- "In all my years of conquest, violence, slaughter, it was never personal. But I'll tell you now, what I'm about to do to your stubborn, annoying little planet... I'm gonna enjoy it. Very, very much."
- ―Thanos to Captain America[src]
The Battle of Earth[2][3] was the ultimate battle for the fate of the planet and the entire universe, fought among the Avengers and their allies united against alternate timeline versions of Thanos, the Black Order, and their full arsenal of Chitauri, Sakaaran and Outrider armies. To date, it is the largest extraterrestrial battle in Earth's history.
The battle took place in and around the demolished ruins of the Avengers Compound in New York, shortly after it was destroyed by Thanos' flagship, the Sanctuary II. The Avengers, united under the banner of Captain America, rallied their own defences in the united Wakandan forces, the Masters of the Mystic Arts, the Ravagers, the Asgardians, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, both sides then collided to a head in a massive assault, fighting for possession of the Infinity Stones. Many casualties from both battlefronts resulted from the battle.
With both sides vying for supremacy, the tide turned in favor of the Avengers when Captain Marvel arrived and used her cosmic powers to destroy the Sanctuary II, which had pinned down the Avengers until that point and gave Thanos the tactical advantage. The battle came to a decisive close when Iron Man sacrificed his life to activate the Nano Gauntlet, wiping out Thanos and his armies, effectively avenging the resurrected trillions who previously perished in the Snap, and ending Thanos' war on Earth.
Background[]
Tony Stark's Nightmare[]
Tony Stark's vision
During the War on HYDRA, when the Avengers attacked Baron Strucker's base in Sokovia, Tony Stark was shown a horrific vision by Wanda Maximoff of the impending Battle of Earth, where the Avengers laid either dead or mortally injured, and a swarm of Leviathans descended upon the planet under Thanos' command. Keeping this vision to himself, Stark became increasingly fearful for the planet's safety. However, most of his efforts to protect the planet were mere stepping stones to place these grave events closer into motion, including the campaign against Ultron,[4] the Avengers Civil War,[5] and inevitably, the Snap.[6]
Attack on the Avengers Compound[]
- "I'm thankful because now I know what I must do. I will shred this universe down to its last atom. And then, with the stones you have 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]
In 2023, five years after the Snap, the Avengers began orchestrating an intricate Time Heist to recollect the Infinity Stones from the past. During the Theft of the Power Stone, Thanos from an alternate 2014 had learned from Nebula that the Avengers would defeat him and resurrect the victims of the Snap. Now fully convinced that the universe wouldn't be grateful for his actions and wouldn't let go of the past, he set off with a new plan to destroy the current universe with the Infinity Stones and start fresh by creating a new universe which Thanos deemed would be peaceful. Thanos captured the prime Nebula, and sent an alternate Nebula to infiltrate the Avengers. Once in their time period, the alternate Nebula used the Quantum Tunnel to draw the Sanctuary II to their timeline in 2023.
Captain America battles Thanos using Mjølnir
Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Thor rallied themselves and confronted Thanos after he destroyed the Avengers Compound with a massive bombardment from the Sanctuary II. The Mad Titan arrived and incapacitated Iron Man and overpowered Thor, but Rogers proved worthy to wield Mjølnir and intervened. Rogers was eventually overpowered and his shield was split in half. Meanwhile, the alternate Nebula took the Nano Gauntlet, only to be confronted by an alternate Gamora and the original timeline Nebula, resulting in her being killed by her future self.
The Avengers and their allies assembled
Believing his foes were defeated, Thanos vowed to take great pleasure in destroying Earth in revenge against the Avengers for interfering in his plans. Thanos then summoned the full might of his army, composed of the Black Order, Chitauri, Chitauri Gorillas, Sakaarans, Outriders, and Leviathans, to the surface. In spite of overwhelming odds, Rogers rose to stand against the invaders when he suddenly received a message over his communicator from Falcon. Within seconds, portals created by Doctor Strange and the Masters of the Mystic Arts began to open up behind them, revealing the allies of the Avengers: the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Dora Milaje and the Wakandan tribes, and the Masters of the Mystic Arts from all around the world, as well as the Asgardians and the Ravagers. Heroes who were disintegrated by Thanos in the Snap also returned: Black Panther, Shuri, Falcon, Doctor Strange, Drax, Mantis, Star-Lord, Spider-Man, Winter Soldier, Groot, Wanda Maximoff, and Wasp. Heroes who were not disintegrated in the Snap also appeared to aid the Avengers in battle: Pepper Potts donning a blue and silver armor, Okoye, M'Baku, Valkyrie, Korg, Miek, Wong, Howard the Duck, Kraglin Obfonteri, and an alternate Gamora. The two sides held a short standoff before Captain America gave the call sign and the two sides collided.[7]
Battle[]
Engaging the Armies[]
The two armies collide into battle
- "Avengers! Assemble."
