Avengers: Endgame, the culmination of a 22-film saga from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has finally been released – and fittingly, it features a whole raft of beloved characters from past films making surprise returns.

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Throughout a jam-packed three hours, several characters you'll have been dying to see back on the screen re-appear, alongside a few who you may well have forgotten existed in the first place. On top of this, there's some curious cameos from comedy stars and the return of some behind-the-scenes favourites, too.

*Spoilers for Avengers: Endgame to follow*

Find out about all of the cameos in Avengers: Endgame below.

Linda Cardellini as Laura Barton

Who is Laura Barton and where did we last see her? Laura is Clint Barton's (Hawkeye) wife. She was last seen rolling out the red carpet for the Avengers in her rural home during Avengers: Age of Ultron.

When does she appear in Endgame? She features right at the beginning, enjoying a family barbecue with Clint and their young children, before turning into dust. She then reappears at the end, after Thanos' snap has been reversed.

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Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One

Who is The Ancient One and where did we last see her? She is a supreme sorcerer and the leader of the Masters of The Mystic Arts, and Doctor Strange's mentor. She appeared in his film of the same name before dying towards the end, passing her mantle onto him.

When does she appear in Endgame? Hulk finds her in New York City in 2012 (having time travelled to this point) to retrieve the Time stone.

Natalie Portman as Jane Foster

Who is Jane Foster? Thor's former astrophysicist girlfriend. She appeared in Thor and Thor: The Dark World, and it was revealed in Thor: Ragnarok that Jane had broken up with him after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron.

When does she appear in Endgame? It is unclear whether Portman actually filmed any new material for the film, but she is briefly seen in Asgard in 2013, as Rocket and Thor attempt to procure the Reality stone. Marvel could possible have re-used old footage and digitally added Rocket in later.

Taika Waititi as Korg

Who is Korg and where did we last see him? A Kronan warrior whom Thor encountered on Sakaar (they were both forced to compete in the Grandmaster's contest of champions) in Thor: Ragnarok. We last saw him aboard a ship with the Asgardian people bound for Earth; many were concerned about his absence in Avengers: Infinity War.

When does he appear in Avengers: Endgame? He pops up in 'New Asgard' when Rocket and Hulk go to track down Thor, playing videogames with fellow former gladiator Miek.

Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce

Who is Alexander Pierce and where did we last see him? The leader of terrorist organisation HYDRA, who was formerly an undercover operative in SHIELD. He was killed by Nick Fury in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

When does he appear in Endgame? He pops up briefly when Captain America and Iron Man attempt to steal the Tesseract (an Infinity stone in glowing cube form, seen in various MCU films) in 2012. It could well be one of Redford's last film appearances, with the actor suggesting in 2018 that he could be about to retire. Not a bad way to go out...

Michael Douglas as Hank Pym

Who is Hank Pym and where did we last see him? He is a physicist who developed the technology that allows people to shrink down to the size of an ant. He was the first Ant-Man, but passed the mantle to Scott Lang. He was last seen in Ant-Man and The Wasp, turning into dust while monitoring Scott's journey into the Quantum Realm.

When does he appear in Endgame? He is seen as a younger man (complete with old-school Ant-Man helmet) when Iron Man and Captain America transfer back to the 1970s, and later at Iron Man's funeral as his current self.

Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie

Who is Valkyrie and where did we last see her? She is a formerly exiled Asgardian and a warrior from a group known as the Valkyries. She was last seen helping Thor to defeat his evil sister Hella (played by Cate Blanchett) in Thor: Ragnarok.

When does she appear in Endgame? She shows up in 'New Asgard', having survived Thanos' snap, and re-appears later during the climactic battle once the snap has been reversed. Thompson's return isn't as surprising as some thanks to her character's appearance on a poster before the film's release.

Ken Jeong as Storage Facility Guard

Who is Storage Facility Guard? This is the character's first appearance in the MCU. Comedian Jeong worked with Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo on sitcom Community.

And Jeong is not the first Community alum to pop up in the Russos' films (or the last, see below). In Captain America: The Winter Soldier Danny Pudi appears, while Jim Rash drops in during the opening scenes of Captain America: Civil War.

When does he appear in Endgame? He has a brief non-speaking cameo when Scott Lang re-emerges from the Quantum Realm, playing the man who releases him from a storage facility.

Yvette Nicole Brown as Woman in Elevator

Who is Woman in Elevator? This is her first appearance in the MCU. Like Jeong, she has also previously worked with the Russo brothers on Community.

When does she appear in Endgame? She appears in the army facility in the 1970s and notices that time travellers Captain America and Iron Man are acting a bit suspicious, later reporting them to the authorities.

Rene Russo as Frigga

Who is Frigga and where did we last see her? Frigga is Thor's mother and former Queen of Asgard. She was killed by dark elves in Thor: The Dark World while attempting to protect Jane Foster.

