Watcher Informant

"Hey, fellas! Hey, wait, where are you going? Hey, you were supposed to be my lift home! How will I get out of here? Hey! Oh, gee, I've got so many more stories to tell! Oh, guys! Oh, gee..."

- Watcher Informant to the Watchers

The Watcher Informant is a being who travels the universe and reports on his adventures to the Watchers. He frequently visited Earth on various occasions, dating as far back as 1943 until at least 2018, and other planets such as Xandar and Sakaar in 2014 and 2017 respectively.

Award Ceremony
"I thought he'd be taller."

- Watcher Informant

In 1943, the Watcher Informant attended a ceremony where Senator Brandt intended to present Captain America with the to reward his heroic rescue of 400 Allied soldiers from a HYDRA base in Austria. However, Rogers did not attend the ceremony, electing to stay in Europe and continue the war effort. Brandt's Aide came to inform the Senator of this, and the Watcher Informant mistook him for Rogers, commenting to the man next to him that he had expected him to be taller.

Camp Lehigh
"Hey, man, make love, not war!"

- Watcher Informant

In 1970, the Watcher Informant went for a drive with a female companion. As he drove past Camp Lehigh, he shouted at the soldiers to make love, not war before laughing.

Train Encounter
"Trust me, True Believer."

- Watcher Informant

In 1995, the Watcher Informant was on a metro train in Los Angeles posing as Stan Lee and reading the script for the film . He was approached by Vers, who was searching for a Skrull. She pulled the script away from his face to determine whether or not he was a Skrull and he smiled at her. Realizing he was not a Skrull, she smiled back and continued her search for the Skrull.

Charity Ball
"You look great, Hef."

- Tony Stark to Watcher Informant

The Watcher Informant attended the third annual benefit dinner for the Fire-fighters Family Fund in Malibu, California. He crossed paths with Tony Stark, who mistook him for Hugh Hefner due to the fact that he was wearing a red bathrobe and accompanied by two models.

Stark Expo
"." "Larry!"

- Happy Hogan and Tony Stark

The Watcher Informant attended the opening of the Stark Expo. He once again encountered Tony Stark, to whom he was misidentified by Happy Hogan as due to the fact that he was wearing a suit similar to those typically worn by King.

Soda Incident
"It's a possible Gamma sickness. Milwaukee. A man drank one of those guaraná sodas. Guess it had a little more kick than he was looking for."

- Kathleen Sparr to Thaddeus Ross

The Watcher Informant was living in Milwaukee, where he drank a bottle of Pingo Doce, unaware that it was infected with Bruce Banner's blood. His exposure to Gamma Radiation caught the attention of General Thaddeus Ross, who tracked Banner down to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

A Crater in New Mexico
"Did it work?"

- Watcher Informant

As a crater was discovered about 50 miles west of Puente Antiguo, New Mexico with a mysterious object in the center of it, several townsmen attempted to lift it, but were unable to. The Watcher Informant requested two of the others to tie one end of a chain to the back of his truck and the other to the object. He then drove in the opposite direction, but instead of being pulled from the ground the object pulled the trailer off of his truck. He looked out of the window and excitedly asked if his attempt had been successful, causing the others to laugh at him.

Overheard Conversation
"Ask for her number, you moron!"

- Watcher Informant to Steve Rogers

The Watcher Informant was having lunch with some friends at a cafe in New York City close to the Stark Tower. Steve Rogers was sitting at the next table, and the Watcher Informant overheard a conversation between him and the waitress, Beth. Once she had left, he told Rogers to ask her for her phone number.

Annoying Interview
"Superheroes in New York? Give me a break!"

- Watcher Informant

The Watcher Informant was playing chess with a friend when a news reporter approached him and asked him to give his thoughts on the Avengers' victory over Loki and the Chitauri. Annoyed, he commented that he didn't believe in superheroes and dismissed the reporter. This footage was later shown in a news montage.

Pageant Judge
The Watcher Informant was a judge in a beauty pageant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He awarded Miss Elk Ridge a perfect score of 10/10.

Mental Patient
"Any questions?" "Yeah, can I have my shoe back?"

- Erik Selvig and Watcher Informant

The Watcher Informant was then being housed in a mental institution in London at the same time as Erik Selvig was there. Selvig explained his theories about the Convergence to the others, despite the fact that they were not interested. Once Selvig was finished, the Watcher Informant asked Selvig to return his shoe, which he had used as part of his demonstration.

