Ever since Avengers: Endgame came out, there’s been a lot of discussion about exactly how Cap going back to the past to be with Peggy Carter affects the timeline. Usually, it’s just the fans that have different theories about how things work, but in this case, the filmmakers themselves have conflicting opinions.
The Russos believe it would create a new timeline, as per the explanation for time travel established in the movie. Writers Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus, however, like to think that Steve going back completed a time loop that means there’s always been an older Cap in the history of the MCU.
While speaking to Canada.com, McFeely clarified that he and Markus intended to suggest that Peggy’s husband, unseen but alluded to in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, was Steve all along. McFeely’s unsure whether any future storyline will contradict this, though.
“It depends on what story Marvel wants to tell going forward. I don’t know if Marvel wants to tell any more Captain America stories or if Chris (Evans) is up for it. Do they want to tell an alternate timeline story? Chris and I are partial to the idea that Steve is part of a strange, unique time-loop where he has always been there. The husband that you very purposefully did not see at Peggy’s bedside in Winter Soldier is Chris’ Steve. We have always thought that he was her husband. The movies you have been watching follow a line where he always goes back. To be fair, not everyone agrees with us. I don’t even know if Marvel agrees with us. But that’s what we think.”
Back in the day, there was a lot of interest in the mystery surrounding Peggy’s husband. Agent Carter heavily suggested it was Daniel Sousa, her SSR co-worker who she gets together with at the end of season 2. However, McFeely’s version of events presumably means that this was just a minor fling and Sousa is definitely not the father of Peggy’s kids. As previously confirmed by the writers, that’s also meant to be Steve.
The scribes have hinted that their take on things could result in there being some future spinoff about the super-powered children of the couple as well. However, like McFeely says above, it’s unclear right now where Kevin Feige and the rest of Marvel Studios stand on this debate.
While we wait to see how things play out in future MCU movies, though, let us know how you interpreted the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame by dropping a comment in the usual place down below.