I try to escape reality as often as I can, and one way I do this is by allowing myself to be captivated by the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The creation of an alternate universe that contains iconic superheroes such as Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) have consumed and impacted my childhood in many ways. Having time to rewatch all the movies was something that I have been meaning to do for a while, and to say I was satisfied would be the biggest understatement of 2022. 

I was a fourth grader when I became a superfan of the Marvel franchise, when I was finally allowed to watch the movies, I was forced to start from the middle. The concept of Marvel is that every movie is connected to one another and being uninformed about crucial information can make the Marvel experience unenjoyable. Being able to rewatch everything was my way of starting with a clean slate. 

The process of my marathon started off by deciding which order to watch the movies. There has been an ongoing debate among Marvel fans on whether those who are looking to get into the franchise should watch the films in chronological or release date order. 

Watching the movies chronologically could have cleared up the confusion that built up along the way, but I chose to watch it by release date order. Personally, this order not only keeps the experience intact, but it took me back to when I watched these movies for the very first time on screen. Growing up, there was no consensus on what movie my family and I should watch, but if it was Marvel, there was unanimous agreement. As a senior, nostalgia has been a recurrence almost daily, and reliving this experience was fulfilling.

If you are interested in rewatching or starting these movies, this order is the way to do it. One thing I would recommend is watching it with someone. Rewatching the movies was a  reminiscing time, but having no one to share the feeling with made the process feel irrelevant. When watching these movies, it is necessary to have someone with you because exchanging conspiracies on what is going to happen next is part of the Marvel package. 

To be honest, I would do anything to revisit the feeling I had when I watched my first Marvel movie. Being a senior as the new phases of Marvel arise feels as though two eras are coming to an end. I will always adore the happiness that high school and Marvel gave me, but genuinely, I am not ready to grow up.