Overview
- Stephen McFeely said during a Sept. 29 Endgame Encore Q&A that he and co-writer Christopher Markus briefly scripted a version in which Hawkeye would die to secure the Soul Stone.
- McFeely said several female Marvel employees reviewed the draft and confronted him in the hallway, arguing that the heroic moment should remain with the film’s female Avenger.
- The writers explained they ultimately kept the female Avenger’s sacrifice because they felt that character’s established arc made the choice narratively stronger.
- McFeely expressed regret that Endgame’s busy final act left limited on-screen time to process the loss, so the writers added dialogue late in the film to underscore the emotional stakes.
- The disclosure has renewed discussion about representation in the MCU and about how internal studio feedback, solo spin-offs, and successor characters have shaped the franchise’s handling of original Avengers.