The MCU is going strong, and by now, it's easy for fans to decide which movies are their favorite in the franchise and why. Recent movies such as The Avengers: Endgame are obvious heavy-hitters, but the third Captain America movie was also a major turning point in the franchise, with more than a few exciting or heartbreaking moments in its runtime.
Captain America: Civil War divided the Avengers into two camps, based on whether the heroic but destructive Avengers should have formal oversight or not. At the same time, Baron Zemo schemed in the shadows to get revenge for Sokovia's fate. In this movie, both Captain America and Iron Man had a chance to shine, and so did the rest of the cast.
10 When The Reality Of Collateral Damage Hit Tony Stark
Early in this movie, Tony Stark thought that he and the Avengers could do no wrong. They saved New York City from a Chitauri invasion and captured Loki, the mad god, then defeated the robotic Ultron in Sokovia. But the collateral damage is reaching a boiling point.
After a rousing speech to an auditorium of MIT grads, Tony Stark was met by a grieving mother who lost her brilliant son during the carnage of the Ultron battle. Tony has seen people die, but this particular loss changed his view on heroics in a single moment. It was dramatic and heartbreaking, and it helped define the movie (and the entire MCU).
9 When T'Challa Lost His Father, T'Chaka, In A Bomb Attack
Captain America: Civil War had quite a few scenes of grief and loss, which helped make the seemingly invincible Avengers much more vulnerable and balanced. That also includes T'Challa, then the prince of the hidden Wakandan nation. In Vienna, father and son both attended a summit until Baron Zemo set off a bomb.
Many people were injured or killed, and tragically, the current Black Panther, T'Chaka, lost his life. T'Challa grieved his fallen father, then swore to get revenge on whoever was responsible. This also established him as the new king and the new Black Panther, just in time for his own movie.
8 When Wanda Struggled With Self-Doubt
Wanda Maximoff already suffered the death of her brother during the Ultron battle, and even as a member of the Avengers, she has some issues left to deal with. Wanda blamed herself for the loss of life in that mission in Africa, and this helped humanize her and show how far she has to go.
It was easy to empathize with Wanda and feel bad for her, but she didn't mope in self-pity forever. Wanda hit a low point and had to reassess her powers and role as a hero, then found the courage to become a great and confident hero after all. This movie really brought Wanda to the fore as a person and as a hero.
7 When Tony Stark Met Peter Parker
This movie introduced the Tom Holland incarnation of the Spider-Man character, and arguably, Tom Holland's is the best. In Civil War, Peter was an amateur hero on the streets until Tony Stark met him and Aunt May in their Manhattan apartment. This changed everything.
Such a scene fleshed out Peter Parker as a vulnerable but enthusiastic young hero, and it helped establish his and Tony Stark's mentor/student relationship. In fact, fans often think of Tony as Peter's foster father of sorts, adding warmth to this tragedy-filled movie.
6 When Peggy Carter Passed Away
This was yet another moment of tragedy in Captain America: Civil War, and this time, it was Steve Rogers' turn to suffer loss. He and Peggy Carter had been torn apart in 1945 when Steve crashed that HYDRA bomber, and they were briefly reunited in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But Peggy was old by then, and soon, her time came.
That hit Steve hard, and it helped emphasize that he actually is a very lonely person after all. All he had left from his era were his friends Bucky Barnes and Peggy, but the former was now a dangerous rogue, and the latter just passed away. At this rate, what will Captain America have left? Black Widow sympathized greatly with Steve right after the funeral, and for a good reason.
5 When Vision & Wanda Cooked Together
This scene is more than it seems to be. At first, this scene played out as simple Marvel-style comic relief after a series of heavy scenes. Still, in reality, it helped lay the foundation for Wanda and Vision's budding relationship. For example, that made it much heavier when Wanda saw Vision die in Infinity War at the hands of Thanos, the Mad Titan.
This scene also acted as the final moment when Wanda and Vision got along before taking opposite sides in the civil war, making it even clearer how tragic the civil war was. It also helped show Wanda cheering up and gaining some self-confidence.
4 When Tony Stark Learned Who Killed His Parents
Tony Stark also suffered a great loss when his parents were killed one night in December 1991. For a long time, though, Tony didn't know who had killed his parents, but he got his answer in Civil War. Security footage made it clear that the Starks had died at the hands of Bucky Barnes.
Tony Stark could not forgive Bucky Barnes for that. Tony's renewed grief and rage were palpable, and viewers really felt it when he said, "He killed my mom" in a deadly serious tone. Even this late in the movie, Civil War had more heartbreak and drama to deliver.
3 When Captain America & Bucky Defeated Iron Man
The final fight got to the heart of the matter: Captain America and Bucky Barnes vs. Iron Man. Steve and Tony had ideological differences about the Sokovia Accords, but they also clashed over Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier. They could only fight it out.
Iron Man did his best, but he couldn't prevail against two foes and an indestructible vibranium shield. This completed the rift between Steve and Tony, and it was heartbreaking when Tony said that the shield was really his father's, not Steve's. In light of that 1991 security camera footage, that claim hit hard.
2 When Ant-Man Turned Into A Giant
The battle at the Leipzig Airport was a climactic one, even if viewers knew that no characters were in danger of getting killed. From Spider-Man to Vision to the soaring Falcon, everyone showed off what they can do, and that includes Ant-Man/Scott Lang.
Ant-Man's tiny body allowed him to retrieve Captain America's shield and sabotage Iron Man armor. Simultaneously, his giant form kept Iron Man's entire team busy, buying time for Captain America and the others to prepare their next move. What a sight it was.
1 When Tony Stark Looked After James Rhodes
Tony Stark isn't the only Iron Man around here. His military friend James "Rhodey" Rhodes is serving as War Machine, and he suffered a serious blow during the final moments of the Leipzig Airport battle. He fell to the earth and suffered damage to his spine, and Tony Stark feared for his friend's very life.
Rhodey survived, but it was a tense moment that really drove the gravity of all this home. It was very kind of Tony to care so deeply about his friend, and he helped Rhodey with his physical therapy at the movie's end. Finally, Tony is invested in someone besides himself.