- "I will shred this universe down to its last atom and then, with the stones you've collected for me, create a new one teeming with life that knows not what it has lost, but only what it has been given. A grateful universe."
"Born out of blood."
"They'll never know it. Because you won't be alive to tell them." - ―Thanos and Captain America[src]
The Attack on the Avengers Compound was an assault against the Avengers initiated by an alternate timeline Thanos, who used the Quantum Realm to travel to 2023. He used the Sanctuary II to destroy the Compound and the surrounding area.
Background[]
- "You remember everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago and just bringing them back to now, today... Don't change anything from the last five years."
- ―Iron Man to Hulk[src]
The success of the Time Heist provided the Avengers with a full set of alternate Infinity Stones, so Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Rocket constructed a gauntlet to hold them, and Banner volunteered to wield the Gauntlet and initiate the Blip.
Meanwhile, alternate Nebula who had infiltrated the Avengers, sabotaged the Quantum Tunnel in order to transport Thanos and his armies through the Quantum Realm there.[2]
Attack[]
Thanos attacking the Avengers Compound
Shortly afterwards, Thanos and the Sanctuary II appeared outside of the Avengers Compound and obliterated it and its surroundings. Thanos then deployed the Outriders to hunt down the Gauntlet, which was in Clint Barton's possession.
Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor preparing to battle Thanos
Thanos beamed down to the Compound's ruins and rendezvoused with alternate Nebula. He praised her for her efforts, and ordered her to retrieve the Gauntlet while he sat and waited. Gamora, still on the ship, asked Nebula what happens to them in the main timeline, prompting Nebula to answer that she tried to kill Gamora several times but they grew to become friends and later sisters. Realizing the error of her ways, Gamora liberated Nebula. Tony Stark woke up Steve Rogers and handed him back his shield, and the two meet up with Thor. The three then prepared to battle Thanos.
Thor summons both Mjølnir and Stormbreaker
Thor told the two that Thanos has been sitting doing nothing for a while, and Stark told Rogers that the stones are buried somewhere under the rubble, but Thanos did not have them, and Rogers was determined to keep it that way. As the trio prepared to battle, Thor summoned a bolt of lightning and dons his battle gear, as well as summoning both Mjølnir and Stormbreaker, determined to kill Thanos properly this time.
Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor fight Thanos
The trio immediately confronted Thanos, who goes on a monologue about their failures prompting them to return to him. Thanos announces his goal of destroying the universe as it is and using the stones to create a new universe, one that's truly grateful for the life he had given them, realizing that leaving half of the universe alive is a mistake his future self committed and that there are those who will still resist. Captain America retorts that his new era would be built on blood, but Thanos refutes that his new universe would be blissfully unaware of the previous one because he would ensure the Avengers would not live to tell them of what he had done. The team of Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man engage in a heated battle with the Mad Titan.
Meanwhile, with the destruction of the Compound, the remaining Avengers were trapped under the rubble, with War Machine, Rocket, and Banner drowning due to the intense amounts of water surging into their area. Having survived the blast by shrinking, Ant-Man realized his teammates were in danger and began a rescue effort, leaping through the rubble. As Barton escaped from the Outriders, he planted several explosive arrows behind him, blowing up the sewers as he ran towards an open spot. The Outriders are momentarily stunned and continue to chase Barton, who uses a zipline to reach a higher point, using his sword to bisect the Outriders jumping after him.
Nebula kills her alternate self
Having killed his pursuers, Barton takes a breath until he is confronted by alternate Nebula and hands her the Gauntlet, believing her to be the main Nebula. Barton then heard Nebula use her communicator to speak with Thanos, confused, Nebula pins him down and prepares to shoot him, but she is confronted by alternate Gamora and Nebula. Alternate Gamora and the main Nebula plead with alternate Nebula in a stand-off, saying that she can change as she is aware of what happens in the future. After hesitating, alternate Nebula points her gun at Gamora, prompting Nebula to immediately shoot her alternate counterpart through the heart.
During the battle against Thanos, despite the team effort and combination attacks of Thor, Rogers, and Stark, they immediately lose their advantage in numbers as Thanos pushes the trio on the defensive. Thor uses his lightning to supercharge Stark's repulsors, but Thanos is able to deflect them with his sword. As Thanos advances towards Stark, Thor uses Stormbreaker to bat Mjølnir at him like a missile, but Thanos is able to grab Stark and use him as a shield; Stark takes the full force of the hammer blow, effectively taking him out of the fight. Rogers attempts to battle Thanos in hand-to-hand combat, but Thanos quickly overpowers and repels him, kicking him straight through a rock wall.
Captain America battles Thanos using Mjølnir
With Stark and Rogers knocked out, Thor duels Thanos alone, attempting to use both of his weapons. Thanos disarms Thor of Stormbreaker, and his greater reach enables him to overwhelm the thunder god in hand-to-hand combat. Thanos flings Thor to the ground and brutally beats him. Pinned down, Thor attempts to call Stormbreaker back to his hand, but Thanos catches it and tries to force the blade into Thor's chest. The Asgardian is saved by Rogers picking up and wielding Mjølnir, with a proud Thor realizing that Rogers was always worthy.
Captain America protecting himself from Thanos
With combination attacks with Mjølnir and his shield and his ability to summon lightning, Rogers disarms Thanos of his sword and batters him senseless, breaking his helmet in the process. Thanos is soon able to outmaneuver Rogers and turns the tables on him; he discards his shattered helmet, takes up his sword and slices the Avenger's arm and leg, causing him great pain and slowing him down considerably. After being disarmed by Mjølnir, Rogers attempts to protect himself with his shield, but Thanos' sword cuts right through it. The Mad Titan shatters the shield repeatedly with his sword, breaking more and more pieces off of it, before tossing the injured Rogers aside.[2]
Aftermath[]
Battle of Earth[]
- "Avengers! Assemble."
- ―Captain America[src]
Steve Rogers, with a broken shield and a wounded body, but an unshakable will to win, stood alone against Thanos and his army of the Black Order, Outriders, Chitauri, Leviathans, Chitauri Gorillas, and Sakaarans ready to battle them all on his own. Suddenly, he heard Sam Wilson speak to him through his communicator, and portals created by the Masters of the Mystic Arts opened up behind Rogers, leading into an ultimate battle.[2]
Ruins Scavenged[]
- "An artifact recovered from the wreckage of the Avengers Compound."
- ―Black Market Auctioneer[src]
The Compound's ruins were scavenged. Certain artifacts, such as Ronin's suit and sword, along with a watch, were recovered and illegally auctioned on the black market.[3]
Appearances[]
- Avengers: Endgame
- Hawkeye
- Season One
- Hide and Seek (flashback)
- Season One
- Hawkeye
- Hawkeye
- Season One
- Never Meet Your Heroes (mentioned)
- Partners, Am I Right? (mentioned)
- Season One