What Kevin Feige and the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been able to achieve is nothing short of spectacular, using long-form storytelling over the course of twenty-three films (as of May 2020) to tell an intertwining tale that successfully concludes the epic Infinity Saga and brings together the studios' massive roster of heroes.
When it comes to thrilling action and memorable dialogue, the MCU has no shortage of either and boasts a fine selection of scenes to choose from. Here are the top five dialogue and top five action scenes in the MCU.
10 Dialogue - Avengers: Age of Ultron: Vision and Ultron In The Forest
This is one of the best scenes in Avengers Age of Ultron. With the climactic battle of the film closing out, the audience is gifted with a slow but tense scene where Vision confronts the final remaining Ultron copy.
Debating whether mankind deserves a place on the planet, Vision delivers a poignant line in defense of humanity stating that "a thing isn't beautiful because it lasts". When Ultron tells Vision he's naive for believing so, Vision has a mic-drop moment with his counter: "Well... I was born yesterday".
9 Action - Avengers: Infinity War: Battle On Titan
While some consider the Battle of Wakanda in Avengers Infinity War to be the superior battle sequence, many others respectfully disagree. Watching Thanos use the full power of the Infinity Gauntlet is nothing short of jaw-dropping. Thanos throwing a moon is alone enough to give the Battle on Titan the edge over Wakanda.
From Thanos trading blows with the entire Avengers squad on Titan, to his clash of pure power with Doctor Strange, and his one-on-one showdown with Iron Man, this action scene earns its spot in the rankings.
8 Dialogue- Captain America: The First Avenger (80%) A Good Man
This scene from the first Captain America film is a character-defining moment. On the eve of Steve undergoing the treatment with the Super Soldier Serum, he has a heart-to-heart with Dr. Erskine and is given a piece of sage advice that ends up becoming Cap's personal motto: "...Stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man."
An iconic scene that serves as Steve's inspiration for what Captain America represents, this is a moment from the MCU that we can watch over and over again.
7 Action - Doctor Strange: Time Travel Showdown
In a film packed with memorable sequences, like the time loop Strange inflicts on Dormammu, the final battle in Hong Kong is an easy stand out with its visual splendor as Doctor Strange attempts to save our reality, battling backward through time as a destroyed city block chaotically repairs itself.
With top-notch special effects and meticulous attention to detail, this unique fight scene serves as a highlight for not just the film but the MCU as a whole.
6 Dialogue - Guardians Of The Galaxy 2: Yondu's Funeral
The final moment of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is easily one of the most touching and tear-inducing scenes in the saga of Marvel films. While the gorgeous firework display and watching each of the Guardians react to the tribute for Yondu is moving, it's the brief conversation between Star-Lord and Rocket that really pulls at the heartstrings.
Rocket's emotionally charged lines of dialogue peel back the layers of his character and how he purposefully pushes people away out of fear "He didn't chase them away. Even though he yelled at them...", and how he's glad he hasn't been able to scare off the Guardians.
5 Action - Captain America The Winter Soldier: Steve vs Winter Soldier
Captain America: The Winter Soldier serves as a turning point in the MCU not just for its SHIELD-Hydra revelations, but because of the shift towards a darker tone and more focus on practical effects and expertly choreographed action.
Cap's street brawl with Winter Soldier serves as the cherry-on-top of the delicious sundae that is Captain America: The Winter Soldier. From the bone-crunching blows to the impressive knife skills that actor Sebastian Stan actually learned, this fight between these two lifelong friends stands as one of the best one-on-one fights in the entire MCU.
4 Dialogue - Spider-Man: Homecoming: Prom Car Ride With Vulture
Few moments in the MCU are as intense as this car ride between Spider-Man, Vulture, and Liz where Vulture slowly pieces together that the kid in his backseat is the very same wall-crawler who has been a thorn in his side.
When Liz leaves the two alone for a "dad talk", a menacing Vulture threatens not just Peter's life but his friends and family promising that if Peter doesn't leave him and his business alone that "I'll kill you, and everybody you love", effectively striking fear into the heart of the young Spider-Man.
3 Action - Captain America: Civil War: Captain America & Bucky vs Iron Man
While the battle at the airport in Captain America: Civil War is a standout action sequence in the MCU, it lacks the emotional and heartbreaking elements that make the final fight between Cap, Bucky, and Tony not just a superior action scene, but one of the most tragic and unforgettable moments in the MCU.
Watching these three heroes tear each other to pieces feels like watching your three close friends fight each other; no matter who wins, everyone loses.
2 Dialogue - Black Panther: Bury Me In The Ocean
The top contender for best dialogue in the MCU confidently goes to this exceptional scene from Black Panther. No Marvel film has been able to tie its themes and subject matter to real-world issues as effectively as Black Panther does, which makes this scene such an important and meaningful moment that will stand the test of time.
Touching on a dark period in America's history that speaks to racial issues today, Killmonger tells T'Challa with his dying breath to "Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors that jumped from the ships, because they knew death was better than bondage".
1 Action- Avengers: Endgame Battle of Earth
A moment that doesn't need much of an explanation for why it's the top choice for best action scene, this battle between the MCU's heroes and Thanos' forces represents the climactic culmination of everything Marvel has been building towards for twenty-two movies and eleven years.
It's a feast for the eyes and for your inner-child that had audiences cheering, gasping in fear, and crying watching as the heroes we all love fight to save not just the planet, but the entire universe.