It isn’t until later that we fully see the consequences as the vanished Avengers return to help Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and company defeat Thanos and his army in one of the most euphoric moments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to date.
However, as everybody who vanished returns around her, she heartbreakingly discovers that five years have passed and her mother’s cancer returned – and she died.
The footage stitched together (thanks to Twitter user @GuggaLeunnam) shows the contrast in these respective experiences – and it is made all the more chilling because of it.
In Avengers: Endgame, Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) puts on the Infinity Gauntlet to restore balance five years after half of humanity was wiped out – but the effect of his action is somewhat delayed.