Disney+'s MCU television series have kept the cliffhanger tradition alive and well within the franchise. The last-minute twists and turns that often appear in the post-credit scenes of the MCU's films occur with much more frequency in the television shows. Viewers are constantly kept on their toes as they scramble to theorize about what the latest episode's ending means for the rest of the series.
Disney+'s first MCU series, WandaVision, skyrocketed in popularity due to the numerous cliffhanger endings that left fans desperate for more each week. In the week between episodes, the show was all that fans could talk about on social media, contributing to an important level of buzz that kept the show as successful as it was, and this pattern continued with subsequent MCU shows.
10 A New Cap Is Revealed in "New World Order"
The premiere episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier saw Sam Wilson struggle with taking on the mantle of Captain America following the events of Avengers: Endgame. Sam ultimately decides to return the shield to the Smithsonian for a Captain America museum exhibition.
In the episode's final moments, a visibly hurt Sam watches a news report revealing that the government decided to give the shield to John Walker. The cliffhanger expertly sets the show's plot into motion as fans quickly grow invested in Sam's journey to regain the shield.
9 Loki Follows After Sylvie In "The Variant"
The end of Loki Episode 2 introduces Sylvie, a female variant of Loki who is wreaking havoc for the TVA. Loki, working alongside Mobius and the TVA, finds Sylvie hiding within a devastating hurricane on the timeline. Sylvie rejects Loki's offer to work together and instead sends reset charges to other points on the timeline, thus creating several branched timelines.
With Mobius desperately chasing after him, Loki follows Sylvie as she teleports away. The cliffhanger continues to keep the plot engaging as the truth of the Loki variants is slowly revealed.
8 Pietro's Arrival Shakes Up Westview In "A Very Special Episode"
In "A Very Special Episode," Evan Peters makes his first appearance in the MCU as Wanda's twin brother, Pietro Maximoff. Peters originally portrayed Quicksilver, or Peter Maximoff, in several of the Fox X-Men films.
Pietro's entrance at the end of WandaVision's fifth episode made viewers question their understanding of Westview. His entrance, specifically as Evan Peters instead of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, suggested a lack of control on Wanda's part. However, the excitement that this moment might properly introduce the X-Men into the MCU was lost when Pietro was revealed to be Ralph Bohner.
7 Thor Encounters A Victorious Ultron In "What If...Thor Was An Only Child?"
Disney+'s What If...? explores the potential outcomes of alternate events within the MCU. Episode 7 illustrates what might have happened if Loki hadn't been adopted by Odin, thus making Thor an only child. Without a brother, Thor became a bit of a wild child.
However, the biggest twist arrives after the apparent end of the episode's storyline. Thor asks Jane Foster on a date, and it seems that the story has a happy ending. Suddenly, Ultron, wielding all six infinity stones, enters from a portal, leaving fans on the edge of their seat.
6 The Scarlet Witch Earns Her Crown In "Previously On..."
WandaVision Episode 8 finally sees Wanda Maximoff receive her title as the MCU's Scarlet Witch. The episode follows Wanda and Agatha as they encounter Wanda's memories from her past, including the death of her parents, her time with Hydra, and an early moment in her relationship with Vision.
By the end of the episode, Wanda is forced to confront the reality that she is responsible for the Hex in Westview. Agatha tells Wanda that the magic she used to create the Hex is chaos magic, which means that Wanda must be the mythical Scarlet Witch.
5 Jake Lockley Makes His Eagerly-Anticipated Entrance In "Gods And Monsters"
In the Moon Knight finale, the long-awaited Jake Lockley makes his first appearance in the MCU. Prior to his appearance, the show had seemingly hinted at the presence of a third, and much more violent, alter on several occasions.
The episode's post-credits scene finally gave the audience a proper glimpse at Jake, and the scene certainly lives up to the fan's avid anticipation. Khonshu introduces Arthur Harrow to his "friend" Jake, who gives a sinister glare in the mirror before turning around and shooting Harrow. Marvel has yet to give an official announcement about a second season after this exciting twist.
4 The Sacred Timeline Is Destroyed In "For All Time. Always."
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The Season 1 finale of Loki answers many of the show's most pressing questions with the reveal of He Who Remains. He explains to Loki and Sylvie that the TVA was created in response to the Multiversal war. Loki and Sylvie disagree on the next steps to take as Sylvie seeks to kill He Who Remains while Loki disapproves. Sylvie ultimately sends Loki back to the TVA and kills He Who Remains, destroying the sacred timeline.
In a shocking twist, Loki runs to Mobius, desperate to warn him about what may be coming next, but Mobius doesn't remember him. Loki then notices that the statues of the Time-Keepers have been replaced by an ominous statue of He Who Remains.
3 Wanda Hits Rewind In "Don't Touch That Dial"
WandaVision was first released on Disney+ with a two-episode premiere. Taken together, these episodes perfectly set the stage for the mystery at the show's center.
At the end of Episode 2, a strange visitor donning a beekeeper suit emerges from a sewer outside of Wanda and Vision's home. A concerned Wanda simply says "no" and appears to rewind the scene, reverting to a few minutes earlier. This mysterious twist leads viewers to question everything they've seen so far as they come to understand Wanda's influence over the show.
2 Kingpin's Return Is Revealed In "Ronin"
Hawkeye initiated the very first crossover between the MCU and Netflix's Defenders saga. Episode 5 of the series ended with the revelation that Eleanor Bishop is secretly working with Wilson Fisk, the infamous villain Kingpin from Netflix's Daredevil.
Vincent D'Onfrio's return as the fan-favorite villain not only escalated the excitement within the Hawkeye series, but it also opened the door for further use of Marvel characters from the Netflix series. This was confirmed when Charlie Cox reprised his role as Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home just a few weeks later.
1 John Walker Shocks The Audience In "The Whole World Is Watching"
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier solidified John Walker's villain status in "The Whole World Is Watching." In the episode's final scene, Walker brutally murders Nico, a member of the Flag Smashers, with the Captain America shield.
The shocking moment is easily the best cliffhanger featured in any of the Disney+ MCU series. John Walker's sinister turn elevates the tension of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and shows the devastating consequences of the super-soldier serum in the wrong hands. The horrific ending also proves that the Disney+ shows are not afraid to take a darker turn, signaling more complex storytelling opportunities for the future.