Iconic MCU Post-Credits Scene Was Inspired by Heartbreaking Angel Moment
It's been more than 10 years since one of the MCU's best post-credits scenes was revealed.
Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU ) will no doubt remember the iconic post-credits scene in 2012's The Avengers where the team sits in silence, scarfing down shawarma after their epic battle with Loki and the Chitauri. But did you know that this scene was actually inspired by a heart-wrenching moment from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off, Angel?
Celebrating Angel's 20th Anniversary back in 2019, James Marsters (Spike), Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Amy Acker (Fred Burkle/Illyria), J. August Richards (Charles Gunn), and Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wyndam-Pryce) sat down with Entertainment Weekly at the New York Comic Con and spilled the beans on the origins of the famous shawarma scene.
According to the cast, the scene was inspired by a post-filming outing with showrunner Joss Whedon after they wrapped on the devastating episode "A Hole in the World," in which Fred dies and is taken over by the demon goddess Illyria.
"That was intense," Denisof explained. "I remember Joss particularly wanted to direct that. He gave us an amazing atmosphere. He more or less cleared the set to just him, the camera operator, and you and me."
Acker added, "I just remember that at the end of the day we all went for a drink and were sitting in a bar and none of us spoke to each other. Apparently the shawarma scene at the end of Avengers was inspired by us just sitting there not talking."
"Just shells, completely," Denisof added with a laugh, perhaps referencing the follow-up episode to "A Hole in the World," titled "Shells," which follows the aftermath of Illyria's takeover of Fred's body.
Fans of both the MCU and Angel were quick to react to this revelation, with many saying that it just goes to show how interconnected the worlds of Whedon can be.
"I always knew that shawarma scene was special, but I had no idea it was inspired by something so emotional," said one fan on social media. "It just makes it even more poignant for me now."
Others called it one of the best post-credits scenes in the entire MCU, praising Whedon's ability to blend humor and heart in such a memorable way.
As for The Avengers, the film brought together a star-studded cast including Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk. Together, they faced off against the God of Mischief, Loki, and his army of Chitauri, culminating in a thrilling and epic battle in the streets of New York City.
With its mix of action, humor, and heart, it's no wonder that The Avengers went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of all time and kickstarted the wildly successful MCU as we know it today. And who knows, maybe some of the other post-credits scenes in the MCU also have hidden inspirations that fans have yet to discover.