Avengers: Endgame remains the pinnacle of the MCU’s cross-over magic, bringing together characters from every corner of its cinematic universe for one triumphant climactic finale, and it’s hard to believe that it’s already been five years since that moment in time. One of the most impressive things about both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame was their ability to focus on the primary characters while still giving minor fan favorites memorable moments. One such moment would be when Kong, Miek, and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) are found playing Fortnite in New Asgard. After some speculation, a long-standing mystery around that scene was cleared up by the Russo brothers.
Who Is Noobmaster69 In ‘Avengers: Endgame?’
During the section where the Avengers are re-assembling to pull off the Time Heist, Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) arrive in Norway to bring Thor out of retirement. Thor has memorably fallen out of shape at this point and is spending most of his time drinking and playing Fortnite and getting into arguments with those on the other end of the game. One such nemesis is someone with the tag “Noobmaster69,” who Thor threatens while Rocket and Hulk watch bewildered. Now, while most viewers watching this scene would have just assumed this was a humorous pop culture reference, the Russo Brothers (in typical MCU style) have tied the moment to an existing character, as they confirmed in a since-deleted post on X (formerly known as Twitter) that Noobmaster69 is none other than Wong (Benedict Wong), the beloved Doctor Strange supporting character. Another amusing detail to add is that Wong, at this time, had become the Sorcerer Supreme after Doctor Strange was snapped away by Thanos, meaning, despite having such an important duty, he still found time to play Fortnite and specifically mess with Thor.
Wong Being Noobmaster69 Makes Sense
While this may seem just like an amusing afterthought that the Russos wanted to throw out there to have some fun with the fans, Wong being Noobmaster69 actually does make a lot of sense. Wong is consistently shown to be up-to-date on everything pop culture throughout his MCU appearances, whether it be his love of Beyoncé or The Sopranos. From his appearances in both She-Hulk and Shang-Chi, MCU fans have gotten to see a more fun and laid-back side of Wong, from his karaoke singing to his friendship with Madisynn (Patty Guggenheim). It not only tracks that he would be playing Fortnite, but given some of his more mischievous and jokey tendencies, it also adds up that he would specifically seek out one of his work colleagues to mess with in-game. All of this lends what seems like just a silly little tidbit some more credibility and in-universe continuity.
What Is Wong’s Future In The MCU?
While this reveal is fun in itself, fans have been wondering when we will get to see Wong on screen again after his last appearances in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. While there is no official announcement or date for a Doctor Strange 3 yet, Wong has been known to pop up in a small capacity in lots of projects, including Spider-Man: No Way Home and the latest Avengers films, and given his status as a fan-favorite, it would not be at all surprising to see him have a small cameo in Thunderbolts*, or perhaps an upcoming series like Ironheart. Maybe we may even get a Wong solo Disney Plus show. Regardless, he will almost certainly be popping up in at least one of the next two Avengers films, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars since Benedict Wong has alluded to a return to the screen sooner rather than later.
Wong remains one of the most beloved side characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and for good reason: his charm and mix of seriousness and sense of fun create an enjoyable and charming dynamic with most of the characters he interacts with. That is, of course, with the exception of Thor in Fortnite, as the Russos have confirmed.
Avengers: Endgame is streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.
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