Smithsonian Guard
"Oh, man! I am so fired!"

- Watcher Informant

The Watcher Informant then worked as a security guard in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.. He discovered that the 1940s Captain America Uniform had disappeared and commented that he would definitely be fired for that reason.

Xandarian Ladies' Man
"Look at Mr. Smiles over here. Where's your wife, old man? What a Class A pervert!"

- Rocket Raccoon

The Watcher Informant traveled to Xandar, where he flirted with a Pretty Xandarian. He was observed by Rocket Raccoon, who speculated that he was an adulterer and called him a "Class A Pervert" before spotting Star-Lord and decide to collect his reward along with Groot.

Reporting to the Watchers
"Oh, man. Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted, at that time, I was a man."

- Watcher Informant to the Watchers

The Watcher Informant then met with the Watchers and told them stories of his travels. They were momentarily interrupted when the Quadrant passed through their world on its way to Ego's Planet. Once it was gone, the Watcher Informant began telling them of his time as a man. He told the Watchers too about his time serving the United States Army during World War II. However, the Watchers grew tired of his tales and left him there, despite his pleas that they stay and give him a ride home.

Party at Avengers Tower
"This was aged for a thousand years in the barrels built from the wreck of Grunhel's Fleet. It is not meant for mortal men." "Neither was, Blondie. Stop trying to scare us. Come on."

- Thor and Watcher Informant

Despite being left behind by the Watchers, the Watcher Informant somehow successfully managed to find a way back to Earth. He attended a party at Avengers Tower alongside other World War II veterans. As they drank with Steve Rogers and Thor, the Odinson consumed an Asgardian beverage that he insisted was not fit for mortal men. Unfazed, the Watcher Informant requested that he try it, to which Thor reluctantly agreed. Quite inebriated, the Watcher Informant was then escorted from the tower, proclaiming "Excelsior!" as he went.

Bartender
"Look at the girl I'm with! You what I'm sayin'? She's crazy stupid fine, right?" "Yeah, crazy stupid fine!"

- Ignacio and Watcher Informant

The Watcher Informant worked then as a bartender in San Francisco. He conversed with Ignacio, who pointed out the woman he was with and called her "crazy stupid fine", to which the Watcher Informant agreed.

FedEx Driver
"Are you Tony...Stank?" "Yes, this is...this is Tony Stank! You're in the right place. Thank you for that!"

- Watcher Informant and James Rhodes

The Watcher Informant worked once again as a driver for, delivering a package to Tony Stark. He arrived at the New Avengers Facility and encountered Stark and James Rhodes. He asked Stark if he was "Tony Stank", having misread his name on the package, and Rhodes jokingly replied that he was.

Casino Encounter
"You know what? I think I'll just take these, bring them over here and hold on for safekeeping."

- Watcher Informant to Everett Ross

The Watcher Informant was at a casino in Busan, South Korea when T'Challa, Nakia and Okoye arrived seeking to capture Ulysses Klaue. T'Challa had a brief conversation with Klaue's buyer, Everett Ross, before continuing his search. As the king departed, Ross called out to him that he had won the bet he had placed. The Watcher Informant then swept up T'Challa's chips, telling Ross that he would hold onto them for safekeeping.

A Disturbance in the Neighborhood
"Don't make me come down there, you punk!"

- Watcher Informant to Spider-Man

The Watcher Informant was in his apartment in New York City when he overheard Spider-Man stopping what he thought was an attempted car theft, only to find out that the man was merely entering his own car. Along with two other residents, the Watcher Informant chastised Spider-Man for making noise and threatened to come down and give him a piece of his mind. He then had a conversation with his neighbor Marjorie, who knew him as "Gary", from their respective windows, in which he asked her how her mother was.

Bus Passenger
"Ha ha! That is hilarious!"

- Watcher Informant reads

The Watcher Informant happened to be sat in a bus in New York City and reading  by. He laughed at the book's amusing content, completely oblivious to Doctor Strange and Karl Mordo crashing into the bus' window in the Mirror Dimension.

Sakaar
"Now don't you move. My hands aren't as steady as they used to be."

- Watcher Informant to Thor

The Watcher Informant was on Sakaar, where he was tasked with cutting Thor's hair before his battle against the Grandmaster's champion in the Contest of Champions. He warned Thor to hold still, as his hands were not as steady as they had previously been, and proceeded to cut his hair as the Odinson loudly protested despite his initial warnings.