- ―Captain America[src]
A violent battle immediately began between the Avengers, their allies and Thanos' army. Both sides charged and collided with each other on the ground and in the air, as Giant-Man punched a Leviathan to the ground. Iron Man and Rescue fought together in the air, as Captain America and Thor traded Mjølnir and Stormbreaker as they fought off Chitauri. Iron Man was ambushed by Cull Obsidian, but he was saved as Spider-Man grabbed the Black Order member with his web and caused him to fall, with Giant-Man crushing him to death underfoot. Spider-Man checked on his injured mentor and attempted to bring him up to speed on what had happened after he was resurrected, but Iron Man quietly interrupted Spider-Man by hugging him, much to his surprise. Spider-Man then returned the gesture and the two set off into battle.
Star-Lord introduces himself to an alternate Gamora
Star-Lord fought off a pair of Sakaarans who began to overpower him but was saved by Gamora. Star-Lord was shocked to see Gamora alive, not realizing she was not the Gamora he knew. He caressed her face, which prompted Gamora to knee him twice in the groin. She showed disgust that Star-Lord was the one she ended up forming a relationship with, and Nebula commented that it was either him or "a tree."[7]
Chase for the Gauntlet[]
Hawkeye holds the Nano Gauntlet in battle
- "Cap, what do you want me to do with this damn thing?"
"Get those stones as far away as possible!"
"No! We need to get them back where they came from." - ―Hawkeye, Captain America and Hulk[src]
Hawkeye retreated carrying the Nano Gauntlet, asking Captain America what he should do with it. Captain America told him to take the stones as far away as possible, but Hulk said the stones must be returned to where they came from before realizing that Thanos' attack had destroyed their Quantum Tunnel. Ant-Man reminded the group that they had another tunnel to use, calling the horn of Luis' Van as Valkyrie spotted its location in the air, deep in the territory Thanos' army had claimed on the battlefield.
As Captain America and Iron Man told Ant-Man, with Wasp arriving by his side, to get the van started, they would hold off Thanos' army and deliver the stones to them. Iron Man met up with Doctor Strange and asked if this was the outcome, they would win. Doctor Strange answered that if he told him, it would not be. Ant-Man and Wasp arrived at the van but found it broken down, forcing Ant-Man to hot-wire it. Thanos and the Black Order realized that Nebula was not answering their transmission, but immediately spotted Hawkeye running away with the stones.
Spider-Man protects the Nano Gauntlet
With Thanos' soldiers closing in on Hawkeye, Black Panther drove them away and told Hawkeye to pass him the gauntlet as he fought through Thanos' soldiers to reach Luis' van. Thanos himself closed in on Black Panther, but he was immediately confronted by an enraged Wanda Maximoff, determined to avenge her lover's death and everything she lost because of him. As Scarlet Witch held off Thanos, Black Panther continued to transport the gauntlet. Black Panther was then stopped in his tracks by Ebony Maw, but Spider-Man arrived to take the gauntlet himself, activating his suit's "instant kill mode" to fight off Thanos' soldiers that were advancing towards him.[7]
Destruction of the Sanctuary II[]
Thanos battles against Wanda Maximoff
- "F.R.I.D.A.Y., what're they firing at?"
"Something just entered the upper atmosphere!" - ―Iron Man and F.R.I.D.A.Y.[src]
Thanos was quickly overpowered by Wanda Maximoff, snapping off a large portion of his sword. Crushed in bands of Scarlet Witch's energy, Thanos ordered the Black Order to have the Sanctuary II launch a another massive airstrike on the battlefield. Corvus Glaive protested, pointing out that their own troops would suffer in the bombardment, but Thanos, on the verge of being overwhelmed, ordered the attack regardless. The Black Order complied and called a rain of missiles on the battlefield, and Scarlet Witch was blown aside, ending her face-to-face melee with Thanos. As the missiles fell, the Masters of the Mystic Arts summoned Tao Mandalas to protect the Avengers and allies from the attack. Meanwhile, Doctor Strange used his powers to protect the army from drowning in the river water that began to flood the area after the airstrike caused a dam to break.
