Eight years after the MCU’s Civil War conflict, Iron Man has been crowned the definitive winner, thanks to how the new Avengers team will be formed.

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps expanding, past events keep impacting this universe, and now Iron Man has been crowned the definitive winner of the Civil War conflict. The MCU continues building its Multiverse Saga, and while one part of it keeps exploring the multiverse and its many mysteries and dangers, another one is keeping its focus on the heroes on Earth. With two crossover Avengers movies coming up in Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars, the MCU is currently preparing for the formation of a new Avengers team, and the MCU has now dropped a couple of hints at the origin of this team.

After Iron Man’s death, Steve Rogers’ retirement, Natasha Romanoff’s sacrifice, and Hawkeye and Thor focusing on other areas of their lives, the only remaining original Avenger is the Hulk, but the original Avengers team is effectively over. The MCU will now see the formation of a new Avengers team, and will take the first steps to it in Captain America: Brave New World. Footage shown at CinemaCon 2024 revealed some details about the origin of the new Avengers team, through which the MCU is admitting that Iron Man is the real winner of Civil War.

Why Iron Man Is The Definitive Winner Of Civil War

The MCU Is Proving Iron Man Was Right All Along

The original Avengers team wasn’t together for long, as following the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron and the destruction of Sokovia, the team was divided into two in Captain America: Civil War. As a result of the Chitauri invasion, the fall of SHIELD, the destruction of Sokovia, and an incident in Lagos, the Avengers were presented with the Sokovia Accords by Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt). The Sokovia Accords were a set of legal documents made with the purpose of controlling and regulating the activities of enhanced individuals, including members of government agencies (like SHIELD) and private organizations, like the Avengers.

The international concerns over the unsanctioned actions and consequences by enhanced individuals, as are the Avengers, led to the creation of the Sokovia Accords, but not all of the Avengers (and other superheroes not part of the team) agreed with them. This led the original Avengers team to split into two factions: Team Iron Man and Team Captain America. Team Iron Man agreed with the Sokovia Accords and that the Avengers and company needed to be held responsible for their actions, mostly out of guilt for Ultron’s creation and the destruction of Sokovia.

Team Captain America, on the other hand, believed in the freedom of enhanced individuals, and that the Sokovia Accords would only restrict the Avengers’ freedom and when and where they could act, especially during an emergency. Although the Sokovia Accords as they were didn’t succeed and were eventually repealed, Iron Man is now standing as the winner of Civil War as he has now been proven right. In the Captain America: Brave New World footage shown at CinemaCon 2024, U.S. President Thaddeus Ross asks Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) to recreate the Avengers.

The Avengers are now being formed as part of the government, so it’s expected that Ross and company will have some influence over the team, pretty much what the Sokovia Accords intended. It’s to be seen how the government will regulate the new Avengers team after everything that happened with the original team, but no matter how this happens, Iron Man is now the definitive winner of Civil War.

The New Avengers Would Be Everything Team Cap Didn’t Want

The New Avengers Team Is Steve Rogers’ Nightmare

As mentioned above, Captain America was firmly against the Sokovia Accords, and for a long time, he was proven right, but not anymore. Unfortunately, Iron Man’s triumph and the new Avengers being an extension of the government are making everything Steve Rogers feared would happen a reality. Very fitting with his role as Captain America, Steve Rogers literally fought to defend the rights of superheroes to act as they considered necessary without having to depend on the government’s approval. While it’s to be seen how much power and influence the government will have on the upcoming Avengers team, it will most likely do what Steve Rogers didn’t want.

Sam Wilson Just Betrayed Steve Rogers’ Civil War Choice

Captain America Keeps Losing Years After Civil War

Steve Rogers refused to sign the Sokovia Accords because he didn’t trust the UN to know how to solve the global threats that needed the Avengers, which later led him to be on the run for a while. On Steve’s side was Sam Wilson, who has now taken the Captain America mantle, but he’s no longer following the ideas of the first Captain America. Sam forming the new Avengers team under the government’s orders goes against what Steve Rogers stood for during Civil War, showing that there’s too much self-interest in government.

Surely, Sam and the formation of the new Avengers could take a turn, and he could end up honoring Steve’s ideas through the new team and without the government’s influence. Until then, however, Iron Man stands as the true winner of the MCU’s Civil War, while Steve Rogers’ nightmares are coming true.