Endgame; it’s the film that ended three phases and eleven years of incredible storytelling. It’s the movie that made a billion dollars in its opening weekend and became the highest-grossing film of all time. But most importantly, it’s the movie that after over two dozen viewings still leaves me wiping my face free of tears because it is that emotionally impactful.

Last night I was feeling a little hungry for some wholesome Marvel content so I went straight to the good stuff; the last hours of Infinity War and Endgame.

Infinity War delivers a rush of emotions too but they are different emotions. Infinity War inspires immense joy and awe as The Avengers face Thanos’ army and Thanos on two fronts. Ultimately, The Avengers lose and as the movie comes to close one can only feel a sense of appreciative hollowness watching Thanos smile at the sunset after having killed trillions of people in the blink of an eye.

Endgame offers an entirely different experience but its final hour is just as impactful. There are so many iconic moments from the final battle against Thanos–whether we’re talking about Cap lifting Mjolnir or the epic “Avengers Assemble” moment that still manages to bring a tear to my eye or Thanos being no match for Wanda’s wrath–but what really stands out is the last few minutes of that epic action sequence.

There is such a sense of hope as you watch The Avengers finally on the offensive and actually kicking butt. But then Thanos comes within mere inches from seeing his plan completed and suddenly the tone completely shifts. Doctor Strange, with a quivering finger, reminds Tony that there is only ONE WAY to defeat Thanos and Tony knows exactly what that means. He manages to take the Infinity Stones from Thanos in a last-second effort, snaps his fingers, and saves the world, but is basically annihilated instantly from the sheer power of the stones. Cue my torrential downpour.

I don’t know what it is but the end of Endgame will never not make me cry. There’s something still so jarring about seeing Tony half-charred and dying before Pepper’s eyes that strikes me like an arrow to the heart. And to twist the dagger even further, we have Tony speaking to his daughter, Morgan, through a hologram like his dead father used to speak to him. The parallels are painful. It doesn’t help matters that the last words we hear him say are, “I love you 3000.”

And the annihilation of emotions still isn’t over!

There’s the funeral which plays out as an epic way to showcase how Robert Downey Jr’s. Iron Man paved the way for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. And then Captain America gets old and gets his dance. Oh, and the credits tribute happens too.

It’s no wonder this movie still makes me weep like a child.

We’re getting some great new stories in Phase 4 but watching Infinity War and Endgame back-to-back again reminded me just how special those movies were. Will we ever experience something quite like that again in the MCU? It’s possible but it’s definitely going to take at least five more years of storybuilding for Marvel Studios to strike gold like that once more.

Do you still get emotional while watching Endgame? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

I thank you for reading and I hope you have a spectacular day.