History Fanfic / ReturningTheStones

** Quill learned from ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' that he shouldn't know too much about his own future. It's also noted that Quill likely would have made a ''Film/TotalRecall1990'' reference when he received the holocrons had he known about the movie.

* IveNeverSeenAnythingLikeThisBefore: When recounting what he knows about Peter Quill, Cap notes that Peter having a "planet-god-dad" is a new one for him, despite all the craziness he has experienced.

** The narration makes reference to the fact that the characters are doing {{Call Back}}s and [[{{Expospeak}} giving exposition]].

* TheMourningAfter: Peggy can't get over Steve even years after his death and becoming engaged to Daniel.

** [[spoiler:Steve sacrifices his life for Natasha, because he is over a hundred years old and still feels fit, but he has already lived a full life. Now he wants Nat to.]]

'''''Returning the Stones: Captain America's Odyssey through Time and Space''''' by [=SJS3000=] is a Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse FanFic that [[{{Continuation}} takes place right after]] the events of ''Film/AvengersEndgame''. It describes Captain America traveling to each time period to return the Infinity Stones, and with each trip he is progressively undergoing HeroicFatigue. His time-travel trip also revisits characters from each time and place and shows how the time heist affected these timelines as well, including the [[Film/DoctorStrange2016 Ancient One]], [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier Alexander Pierce]], [[Film/ThorTheDarkWorld Frigga]], and ComicBook/RedSkull (now known as "the guide"). This story also provides greater details about the nature of the Soul Stone.

* AboveGoodAndEvil: Red Skull feels a mild pity for those seek the Soul Stone and then GoMadFromTheRevelation and for [[HumanSacrifice the loved ones who are sacrificed]]. But he does nothing to stop it either. When Cap experiences his temporary HeroicBSOD, Red Skull simply says, “My desire was not to wound, but it was admittedly my aim.”
* ActorAllusion: When Drax first appears on the hologram, he is said to be “the size of [[Wrestling/{{Batista}} a professional wrestler]].”
* AllJustADream: Did Peggy’s conversation [[spoiler:with Natasha]] actually occur, [[spoiler:or was it just [[ExpositionBeam an instantaneous mental projection]] from the Soul Stone]]?

* BagOfHolding: Along with the Infinity Stones and Mjolnir, Cap brings Loki’s scepter, a change of clothes, and four Wakandan holocrons.
* BatDeduction: Frigga figures out that Ragnarok occurred based on Thor’s devastated state and a lot of deduction.

** Johann Schmidt wished to become like the gods. And he did.
** Those who sacrifice a loved one to get the Soul Stone [[spoiler: [[GoMadFromTheRevelation get the knowledge of self they are seeking and are driven mad by what they learn about themselves]]]].
* BeautifulVoid: Vormir. Cap finds it to be “strangely beautiful” and “in its own way, as awe-inspring as Asgard.”

* BondOneLiner: Cap leaves a note [[spoiler:on Zola’s dead body: “Another head has been cut off.”]]

* CatharticCrying: Cap has a major one when returning the Soul Stone, realizing his {{Pride}} has turned him into a MartyrWithoutACause.
* CloseEnoughTimeline: Cap’s aim is to create this, [[spoiler:but only his initial trip to 2012 New York works out that way.]]
* DeathByAdaptation: Balder, Frigga and Odin’s other son in the Creator/MarvelComics, is AdaptedOut of the MCU, but here he is said to have died soon after birth.

* ElvisHasLeftThePlanet: When Quill meets Captain America, he asks if he was taken away to space like Elvis. [[PopCulturalOsmosisFailure It takes Cap a second to get the cultural reference.]]

* ExpositionIntuition: Cap is able to figure out what happened to Red Skull based on their last encounter and his knowledge of the Tesseract’s powers.
* EyesNeverLie: Cap’s rage at HYDRA is clear from his eyes, but luckily the Hydra members have all turned away from him.
* FantasticDrug: Quill says he was too “grexed” to remember how he met Bereet or [[WhatDidIDoLastNight what happened between them.]] When Cap meets Bereet, she is also clearly hung over.

* FingerpokeOfDoom: Cap is waylaid by the guide’s {{Foil}} observation (see below), even though it didn’t really appear to be that devastating. It likely had more to do with the general effect of Vormir and the Soul Stone, and [[HeroicFatigue how emotionally exhausted Cap was from his odyssey]].
* FirstGuyWins: For Peggy, Steve wins out over Daniel even before he travels back in time to reunite with her. Peggy admits to herself that Daniel is just as loving and heroic as Steve, but Steve is first in her heart.
** Also applies to Bereet, Quill’s GirlOfTheWeek from the beginning of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'' before he meets Gamora. After seeing himself [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness so upset and brokenhearted]], Quill suddenly wants a more serious romantic relationship and asks Bereet to join him on his trip to Xander. [[AmbiguousEnding It’s not said though what happens next]].

