Spoiler alert: The article contains spoilers. 

"I am Iron Man."

It is where the story begins, and where the story ends.

Eleven years have passed, and Tony Stark, the rebellious soul of the Avengers and witty billionaire who always refused high-sounding words or social norms, finally sacrificed himself to save Earth and humankind.

His epigraph, engraved on the arc reactor, was the same as the phrase on the original electromagnet, which saved and changed his life: "Proof that Tony Stark Has a Heart."

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fans walked out of the cinemas in tears, and social media was in deep mourning. "We love you 3,000," was almost a code between those who have already watched the film, to convey their grief without spoiling the scene.

This is only a peek of the massive appeal and influence of the finale of the Marvel Studio superhero saga, "Avengers: Endgame," not only in China, but around the world. 

Figures tell

As of Saturday, the end of the May Day holiday, the film has already grossed over 3.8 billion yuan (560 million U.S. dollars) in the country and 1.9 billion U.S. dollars around the world.

It has also overtaken "The Fate of the Furious" to become the No.1 of all imported films, and the fastest ever to reach three billion yuan (450 million U.S. dollars), surpassing China's first domestic hardcore sci-fi blockbuster "The Wandering Earth," the previous record holder.

The first generation of the Avengers – Scarlet Johansson, Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans – were propelled to become the first foreign members of the "10-billion-yuan club" (1.48 billion U.S. dollars), meaning the films they starred in have altogether earned over 10 billion yuan in box office earnings.

Before the May Day holiday ends, "Endgame" has already overtaken "Operation Red Sea" (579 million U.S. dollars) to become the third highest grossing film in Chinese cinematic history, coming after "The Wandering Earth" (699 million U.S. dollars) and "Wolf Warrior 2" (854 million U.S. dollars). 

Globally, the film is in the fourth place of the international all-time box office earnings, behind only "Avengers: Infinity War" (1.37 billion U.S. dollars) and even "Titanic" (1.528 billion U.S. dollars) and Avatar (2.027 billion U.S. dollars). It is expected to challenge its prequel and possibly "Titanic." The record-breaking continues.

However, figures do not tell everything. It is only a reflection of the love and passion the Avengers have received from fans. 

Superheroes' farewell

Since 2008, when the first film of the franchise "Iron Man" was released, Marvel has spent 11 years building the universe for the Avengers series with 22 films. In other words, the superheroes have accompanied the childhood and youth of many people.

Now, it is time to say goodbye.

Since the prequel "Avengers: Infinity War" or even earlier, Marvel has been preparing MCU fans for the departure.

If in "Infinity War," Thanos' wiping out half of the superheroes with a snap shocked fans, then "Endgame" has provided the chance for decent farewells.

But it offers more than fan service. The film, establishing an extensive concept of time and space, is also about love, friendship, sacrifice, responsibilities, life and death among others. 

It sees the farewell of the first generation of Avengers. Superheroes died or retired. Or, as is said by many, it defines how heroes' destination should be. 

Like Tony Stark said, "Everybody wants a happy ending. But it doesn't always roll that way."

The clues in the prequels were well explained, and the character arcs fulfilled.

In order to bring everyone back, the Avengers have to travel back to collect the Infinity Stones, allowing Iron Man, Captain America and Thor to make up for their regrets of the past.

Tony Stark finally gets the chance to give his father a hug, and Thor says goodbye to his mother before she was murdered. As for the Cap, he gets to keep his appointment with Peggy Carter, the love of his life, and grows old naturally.

When Chinese Marvel fans were voting for the most touching moments in the finale, all of the aforementioned scenes were picked.

Fans talked the most about Black Widow's sacrifice and Tony Stark's death, with many saying that they could not hold back tears. However, by making the last snap wipe out Thanos and his troops, Tony Stark proved that he was more than the suit. 

Some say it is the moment when humanity competes with the divine.

"The gods are omnipotent, and the only way for mankind to compare to the gods is to venture toward impossibilities even knowing that they are doomed to lose," a friend of mine, who is also a Marvel fan, commented after watching the film.

"The divinity of the gods lies in their transcendence, but the divinity of the human lies in their pursuit of transcendence even while bound by mortal bodies, and by sacrifices and miracles, they proved that," he said. 

Putting the sentiments aside for a second, by choosing to reverse time, "Endgame" may also serve as a commercial reset for the MCU. When the old bowed out, new ones will arrive.

After all, the actors and actresses are not immortal. Even if superheroes indulge in their past achievements and heroism, time cannot be stopped. They still have to face a fading glory, or one day, oblivion. 

By ending the first volume of the series, Marvel did the right thing, commercially and emotionally. "That's the hero gig," or everyone's expectation of the heroes, subconsciously.

For the fans, it was more like waving goodbye to an old friend who have accompanied them for years, with regrets, reluctance and in tears. But the moment of departure would come ultimately, and after mourning, they will move on.

"Part of the journey is the end," as Tony Stark said in his hologram message.

The consolation is that it will never be the end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With several single-hero films to be released in the next two years, including Black Widow and the second sequel of Spiderman, it is predictable that old heroes would be remembered and new ones will rise.

The stories will return. 

Cover image and infographic design by Gao Hongmei