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By July 2011, the Marvel Cinematic Universe had grown into four movies and clearly announced their intentions to connect them with a then-highly ambitious crossover. They had already introduced almost everyone who would comprise the first incarnation of the Avengers: Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow, Thor, and Hawkeye. All that remained was Captain America, the man who gained superpowers in a government experiment, fought in World War II, and remained encased in ice until the modern day. The character presented some surprising challenges with the story and especially the characters. They had to get it right — and amazingly, they did.

For a full decade after its inception, the Marvel Cinematic Universe did not have one film with a sole female lead. Black Widow was a founding member of the Avengers, yet had no superpowers and no film for herself. The same goes for Gamora, of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Even Hope Van Dyne, The Wasp, had to share the title with Ant-Man. The world only saw Marvel achieve this in 2019 when they centered a movie on the tale of a female soldier realizing her extraordinary potential. Captain Marvel came far later than it should have, but now that it is here, we can enjoy the thrills of a different kind of hero.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not called a film universe just because it is good marketing. It is a mega-series consisting of smaller series that happen to intertwine. There are three Iron Man films, three Captain America movies, three Thor flicks, and so on. Some of the newer characters in the universe, such as Black Panther and Doctor Strange, only have one so far.

This makes the case of the Hulk quite unusual: he had one standalone movie in 2008 and never had another. Many fans of the character find this a pity: that first Hulk movie, only the second in the entire MCU, is quite interesting for what it is, and looking back on it as a bizarre and rather a rewarding experience for any MCU enthusiast.

If you ask a random selection of filmgoers to name their favorite film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, many will likely point to the very beginning. More than ten years and 21 films later, 2008’s Iron Man remains among the franchise’s most popular movies. It retains its global appeal not just for being the exciting and accessible introduction to the style of Marvel Studios, but also for its action, humor, and strong performances from the entire cast. Little wonder, then, that the character of Tony Stark is also integral to other MCU favorites like The Avengers, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and both halves of the Infinity War Saga.

With that said, many of the lead character’s biggest fans tend to overlook the other two standalone Iron Man films. This may be because the first one is a tough act to follow by any standard, and plenty of other characters have taken the spotlight in the succeeding decade. However, casual viewers and hardcore devotees alike can find something interesting in the further adventures of Tony Stark. Iron Man 2, in particular, deserves at least some level of reassessment from those who have not seen it since its release in 2010.

We are truly in the endgame now: the premiere of Avengers: Endgame is upon us, and fans from all around the world are breathless with anticipation. To provide a better understanding of the collective global excitement for the film, first-day pre-sale ticket purchases from Fandango and Atom destroyed previous records, and the AMC Theatres website and app crashed from the sheer demand. Its two official trailers received more views in their first 24 hours of release than any other video in the same period. The data belies the hype.

However, Avengers: Endgame is more than the culmination of an unprecedented 22-film saga. It’s the direct follow-up, one could even say the second half, to 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War. This cinematic event shattered the expectations of fans and box office records, becoming the fourth-highest grossing film of all time (without adjusting for inflation). Before you go see how it all ends, you might find it valuable to go back and see how it even began. (Spoilers ahead!)