** Cap experiences this [[DownplayedTrope to a much milder extent]], experiencing a temporary HeroicBSOD from the guide's verbal FingerpokeOfDoom [[spoiler:but nothing to the extent of other [[InsistentTerminology (temporary) stone keepers]]]].
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: Frigga largely averts this, except for those few Asgardians who opposed her marriage to Odin. They experienced [[BitchInSheepsClothing her more ruthless side]].

* HeartIsAnAwesomePower: The Soul Stone is the only one that doesn’t give its holder control over some part of reality, and yet it is considered the most dangerous and powerful.

** [[spoiler:Steve gives his life to that Natasha’s soul can be redeemed.]]

* InelegantBlubbering: Cap’s HeroicBSOD includes a major ugly cry.
-->''“Not just shedding tears … This is face-soaked, snot-pouring, body-convulsing, bawled out crying. Every tear and weep that Captain Rogers had kept trapped inside for so long finally escapes.”''
* InfoDump: Cap’s conversation with the Ancient One provides an occasion for Cap to explain the order of his journey through time. Cap even lampshades this.
* InsistentTerminology: All who receive the Soul Stone are called “(temporary) keepers”[[note]]always with parentheses[[/note]] to emphasize that Vormir is the true keeper of the Stone.
* IveNeverSeenAnythingLikeThisBefore: When recounting what he knows about Peter Quill, Cap notes that Peter having a “planet-god-dad” is a new one for him, despite all the craziness he has experienced.
* KarmicNod: The guide accepts that his former hubris and megalomania is what got him exiled to Vormir and made him “the slave of the cosmos.”

** As the narration describes the reasons Red Skull is looking forward to his encounter with Captain America, it leaves out [[ArchEnemy/MarvelCinematicUniverse the most obvious one]], and instead simply says, “''well, you know''.”
* MartyrWithoutACause: That Steve is one is a major theme of the story. Frigga calls Cap out for this, but it is only clear that Cap has gotten over this [[spoiler:once he talks with Nat in the Soul Stone netherworld]].

* TheMourningAfter: Peggy can’t get over Steve even years after his death and becoming engaged to Daniel.
* MrExposition: Red Skull subverts this to Cap’s great surprise. Cap instead has to do ExpositionIntuition.
* NeckSnap: [[spoiler: Cap does this to Zola when they unexpectedly meet at Camp Lehigh.]]

* NostalgiaHeaven: The Soul Stone netherworld is portrayed as a version of this. [[spoiler: When Cap enters it, he returns to Peggy’s funeral, which represents both his wish to be with her in death and his most intimate moment with Nat.]]

-->'''The Ancient One:''' No matter what you may think of wizards, we are ultimately just people—mortal beings with limited insights and flawed moralities. We make compromises, and we justify those compromises, just as you will no matter what you decide. And like you, sometimes our dogma, our honor, or perhaps better said our rigidity prevents us from seeing the bigger future.

* NoteToSelf: The Guardians of Cap’s timeline all create holographic messages for their past selves, so they will know to form the Guardians [[CloseEnoughTimeline despite the changes to the timeline]].

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Both Steve and Quill rarely cry, so when they do it’s serious.
** Steve’s InelegantBlubbering demonstrates just how much he has been devastated by his EurekaMoment on Vormir.
** Quill cries when thinking about Gamora and cannot finish his recording. Past Quill is so taken aback that realizes how important the Guardians will become to him and decides to invite Bereet to join him.

* {{Pride}}: During his HeroicBSOD on Vormir, Cap realizes this is his biggest problem, particularly his view of himself as [[ATrueHero the truest hero]].
* RageBreakingPoint: Alexander Pierce approaches this after finding out the Hydra team just handed Loki’s scepter over to Captain America. However, [[SubvertedTrope he manages to keep his cool]] for appearances sake.

* RaisedByTheCommunity: Frigga is adopted by a coven of witches, who recognize [[TheChosenOne she has a special destiny]]. Her mother, bitter and overwhelmed by [[DisappearedDad her husband’s abandonment]], agrees to let them take Frigga in.
* RefugeInAudacity: Frigga [[spoiler:stabs herself with the Aether and uses it to take on the approaching Dark Elves.]]
* RousingSpeech: Frigga gives Cap a brief one, encouraging him to get over his MartyrWithoutACause-complex and enjoy life.
* ScrewDestiny: Frigga’s thoughts [[spoiler:after injecting herself with the Aether: ''“She is genuinely thankful for how destiny has guided her life. But Frigga has decided, she can take it from here.”'']]
* SeenItAll: By the time Cap [[spoiler:enters the Soul-world and sees Nat again, he’s not even surprised.]]

