Marvel’s latest release and the way it explores the story of Avengers: Endgame appears to admit that part of the iconic 2019 movie’s story was a mistake. While it’s been over half a decade since Avengers: Endgame‘s release, the MCU timeline is still profoundly influenced by the film, which changed the face of the superhero genre forever.

Avengers: Endgame was mᴀssively successful on almost every level, providing a spectacular and fitting sendoff to over a decade of MCU history, and balancing its immense scale with a series of deeply personal stories for its main cast. That said, Avengers: Endgame isn’t totally flawless, and later releases appear to have learned from criticisms about the movie.

Marvel Just Gave Thor An Updated Version Of His Avengers: Endgame Story Without One Glaring Detail

Six years after Avengers: Endgame‘s debut, Marvel Zombies provides its own spin on the events of the time period of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame – though it explores this era with some major story changes, thanks to a zombie apocalypse happening to break out around this time.

This is made perhaps clearest through the show’s exploration of Thor’s story, with it showing him having his iconic lightning-covered return to Earth alongside Groot and Rocket. However, Marvel Zombies unveils a slightly darker version of the scene, thanks to this team being swiftly decimated by the zombie version of Thanos.

Thor’s experience drives him to a similar state to the one he’s in for much of the early story of Avengers: Endgame itself, with the God of Thunder being consumed by his grief about what happened – shown to be essentially oblivious to all around him, even as his fellow Asgardians enjoy their revels well after these events took place.

However, Marvel Zombies takes a different tack than Avengers: Endgame. In both, Thor eventually comes around – with Marvel Zombies showing him regaining his awareness in order to save the show’s protagonists from Wanda, nobly sacrificing himself so they can try and save the world – but only Marvel Zombies does this without poking fun at Thor.

The way Avengers: Endgame explores Thor’s grief and turmoil has been lastingly controversial, as this grief was the subject of some mockery in the 2019 movie, particularly regarding Thor’s weight gain and more negative outlook. Marvel Zombies‘s approach to this chapter of Thor’s story suggests the MCU learned its lesson from the reception to how it approached Thor’s struggles.

Why Marvel Zombies Was Right To Update Its Take On Thor’s Avengers: Endgame Story

Thor’s MCU arc is one of the franchise’s most extensive, and one of the MCU’s most impactful as well. Going all the way back to Thor, it’s clear how much the hero has grown, and how much the tragedies of his life have challenged him, even if they ultimately appear to have only reinforced his desire to protect others.

While the darker tone of the early story of Avengers: Endgame does arguably need comedy to balance out how bleak the circumstances appear, poking fun at a character for understandably grieving their inability to prevent the loss of countless lives is a somewhat jarring approach, and thus it makes sense that it was a move that garnered a divisive reception.

As such, Marvel Zombies adjusting its version of the Avengers: Endgame story seems like the right move – especially given Thor is here effectively grieving the end of humanity. Altogether, this paints a picture of the MCU’s capacity to course correct and learn from the responses to its releases, which is promising with Avengers: Doomsday‘s story on the near horizon.