Ah, love. It's the glue that binds us all together, a romantic expression of all things good in the world. And while humans are always on their own quest for love, it might surprise you to know that superheroes are into it too. That's right, even meta-humans and mutants are looking for love, and superhero couples have given us some of the greatest (and worst) love stories of all time. And Marvel Comics have been packed to the brim with romance since the very beginning. The young Spider-Man, Peter Parker, fell in love with Gwen Stacey, and though it ended awfully tragically, he loved again, this time Mary Jane. There's Kitty Pryde and Colossus, Black Bolt and Medusa and plenty others.

But the Avengers, Marvel's titular mightiest heroes, have always been shaped and formed by the power of their relationships. From the very beginning, there were the likes of Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne, with all of the trials and trauma that come with a nuanced comic book relationship. But some Avengers couples have stood the test of time, and offer up something to look forward to. In comics, that can be one of the most important aspects. So let's take a look at ten Avengers couples that are absolute goals and ten that we probably shouldn't look up to, because they're just the worst.

20 WORST: IRON MAN AND BLACK WIDOW (ULTIMATE)

In a lot of ways, this relationship (which was more of a fling) seemed incredible off-putting from the get-go. In the Ultimate Marvel Comics Universe, both Black Widow and Tony Stark are narcissistic and cocky, one being a egotistic futurist and the other being a triple agent Russian assassin hellbent on bringing down the natural order of things. Yeah... so as you can imagine things didn't go so well. But a clash of similar personalities, plenty of tension and togetherness by circumstance aren't the only things that can bring a relationship down.

There was also the tape of Black Widow and Iron Man sleeping together that got shared around the world. Not only did this surely affect the core of their emotional selves, but it also sent ripples through the Ultimates and the greater Marvel Universe. We can't say we were sad to see this couple go, but we're happy that the thread wasn't explored beyond subtle flirting in live-action in Iron Man 2. Plus, everyone knows there's only one happy scenario in Tony Stark's life, and Black Widow wasn't Pepper Potts. Though, this one-off romance did serve as an excellent catalyst for some dark stuff in the Ultimates books, so there's always that.

19 GOALS: SCARLET WITCH AND BROTHER VOODOO

OK, so while it may be pretty difficult to imagine anyone else more perfect for Scarlet Witch than the Vision, her recent coupling with Brother Voodoo is kind of incredible. After going through hell and back (literally), fending off multiversal evil in a Contest of Champions and helping to fix the literal history of The Avengers, these two decided that they were better off together. And honestly, the fabric of the Marvel Universe is better off with them together. Recently, magic has been siphoned from the Marvel Universe, and Scarlet Witch and Brother Voodoo were two key components in helping to prevent it and find an alternative, along with Doctor Strange, of course.

But the best thing about these two is that they seem to really understand each other. Currently, Scarlet Witch is headed off on a dimensional adventure with Brother Voodoo in the search for Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch's brother. This is something that's incredibly important to Wanda, but something that only Voodoo would understand, what with his similar familial craziness. We have to say, we hope this couple lasts for quite a while, but we know how things go in the Marvel Universe. For now, it seems that Vision is off the board as well.

18 WORST: HAWKEYE AND BLACK WIDOW

We really need to preface this entry by saying that no relationship for Hawkeye or Black Widow has really worked out all that well. Each have been in numerous couplings, from Hawkeye and Spider-Woman or Mockingbird to Black Widow and Winter Soldier, and some were better than others. But these heroes are strongest when they are on the run, when they are riding solo, taking out baddies from the dark and not locking down any major relationships, whether that's friendly or otherwise.

So one would imagine that the pairing of Black Widow and Hawkeye would be the one to end it all, right? Well, you'd think, but as mentioned before, these heroes are honestly better on their own. Hawkeye himself is also better when he's mentoring someone, whether that's Red Wolf or Kate Bishop (the best Hawkeye). And while we would absolutely be here for a revisiting of this pairing in the future, we can't say the first few rounds went all that well. In the Ultimate Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, things are a bit different. Hawkeye had a family in the Ultimate Universe, key word 'had' and he has one in the MCU, the latter of which we're not sure about in the wake of Avengers: Infinity War.

