Avengers: Endgame marked the end of an era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, completing the franchise's first saga. It also marked the end of Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr.'s tenures as Captain America and Iron Man, respectively.

DigitalSpy reports that in an interview with Disney Twenty-Three magazine, Downey Jr. reflected on exiting the MCU with Evans, saying that it was just the right time to do so. "We had to get off. We opted to, and knew it was part of the job to get off the bus while it rolled on to other destinations," he explained. "There is something very sobering about it. I'm glad he and I will be there to welcome others as they retire their jerseys."

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Downey Jr. has played Tony Stark/Iron Man since the MCU's inception in 2008. Evans began his run as Steve Rogers/Captain America in 2011 and, together, the two were part of the original Avengers team in 2012. Since then, Downey Jr. and Evans have appeared in several MCU films across the board either as cameos or mainstay characters in the film.

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Endgame closed the chapter on both heroes' stories, giving Tony Stark his heroic sacrifice in the face of Thanos' galactic threat. Steve Rogers, on the other hand, handed off his shield to Sam Wilson, letting the legacy of Captain America carry on without him.