* ShortTitleLongElaborateSubtitle: “Returning the Stones: Captain America’s Odyssey Through Time and Space”

** Cap references ''Literature/DoNotGoGentleIntoThatGoodNight'' when thinking about Frigga’s ScrewDestiny mindset. He also expresses a preference for Music/MarvinGaye over Music/ElvisPresley.
** Quill learned from ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' that he shouldn’t know too much about his own future. It’s also noted that Quill likely would have made a ''Film/TotalRecall'' reference when he received the holocrons had he known about the movie.
** In reviewing the powers of the different Infinity Stones, Cap says the Mind Stone allows you to [[Film/TheWizardOfOz turn people into your own flying monkeys]], which is also a ContinuityNod to ''Film/TheAvengers2012''.
** [[spoiler: Nat tells Peggy that in the future Steve joins a team with “[[Film/{{Taken}} a particular set of skills]].”]]
* StealthHiBye: Cap leaves The Milano without saying goodbye to Quill and while Bereet is in mid-sentence.
* TheStoic: What Red Skull has become this after all these years as the guide of Vormir.

* SuperHearing: Cap’s abilty to do this allows him to overhear HYDRA guys referencing “the Asset,” aka Bucky. [[BerserkButton Cap nearly blows his cover when he hears it]].
* ThatManIsDead: The guide’s former life as “the Red Skull” means nothing to him now, except as regret for a wasted life.

** Zig-zagged. Cap has a minor HeroicBSOD [[spoiler:after killing Zola, but then seems to come to terms with it when thinking of Nat. Still, he is haunted ever since by [[ThouShaltNotKill killing a defenseless person, despite it being Zola.]]]]
** Described in detail regarding Clint’s ronin period.
-->''“[A]ll that blood doesn’t wash away easily. It’s under your fingertips. It’s grafted on your skin. The smell is forever looming in your nostrils. The screams echo in your ears. The hate stains your mind. … Laura and the kids may have returned from the snap, but Clint Barton likely never will.”''

* TimeTravelTenseTrouble: Cap and Ancient One’s back and forth over the word “when.”

* TogetherInDeath: Cap’s dream was to be with Peggy in death, [[spoiler: and the Soul Stone takes him back to her funeral. [[CharacterDevelopment But Cap finally realizes he doesn’t want to be with her in death but in life.]]]]
* TrustPassword: Quill tells his AlternateSelf that their mother’s last words were, “Take my hand.” It works.
* VerbingNouny: “Returning the Stones”

* YouJustToldMe: Frigga tricks Cap into confirming her BatDeduction that Ragnarok had occurred.

* OutDamnedSpot: Described in detail regarding Clint’s ronin period.
-->''“[A]ll that blood doesn’t wash away easily. It’s under your fingertips. It’s grafted on your skin. The smell is forever looming in your nostrils. The screams echo in your ears. The hate stains your mind. … Laura and the kids may have returned from the snap, but Clint Barton likely never will.”''

* TheseHandsHaveKilled: Zig-zagged. Cap has a minor HeroicBSOD [[spoiler:after killing Zola, but then seems to come to terms with it when thinking of Nat. Still, he is haunted ever since by [[ThouShaltNotKill killing a defenseless person, despite it being Zola.]]]]

** Home: [[spoiler: Nat tells Peggy that in the future Steve joins a team with “[[Film/{{Taken}} a particular set of skills]].”]]

'''''Returning the Stones: Captain America's Odyssey through Time and Space''''' by [=SJS3000=] is a Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse FanFic that [[{{Continuation}} takes place right after]] the events of ''Film/AvengersEndgame''. It describes Captain America traveling to each time period to return the Infinity Stones, and with each trip he is progressively undergoing HeroicFatigue. His time-travel trip also revisits characters from each time and place and shows how the time heist affected these timelines as well, including the [[Film/DoctorStrange Ancient One]], [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier Alexander Pierce]], [[Film/ThorTheDarkWorld Frigga]], and ComicBook/RedSkull (now known as "the guide"). This story also provides greater details about the nature of the Soul Stone.

** Also applies to Bereet, Quill’s GirlOfTheWeek from the beginning of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' before he meets Gamora. After seeing himself [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness so upset and brokenhearted]], Quill suddenly wants a more serious romantic relationship and asks Bereet to join him on his trip to Xander. [[AmbiguousEnding It’s not said though what happens next]].

