After eighteen films,
Marvel Studios will begin to close off the first ten years of the
Marvel Cinematic Universe this April with the release of
Avengers: Infinity War. What started as one film about a man in a metal suit has evolved into a broad spectrum of superhero films that have introduced new characters to the public consciousness, broken all kinds of records and changed cinema as we know it.
While the MCU has been jam packed with hundreds of great moments, we've sorted through them all to find the best ten moments that have been served up yet. Check the list out below!
To view the list in its entirety, simply click on the VIEW LIST (ONE PAGE) button below!
Iron Man 3 (2013) - Enter the Iron Legion
While
Iron Man 3 remains one of the most divisive films in the MCU, it's safe to say that seeing the
Iron Legion onscreen for the first time was pretty thrilling (yes, we know they weren't
explicity called the Iron Legion, but c'mon, we know that's what everyone thought). Watching all of Tony Stark's different suits of armor fly into action against Extremis-powered foes made for one of the most wonderful sequences in the trilogy, especially with Tony hopping in between different suits during combat.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) - We Are Both Out Of Time
Captain America: The Winter Soldier served as a compelling modern day sequel for the First Avenger by touching on topics such as shadow governments, surveillance, and the shades of grey that make up the modern political landscape. In addition to its themes, the movie also shook up the MCU status quo in a huge way.
In the film's big twist, it's revealed that Hydra scientist Arnim Zola has preserved his mind in an old S.H.I.E.L.D. bunker, telling Cap and Black Widow that Hydra infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. all the way up to the top brass. While Cap manages to stop Hydra's master plan, Project Insight, S.H.I.E.L.D. is destabilized as an organization, and the world is left a little less safe because of it.
Captain America: Civil War (2016) - Airport Showdown
Captain America: Civil War continued with the political themes of its predecessor, this time focusing on the ramifications of superhero collateral damage and the government oversight that followed in its wake. While the moral standings of Team Cap and Team Iron Man made for some compelling drama, the airport showdown between both sides was the film's true highlight.
Admittedly, the battle did lack the scope of the comic storyline on which it's based; seeing teams of six run at each other on an empty airport tarmac seemed a little underwhelming in the trailers. However, the entire sequence was packed with comic-book goodness, from the MCU introduction of
Spider-Man to Scott Lang becoming
Giant Man for the first time.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017) - It's Main Event Time
The not-so-friendly rivalry between The Incredible Hulk and the God of Thunder got started in 2012's
The Avengers. While the first fight between the two on the Helicarrier didn't seem to go so well for Thor, he managed to gain the upper hand in an all-out-brawl during the events of
Thor: Ragnarok. Fans had been waiting for a no-holds barred contest between the two strongest Avengers, and director Taika Waititi delivered a truly spectacular fight, complete with plenty of nods to the Planet Hulk storyline from the comics.
Doctor Strange (2016) - Open Your Eye
As far as visual effects go, it's pretty hard to top
Doctor Strange. While it wasn't exactly the most unique in terms of story, the film introduced plenty of new concepts into the MCU, such as magic and the ever-expanding multiverse. The unforgettable moment comes when the Ancient One opens Strange's mind to the truth, taking him on a mind-bending, psychedelic trip through worlds he never knew existed. The sequence will be remembered as one of Marvel's most vibrant show of effects work to date.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) - Then Again, I Was Born Yesterday
Avengers: Age of Ultron had a lot to live up to while trying to top its predecessor's success, introducing new characters and delivering plenty of action. What really made the film stand on its own, however, was a quaint scene between
Ultron and the
Vision during the film's conclusion.
After the battle is over and Ultron has lost, the two artificial beings wax philosophy about their views of the human race, with Ultron criticizing his creation's naive belief that they can be saved from their own self-destruction. Vision argues that, while flawed, he sees the grace in human failure, though it might be because of his "youth". The film poses the question of whether the Avengers are metaphorical 'monsters'; and while this conversation doesn't provide a definitive answer to that, it leaves plenty to think about.
Black Panther (2018) - Bury Me In The Ocean
Upon defeating the villainous Erik Killmonger at the conclusion of
Black Panther, T'Challa takes him back up to the surface so that he is able to see the sun set on Wakanda for the last time. Despite an offer from T'Challa to save his life, Killmonger remained committed to his beliefs in death, leaving the King with a chilling statement.
"Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors that jumped from the ships. Because they knew death was better than bondage."
T'Challa, struggling with loss and the weight of his father's decisions as King, decides to share Wakanda's resources with the world to make sure that a child doesn't have to grow up the same way as the cousin he never knew. The film may be the newest addition to the MCU, but this emotionally powerful scene is one of the strongest the cinematic universe has had to offer.
The Avengers (2012) - To Challenge Them Is To Court Death
Six years ago, an evil grin flashed across the face of a mysterious purple alien in the mid-credits scene for
The Avengers, leaving many audience members a little befuddled as to who they just saw. For comic fans, however, the answer was clear: a showdown with
Thanos was the endgame for Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
We haven't seen all that much of the Mad Titan since his first cinematic appearance, but
Infinity War directors Joe and Anthony Russo have promised some significant exploration of his backstory in the upcoming film. At the very least, this scene spawned a host of new comic readers eager to learn more about the villain.
Iron Man (2008) - You're Part Of A Bigger Universe
Widely hailed as the scene that started it all, the post-credits scene for the first
Iron Man film sent comic book fans and moviegoers into a frenzy. Featuring an appearance by Samuel L. Jackson as S.H.I.E.L.D. Director
Nick Fury, the scene hinted at the formation of the Avengers, giving many hope that we could one day see the superhero team unite onscreen.
While it was recently revealed by director Jon Favreau that the scene wasn't intended to be a very serious benchmark or indication of the MCU's direction, the cinematic history that has followed this scene only serves to give it a lot more weight in retrospect.
The Avengers (2012) - Avengers Assemble
It's difficult to find a shot that beats this one. Once thought cinematically impossible, Marvel Studios and Joss Whedon finally brought
The Avengers to the big screen in 2012 to overwhelming praise and excitement. For the first time, fans and non-fans alike got to see some of the biggest superheroes ever share the screen and unite to defeat a common foe. There was plenty of action throughout the film, but this shot of the team standing united for the first time goes down as the most memorable.
What were your favorite moments from the MCU? Do you think we missed anything? Let us know all your thoughts down below in the comments!