Why Could the Avengers Change the Past in Endgame but Doctor Strange Could Not in What If? Episode IV

A common question that arises among fans of Avengers: Endgame and Doctor Strange (What If? Episode IV) is why the Avengers could change the past while Doctor Strange could not. This article will shed light on the mechanics of time travel in these films and explain the differences and workings of their plotlines.

Understanding the Mechanics of Time Travel in Avengers: Endgame

The plot of Avengers: Endgame is built around a meticulously planned time travel expedition. The team strategically retrieves the Infinity Stones, each with unique properties, to reverse the aftermath of the battle against Thanos. The key to their success lies in their careful preparation and execution.

Before any time travel takes place, the team agrees on a strategy. Their present timeline, five years after the events of Avengers: Infinity War, is carefully preserved, with all the damage caused by Thanos still intact. The stones are returned to the past after their mission to ensure no new timelines are created. Captain America plays a crucial role in this mission, systematically returning the stones, effectively sealing the doors to potential temporal paradoxes.

Through this process, the Avengers collectively acknowledge the necessity of accepting loss and making sacrifices for a greater good. This principle extends beyond the characters, making the audience reflect on similar life lessons. Doctor Strange, in contrast, never follows this model in his attempts to alter the past.

Doctor Strange's Approach and Its Consequences

In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Doctor Strange uses the Time Stone to travel into his own past, a strategy that differs greatly from the Avengers' approach. Instead of preserving and returning to a preserved timeline, Strange endeavors to change history directly to save a loved one, Christine.

By using the Time Stone to change the past, Strange inadvertently creates a dangerous temporal paradox. This paradox is so potent that it nearly destroys the entire multiverse. This fatal mistake highlights the complexity and unpredictable nature of time travel, especially when not executed within a controlled timeline.

Differences and Explained

The fundamental issue lies in the difference between the Avengers' strategic approach and Doctor Strange's impulsive one. In Endgame, the team meticulously plans their journey, ensuring that the past is restored to a pre-disruption state. Each stone is carefully returned, maintaining the integrity of the timeline.

However, in the alternate timeline of What If? Episode IV, Doctor Strange focuses on fixing Christines' death and winning the Time Stone. He never considers the consequences of altering the past on the present timeline. Had he left her death as it was and used the stones to heal her in the future, such as in No Way Home, he would have avoided creating an irreversible paradox.

Learning the Importance of Plan and Consequences

Both these films underscore the importance of preparedness and the consequences of altering the past. The Avengers' method, despite its risks, is a prime example of calculated risk-taking for a greater good. Conversely, Doctor Strange's actions in What If? Episode IV highlight the dire consequences of making impulsive decisions and ignoring the impact on the larger timeline.

For those interested in exploring more about the intricacies of time travel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, both the films and the subsequent discussions offer valuable insights. The themes explored in these films resonate with the real-world discussions on ethics, consequences, and the responsibility that comes with wielding great power.

As always, the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to fascinate, offering endless opportunities for analysis and discussion. Whether through time travel or other methods, the characters' journeys serve as powerful metaphors for our own lives and our choices.