Infinity Saga peaks vs. multiverse fatigue
MCU rankings have a clean fault line at Endgame. Pre-2019 entries compete on how well they built to something; post-2019 entries get judged on whether they justified existing at all — a harsher bar that sank Eternals and Love and Thunder to tiers no Phase Two film visits. Standalone quality vs. saga importance is the methodological fight: Winter Soldier ranks S as a film, the first Avengers ranks S as an event, and Iron Man 3's placement is where every list reveals its criteria.