An Alternate Universe: What if Nebula and War Machine Retrieved the Soul Stone in Avengers: Endgame?

Imagine a different twist in the plot of Avengers: Endgame where Thanos's defeat at the hands of the Avengers is influenced by a different team's decision. What if Nebula and War Machine had been the ones to journey to the mysterious world of Vormir to retrieve the Soul Stone? This hypothetical scenario offers a dramatically different and heartbreaking outcome, altering the dynamics of the final mission and affecting the overall narrative of the film.

Had this alternate team been the ones to choose a beloved person to sacrifice their soul, the mission backfired. The teammate left behind would have returned to a world where tragedy was inevitable. In this story, War Machine sacrifices himself, leading to a funeral attended by the entire team. Meanwhile, Nebula would have been left alone, her past self reconnecting with her future self, leading to no grand battle with Thanos and a universe where he is still in power. Let's explore these scenarios in depth.

The Unfolding Tragedy

At Vormir, War Machine and Nebula would have faced the same grief and trauma as the original team, but with a twist. The presence of their beloved guides (i.e., different allies) would have been absent, leading to an even more raw and excruciating experience. The bond between Rhodey and Nebula as casual friends would not have provided the comfort they needed. In the end, they would have returned empty-handed, acknowledging the futility of their mission.

War Machine, realizing that his time was up, would have to make a sacrifice for the greater good. He would have to choose a beloved to leave behind, knowing this would be his only chance to save the universe. The conversation would likely go something like this:

Rhodey: "I-I don't think I can do this, Nebula. I don't have it in me."

Nebula: "If you don't, than our mission is doomed. You have to do it if not for yourself, then for the fallen. You have to play your role in avenging them."

Synthesizing the emotional weight, Rhodey would perform the sacrifice, symbolically 'kicking out' his soul. The suit, now a symbol of his love and bond, would be pushed over an edge, signifying the end of his physical presence in the armor. This act of self-sacrifice would be accompanied by a burning sensation and a deep emotional pain, as Rhodey's heart would suffer without his beloved companion by his side.

The Consequences of the Sacrifice

The result of this alternate journey would have been devastating. With War Machine gone, this universe would have continued to be in a half-empty state. The power of the Soul Stone would not have been harnessed, leaving Thanos still with his power. Meanwhile, the team of Black Widow and Hawkeye would have remained in the same time period and would have been unable to retrieve the Soul Stone in time to defeat Thanos. This outcome would have led to a universe where Thanos's victory was assured, leading to a major alteration in the final battle and the fate of the heroes.

Nonetheless, Hawkeye would have come to the rescue, using all his arrows to retrieve the Soul Stone, but this would have been a futile attempt as Rhodey's sacrifice would have left the Soul Stone inaccessible. The failure to recover the Soul Stone would have led to a universe where Thanos would have continued to thrive, and the heroes would have been unable to stop him.

However, in this somber but realistic scenario, the drama and the emotional stakes would have been even higher. The deaths and sacrifices faced by the heroes would have a greater impact, and the outcome would have been more tragic, leading to a universe where Half the Multiverse would still be destroyed, with only a few survivors left.

So, what if War Machine and Nebula had been the ones to retrieve the Soul Stone in Avengers: Endgame? The result would have been a universe where the heroes' sacrifices and emotional toll would have been even more devastating, leading to a tragic ending where the heroes' victories would have been overshadowed by the tragic deaths and sacrifices they would have had to make. This alternate story would have provided a somber and sombering look into the true cost of the heroes' actions and the devastating consequences of Thanos's victory.