Both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame were MCU masterpieces; emotionally stirring, suspenseful, comedic, and action-packed, the penultimate installment and denouement left fans quite satisfied. 

Though Endgame doubled down on the hype —  sticking the landing via memorable dialogue and intricately wrapped up narrative arcs for its beloved title characters, Rogers and Stark — many argue that it paled in comparison to Infinity War. 

Certain MCU fans argue that Infinity War trumps Endgame in several core areas deemed integral to filmic success. Keep in mind: this is not to say Endgame failed. Rather, as the argument stands, Infinity War is the superior accomplishment when dismissing positive attributes solely tied to Endgame’s sense of finality. If you take away the bittersweet reflection associated with conclusions and the on-screen character worship, many argue Infinity War takes the gold. Below, you will see the most frequently cited arguments Infinity War proponents tend to put forward.

1) In ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ Thanos relinquished what made his villain unique in ‘Infinity War’

Many fans argue that in Infinity War, Thanos retained a villainous “charm;” his original motive, though misguided, was backed by a population reduction mission he deemed beneficial. Fans could empathize with him, not because he was rational, but because he was so full of conviction. He was the hero in his story. Fans go on to note that in Endgame, he became a “watered down titan.” In Infinity War, Thanos was less of a “generic baddie,” as one MCU enthusiast claims. The intricacies that made Thanos one of the MCU’s best villains seemed to fall by the wayside, as one Reddit user notes:

Thanos, a deep and well-reasoned villain, was reduced to shallow evil by bringing back his 2014 self who was far more bloodthirsty.

While Avengers: Endgame was destined to be about the heroes, which is why Thanos’ reduced characterization felt correct, the film lost the degree of suspense associated with Infinity War as a result. Fans argue that, during Endgame, you were waiting for an inevitable defeat; while in the penultimate film, there was an odd satisfaction — an uncomfortable combination of shock, excitement, and worry — as fans came to realize that the villain would, for once, win. 

2) MCU fans argue that the pacing was better in ‘Infinity War’

Fans note that, despite a runtime of 2 hours and 40 minutes (only 22 minutes short of Endgame), Infinity War seemed to fly by, as the movie featured a “more tightly etched narrative,” as one viewer explained. Another MCU enthusiast chimed in, concurring with the above proclamation, stating:

IW felt tight and scenes moved quickly. Endgame felt stretched out during its middle. It’s fine the first time, but noticeable afterwards.

Quora User 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs02s7xjO6U

Infinity War managed to maintain an ever-captivating momentum, jumping from one fight scene to the next, while managing to highlight its somber and desperate thematic undertone. Intricately interweaving fights, humor, fear, and desperation, many fans argue that Infinity War was simply a better-constructed story.

3) The sense of desperation in ‘Infinity War’ made for a more unorthodox (and more challenging to execute) superhero film 

Once fans realized that Avengers: Endgame would become a time-travel-oriented mission, the film became a race to the finish — a race to the heroes’ inevitable triumph. As a result, many fans argue that Endgame became a typical hero film, in which you wait for the good guy to save the day. On the other hand, Infinity War defied genre orthodoxies by distributing more power to the villain and making the film about his ultimate success.  

While we all know the heroes had to win in the end, fans argue that Infinity War was a greater accomplishment for “to balance the comedy, and the relationships, all the deaths, and the pure sorrow and hopelessness that permeates the last act of the film” was “so hard to pull off.” Fans argue that Infinity War kept fans laughing, crying, wondering, worrying, questioning; Endgame kept fans waiting.