Marvel has been publishing comics for decades upon decades. Their comic books are a time-honored tradition, and their characters, like Captain America and Iron Man, have become pop culture icons. They have also been on the television and in the movies for quite a while now, too. Most recently, Marvel has been working on its Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Beginning with Iron Man in 2008 and still ongoing to this day, it doesn’t seem likely that the MCU will end anytime soon. In all this time, there have been some hits and some misses. However, there have undoubtedly been moments that surpassed even their source material.
10 “I Am Iron Man”
Tony Stark kickstarted the franchise by announcing that he was Iron Man to the entire world at the end of Iron Man. In this movie, the very first in the MCU, fans have watched Tony Stark slowly create his iconic Iron Man suit. Just before the final scene, he fought against Obadiah Stane and won in an explosive fashion. It is not just Tony’s announcement that fans love, though; it’s what that statement represents.
He is embracing his superheroic side, he is announcing to the world that there are defenders like him, and he is drawing others to his side — this starts the Avengers Initiative. At the end of the Infinity Saga, Tony repeats this line at a heartbreaking moment, as well, further compounding its strength.
9 "I'm With You Till The End Of The Line”
The Infinity Saga has four main characters, which also just so happen to be the four main Avengers: Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and the Incredible Hulk. However, Captain America and Iron Man become the main focus of the MCU’s primary plot for a long time. Captain America has his own iconic lines, much like Iron Man, but his isn’t a declaration in quite the same way.
Instead, audiences saw Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers saying the same line back and forth to one another. In the past, Bucky promises Steve he would be there until the end of the line; Steve promises a brainwashed Winter Soldier the same thing, saving both of their lives in the process. This moment, this movie, and this relationship define the MCU and shine above so many other moments in movies and comics alike.
8 “We Are Groot”
When it was announced that the Guardians of the Galaxy would be entering the MCU, and that they would be doing so with their own movie, fans were completely shocked. The Guardians were a well-liked team in the comics, but they weren’t exactly popular. However, when Guardians of the Galaxy finally came out, audiences realized they had no reason to be concerned. This wing of the franchise was fun, heartfelt, colorful, and wonderful. One of the best moments in the MCU comes in the first Guardians movie, when Groot sacrifices himself to save his friends.
Few thought they could go into the movie and cry over a raccoon and a tree, and yet, there they were. This moment also led to Ronan the Accuser referring to the team as “your Guardians of the Galaxy,” thus giving them their official title — and Groot does come back as Baby Groot, so everything ends up okay, too.
7 The Entire End Of Captain America: Civil War
Some thought that Captain America: Civil War came a bit too soon in the franchise. However, with actors eager to move onto other projects, it seems that the movie came at exactly the right time. Tony Stark and Steve Rogers have their showdown that splinters the Avengers right down the middle, forever fracturing their beloved team.
The end of Civil War is an absolute tour de force: Zemo shows Tony that Bucky killed his parents, Steve defends Bucky, and they all fight, and in the meantime, Zemo tells T’Challa that this was his plan all along. T’Challa stops Zemo from killing himself; Steve and Bucky defeat Tony, but Steve leaves his shield behind. Zemo ultimately succeeded and destroyed the Avengers as viewers knew it.
6 The Existence Of Thor: Ragnarok As A Whole
After Thor received mixed reviews and Thor: The Dark World received largely negative reviews, fans started to worry that Thor would never get a good movie. Not only did the character deserve a good film, but Chris Hemsworth is pretty much perfect casting in the role, and he deserved more space to stretch his legs as the character. Luckily, Taika Waititi took over the title for Thor: Ragnarok and audiences are still overjoyed to this day that he did.
This movie is heartfelt, it is hilarious, and it is honestly downright spectacular. Every performance is dead-on, and it brings not only much-needed levity to the franchise and to the character, but it finally elevated Thor and Bruce Banner to the positions they deserved in the MCU.
5 Chadwick Boseman And Michael B. Jordan
Bringing Black Panther into the MCU in Civil War only made fans more excited to see Chadwick Boseman reprise the role of T’Challa in Black Panther. Not only did he further excel in Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther, but Michael B. Jordan was cast alongside him as his cousin, Killmonger. The two of them are a dynamic duo perfectly cast for the film. Beyond that, much like Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther made fans excited and optimistic about the direction of the MCU as the franchise moved deeper and deeper into Marvel lore.
4 The Fight In Wakanda
Undertaking the events of Avengers: Infinity War was a Herculean task, but the Russo brothers took it on, and the fight at the end of the movie that takes place in Wakanda proves it was all worth it. From Thor’s spectacular arrival in the battle to Groot and Steve’s funny interactions to the death of Vision to Thanos’ snap.
This fight really does have everything. This is to say nothing of the actual fight itself, which is stunningly beautiful. Using Wakanda as a backdrop and a setting was exactly the right decision. A fight like this can only happen in the movies, to be honest.
3 “Avengers… Assemble.”
While Avengers: Endgame didn’t receive as positive a reception as Avengers: Infinity War did, it still had some truly spectacular moments. The point where Thor summons lightning and Stormbreaker to fight alongside Tony and Steve, and the three of them enter an empty battlefield, still lives rent-free in many fans’ heads. However, the most amazing moment of all comes when Steve Rogers staggers to his feet to confront Thanos and his army one last time.
Thor and Tony are lying nearby, close to defeat, and Steve thinks they’ve lost. In the last moment, Sam Wilson contacts him through their comms, telling Steve he’s “on his left.” Black Panther comes through a portal first, on Steve’s left; soon, it seems that every hero left alive in the MCU is fighting alongside Steve. Astonished, overjoyed, Steve turns back to Thanos with his new army and says his iconic line, harkening all the way back to the very first Avengers movie: “Avengers… assemble.”
2 Extending The MCU To The Television Shows
Choosing to extend the Marvel Cinematic Universe beyond the world of cinema was a stroke of genius. It took some time to figure out the proper balance of involvement between the shows and the movies, but Marvel has finally figured it out. Starting with shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., progressing to programs like Daredevil, and now moving on to moments like WandaVision, the MCU has integrated television shows almost seamlessly into the MCU. More than that, the shows are actually high-quality, and as enjoyable as the movies, at this point.
1 Beginning A New Phase
When the original Avengers team fell apart, the MCU continued. Now that Tony Stark is dead, Steve Rogers is retired, Thor is off-planet, the Black Widow is dead, Hawkeye is training his replacement, and Bruce Banner’s role as an Avenger seems incredibly lonely, it is likely that many more teammates will be reforming this team.
To many fans, it was unthinkable years ago that the franchise would ever continue past Tony and Steve. However, the MCU has built itself up so well that it is now clear that it will survive past them and beyond. The MCU is not any one character’s story anymore; it is the story of another universe, and it stands on its own legs now.