17 GOALS: SPIDER-GWEN AND MILES MORALES

The brief relationship between Gwen Stacy, Spider-Woman and Miles Morales, Spider-Man, was honestly how to do circumstantial love well. Sure, both heroes are teenagers, but they are teenagers that feel misplaced as superheroes in their home worlds. Together, they could forget about the trials of their alternate dimensions and just focus on being cool teen heroes in whatever version of New York City they're in that way. It was a couple that was briefly explored, but decided upon that staying friends would be for the best.

And honestly, that might be the most realistic thing about this whole situation, especially one dealing with the multiverse and radioactive spider powers. They decided to be friends because their relationship is the result of a fleeting moment serving to make each character stronger in their solo journeys. And while it was shrugged off by groups of fans, it serves to be a high point in both character's brief histories. We can only imagine the future for these two heroes is just beginning, and they'll be seen on the big screen together for the first time in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, later this year, which honestly might be the fastest page-to-screen leap we've seen yet in comic book films.

16 WORST: WONDER MAN AND SCARLET WITCH

The relationship between Simon Williams and Wanda Maximoff was kind of ill-fated from the jump. The two very literally required each other to stay alive. Wonder Man's tie to the human world was Wanda, which was what allowed her to bring him back to life after he died. That puts a strain on any relationship, yeah? So we can only imagine that coming back from the dead and being universally-tied to someone could be a lot of pressure, and while the relationship may have been wonderful and passionate while it lasted, it was always going to end. But it always made sense that the two would come together.

In recent comics, Wanda is friends with Simon, and even more recently, Wonder Man agreed to travel with Brother Voodoo and Scarlet Witch into the time stream in search of Quicksilver, who was predicted to be still alive following the traumatic events of Avengers: No Surrender. And while we don't see Scarlet Witch and Wonder Man getting back together any time soon, that's probably for the best. They always seemed to be better as Avengers when they were apart, what with Wonder Man projecting all over the place and Wanda looking to fix the universe's magic source.

15 GOALS: PEPPER POTTS AND IRON MAN

Long and arduous has been the relationship of Pepper Potts (occasionally known as Rescue) and Tony Stark, Iron Man. While some would argue that they were always meant for each other, the characters themselves feel as if they're better off as friends. And hey, maybe that's the happy and healthy thing in this scenario. As a couple, they might feel perfect, but that doesn't always mean that they are perfect. The films may offer up a different scenario, where Tony and Pepper have finally come together only to be (assumedly) torn apart by the events of Avengers: Infinity War, but that doesn't apply here.

Tony and Pepper both seem to be good at rolling solo, but this this thought in the back of their heads that maybe they do really end up together. And as far as pressure-filled relationships in the Marvel Universe go, this one is pretty easygoing for both of them. They've each had flings over the years, but none of them have really made much else work, so for now, a friendship seems to be doing just fine for Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. We have a hunch that things will only get better for the two of them in the future.

14 WORST: SPIDER-MAN AND MOCKINGBIRD

The relationship between Peter Parker and Bobbi Morse is kind of a recent development, and it actually ended even more recently. Of course, we know that Peter Parker is fated to end up with Mary Jane, but we kind of liked the idea of him and Mockingbird coming together. They seemed to be similar heroes with similar goals, but then Peter Parker became a total deadbeat after losing his company, Parker Industries, and basically crashing on Mockingbird's couch indefinitely.

Bobbi Morse helped Peter to take down the Zodiac gaggle of villains and handle all of the things around "The Clone Conspiracy," but things kind of fizzled after that, and why wouldn't they? A relationship can't really flourish if things are one-sided. In this case, Peter was clearly going through a depressive episode, unable to muster enough to get up or get a job, and it became a drag on Mockingbird. Not because she didn't understand what he was going through, but because it was so soon into the start of their relationship. But hey, at least they tried. Now, Peter Parker is back in New York trying to figure out just what to do with his future as Spider-Man, and we're secretly hoping it brings him back to Mary Jane in the end.

13 GOALS: LUKE CAGE AND JESSICA JONES

luke cage married jessica jones

In what may be one of our most favorite couples in the Marvel Universe, Luke Cage and Jessica Jones prove that true love is possible, and that it can totally last in the long run. For all of the undone marriages, deals with the devil and re-writings of history, the marriage of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones -- and the birth of their child -- is one that doesn't seem to be going anywhere for a very long time. And OK, so Jessica Jones is a more recent addition to the Marvel Universe with regard to her debut, but Luke Cage has been around for a longtime, so the coupling of the two holds that much more power (no pun intended).