Shrinking Car
"Well, the 60s were fun, but now I'm paying for it!"

- Watcher Informant

The Watcher Informant was in San Francisco and was about to unlock his car when it was shrunken after being hit a Pym Particles Disk thrown by the Wasp. Believing it to be a hallucination, he commented that the 1960s had been fun but that now he was paying for it.

Bus Driver
"What's the matter with you kids? You never seen a spaceship before?"

- Watcher Informant

The Watcher Informant was driving a bus filled with students from Midtown School of Science and Technology when a Q-Ship appeared over Greenwich Village. He remained calm when the teenagers began to panic, surprised that none of them had seen a spaceship before.

Personality
A mysterious being, the Watcher Informant serves as an informant for the Watchers, the alien godlike race which watch over the universe. Assigned to watch over not only the Earth, but other worlds like Xandar and Sakaar, the Watcher Informant used to adopt the form of an elderly human man so he could spy without being detected. However, although the Watchers are his superiors, the Watcher Informant is nonetheless willing to make friends on the worlds he visits or act friendly towards many of its inhabitants, as shown when he interacted with most of the Avengers. However, he can become irritated too, such as the case when a news reporter tried to interview him while playing chess about his opinion on the Battle of New York. He also felt some fondness for attractive women either Humans or Xandarians, interacting with them frequently. However, by his time on Sakaar, he seemed to have married or settled down with someone, given his engagement ring.

While his true identity is unknown, the Watcher Informant was known to have adopted at least once an alias when interacting with one of the earthlings, a woman named Marjorie, who knew him as "Gary". Other people, such as Tony Stark and Happy Hogan, came to mistake the Watcher with fellow famous earthlings. He also used, at least on Earth, to live in different places to inform his superiors, like on Milwaukee, London and New York City. He seems to have an established home, as he asked his superiors a ride home the instance they grew tired of his tales and left him behind, but it's not known where he exactly considers home. Aside from that, the Watcher Informant was known too for having several jobs to be able to act undercover, such as working as a driver, a beauty pageant judge, a security guard, a bartender, and hairdresser. However, he seems to never keep these jobs for too long, changing constantly from position as part of his work.

Powers

 * Metamorphic Adaptation: While not employing the use of shapeshifting, the Watcher Informant was able to alter his appearance to look younger if he wanted. Even though he seemed to be an old man in 1943 and in 1995 onwards, he was able to look younger while visiting Camp Lehigh in 1970.
 * Immortality: Allegedly, the Watcher Informant appears to be an immortal being, as since 1943 to 2018, the time he spent watching over on Earth, he looked exactly the same (except during his 1970 visit on Camp Lehigh) without apparent signs of aging or fatigue, albeit he admitted on Sakaar that he isn't as steady as he was in the past.

Abilities

 * Chess Playing: The Watcher Informant was known for playing chess. Following the Battle of New York, he was seen engaged in a chess match with a friend of his, showing too that he doesn't like being interrupted while playing, demonstrating that he likes to concentrate so he could win.
 * Hairdressing: As evidenced during his time working for the Grandmaster, the Watcher Informant was professional as a barber, using a mechanical device on his hand to cut Thor's hair despite his threats and protests. However, given that he added that his hands weren't steady as before, it's implied that his talent of hairdressing decreased over the years.

Weaknesses

 * Inability to Teleport: Despite being a galactic being, the Watcher Informant seems to be unable to teleport himself from one place to another, possibly suggesting that he mobilizes either by transport like most sentient beings or with the Watchers' power. When the Watchers left him behind upon becoming tired of his reports, the Watcher Informant beseeched them on giving him a ride home, though he anyway somehow found a way back to Earth.

Allies

 * Watchers - Superiors
 * United States Army - Former Employers
 * Brandt
 * Vers
 * Stark Industries
 * Tony Stark †
 * Happy Hogan
 * Steve Rogers
 * Beth
 * Erik Selvig
 * Smithsonian Institution - Former Employers
 * Pretty Xandarian
 * - Former Employers
 * Ignacio
 * James Rhodes
 * Everett Ross
 * Marjorie - Neighbor
 * Marjorie's Mother - Neighbor
 * Grandmaster - Former Employer
 * Sakaaran Guards
 * Peter Parker - Passenger
 * Ned Leeds - Passenger
 * Sally Avril - Passenger
 * Cindy Moon - Passenger
 * Tiny McKeever - Passenger

