WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Avengers: Endgame, in theaters now.
Avengers: Endgame marks the conclusion of a 22-movie cycle, wrapping up the stories of several series mainstays. For months, fans were theorizing just who would die in the MCU's final installment of the "Infinity Saga" but still found themselves awestruck by the results.
During the film, the original six Avengers (along with Ant-Man, Rocket Raccoon and Nebula) go on a mission to find the six Infinity Stones and reverse the damage Thanos did in Infinity War. However, that meant another sacrifice was required to obtain the Soul Stone, and it was Natasha Romanoff who paid the price. However, writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely revealed that almost wasn't the case.
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When Hawkeye and Natasha arrived on Vormir, fans knew one of them would not make it back home. Ultimately, the decision on who died came down to a struggle between the two former partners, both willing to risk it all for the other. When The New York Times asked the duo if there was "a possible outcome where Clint Barton sacrifices himself instead of her?" McFeely said, "There was, for sure. Jen Underdahl, our visual effects producer, read an outline or draft where Hawkeye goes over. And she goes, 'Don’t you take this away from her.' I actually get emotional thinking about it."
"And it was true, it was him taking the hit for her," Markus added. "It was melodramatic to have him die and not get his family back. And it is only right and proper that she's done."
At the time of Endgame, Natasha had been one of the few characters to be featured significantly in every Avengers film, including appearances in other characters' solo movies like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 2 and Captain America: Civil War. However, with her death on Vormir, Black Widow was able to close out her arc and clear her ledger.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Endgame stars Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Don Cheadle as War Machine, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Danai Gurira as Okoye and Bradley Cooper as Rocket, with Gwyneth Paltrow Pepper Potts, Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan, Benedict Wong as Wong, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie and Josh Brolin as Thanos. The film is now in theaters.