They both have tragic, tattered pasts, but they understand each other, they look out for each other, but most importantly, they're allowed to be their own people. In the most recent Jessica Jones series, we learn that they fight, just like any other couple, but they come through when they need to the most, and they stay out of the way when one of them is dealing with a murderous arch-nemesis. Plus their daughter is going to grow up to be Captain America and we are totally here for that. Long live Luke Cage and Jessica Jones!

12 WORST: SHE-HULK AND POWER MAN

We wouldn't call this "relationship" so much of a thing, but it is true that Jennifer Walters and Luke Cage did date at some point. She-Hulk herself had an aversion to dating "ex-cons," as she put it, what with the Absorbing Man situation and all, but she made an exception for her Heroes for Hire colleague. The two never really hit it off, so we can't say we'd call this one goals. However, a friendship bloomed that has stayed strong over the years in comics, even as each of the two heroes found love in their own lives and solo books.

And hey, maybe it's a bit hard to be a superhero and date, like when you turn into a large, green rage monster or can take a ton of bullets to your skin and not have even a scratch on you. The whole concept of superhero dating is incredibly unpredictable and not all that relatable. But honestly, things worked out for both of them. Jennifer Walters became and incredibly successful lawyer and Luke Cage met Jessica Jones after her comics debut, and the two have remained together (and married with a daughter) to this day. And She-Hulk is back on the core Avengers team, so everybody wins!

11 GOALS: HUMAN TORCH AND MEDUSA

The Human Torch with Medusa in Marvel Comics

You may be surprised to see this unlikely coupling on the list, but hear us out, this one actually makes total sense. While Black Bolt and Medusa may be seen as an ultimate love story, they're really not. The two were brought together under monarchist circumstance, so it was a bit of a breath of fresh air when, in the aftermath of 2015's "Secret Wars," that not only had Medusa broken up with Black Bolt, but she had moved on. And OK, so Johnny Storm can be a bit childish, but it was a healthy relationship that added an interesting dynamic to his journey with the Inhumans.

But it also opened up future possibilities, at least for a moment. While Medusa and Black Bolt have been brought together, this Avengers coupling of The Human Torch and Medusa brought Medusa to Gorgon, here longtime best friend and protector, and the two fell in love in pretty much the darkest parts of their lives. This relationship sent Medusa on a character-driven arc of discovery, and the Inhumans are plenty better for it. And no, we're not going to talk about Marvel's Inhumans television show here, because that's the opposite of a believable relationship.

10 WORST: HAWKEYE (KATE BISHOP) AND MARVEL BOY

There is plenty of romance within the pages of Young Avengers, but one of the more prominent couples ended up being the Kree Marvel Boy and the best Hawkeye, Kate Bishop. And while it was a teen romance that seemed ripped from the script of a classic WB show, there really wasn't all that much too it. This was proven in basically what brought the relationship down, a series of bad decisions on Marvel Boy's part, mistrust, cheating and jealousy. Those are toxic qualities, and in this case, Kate Bishop deserved better than that.

But it was something that really only became clear when the series was nearing its end and the relationship ended. It was kind of an interesting character study, but one that is in direct opposition to the earned and solidified relationship of Hulkling and Wiccan. Young Avengers felt real and relatable, despite its superhero fantasy. And we have to say, when it comes to successful storytelling with caped heroes, that's how you do it. Or rather, Marvel Boy and Kate Bishop is not how you do it. We're way happier with Kate Bishop in her current relationship and with Marvel Boy back out in space doing his Kree thing.

9 GOALS: MR. FANTASTIC AND THE INVISIBLE WOMAN

Reed Richards and Sue Storm in Marvel Comics

The love between Reed Richards and Susan Storm has quite literally torn apart the fabric of the Marvel Comics reality -- possibly multiple times. They've stuck together through thick and thin, though, and the married Fantastic Four couple have proved time and time again that marriage can totally work in the Marvel Universe. More recently, their relationship was tested by Victor Von Doom's obsession with total control and power, including power over Susan Storm, a woman he claimed to love and resented Reed Richards for. This led to "Secret Wars" in a sense, where Doom ruled over a duct-taped "Battleworld" with Sue as his wife.