Captain Marvel destroys the Sanctuary II
Spider-Man soon found himself greatly outnumbered and overwhelmed by Thanos' soldiers. Captain America assisted by throwing him Mjølnir to carry him out. He was then nabbed by Pepper Potts in her Iron Man armor, who then threw him onto Warsong, ridden by Valkyrie. Their combined effort brought the Nano Gauntlet closer to Luis' Van. The Avengers' army was pinned down by the airstrike, but every weapon suddenly stopped firing at them and were redirected at the sky. Confused, Iron Man was told by F.R.I.D.A.Y. that something suddenly entered the atmosphere. It was then that Captain Marvel arrived from above and single-handedly destroyed the Sanctuary II, ending the airstrike, while a bewildered Thanos looked on.
Captain Marvel is given help to protect the Nano Gauntlet
Captain Marvel then flew down to Spider-Man, who nervously greeted her and gave her the gauntlet, and as the two were approached by a large number of Outriders and Chitauri, they were immediately supported by Rescue, Scarlet Witch, Mantis, Okoye, Shuri, Valkyrie, Wasp, Gamora, and Nebula all of whom assaulted Thanos' army and created a path for Marvel. With the quantum tunnel in Luis' Van activated, Captain Marvel took flight blasting a path toward the Quantum Tunnel. Thanos tried to stop Captain Marvel, but he was quickly pushed back by Rescue, Shuri, and Wasp.
Thanos fights Thor and Captain America
Spotting Captain Marvel with the gauntlet, Thanos threw the remaining half of his sword at the van, destroying it. The explosion sent Captain Marvel reeling back and leaving the gauntlet on the ground, unsecured. Thanos and Iron Man wrestled for the gauntlet, but Iron Man was immediately overpowered. Thor and Captain America tried to assist using Stormbreaker and Mjølnir but were also swiftly overpowered by Thanos.[7]
The Culminating Standoff[]
Captain Marvel fighting against Thanos
Noticing the Nano Gauntlet on the ground, Thanos seized it, put it on and attempted to snap his fingers, but was suddenly stopped by Captain Marvel. Unaffected by Thanos' blows, she quickly overpowered him, forcing him to one knee, unable to activate any of the stones. Thanos grabbed the Power Stone from the gauntlet and used its power to blast Captain Marvel back. Iron Man glanced at Doctor Strange who signaled to him that this was the one outcome in which he knew they would win.
Iron Man wields the Infinity Stones
Thanos returned the Power Stone to the gauntlet, the surge of all six stones coursing through his body as a weakened Stark suddenly grabbed his hand and grappled with the Titan, whom easily batted Stark aside. Boasting that he was "inevitable", Thanos snapped his fingers, resulting only in a hollow, metallic clank. Thanos quickly realized to his shock that Stark had slyly used his suit's nanotech to transfer the Infinity Stones to his own armor. Declaring himself to be "Iron Man" as a final taunt to Thanos, Stark snapped his fingers in a burst of white light.[7]
Aftermath[]
Immediate Aftermath[]
Defeat of Thanos' Forces[]
Thanos accepts his fate as he disintegrates
The effects of Iron Man's use of the Infinity Stones became instantly apparent as the Leviathan that was about to attack Rocket disintegrated into ash. Soon afterward, Proxima Midnight, Ebony Maw and the remainder of Thanos' forces disintegrated. As alternate Thanos looked around in disbelief, he wearily sat down in the rubble, finally accepting his inevitable defeat as he disintegrated. His death meant the ultimate victory for the Avengers and the world.[7]
Death of Tony Stark[]
Iron Man dies from his inevitable sacrifice
- "Hey, Pep."
