I was never a superhero movie fan and decided to journey on a quest to watch every Marvel movie in order, as I had never seen any before. Over the course of 22 movies, I learned that these iconic heroes go through so much more than fighting the bad guy. They become each other's family, even if they don't always get along.
After over 3,000 minutes of following the heroes of Marvel, I learned more than I thought I ever would.
1. Fight for the people you love.
It's not always easy to do this, especially when the ones you love have made some mistakes. Despite Bucky's past as the Winter Soldier, Captain America constantly fought to protect his old friend. It was heartwarming to watch him do everything he could to help him go back to the old Bucky he knew and loved.
2. People deserve second chances.
Scott Lang was an ex-con who turned his life around when he was given the chance to become Ant-Man. Although Loki isn't a good example of this and Thor gave him about a million second chances, he did turn around (sometimes) and help his brother when he needed him.
3. Siblings aren't always easy to get along with.
Again, Loki and Thor are prime examples of this. Gamora and Nebula are in the same boat, but these two eventually learn to become friends and sisters for real. I thought dealing with my siblings was hard, but when Thor's and Gamora's tried to kill them and destroy the universe, I appreciated mine much more.
4. Your past doesn't always determine your future.
Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow aka the most badass woman in the Marvel universe had a past of being a Russian assassin, but when she began working for S.H.I.E.L.D. she became a whole new person. She fought for the greater good and didn't let her past keep her from being who she wanted to be: a hero.
She sacrificed herself in order to defeat Thanos and save the world, which most definitely erased the red in her ledger. RIP Nat.
5. Learn to accept who you are.
Bruce Banner struggled with being The Hulk for the majority of the series. In 'Endgame', we finally see him accepting both parts of himself to create a perfect combination between brawn and brains. You may not like who you are, but learning to accept it is an important part of life.
6. Women can be powerful.
Gamora. Captain Marvel. Nebula. Black Widow. Agent Hill. Valkyrie. Scarlet Witch. The Wasp. Pepper Potts. Shuri. Mantis. Okoye. Peggy Carter. Need I say more?
7. Putting differences aside for a greater cause is necessary.
Putting aside your differences with others isn't the easiest, just ask Captain America and Iron Man. Doing the right thing isn't always easy, either, but doing it for the greater good is necessary. Holding grudges will make it impossible to complete the goal at hand.
8. Humor always helps bad situations.
With dark times comes some pretty heavy emotions, and a little bit of enlightenment is almost necessary to get through it. The humor in these movies made the heartbreak and tragedies a little less painful.
9. Make today count. You don't know what tomorrow brings.
Although it's rare that half of our population will disappear into thin air, the truth about life is you never know when it will end. The Avengers were always ready for the next fight, knowing they could be alive or dead at the end of the day. Take risks and always do what you're passionate about. Tomorrow may not always be there.
10. Sometimes the outcome of life isn't always what you wanted.
Life is filled with tons of unexpected twists and turns and you almost never get what you plan for. It may not be what you wanted, but it's often what you needed. The Avengers were hesitant to get together, but it lead to something they all truly needed deep down: a family.
Tony Stark's noble death for the greater good was nothing close to what anyone wanted, but it was what was needed for the world to be saved. Love you 3000 Tony.
I've come to love these characters so much over the course of watching these movies and I can't wait for the new adventures they lead in the future.
