ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN: WHY AVENGERS: ENDGAME COULD MARK END OF MARVEL’S PRE-WOKE ERA.

Avengers: Endgame is the unofficial end of the series’ first wave of films. We’ve seen a few disappointments so far (think Iron Man 3 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2), but the level of excellence has been breathtaking.

Consider the giddy pleasures of the Ant Man series, or the creative splendor on display in Black Panther.

What’s missing? Hollywood’s progressive groupthink. These films focused on storytelling, great characters and themes that resonate across the culture. Heroes. Villains. The power of sacrifice. The nobility of fighting for a common good.

The stories didn’t stop cold to send a message or dabble in virtue signaling. That’s what we often see across the pop culture landscape. TV shows routinely slip pro-gun control messages into their narratives, for example. And boy, does it show.

The MCU didn’t do that, but that could be changing.

Including (and I can’t believe I’m about to type this) “body positive” superheroes. As Ace of Spades adds, “It’s pretty likely that most of the Real Avengers won’t be back except in cameos in future movies, and I expect interest in this franchise to diminish quite a bit. So I guess I don’t really care. But I will enjoy the future headlines, like, ‘Where has Marvel’s magic gone?’”