The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 2, spanning from 2013's Iron Man 3 to 2015's Ant-Man, contains six films in all. Despite the wide variety of genres seen in the MCU, they all, at their core, contain superhero tropes, with a number of fights and action setpieces one would expect.
Action scenes in the MCU have faced criticism from some for being poorly shot, with an emphasis on quick cuts and close-ups that obscure characters' choreography, and an over-reliance on CGI. Nonetheless, Phase 2's films contain fight scenes that fans deeply appreciate, be it for their pure action or for their relevance in the story.
10 The Avengers Attack HYDRA
The final action setpiece of 2012's The Avengers left fans with high expectations for the team's next outing, and Avengers: Age of Ultron's opening scene does its best to deliver. Putting the Avengers team together again after three films showing each character going solo, they raid a HYDRA outpost and demolish it within minutes.
The scene shows how the team has developed since their first outing, with a greater level of cooperation between them, including combo attacks from members like Captain America and Thor. Explosive, showy, and entertaining, the film begins the second Avengers film on a high note.
9 The Guardians Of The Galaxy's Fight Over The Orb
Much of Guardians of the Galaxy deals with conflicting factions battling to gain control of the Orb that contains the Power Stone within. Peter Quill initially ends up in possession of it, with several parties pursuing him. One is Thanos' daughter, and assassin, Gamora, who ambushes Quill on Xandar.
The two fight, with Rocket Raccoon and Groot also getting involved in the carnage. The scene is funny, creative, and well-shot, and serves to introduce most of the members of the titular team. It gives a good look at their capabilities before the film's major action begins, and reassures the viewer that they can do more than just comedy.
8 Ant-Man Picks A Scuffle With The Falcon
Given that Ant-Man is a largely standalone movie, many fans don't expect another Avenger to appear in a significant capacity. However, the film's second act sees Scott Lang infiltrating an Avengers storage facility to retrieve some equipment, tripping a security alert and causing Sam Wilson to fly to their location
Caught, Scott attempts to talk his way out of the situation and winds up fighting Falcon to escape. The scene is a treat for fans of either character, an amusing fight scene that shows off Scott's capabilities, and is a crucial set-up for Lang's greater involvement in the wider MCU.
7 The Bridge Fight Sets The Winter Soldier's Third Act In Motion
Of all the movies in Phase 2, none is more beloved by fans than Captain America: The Winter Soldier, considered to be an excellent thriller alongside being a good superhero movie, delving deeper into several of the MCU's characters, and having some of the best fight scenes in the franchise.
One fight comes out of nowhere after the titular Winter Soldier ambushes the heroes and murders Agent Sitwell. Forced into a fight they are unprepared for, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and Sam Wilson all account well for themselves against HYDRA agents and the Winter Soldier before they are captured. The scene is tense, compelling, and ends with a major revelation about the Winter Soldier's identity.
6 The Hulk Battles The Hulkbuster In Johannesburg
A lot of the marketing for Avengers: Age of Ultron focused on the scene in Johannesburg, where Tony Stark goes hand-to-hand with the Hulk in his new Hulkbuster armor. A clash between two of the most powerful figures in the MCU at that point, the fight is a brutal slugfest that shows off the Hulk's power and Tony's ingenuity.
Stark holds his own against the mind-controlled Hulk, and the resulting brawl is one of the most destructive one-on-one battles in the entire franchise. Some fans dislike that the Hulkbuster armor comes out on top in the end, but others appreciate the bout's cinematography and even its humor.
5 Thor & Loki Fight Off The Dark Elves
Despite its characters being appreciated, many consider Thor: The Dark World to be an underwhelming film, and one of the low points of the entire franchise. Part of this is that its villains are generic and poorly defined and that most of its action sequences lack anything more interesting than two people beating away at each other.
The fight Thor and Loki have against the Dark Elves in Svartalfheim, however, brings important character exploration to the forefront. Although its choreography is considered average, it is a big character moment for Thor and Loki as the latter appears to sacrifice himself to save his brother. Their tearful farewell reveals a lot about their relationship—even if it is a long con from Loki, who survives.
4 The Guardians Of The Galaxy Break Out Of Prison
The Guardians of the Galaxy are a distinctly more morally-murky team than the Avengers, something that they prove in their first film by spending most of it on the wrong side of the law. After their brawl on Xander, the team is confined in the prison known as the Kyln, where they almost immediately begin planning a breakout.
Picking up Drax the Destroyer on the way, the team prepares an elaborate plan that sees them battling the Kyln's guards and attempting to double-cross each other for possession of the Orb. Full of humorous moments, impressive action, and an exploration of the team's fledgling dynamics, the scene is one of the most fondly remembered in the film.
3 Vision Confronts The Final Ultron
Avengers: Age of Ultron is considered an underwhelming film in the MCU, and the least-liked of the Avengers series. In part, this is due to Ultron feeling like a more generic and hollow villain than Loki or Thanos, not given a chance to truly establish himself or become more than a mere threat for the team to take out.
In Ultron's final attempt at a battle, however, he gets some time to show some depth. The very last body of Ultron is cornered by the Vision, who engages him in conversation. They each wax philosophically for a time, with Ultron expressing his resentment for Vision and his disgust of humanity, before making one last defiant lunge at Vision. Although a very short fight, the scene is what many fans wish Age of Ultron had more of.
2 Ant-Man & Yellowjacket Come To Microscopic Blows
The Ant-Man films are full of opportunities to get creative with their fight scenes and cinematography, turning unremarkable surfaces into epic battlegrounds through scale alone. The final fight between Scott Lang and Darren Cross does not disappoint in this regard, having the two battle in a children's bedroom.
The fight's signature moment has the two battling on a Thomas the Tank Engine writ large, but the entire duel is packed with moments like that. Showing events from the perspective of the shrunken-down combatants and the humans around them, both comedy and drama are wrung from the clever use of scale, creating a memorable fight.
1 The Elevator Fight Is An All-Time Favorite
An easy and effective way to make a fight scene memorable is to set it in an unusual location, and an elevator certainly qualifies. One of Captain America: The Winter Soldier's standout moments has the film's hero in a small elevator in SHIELD's headquarters, which slowly fills with more and more men, all of whom begin acting suspiciously.
Steve picks up on what is happening and starts the fight before he can be caught off-guard. With a great many combatants in an incredibly enclosed space, the fight is a visually-impressive showing of filmography and choreography that manages to feel realistic despite involving a superhuman, and is a fond favorite of nearly every MCU fan.