When does she appear in Endgame? She has a heartwarming reunion with Thor when he and Rocket travel back in time to Asgard in 2014 to retrieve the Reality stone.

Marisa Tomei as Aunt May

Who is Aunt May and where did we last see her? Peter Parker's aunt and legal guardian. We last saw her discovering that her nephew Peter is Spider-Man at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming.

When does she appear in Endgame? She shows up briefly to mourn at Tony Stark's funeral.

Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne

Who is Janet Van Dyne and where did we last see her? She is Hope Van Dyne's mother, who was rescued from a long spell in the Quantum Realm by husband Hank Pym, Hope and Scott Lang in Ant-Man and The Wasp. She turned to dust in a post-credit scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp.

When does she appear in Endgame? She is amongst the mourners at Tony Stark's funeral.

Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne

Evangeline Lilly as The Wasp/Hope van Dyne in Ant-Man and the Wasp
Marvel

Who is Hope Van Dyne and where did we last see her? A superhero with the ability to shrink down to the size of a wasp. We last saw her turning to dust in a post-credit scene of Ant-Man and The Wasp.

When does she appear in Endgame? She shows up along with the other formerly deceased heroes to help out in the big final battle with Thanos.

John Slattery as Howard Stark

Dia Dipasupil / Getty

Who is Howard Stark and when did we last see him? Tony Stark's father, an inventor who was involved in the government project that resulted in the use of the super soldier serum to turn Steve Rogers into Captain America. He also worked alongside the first Ant-Man (Michael Douglas' Hank Pym) during the Cold War. He's popped in to a few MCU movies over the years but he last appeared in Captain America: Civil War, when it was revealed that he had been killed by the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes.

When does he appear in Endgame? Tony Stark has a heart-to-heart with him about parenthood at the army base in the 1970s where the Tesseract is being held.

Frank Grillo as Crossbones/Brock Rumlow

Who is Crossbones/Brock Rumlow and where did we last see him? A HYDRA agent who infiltrated SHIELD, and later became an independent terrorist. He was last seen in Captain America: Civil War performing a suicide attack, killing several innocent civilians and kicking off the conflict over superhuman registration.

When does he appear in Endgame? He shows up in an elevator with Captain America in 2012, while he is still posing as a SHIELD agent.

Maximiliano Hernandez as Agent Japer Sitwell & Callan Mulvey as Jack Rollins

Who are Jasper Sitwell and Jack Rollins and where did we last see them? Undercover HYDRA agents in SHIELD. Sitwell was assassinated by the Winter Soldier in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Rollins is likely to have suffered a similar fate.

When do they appear in Endgame? They appear alongside Crossbones in the elevator scene.

James D'Arcy as Edwin Jarvis

James D'Arcy
Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images

Who is Edwin Jarvis and when was he last seen? Howard Stark's butler, who helped Peggy Carter to clear Stark's name after he was accused of treason. He became a father figure to Tony Stark after Howard's death. He featured in both seasons of Marvel TV series Agent Carter.

When does he appear in Endgame? He is seen briefly helping Howard Stark into his car after running into a time-travelling Tony Stark in the 1970s.

Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter

Who is Peggy Carter? One of the founders of SHIELD, and the love of Captain America's life. She led the TV series Agent Carter, and last featured in the MCU timeline in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, when Steve Rogers visits her in her retirement home (she was in her 90s at this stage). Later, she turned up in a vision during Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Peggy died in her sleep off-screen in Captain America: Civil War, and Rogers served as a pall bearer at her funeral.

When does she appear in Endgame? She is seen working at the government base in the 1970s, and later appears dancing with Rogers after it is revealed that he returned to the 1940s to grow old with her.

Tom Hiddleston as Loki

Who is Loki and where was he last seen? Thor's adoptive brother was killed by Thanos at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War.

When does he appear in Endgame? He shows up when Captain America and Iron Man travel back to 2012 to apprehend the Tesseract, and apparently uses the cube to make his escape.

Ty Simpkins as Harley Keener

Who is Harley Keener and where was he last seen? A young boy from Tennessee who bonds with Tony Stark in Iron Man 3 when the latter crash lands in the former's home town.

When does he appear in Endgame? He is amongst the mourners at Stark's funeral.

Jacob Batalon as Ned Lee

Who is Ned Lee and where was he last seen? Ned is Peter Parker's best friend. He was last seen in Infinity War as Parker fled the school bus to aid Iron Man in his fight against Thanos.

When does he appear in Endgame? He and Parker have an emotional reunion when they return to school after Thanos' snap has been reversed and order has been restored in the universe.

Stan Lee

When does the late Marvel boss appear in Endgame? He speeds by Captain America and Iron Man in a convertible in the 1970s and shouts at them. Read more about Lee's final Marvel cameo here.

Joe Russo

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When does the Avengers Endgame director appear in the film? He features in a support group with Captain America near the beginning of the film, discussing the first date he has gone on since half the population was eradicated.

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