"Tony. Look at me. We're gonna be okay. You can rest now." - ―Tony Stark and Pepper Potts[src]
Tony Stark then stumbled and fell by a pile of wreckage. James Rhodes landed by his side and quickly realized that Stark's injuries from the Stones' raw power and gamma radiation were fatal; the right half of Stark's body was charred so badly that Stark could barely speak. Peter Parker also rushed toward Stark, proclaiming victory before tearfully realizing that Stark was dying. Stark's wife Pepper Potts joined Rhodes and Parker. Stark managed to acknowledge her, placing her hand on his chest as a final gesture of love to his wife, who assured him of their victory. Stark succumbed to his injuries immediately thereafter, and his Arc Reactor powered down for the last time, leaving Potts weeping.
The heroes attend Tony Stark's funeral
A week later, Stark was laid to rest at his house, with the remaining Avengers and their allies attending. A wreath holding Stark's Mark I chest piece, inscribed by Potts with the words "Proof That Tony Stark Has A Heart", was laid on the river and floated away. Happy Hogan comforted Morgan Stark during the funeral and asked if she was hungry. Morgan responded to Hogan that she wanted cheeseburgers, with Hogan saying that her father loved cheeseburgers and that she would get her all the cheeseburgers she wanted if it made her happy. Potts then brought in a damaged Iron Man helmet with a holographic message specifically for Morgan.[7]
Thor Joins the Guardians[]
Thor meets up with the Guardians of the Galaxy
After the funeral, Thor decided that being a leader isn't who he was, so he passed his leadership role to Valkyrie, making her the new leader of New Asgard. Thor then decided to join the Guardians of the Galaxy. Peter Quill continued his search for the alternate Gamora since she disappeared after the battle. Thor asked what their next destination was as he touched the map, but as Quill made sure that he was in charge, the team assured a duel should take place. Thor and Quill hesitantly declined the duel, laughing it off as Thor assured Quill that he was in charge, and they departed for space.[7]
Steve Rogers' Return to 1940s[]
Steve Rogers goes back in time
- "So did something go wrong, or did something go right?"
"Well, after I put the stones back, I thought, maybe I'll try some of that life Tony was telling me to get." - ―Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers[src]
With cleanup already underway at the Avengers Compound, Steve Rogers took it upon himself to return the Infinity Stones and Mjølnir to their respective timelines in order to prevent the futures of those timelines from branching out dangerously. Bruce Banner, Bucky Barnes, and Sam Wilson saw Rogers off as he used the Quantum Tunnel to send Rogers back in time. Rogers then began his mission to return the Stones, including the Soul Stone on Vormir, where he encountered Red Skull for the first time since World War II.
Rogers and Peggy Carter kiss
Once his job was completed, Rogers chose to travel to 1949, creating an alternate timeline in order to live out the rest of his life with an alternate Peggy Carter instead of returning to 2023. Reunited with Carter, he gave her the dance he had promised her, and the two eventually married.[7]
Passing Down the Shield[]
Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson seeing an elderly Steve Rogers
- "How does it feel?"
"Like it's someone else's."
"It isn't." - ―Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson[src]
As Rogers disappeared through time, Banner prepared to return him on the count of five; however, Rogers did not return, despite Banner's efforts. Fearing the worst, that perhaps he had failed somewhere, Banner and Wilson grew slightly panicked, whilst Barnes noticed an elderly man nearby, sitting alone on a bench on the shore of the lake. Barnes called Wilson over, who understood what the man meant immediately, walking over to reveal an aged Rogers sitting by a circular bag.
Steve Rogers passes his shield to Sam Wilson
Rogers and Wilson spoke, where Rogers revealed that after completing his mission he instead chose to stay in the past and live the normal life Stark had previously spoken of. Wilson congratulated him, but stated that his only regret was living in a world without Captain America. In response, Rogers opened the bag next to him, which contained his shield. Rogers asked Wilson to try it on, bequeathing it to him. Though shocked, Wilson accepted the honor and assured Rogers that he would do his best. As they shook hands, Wilson noticed a wedding ring on Rogers' ring finger and asked him if he was going to tell him about his wife, to which Rogers simply told Wilson that he did not think he would.[7]
Salvage Operations[]
DNA Acquisitions[]
- "Nearly every Avenger spilled blood in the Battle of Earth. Even Carol Danvers. In the aftermath, some were sent in to collect that DNA. Some with the ability to blend in."