But of course, Reed Richards beat back the end of all things for his one true love, the Invisible Woman. Then the whole family, including the incredibly intelligent and powerful Franklin and Valeria Richards, set off to fix the multiverse. Of course, this left Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm and thinking that Reed and Sue had died, but it looks like that story is coming to a close here pretty soon. And we could all do with a little more Marvel's First Family and Reed Richards and Sue Storm in our lives.

8 WORST: SCARLET WITCH AND QUICKSILVER (ULTIMATE)

quicksilver-scarlet-witch-incest-relationship

Alright, so this one is just plain gross -- and kind of illegal in most places. The Ultimate Marvel Universe is packed with a ton of gritty and dark things, from cannibal supervillains to tapes and abuse, but the relationship between Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver is definitely one of the worst highlights of the imprint. That's because it becomes quite obvious that the brother and sister are romantically intertwined, with the books trying to offer some sort of forced excuse for their relationship, what with screwed up parentage and all.

They're a far cry from their main universe counterparts, for the most part. Scarlet Witch is young and naive in the Ultimate Universe, while her main counterpart is incredibly powerful and well-trained in the mystic arts. Quicksilver is brash and fast in the main universe, but just kind of creepy in the Ultimate Universe. But honestly, we don't need to give you two long paragraphs about why this is definitely not goals, and never will be. It's just weird to put this brother and sister together, even for the sake of grit and "nuanced" storytelling. Thankfully, for all that it pulls from the Ultimate Universe, we don't see the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever adapting this particular story.

7 GOALS: BLACK PANTHER AND STORM

Black Panther and Storm Wedding

Black Panther and Ororo Monroe are two of the most powerful beings in the grounded Marvel Universe. One is an incredibly tactile king in the advance African nation of Wakanda, and the other is the all-powerful weather warping mutant Storm. So when the two finally came together as part of a monumental superhero wedding, it kind of made total sense. Here you had two extremely capable, strong Avengers, now married. What couldn't they do?

But things wouldn't stay happy for long, what with the events of Avengers vs. X-Men kind of ruining everything. And looking back, that might be for the betterment of the characters in the long run, but it sure seemed like one of the most perfect couples to grace comic books in a really long time. Ta-Nehisi Coates, the current writer of the Black Panther comics, has expressed interest in writing a Storm series. So could a revisit be in the future? Probably not, but it won't stop us from hoping for one. Though, it might be the only way to get even close to the solid romance from the Black Panther film, with Nakia being the brawn and the brains, and T'Challa really having to keep up. We like that dynamic.

6 WORST: CAPTAIN AMERICA AND SCARLET WITCH

Scarlet Witch and Captain America lean in for a kiss

As far as relationships go, the consequences of this one might be the darkest yet. Scarlet Witch had long been a romantic fan of the good Captain America, since their earliest days as Avengers together. So in more recent comic history, the two finally get together, and it seems like it could be a really good thing. But Captain America has second thoughts about it, and decides to break the relationship off, which of course doesn't help the downward spiral Scarlet Witch is in. Hello "Avengers: Disassembled."

Though, that may be because she was being controlled by Doctor Doom, but it sure doesn't make things look any better. And while the events of "Disassembled" maybe have been retconned to here and back in the years since, it leaves us with a bit of souring on the pairing of Scarlet Witch and Captain America. And whether we're talking about the main comics Cap or the version of him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there's really only one woman (Peggy/Sharon) for him. Scarlet Witch, on the other hand, may finally be finding longterm happiness with Brother Voodoo, though if comics history tells us anything, it's that we shouldn't get too used to any relationship.

5 GOALS: SCARLET WITCH AND VISION

scarlet-witch-vision

Love them or hate them, Scarlet Witch and The Vision kind of belong together. Sure, Vision might be an unfeeling android and Wanda Maximoff an unstable, incredibly powerful magic user, but the two balance each other out, and their relationship is just as believable as any other comic book coupling. But it was always ill-fated for these star-crossed lovers, with Scarlet Witch causing unparalleled mayhem in the Marvel Universe, and Vision going from creating his own Avengers squad to being married to another android like himself and attempting to have a family.

And the two haven't been together in the comics for quite some time. Since the death of Vision's wife, son and dog, he's been going headfirst into his work and taking care of his daughter, Viv Vision. Scarlet Witch on the other hand, recently lost her brother to the timestream and is on a journey with Brother Voodoo and Wonder Man following the events of Avengers: No Surrender. And who knows? If Vision and Scarlet Witch get back together (and back to life) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we could see a return for this comic book couple. We think it would re-shift the dynamic of The Avengers for the better, even if it'd be taking a bit of inspiration from the MCU.