Enemies

 * Thor - Former Ally
 * Spider-Man

Trivia

 * The Watcher Informant is the only character who appeared in every Marvel Cinematic Universe film from Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame, essentially the whole Infinity Saga minus Spider-Man: Far From Home.
 * Stan Lee was credited as "Stan Lee" in Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and Captain Marvel, "Stan the Man" in Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World and Avengers: Age of Ultron, "Pageant Judge" in Iron Man 3, "Smithsonian Guard" in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, "Xandarian Ladies' Man" in Guardians of the Galaxy, "Bartender" in Ant-Man, "FedEx Driver" in Captain America: Civil War, "Bus Passenger" in Doctor Strange, "Gary" in Spider-Man: Homecoming, "Thirsty Gambler" in Black Panther, "Bus Driver" in Avengers: Infinity War and "Driver" in Avengers: Endgame. He was uncredited for his appearances in The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor: Ragnarok and Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Behind the Scenes

 * Kevin Feige confirmed in an interview following the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 that Stan Lee portrays the same character in every film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: "Yes, we always thought it would be fun. Stan Lee clearly exists, you know, above and apart from the reality of all the films. So the notion that he could be sitting there on a cosmic pit stop during the jump gate sequence in Guardians was something very fun – James had that idea and we shot that cameo and loved it so much, you know, you see it a couple of times in the movie. It wasn’t in for a long time and we put it back in towards the end of the process where he references that time he was a Federal Express agent – we thought it would be fun to put that in there because that really says, so wait a minute, he’s this same character who’s popped up in all these films."
 * For years there had been a popular fan theory that Stan Lee was portraying the same character in every live-action Marvel adaptation, including those produced by other studios such as Sony Pictures Studios, Universal Pictures and . James Gunn considered confirming this theory by having the Watcher Informant mention that he worked as a in a, referring to Lee's cameo in . This would have been the first acknowledgment of the  within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans speculated that Lee was actually playing , though Kevin Feige disproved this theory by confirming that while the cinematic rights to the Watchers are shared between Marvel Studios and 20th Century Fox, Uatu is owned solely by Fox.
 * James Gunn has confirmed that the "Stan Lee is a Watcher" theory inspired him to write something similar into the Marvel Cinematic Universe: "I actually read the Marvel fan sites and the Marvel message boards out there and a lot of times people have ideas that are somewhat off-base or silly or whatever. But one thing I found very funny and interesting is the fact that people thought Stan Lee is a Watcher… and that all of these cameos that he’s doing are part of him being a Watcher. So I thought that was one of the greatest things the fans came up with. So, Stan Lee, as a guy who is either a Watcher – or probably a guy who is working for the Watchers – was something that I thought was fun for the MCU." However, one line that seemed to create a continuity error was the Watcher Informant telling the Watchers of his time working for, since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 takes place two years before Captain America: Civil War. Gunn admits that this was a mistake on his part: "And yes, I know I made a mistake. People have written and asked me, and I'll own up to my mistake because Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 theoretically happens in 2014 which is before [Captain America Civil War]. And Stan Lee in the movie says, "That time I was the FedEx guy," which is what he is in Civil War. I screwed up; I wasn't thinking. That’s all that is. But I'm going to say that – probably – Stan Lee used the guise of a FedEx guy more than one time. So it’s a mistake, but it can easily be explained away!"
 * Kevin Smith revealed that Kevin Feige approached him to help him obtain an alternate take of dialogue that Stan Lee had recorded for  from Universal Pictures, as Lee had filmed his cameo for Captain Marvel just a few months prior to his death and had been physically weak, hence his voice had been difficult to hear.
 * Stan Lee was digitally de-aged for his appearance in Avengers: Endgame. His license plate reads "'nuff said", which was one of his catchphrases. Anthony Breed was a double for Lee in this scene.
 * Originally, Stan Lee's final cameo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was reported to be in Spider-Man: Far From Home, which was supposed to be the first film in Phase Four at the time. However, Joe Russo later confirmed that Lee's final MCU cameo was in Avengers: Endgame and that he wasn't sure if Lee was healthy enough to film a cameo in Far From Home, with Jon Watts later confirming he wasn't, and he felt that Avengers: Endgame made sense as his last cameo. Far From Home was later made the final film of Phase Three, thus making Phase Four the first phase without any Stan Lee cameos.
 * Tom Garner was a stunt double for Stan Lee in the role of Watcher Informant.
 * Tony Costa was a stand-in for Stan Lee in the role of Watcher Informant.