The utility of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV t-PA) in improving the clinical outcomes after acute ischemic stroke has been well demonstrated in past clinical trials. Though multiple initial small series of endovascular stroke therapy had shown good outcomes as compared to IV t-PA, a similar beneficial effect had not been translated in multiple randomized clinical trials of endovascular stroke therapy. Over the same time, there have been parallel advances in imaging technology and better understanding and utility of the imaging in therapy of acute stroke. In this review, we will discuss the evolution of endovascular stroke therapy followed by a discussion of the key factors that have to be considered during endovascular stroke therapy and directions for future endovascular stroke trials.