaction but there’s some light will hopefully be shed on this in the future.

You can watch Avengers: Endgame in cinemas now.

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Lucy Connolly

A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).