Li Yue wasn't surprised by the arrival of his allies, though seeing Nebula and Gamora standing together did catch him off guard. He couldn't quite understand how they had come to be here with Captain America and the others.
He soon learned the full story from the others: The fake Nebula had managed to seize the Gauntlet with the Infinity Stones after a sudden attack. As she tried to escape and deliver the Stones to Thanos, two figures blocked her path—Gamora and the real Nebula from this timeline.
After a failed attempt to reason with the fake Nebula, they were forced to kill the Nebula from 2014 and reclaim the Infinity Stones, returning them to Captain America and the others. They then hurried to support Li Yue upon learning of Thanos' impending assault on Earth.
...
Thanos, watching each new ally join Li Yue, grew increasingly sullen. However, he refrained from ordering an immediate attack, confident that his vast army could crush the humans, no matter how many reinforcements they gathered.
But his expression darkened considerably upon seeing Gamora and Nebula. He had never anticipated that both of his adopted daughters would betray him at such a crucial moment.
This betrayal stung Thanos deeply, especially since he had genuinely cared for them, particularly Gamora, whom he had treated as his daughter.
"My daughters, why are you doing this?" Thanos' voice was filled with grief and confusion, unable to comprehend why they had turned against him.
It was somewhat understandable with Nebula, given his harsh treatment of her, but Gamora had received nothing but his love.
"Sorry, but the moment I learned about your plan to massacre half the universe, you ceased being my father. I can't join you in committing such atrocities. I must stop you!" Gamora's tone was resolute, reflecting the deep conflict between her familial bond and her moral obligation.
"Gamora, one day you'll understand that everything I've done was for the universe's balance so that life can thrive."
...
"Cough, sorry to interrupt this family reunion, but now doesn't seem like the best time for reminiscing," Tony quipped, breaking the tense moment.
"So, you think a handful of humans can stand against my army? How laughable," Thanos sneered, recovering his confidence.
Roars erupted from Thanos' monstrous horde, their collective cry echoing through the battlefield.
"It doesn't matter how few we are; we'll still hold back your horde of misfits!" Tony retorted, clearly irritated.
"Ha, I never said it's just us," Li Yue remarked nonchalantly, sensing the magical energy of the portals forming behind him.
"Hey, Li Yue, what do you mean? Aren't all our people already here?" Tony asked, puzzled, and the others shared his confusion.
"Wait, we forgot about our vanished friends..." Banner exclaimed, realization dawning.
...
"Cap, can you hear me?" A voice crackled through their earpieces, causing them to turn and search.
"Cap, it's Sam. Don't bother looking; we're on your left," Sam's familiar voice brought hope, and a large yellow portal began to materialize.
Emerging from the glowing circle, three figures appeared—two women and one man, all Black.
A figure soared through the sky, wings spread wide—Falcon, Sam Wilson.
"Friday, cue the music!" Tony ordered, smiling as more portals began to open, their glow illuminating the battlefield.
An awe-inspiring musical score filled the air that Li Yue had arranged to be prepared, reminiscent of the iconic Avengers theme.
"Where's that music coming from? But it fits perfectly! Friday, record this; I want it as my entrance music from now on," Tony said, delighted by the atmosphere.
...
While Tony enjoyed the music, the others watched in awe as familiar and new allies stepped through the portals, their hearts swelling with determination. Their efforts were justified, even in the face of Thanos' army, as they now had a united front.
The portals continued to bring forth allies: Wakandan warriors, sorcerers from Kamar-Taj, Ravagers from the cosmos, and Asgardian fighters.
Among them was a peculiar duck-like creature, armed and ready for battle. The Avengers also saw friends who had vanished in the Snap return: Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Groot, Scarlet Witch, Drax, and countless others.
"Pepper, you came too!" Tony called as Rescue, Pepper Potts, in her blue armor, descended.
"Eh, eh, eh..."
"Ba-dum, ba-dum—ba-dum! Ba-dum!..."
The Wakandans chanted, and the background music reached a crescendo. The portals finally ceased their output, leaving a massive assembly of heroes on the battlefield.
Li Yue spotted Doctor Strange in the crowd, looking bewildered.
"Ha, I bet you've never seen this before, even after watching Endgame countless times," Li Yue laughed, turning to Captain America.
"Cap, it's time to give the order!"
With that, the music cut off.
"Avengers!"
"Assemble!" Captain America roared, rallying the heroes for the epic battle ahead.