This official ‘Doomsday’ cameo is worthless now that Marvel has forgotten the power of genuine endings

Let’s get one thing straight first: Yes, of course it is common for comic book characters to come back in various ways. It’s a hallmark of the genre. However, bringing these characters to life on the screen plays a different role. When you are watching a series, or a film, you want endings. It’s only natural for the medium. Characters move on because actors cannot play them forever.

Marvel itself is a broad, expansive world. There is much to show, and for a time the MCU was doing that. It made Guardians of the Galaxy a household name. Lately, however, it seems like the string of ill-received or lukewarm box office offerings have cowed them into feeding into the same nostalgia machine the rest of Hollywood is.

Though Hayley Atwell is confirmed to reprise her role as Peggy Carter in the upcoming Marvel film Avengers: Doomsday, initial reports back in December 2024 of Chris Evans returning alongside her as Steve Rogers have been shot down by Evans himself.

“That’s not true,” he told Esquire in their cover story on Anthony Mackie.

It seems final, but it would not be the first time an actor has lied about showing up in the MCU. Andrew Garfield played coy about his appearance in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. Recently, Sebastian Stan non-answered a question about Bucky Barnes showing up in Captain America: Brave New World, and we all know that was a lie.

They had whole lives!

In 2021 it was announced that Evans could possibly be returning and that Atwell could potentially join him. However, a story wasn’t able to be penned and the idea was eventually officially scrapped. With Atwell’s confirmed return in Doomsday, it does seem like it would be a perfect opportunity for a return from Evans as well.

First off, Marvel is absolutely determined to erase every bit of character development Agent Carter provided. They did it with Avengers: Endgame, and my hopes are low for what her storyline is going to be in Doomsday. She is more than her relationships! She knows her worth!

Agent Carter, though prematurely canceled, gave viewers closure on Peggy in a post-Steve world. She had moved on and married, and had a whole life without him. She lived, for him and because of him. And I’m supposed to believe Steve would be selfish enough to take that away from her? Steve “I’m going to become a fugitive for my best friend” Rogers? I almost wish Steve had died like I feared he would. That would have at least made more sense.

I know that fan service is a thing. I too love to be fan serviced. But endings are meant to end things, not just put a pin in them for a later visit that they really don’t need to have. I personally am indifferent on Robert Downey, Jr. returning to the MCU as a new character, but at least he’s not returning as Tony Stark.

If Steve does return, though, and Evans is just making us work for it, I hope it’s through something like flashbacks. There is so much of 1940s Steve and Peggy that I want to see, and I know I can’t be the only one.