* {{Foil}}: Cap and Red Skull. The guide lampshades this when observing their fates [[NotSoDifferent are more similar than they seem]].

* NotSoDifferent: The Ancient One explains that wizards are not so different than regular people.

* AllJustADream: Did Peggy’s conversation [[spoiler:with Natasha]] actually occur, [[spoiler:or was it just [[ExpositionBeam an instantaneous mental projection]] from the Soul Stone?]]

** Those who sacrifice a loved one to get the Soul Stone [[spoiler: [[GoMadFromTheRevelation get the knowledge of self they are seeking and are driven mad by what they learn about themselves]].]]

* DoNotGoGentle: Frigga [[spoiler:injects herself with the Aether and]] readies herself to defend against the Dark Elves. Cap even references the TropeNamer (see ShoutOut).
* ElvisHasLeftThePlanet: When Quill meets Captain America, he asks if he was taken away to space like Elvis. [[PopCulturalOsmosisFailure It takes Cap a second to get the cultural reference]].

** Cap experiences this [[DownplayedTrope to a much milder extent]], experiencing a temporary HeroicBSOD from the guide's verbal FingerpokeOfDoom [[spoiler:but nothing to the extent of other [[InsistentTerminology (temporary) stone keepers]].]]

* PostMortemOneLiner: Cap leaves a note [[spoiler:on Zola’s dead body: “Another head has been cut off.”]]

** Home: [[spoiler: Nat tells Peggy that in the future Steve joins a team with “[[Film/{{Taken}} a particular set of skills.]]”]]

** The effect the Soul Stone has on those who obtain it. [[spoiler:The stone [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone causes them to have immense guilt]] for [[HumanSacrifice sacrificing their loved one]], to the point that they return to Vormir to give back to stone in exchange for their loved one. However, they have to sacrifice themselves for their loved one to come back. Either they do this or [[BrokenAce become hollow shells]].]]

'''''Returning the Stones: Captain America's Odyssey through Time and Space''''' by [=SJS3000=] is a Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse FanFic that [[{{Continuation}} takes place right after]] the events of ''Film/AvengersEndgame''. It describes Captain America traveling to each time period to return the Infinity Stones, and in doing so how he made the decision to return to his own time. His time-travel trip also revisits characters from each time and place and shows how the time heist affected these timelines as well. This story also provides greater details about the nature of the Soul Stone.

** Those who sacrifice a loved one to get the Soul Stone [[spoiler: [[GoMadFromTheRevelation are then driven mad until they return the Stone and sacrifice themselves]]]].

* BehindEveryGreatMan: Frigga reveals herself to be this to Odin.
* BerserkButton: The Hydra agents mentioning Bucky does this to Cap, to the point of causing him to throw up. He is able, though, to control his anger until he leaves 2012 New York.
* BreadEggsBreadedEggs: Ancient One smiles, frowns, and then smiles and frowns at the same time.

** [[spoiler:Steve sacrifices his life for Natasha, because he is over a hundred years old and still feels fit, but he has already lived a full life. New he wants Nat to.]]

'''''Returning the Stones: Captain America's Odyssey through Time and Space''''' by [=SJS3000=] is a Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse FanFic that takes place right after the events of ''Film/AvengersEndgame''. It describes Captain America traveling to each time period to return the Infinity Stones, and in doing so how he made the decision to return to his own time. His time-travel trip also revisits characters from each time and place and shows how the time heist affected these timelines as well. This story also provides greater details about the nature of the Soul Stone.

** As the narration describes the reasons Red Skull is looking forward to his encounter with Captain America, it leaves out [[ArchEnemy/MarvelCinematicUniverse the most obvious one]], and instead simply says, “''well, you know''.”

'''''Returning the Stones: Captain America's Odyssey through Time and Space''''' by [=SJS3000=] is a Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse FanFic that takes place right after the events of ''Film/AvengersEndgame''. It describes Captain America traveling to each time period to return the Infinity Stone, and in doing so how he made the decision to return to his own time. His time-travel trip also revisits characters from each time and place and shows how the time heist affected these timelines as well. This story also provides greater details about the nature of the Soul Stone.

* BeautifulVoid: Vormir. Cap finds it to be “strangely beautiful” and “in its own way, as awe-inspring as Asgard.”

* DeerInTheHeadlights: Both Cap and [[spoiler:Zola]] experience this when they meet. [[spoiler:Zola snaps out of it first, but not soon enough to escape from Cap.]]