4 WORST: HAWKEYE AND MOCKINGBIRD

hawkeye-and-mockingbird

For a long time, Clint Barton and Bobbi Morse could definitely be considered relationship goals when it came to actually working out in the Marvel Universe. They were both incredibly-trained agents with a passion for living on the edge and staying in the dark. They built an Avengers team together, they lived together and they got married. There was plenty of tension and love and wonder to go around, but it wasn't really built to last. Could it have been because Hawkeye liked to get around? Well, probably, which leads us to the conclusion that the two are honestly better off alone.

Hawkeye has had relationships with plenty of the women of the Marvel Universe, including Spider-Woman and Black Widow, and he'll be the first to admit that he's not a good guy. But Bobbi is one of the brighest and best of the Marvel Universe, and she deserves happiness, just maybe not with Hawkeye. And also not with Spider-Man, because that didn't seem to work out either. But hey, there's always the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. version of Bobbi Morse, because she seemed to end up happy with Hunter. Hey, who doesn't love a happy ending? Let's just hope that's the one that sticks.

3 GOALS: HULKLING AND WICCAN

hulking-and-wiccan

Aside from being one of the best Avengers runs of the last 20 years, Young Avengers brought us some of the richest, strongest character arcs in recent comics history. But above all of the hijinks of Kate Bishop, Marvel Boy, Kid Loki, America and the others is the love between Hulking and Wiccan. Who would have thought that the son of Scarlet Witch (sort of) and a Skrull shapeshifter would find love on a team of teenage superheroes, and become a beacon of hope and progress in the Marvel Universe. It didn't matter that they were a gay couple, just that they were two young people who were trying to figure it out, and they did.

They've gone through real, tangible change during their adventures in the books, and these two characters have grown together. And while they recently spent some time on Sunspot's New Avengers team, we haven't really gotten to catch up with them since. But we did see a future where Hulking and Wiccan were married (after a demonic defeat of Demiurge), so let's just hope the couple comes back into focus in the years to come so we get to see that wedding to remember played out on the page.

2 GOALS: CAPTAIN AMERICA AND SHARON CARTER

Sharon Carter hugs Captain America and offers him encouragement.

The trials and tribulations of the relationship between Captain America and Sharon Carter have been peppered throughout comic book history. But when it really comes down to it, there isn't anyone that understands Steve Rogers more than Sharon Carter. For example, in a more recent comic storyline, both of them get trapped in some sort of pocket dimension controlled by Arnim Zola. So when Cap returns to present day and ages up to be his nonagenarian self, he's surprised to find that Sharon Carter has aged as well. Look at that. A couple that ages very quickly together, will surely stay together.

And even though an evil, Hydra version of Captain America kidnapped Sharon Carter during the events of "Secret Empire," the two still seem to be on relatively good terms (if the latest Captain America run is anything to go by). We imagine it's only a matter of time before this star-crossed couple finally gets back together for good, without any fascistic nonsense involved. And, of course, everyone knows this is the closest to Peggy Carter that we're gonna get for modern Captain America in the comics. Though, there is that Peggy that is the Captain America of her alternate reality, and boy, if that isn't a meet up we'd like to see.

1 WORST: ANT-MAN AND THE WASP

There's a chance you don't agree with this entry. And hey, that's alright, as the canon events of the relationship between Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne has been a topic of intense discussion over the years. But if domestic abuse becomes part of the equation, then the last thing we need is for Marvel to put The Wasp back with Ant-Man, at least these two specific adaptations of the characters. And you know what? These characters are better off without each other. Well, Janet van Dyne is better off without Hank Pym. Since they were together, Janet has become incredibly successful, and even currently has a mother-daughter relationship with Hank's daughter, Nadia Pym.

Hank, on the other, is sort of combined with the all-powerful Ultron (we think) and may or may not be living it up in space somewhere? The whole Hank Pym/Ultron thing is kind of confusing, but it can only be seen as karmic retribution for a character embroiled in controversy. With the Ant-Man and The Wasp Marvel Cinematic Universe film coming up later this year, we could see Scott Lang and Nadia becoming a bigger focus in the comics, but probably not as a couple. OK, definitely not as a couple.