8 Major MCU Events That Only Happened Because Hulk Took The Stairs In Endgame

As a huge Marvel fan, I remember absolutely cracking up when Hulk casually took the stairs in Avengers: Endgame. It seemed like just a funny little moment, but looking back, it’s become surprisingly important to the whole MCU timeline! The Marvel Universe is built on so many huge choices and lucky breaks, but who knew a simple gag like that would end up changing everything?

Following the Avengers’ victory in 2012 and their acquisition of the Tesseract, Hulk attempts to join the team in the elevator, but is told there isn’t room. Annoyed, he heads down the stairs, and his frustration builds with each step. By the time he reaches the bottom, he’s so angry that he bursts through the door.

When Hulk unexpectedly entered, he bumped into Tony Stark, sending both him and the Tesseract tumbling. This simple accident caused the Avengers to lose control of the Tesseract, and it sparked a series of events that shaped the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the next ten years.

Loki Escapes With The Tesseract

Loki stealing the Tesseract is a hugely important moment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If the Hulk hadn’t accidentally knocked Tony Stark over, Loki would have stayed in prison after the Battle of New York. However, the confusion allowed him to teleport away and effectively create a different version of himself.

This new version of Loki sets the stage for a completely different storyline. While the original Loki dies fighting Thanos, this alternate version—created when Hulk accidentally sent him traveling through time—avoids that fate. This allows Marvel to essentially restart Loki’s character, building on what we already know while exploring new possibilities.

As a huge MCU fan, I’ve always thought about how crucial that initial moment with the Tesseract was for Loki’s entire journey. Seriously, everything – his partnership with Mobius, his growth as a character, even becoming something of a hero – it all stems from that single event. And let’s not forget, Hulk accidentally gave Loki a second chance at life, which ultimately allowed for one of the most satisfying and beloved character arcs we’ve seen in any of the Marvel TV shows.

The Whole MCU Multiverse Saga

Loki stealing the Tesseract caused a split in the timeline, which shouldn’t have been possible. This is how the MCU’s Multiverse began. If Hulk hadn’t accidentally caused a problem, the Avengers would have secured the Tesseract without issue, keeping the timeline intact and preventing the early emergence of Multiversal issues.

When Loki unexpectedly jumped to another reality, the Time Variance Authority (TVA) noticed. This moment was crucial, as it introduced the TVA and the need to protect the timeline to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The complex Multiverse we see in shows and movies like Loki, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania all began with this single event.

If the Hulk hadn’t angrily burst through that door, the Marvel Cinematic Universe would have had to find a much more complicated way to introduce the Multiverse. Instead, that single, humorous moment unexpectedly became the basis for the stories told throughout Phase 4 and Phase 5, essentially launching the entire second saga of the MCU.

He Who Remains Is Killed

I was completely captivated by He Who Remains in Loki. He was the last line of defense for the single timeline, desperately trying to prevent different realities from popping up. It’s incredible to think that his death is what unleashed all the multiversal chaos we’re seeing now in the MCU! And it all started with Loki’s variant stealing the Tesseract… which, believe it or not, was set in motion by Hulk simply taking the stairs instead of jumping! It’s such a wild, interconnected story.

Loki’s entanglement with the TVA leads him to meet Sylvie and discover the organization’s true purpose, eventually leading to a showdown with He Who Remains. This confrontation was always destined to happen, as the series reveals. He Who Remains anticipating this proves that Loki’s actions – including the events with Hulk – were predetermined and part of the timeline all along.

Sylvie’s decision to kill He Who Remains creates countless alternate realities, marking the beginning of the Multiverse Saga. This entire chain of events was set in motion when the Hulk angrily burst through a door.

Spider-Man And Doctor Strange Cast Their Spell

The major problems in Spider-Man: No Way Home happen because the Time Variance Authority (TVA) isn’t working. Usually, the TVA steps in to prevent changes to the timeline or disruptions across universes. But after Loki and Sylvie disabled the TVA following the creation of a Loki variant, Spider-Man’s actions that break the timeline are allowed to continue without intervention.

