The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not just about the thrilling action sequences and the advanced special effects. These costumed superheroes and even the villains whom they fight are fully fleshed out as people, having their own emotional vulnerabilities, healthy or unhealthy relationships, personal desires, and much more.
It's fun to think about the best romantic relationships in the MCU, such as Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter or Wanda Maximoff and Vision, but that's not all. The MCU also developed many non-romantic wholesome relationships, many of them being a bond between family members, solid friendships, or even a teacher/student dynamic.
10 T'Chaka & His Son T'Challa Were Close
In previous decades, the Wakandan king was T'Chaka, and his talented son T'Challa underwent extensive training and studied hard so he could succeed his father someday. Events in 2016's Captain America: Civil War made it wonderfully clear that T'Chaka and his son were quite close.
Now T'Chaka is gone, having died in a bomb attack that Baron Zemo had orchestrated. Still, T'Chaka's spirit lives on, and T'Challa, as the new Black Panther, had an intense and heartfelt discussion with him about the role of Wakanda in the world. It's a complex but strong relationship between father, son, and their nation.
9 Steve Rogers & Tony Stark Became Unlikely Friends For A Time
In some ways, Steve Rogers and Tony Stark were constantly at odds. They had conflicting personalities and interests that were never fully resolved, especially after their civil war. Still, despite it all, these two founding Avengers have a great deal of mutual respect, no matter their bickering or teasing.
These stubborn but honorable heroes play off each other well, having plenty in common, and plenty of differences as well. Captain America and Iron Man fought bravely together against many terrifying foes, and they also proved each other's nastiest insults wrong in 2019's The Avengers: Endgame. They certainly had a turbulent but fascinating relationship.
8 Scott Lang Puts His Daughter's Needs First
A variety of wholesome familial relationships help add some warmth to the MCU, and caring fathers such as T'Chaka and the rogue thief Scott Lang help balance out the "bad MCU dads" trend. For every Ego, Thanos, or Howard Stark, there's an Ant-Man who puts his family first.
Scott Lang and the mother of his child didn't get along in 2015's Ant-Man feature, but at least the newly freed Scott was delighted to see his daughter Cassie again, and vice versa. Scott may have made mistakes, but he still cares, and Cassie always gives him the benefit of the doubt. She will never think of her criminal father as one of the bad guys.
7 Shang-Chi & Katy Chen Are A Dynamic Duo No Matter Where They Go
There are a few platonic male-female friendships in the MCU, and a great example is the comedy duo that is Shang-Chi and his friend Katy Chen. They were introduced as playful valets working in San Francisco, but soon, the Ten Rings arrived, and the adventure began.
Shang-Chi used all his martial arts skills to survive the onslaught, and his confused but brave friend Katy followed him loyally. Katy was never trained to fight, but she made up for lost time in Ta Lo, backing up her good friend with her archery against the Dweller-in-Darkness.
6 Yondu Udonta & Rocket Raccoon Understood One Another
The unlikely friendship between Yondu Udonta, the Ravager captain, and the wily rogue Rocket Raccoon didn't last that long in the second Guadians movie, but even so, it was fun to watch these characters share the screen. They fought back against Taser Face and escaped to help the Guardians fight Ego, and not a moment too soon.
Yondu and Rocket both know the feeling of being cast out and unwanted, and despite some early arguing, they made peace and became a proper team with the rest of the Guardians. Rocket was actually sad to say good-bye to Yondu at the latter's funeral after the battle against Ego.
5 Thor & Loki Were Foster Brothers
At first, the mighty Asgardian prince Thor was at total odds with his foster brother, the trickster god Loki. They were actually enemies in 2012's The Avengers, but soon after that, the Asgardian brothers began to slowly build bridges and come together after experiencing war and pain.
Thor and Loki soon became more like a proper duo of brothers, annoying each other but ultimately being on the same team. When Loki died at Thanos' hands in 2018's The Avengers: Infinity War, Thor was outraged, and swore to take Thanos' life in revenge. That's how close Thor and Loki had become as an awkward but loyal comedy duo.
4 Tony Stark Was Peter Parker's Best Mentor
The young hero Peter Parker needed guidance, and he soon got it. Tony Stark scouted him and became Peter's best ally for a time, to the point Peter worried that he was nothing without the aid of Stark-built Spider-Man suits. However, Peter did some growing up.
Peter soon made Tony proud as a junior Avenger, and Tony even entrusted the boy with his high-tech glasses, a plot device in Far From Home. Peter dearly missed his mentor and unofficial foster father, proving how close they had become, but Peter was finally ready to stand on his own as Spider-Man.
3 Peter Parker & Ned Leeds Are Total Besties
Tony Stark wasn't the only one whom Peter relied on early in his crime-fighting career. He was also best friends with the fellow geek Ned Leeds, a bumbling but intelligent boy who was eager to aid Peter as Spider-Man's official "guy in the chair." What a friendship that was.
Ned stuck by Peter's side through thick and thin. For that matter, so did MJ, Peter's other best friend from school. It was with a very heavy heart that Peter had Doctor Strange make everyone forget about Peter, thus ending the Peter/Ned duo. At least Peter will never forget the times they had together.
2 Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes Never Gave Up
In the 1940s, a skinny Steve Rogers and his Army friend Bucky Barnes got along great, though Steve felt like he'd never catch up to Bucky at this rate. All that changed when Steve became the super-soldier Captain America, only for the friends to be driven apart in a snowy train battle in Europe.
In the present, Bucky had become the fearsome Winter Soldier, an elite assassin working for the USSR. Despite all that, Steve had faith in his friend and refused to give up on him. Bucky made sure to repay his best friend's kindness whenever he could, and he fought as a hero in Wakanda against Thanos' army.
1 Doctor Strange & Wong Play Off Each Other Well
Doctor Stephen Strange has what it takes to become the Sorcerer Supreme, but that title went to his ally Wong instead due to dying in Thanos' Snap. Now Doctor Strange and Wong have a goofy relationship, with Wong finding Doctor Strange tiring and annoying at times. However, they still respect one another.
Strange and Wong are dryly funny and witty, meaning they play off each other quite well without feeling completely redundant with one another. Wong might leave on vacation in a huff, only for Strange to do all kinds of risky stuff behind his back with a wink.