Listing all the ways Avengers: Endgame made us emotional would take forever. Instead, we’ll focus on just one spoiler-ridden aspect of the superhero ensemble that packed a heart-rending punch: the line little Morgan Stark told her father, Tony, early on in the film, and the same one he repeated back to her at the end.
Reportedly, Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo sat down with Watching Hollywood and explained the origins of the adorable and impactful line. Translated to English by the folks at ComicBook.com, the interview details that the “I love you 3,000” line came about from Tony Stark actor Robert Downey Jr. The actor told the Russo brothers that one of his three children told him they loved him that much, and the directors found the story so sweet that they couldn’t resist incorporating the line into Endgame twice.
Since this explanation is said to have come straight from the people in charge, it effectively shuts down all other speculation fans stirred up around the “I love you 3,000” line. Some theorized that the phrase Morgan told her father may have been a clever comeback to him mentioning “tons” when he told her how much he loved her. One U.S. ton equals 2,000 pounds — and 3,000 is a bit more than that figure.
Another idea Marvelites had was that the “3,000” of the phrase is actually a nod to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as 3,000 is the combined number of minutes every already-released movie and the yet-to-launch Spider-Man: Far From Home run for. Figures from IMDb pin the MCU thus far — from Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame — as running for a total of 2,867 minutes. Assuming that Spider-Man: Far From Home will match the 133-minute runtime of Spider-Man: Homecoming, that brings the number up to 3,000.
“I love you 3,000” was one of two unforgettable lines Tony Stark gave in Avengers: Endgame. The other came at the climax. After Tony retrieves the Infinity Stones from Thanos and locks them into his own suit, the Mad Titan says, “I am inevitable.” Thanos snaps his fingers, then looks shocked to see Tony wielding the Infinity Stones. Just as Thanos’ line mirrors what he told the surviving Avengers at the start of Endgame, Tony gives an equally memorable callback when he says “I am Iron Man.”
[CUTAWAY: ON SERVER. Iron Man. 1:57:04 until 1:57:13. “The truth is… I am Iron Man.”]
While “I love you 3,000” was apparently thought out in advance, “I am Iron Man” was a snap decision. The Russo brothers admitted during a Q&A session for Avengers: Endgame that Tony’s powerful moment in the film wasn’t included in the script — and didn’t even make it into the movie until the filmmakers were editing. According to the Russos:
“Tony used to not say anything in that moment. And we were in the editing room going, ‘He has to say something. This a character who has lived and died by quips.’ And we just couldn’t, we tried a million different last lines. Thanos was saying, ‘I am inevitable.’ And our editor Jeff Ford […] said, ‘Why don’t we just go full circle with it and say I am Iron Man?'”
Tony Stark began the MCU as we know it with Iron Man, and he ended the franchise’s 11-year saga with Avengers: Endgame. His character arc finally came to an emotional close when he bravely sacrificed his life to ensure the safety of the entire universe. It’s only right that he was the messenger of some of the hardest-hitting lines in the film, and the hero who likely made audiences openly weep in their theater seats. Though he’s gone for good, it’s clear that fans will always love him… 3,000.
Watch the video to see the origins of Endgame’s “I love you, 3000” line revealed!
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