There have been nearly two dozen entries into the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date, and most of these movies are well-loved by audiences. In fact, if one asks MCU fans their favorite movies, every movie will be covered; they are just universally adored. In all of these films, there are countless battles, including both huge conflicts and smaller interpersonal fights.
While some of these fights may be a miss, there are some that make their movies ten times better just for their presence. Fights like the battle between Ant-Man and the Yellowjacket, the opening battle sequence for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and the fight against Thanos on Titan are just a few of the honorable mentions. There are so many good fights in the MCU it’s almost impossible to include them all, but these are undoubtedly some of the best.
10 Black Widow’s Solo Fight To Kick Off The Avengers Sets The Tone For The Film
Fans weren’t sure what to expect when they went to theaters to see The Avengers. In theory, this would be the first time Marvel’s main heroes were teaming up on the silver screen. For 21st century audiences, this was beyond exciting. The movie even kicked off on a high note — the Black Widow’s first fight sequence is absolutely stunning.
Natasha Romanoff seems like she has been captured but, upon receiving a call that her presence is needed, she quickly turns the tables and makes it clear she has been in charge the entire time. This could even be argued to be the Black Widow’s best moment in the entire movie; it certainly sets up an excellent time to be had throughout the film.
9 The End Of Asgard Is Both Heartbreaking And Captivating
Thor: Ragnarok may just be the greatest movie in the entire MCU, and there aren’t many fans who would disagree. The film’s climax is one long battle that begins between Hela and Thor, specifically. Bruce Banner and Valkyrie fight Fenris while Thor fights Hela. Thor’s eye is cut out by his sister as his brother, Loki, returns to the battle to save the people of Asgard.
Though Hela is almost definitely winning the battle by the end, this is not only a fight for Asgard, but a fight for its people, as Thor realizes. If there are no Asgardians, there is no Asgard, and so he sacrifices his kingdom for his people’s lives. This is one of the best visual fights in the MCU and has stunning emotional weight, as well as genuine good humor.
8 T’Challa Fighting Killmonger Is Weirdly BeautifulÂ
When T’Challa fights, whether he is battling as King T’Challa or as the Black Panther, he wants to win in an honorable way. He does not fight to kill, but to subdue; he fights battles to end them. This is never more clear than his battle against Killmonger, which ends with him holding his cousin as he dies.
This is one of the best fights in the MCU solely for how truly beautiful it is and for how well it establishes T’Challa as a fighter and as a character.
7 Thor Versus The Hulk Is Both Comedic And Intense
When Thor gets brought to Sakaar, he is forced to fight against the Grandmaster’s Champion.
He has no idea, but when he gets into the arena, he realizes his opponent is actually the Hulk, somebody that he knows and is casual friends with, (according to Thor.) This entire battle sequence is both well-done and hilarious, and no list of the best fights in the MCU can be complete without it.
6 Captain America And The Winter Soldier Fighting Iron Man Is Deeply Gut-Wrenching
Typically, Captain America and Iron Man will be fighting together against a common enemy. However, in Captain America: Civil War, the two of them were manipulated to be pitted against one another. Their conflict ultimately comes to a head after it is revealed to Tony Stark that Bucky Barnes is the one who killed his parents. Though Bucky was brainwashed at the time, Tony is understandably distraught.
When Steve sides with Bucky, Tony sees this as an ultimate betrayal. He fights Steve, and Bucky has no choice but to team up with Steve to fight against Iron Man. This fight is both well-choreographed and has unbelievably devastating consequences on the MCU — and on the Avengers team.
5 Captain America’s Fight In The Elevator Is A Stunt-Masterpiece
After Captain America: The Winter Soldier came out, fans couldn’t stop talking about the elevator scene. There are many good fights in The Winter Soldier, most of which are between Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. However, the elevator fight scene stands out above the rest of the movie because of how unique it is. Like Daredevil’s hallway fight sequence in one extended filmed shot, the elevator fight sequence in The Winter Soldier is truly something special.
In this fight, Steve takes on Brock Rumlow and his fellow S.T.R.I.K.E. operatives — they think they have Steve, but he turns the tables on them. At the end of the fight, he flips his shield back up onto his arm and just walks out of the elevator, cool as a cucumber. Definitely one of the MCU’s best fights overall.
4 The Airport Showdown Balances Visuals And Emotions
Most of the MCU’s absolute best fights are some of its biggest, but this doesn’t mean that every huge fight is great by necessity. None of the fights from Avengers: Age of Ultron made it onto this list, despite the fact that all of the Avengers are present and fighting against a common enemy. Some fights don’t measure up if they only value quantity over quality.
However, if the emotional weight is well-balanced to handle a huge battle, then these fights can be executed very well, indeed. The airport showdown between half of the MCU’s heroes on one side, led by Captain America, and the other half on the other side, led by Iron Man, is one of these fights. Every moment is well-done, and the inclusion of GiAnt-Man just escalates the whole Captain America: Civil War event from good to great.
3 The Avengers Battle For New York Is A Classic Hero Fight
For the first time ever, the Avengers teamed up together — Captain America, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, all fighting against Loki and his Chitauri army. Of course, they’re actually fighting for much bigger cosmic reasons that they are not yet aware of. Some of their own future versions of themselves are even present at the battle, unbeknownst to them at the time.
However, the battle is exciting for many reasons, most of all being: the Avengers are finally teaming up. It’s a fun fight, and ends with the Avengers defeating Loki once and for all (again, or so they think). The Battle of New York is going to cause ripples throughout the MCU for years to come, as well.
2 The Battle For The Galaxy Is Exactly As Epic As You Would Want It To Be
While many fans consider the epic battle for the galaxy in Avengers: Endgame to be the best fight in the entire MCU, there are a few elements holding it back that keep it at number two. The fight is kind of ugly, being washed out and mostly bland; it also has several weak moments that don’t hold up under scrutiny.
However, the battle itself is well done, and it ends truly spectacularly. It’s also almost impossible to top the way this battle starts, with practically every hero from the MCU coming through Dr. Strange’s portals to join the fight against Thanos. This battle is truly phenomenal, and few can argue that it’s one of the MCU’s best.
1 The Fight In Wakanda Is Breath-Taking
Without a doubt, the greatest fight in all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the climactic battle in Wakanda in Avengers: Infinity War. This fight is not just beautiful, it is breath-taking, with a stunning backdrop of Wakanda and color and lights everywhere. The cinematography is unrivaled; a moment like Thor’s arrival in Wakanda can never be duplicated again anywhere else.
There are really no weak moments in this fight. It only gets better and better, with some levity and a great deal of weight. Of course, the entire sequence ends in the shocking Snap.