Avengers: Endgame and the Mystery of Returning the Infinity Stones

Introduction:

The film Avengers: Endgame presents a captivating narrative where the heroes embark on a journey to retrieve the Infinity Stones. A crucial aspect of this mission is the question of returning these powerful artifacts back to their original points in space and time. Is it necessary to physically transform the stones back into their original forms, or can they simply be returned to their respective locations without such transformations? This article delves into the intricacies of the multiverse rules illustrated in Avengers: Endgame and explores the implications for the characters involved, particularly Steve Rogers (Captain America).

Returning the Stones Without Transformation

Within the universe of Avengers: Endgame, the primary focus of returning the stones is on restoring the integrity of the timeline. The film does not suggest that the stones need to be physically transformed back into their original forms, such as the Tesseract, Aether, Loki's Scepter, or the Orb. Instead, the objective is to ensure that the events intended to occur with these artifacts still take place after their return. The Quantum Realm technology and an understanding of the timeline are implied to be the means by which Captain Rogers achieves this goal.

Cap's Knowledge and Method

Captain America is seen at the end of the film making a final journey to various points in time. It is implied that he knows exactly how to return each stone to its respective location in space and time. However, the film does not provide a detailed account of the mechanics of this process. It is highly probable that he uses the Quantum Realm and his deep understanding of the timeline to achieve this. For instance, the Tesseract would be returned to Asgard, the Aether to Jane Foster, Loki's scepter to a point before it was stolen, and the Orb to the Nova Corps.

The Multiverse and Time Travel Rules

The time travel and stone return mechanics established in Avengers: Endgame are significant and serve to reinforce the rules of the multiverse. These rules imply that the physical state of the stones, such as the Tesseract disintegrating after use, does not matter as long as the timeline remains unaltered. Captain America's journey at the end of the film is more about providing narrative closure for his character than detailed explanations of the mechanics of time travel and stone return.

Having said that, some characters noted in the comments that Captain America doesn't necessarily need to physically transform the stones. This is true for two primary reasons:

Objective Alignment

Captain America's objective is solely to return the stones to their respective timelines, not necessarily to transform them back into their original forms.

Universe Integrity

The state of the universe does not require the stones to be in their original forms. What matters is that the intended events still occur after their return.

In essence, Captain America either uses the time stone spell to return the stone to its original form like Stephen Strange did with the apple, or he ensures that the stone is left behind at the time before it was taken, thereby maintaining the original timeline without physically changing the stones' form.

The second scenario, involving physically transforming the Soul Stone, is less viable due to the characters' current situations (e.g., Natasha is still missing, and there is no means for Cap to travel to Morag or Vormir).

Conclusion

The concept of returning the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Endgame revolves around maintaining the integrity of the timeline rather than physically transforming the stones back into their original forms. This interpretation aligns with the established rules in the film and adds an intriguing layer of complexity to the narrative. It shows the importance of timeline preservation over individual artifact conditions, tailoring our understanding of the universe and its multiverse rules.