Doctor Strange tried to help Peter Parker by making everyone forget he was Spider-Man, but the spell went terribly wrong. It started bringing villains and other versions of Spider-Man from different universes into their world. According to the established rules of the timeline, something like this shouldn’t have been possible.

After Sylvie disrupts the TVA – a chain of events started by Hulk accidentally causing trouble – Doctor Strange and Peter Parker’s spell dramatically changes the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This results in people forgetting who they are, unexpected partnerships forming, and the exciting comeback of familiar, fan-favorite characters. None of this would be possible if the TVA still existed to maintain order.

The Scarlet Witch Dreamwalks And Kills The Illuminati

As a fan, it’s wild to think about what could have been in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Wanda’s power to jump into other versions of herself – Dreamwalking – totally breaks the rules the TVA set up! They would have shut that down immediately if things were still orderly. But with the Multiverse completely falling apart, she’s able to go wherever she needs to, even across dimensions, all in her desperate search for her kids.

This scene quickly becomes one of the film’s most surprising and disturbing. Wanda violently defeats the Illuminati from another universe (Earth-838). This shocking moment is made possible by the events of the TVA, which now allow for alternate universes to exist and develop without being immediately erased.

Loki and Sylvie’s actions caused the TVA to collapse, and that collapse, starting with Hulk’s brief detour, ultimately led to Wanda’s destructive outburst. Had Hulk not been briefly diverted, this particular group of Illuminati members might never have formed, and they definitely wouldn’t have been defeated so quickly.

Tony Stark Reconciles With His Father

With the Tesseract gone, the Avengers have to come up with a new plan. Tony and Steve travel back to the 1970s, hoping to recover not only the Tesseract but also more Pym Particles. This trip leads to a deeply moving encounter for Tony, as he meets his father, Howard Stark – a particularly memorable moment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Tony has a deeply emotional conversation that finally gives him the peace he needed, something he never experienced before. This conversation is incredibly important for Tony, as it helps him accept his father’s imperfections and good qualities. It’s a pivotal moment that significantly impacts his choices as he heads into the final fight.

If Hulk hadn’t accidentally sent the Tesseract flying in 2012, things would have turned out very differently. Surprisingly, Hulk’s outburst actually gave Tony Stark a crucial moment of peace, allowing him to resolve long-standing emotional issues. This provided a fitting emotional closure for Tony, especially considering his heroic sacrifice at the end of the film.

Captain America Retires In The Past

During the time-travel mission to 1970 in Endgame, Steve Rogers secretly collected additional Pym Particles. These particles were crucial, as they later enabled him to travel back to the 1940s and live out his life with Peggy Carter. If the original mission hadn’t required a return trip, Steve wouldn’t have been able to obtain those extra particles and fulfill his wish.

The impact of Hulk’s mishap on the stairs is actually what gives Captain America’s ending its emotional weight. It allows him to finally choose a peaceful life, something he’d been unable to do for decades. Similar to how Tony Stark’s story concluded, this unexpected event creates a fitting end for Captain America, letting him reclaim the life he lost long ago.

Hulk’s outburst of anger surprisingly allows Steve Rogers to finally retire and enjoy a life with Peggy Carter, passing on the Captain America shield to Sam Wilson. It’s a genuinely touching ending to his story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, all sparked by one angry Avenger.

Loki Becomes The God Of Stories

Loki’s journey to becoming the God of Stories is a standout in Marvel TV. He moves beyond being a mischievous troublemaker and learns to care about others, eventually becoming the one who protects the entire Multiverse. His growth and ultimate sacrifice are central to the emotional core of the Multiverse Saga.

If he hadn’t escaped in 2012, none of this would have happened. Because of his unique ability to change fate, he was able to meet Mobius, evolve as a person, and eventually take control of the Loom. Ironically, Hulk’s anger – specifically, his incident on the stairs – unintentionally set everything in motion, leading Loki to his ultimate purpose.

As a huge Marvel fan, it’s amazing to see Loki essentially running things behind the scenes now, influencing where the MCU goes next. I have a feeling his story will be central to everything, maybe even especially in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. But it’s wild to think it all kicked off with something so simple – Hulk getting mad after taking the stairs in Avengers: Endgame! It just shows how even the smallest moments can have huge consequences in these films.

2025-11-17 01:51