- ―Nick Fury to Sonya Falsworth[src]
Upon being resurrected in the Blip, Nick Fury learned about the Battle of Earth and that several Avengers, including Carol Danvers,[3] along with the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Asgardians, Winter Soldier, Black Panther, Korg, Thanos and the Black Order,[8] had spilled blood or left trace elements of DNA on the battlefield during the conflict. Realizing the dangerous potential of having superpowered DNA left unattended, Fury organized for his secret Skrull unit, led by Gravik, to use their shapeshifting abilities to infiltrate the salvaging operations and recover the DNA. Fury then had the enhanced DNA placed into a vial, which he referred to as the Harvest, and hid it in his tombstone in Finland.[3] Gravik eventually forced Fury to give up the location of the vial, and he used it on himself and, unknowingly, on G'iah, to gain access to the superhuman physiology and powers of those whose DNA they now possessed.[8]
Scavenged Equipment[]
Several artifacts left behind after the battle had also been scavenged. Many of these objects, such as Ronin's suit and sword, as well as a Rolex watch owned by Laura Barton, were recovered and illegally auctioned on the black market.[9]
World's Reaction[]
One of New York City's tribute to Iron Man
- "The Battle of Earth. Now we all know the story. The Avengers were trying to save the world, but if we're being honest here, they were losing, badly. Alien ships invading, Thanos being a jerk about magical Stones. Our heroes were done for. Until... Captain Marvel blasted in!"
- ―Kamala Khan[src]
Public reception of the Avengers became increasingly positive, and the team was held in high regard for defeating Thanos and resurrecting the victims of the Snap. As a result of Scott Lang giving podcast interviews and a book titled I Was There... written by a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was present at the battle, the details of the battle became public knowledge. As a result, the citizens of Earth learned about the existence of the Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, including the fact that the Guardians' leader Star-Lord was Peter Quill and that Captain Marvel was Carol Danvers,[2] and that she had obtained her powers from an Infinity Stone.[10]
However, not all of the details of the battle were made public at first. Due to the events of the Time Heist not being shared, the general public believed that the Thanos who was defeated during the Battle of Earth was the same one who caused the Snap in 2018 and that Natasha Romanoff had died during the battle.[11][12]
In 2024, the students of Midtown School of Science and Technology made a memorial video featuring Natasha Romanoff, Steve Rogers, Vision, and Tony Stark. Stark's sacrifice earned him several international memorials across Europe and the United States of America, as well as a documentary called Heart of Iron: The Tony Stark Story.[13] The first annual New Jersey AvengerCon also had memorial artwork for Romanoff and Stark, thanking them for their sacrifice.[2]
In 2025, Scott Lang published a memoir titled Look Out for the Little Guy! which told the story of the Avengers' quest to defeat Thanos, and later undo the damage he caused.[14] The memoir was written at the request of Bruce Banner and Clint Barton as they felt Lang was the most down-to-Earth Avenger.[15]
Appearances[]
| Appearances for the Battle of Earth |
|---|
|
In chronological order:
Outside of time:
|
Behind the Scenes[]
- The final battle of Avengers: Endgame was officially referred to as the Battle of Earth for the first time in the first episode of the first season of Ms. Marvel. This event name was first coined for the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki by Bozz77 before it came to be adopted by Marvel Studios.
References[]
- ↑ Marvel Studios Canada on X - October 17, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ms. Marvel: 1.01: Generation Why
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Secret Invasion: 1.05: Harvest
- ↑ Avengers: Age of Ultron
- ↑ Captain America: Civil War
- ↑ Avengers: Infinity War
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 Avengers: Endgame
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Secret Invasion: 1.06: Home
- ↑ Hawkeye: 1.01: Never Meet Your Heroes
- ↑ WandaVision: 1.05: On a Very Special Episode...
- ↑ The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: 1.01: New World Order
- ↑ Hawkeye: 1.04: Partners, Am I Right?
- ↑ Spider-Man: Far From Home
- ↑ Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
- ↑ Look Out for the Little Guy!
| Wars and Conflicts in Asgardian History | |||
| First Dark Elf Conflict (2988 B.C.) • Subjugation of the Nine Realms (1st Millennium) • Asgard-Jotunheim War (965 A.D.-2010) • Battle of Harokin • War of the Nine Realms (2011–2013) • Chitauri Invasion (2012) • Second Dark Elf Conflict (2013) • Ragnarök (2017) • Infinity War (2018) • Battle of Earth (2023) • Gorr's Vow Against Gods (2024) | |||
|---|---|---|---|