Although the MCU has come a long way since 2008, it hasn’t exactly been trending in the right direction over the past few years. Since Avengers: Endgame, many of Marvel’s films have experienced both critical and commercial failure, while their Disney Plus shows have underwhelmed completely.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where things have gone wrong recently, but one possible explanation is that the stories themselves are no longer compelling. Both Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania forwent their stories in favor of jumping straight into the action, rendering them both episodic.
Of course, action is important for a superhero franchise, but it’s not everything. The MCU, at its best, thrives off great characters and stories that bring the most out of them. Over the years, the MCU has accumulated plenty of great character moments before focusing on fun action.
As such, I’m ranking the ten best MCU scenes that have no action at all. Some might follow fight scenes, while others might start them. But overall, they add depth to our heroes, ensuring that we are watching actual stories worth adding CGI epic fights.
10. “I Am Iron Man”- Iron Man
It’s easy to forget the impact that Iron Man’s ending had in 2008, especially since it’s become so iconic. But back then, Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr) admission was nothing short of a subversive title wave for superhero fans.
Up until then, superheroes always hid their identities to protect their loved ones. It's a rule that Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man all agreed on, and it even played a role in The Incredibles too.
Now, we know Tony Stark isn’t like other superheroes well before his final press conference. A rockstar of a billionaire, Stark never has trouble flaunting his wealth or style. Even after he develops the Iron Man armor, Stark paints it gold and red, the most unsubtle color scheme possible. But still, there’s no way that Stark would ignore the most crucial superhero rule, right?
As Stark gets up on the podium, with predetermined answers courtesy of SHIELD’s Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg), it seems that just for a moment he’s willing to play into the cover story. But then, like always, Stark takes the only road he knows and says what he wants to: “I Am Iron Man.”
Even as a superhero, Stark will not adhere to the rules that any agency prescribes him. It was a bumpy, war-torn route to becoming Iron Man, but he did it his way and that’s how he'll do it for the rest of the MCU.
9. Ego’s Reveal- The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Unsurprisingly, the MCU has quite a knack for delivering surprising reveals. From the Zola/Hydra reveal in Captain America: The Winter Soldier to other scenes on this list, the MCU has the capability of not only rewriting what you knew but doing so with maximum impact.
Enter Ego (Kurt Russell), Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) estranged celestial father from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Despite the charisma Russell brings to every role, something feels off about Ego from the moment he steps on screen. Along with Quill, we’re wondering where’s he’s been, but his entire planet seems suspicious. It's not until Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) discover a massive graveyard underground that we know for sure that Ego is evil.
Shortly after, Ego finally tells Quill that he needs him to complete his “expansion,” which is a galaxy wide genocide. Stuck in a celestial trance, Quill doesn’t snap out of it until Ego’s biggest reveal: he killed Quill’s mother. His biggest connection to the earth world, Quill finally snaps out of it and shoots Ego.
It’s a devastating reveal not only because we know how much pain losing his mother caused Quill, but because Ego seemed to genuinely have loved her too. Fortunately, it’s enough of a shock to snap Peter back into hero mode and eventually stop his genocidal father for good.
8. Vision Kills Ultron- Avengers: Age of Ultron
Outside of comedic lines, the MCU’s dialogue is typically average. However, that’s not the case for one of the MCU’s most beautiful moments, Vision (Paul Bettany) killing the last Ultron (James Spader).
As the Avengers wrap up their last battle, they must kill every Ultron so that he can’t get away and create new bodies. With only one left, Vision corners him, but he doesn’t kill him right away. Instead, they converse for a moment about the highs and lows of humanity.
Throughout this short conversation, we experience some of humanity’s great fears. Ultron faces total annihilation, prompting him to exhibit the all too human fear of death. It’s especially potent for him, as his mission was to create a perfect version of himself that would last forever.
However, there’s also the fear that humanity itself is doomed, as both Vision and Ultron agree they’re too flawed to make it. Even though some of us won’t admit it, recent events show just how devastating our flaws can be, giving large credence to the duo’s argument.
But as Ultron’s pessimistic anger pours out, Vision argues that it’s not permanence that creates beauty. Humanity will never be perfect, but they endear despite those flaws. Ultron of course resists this idea and is killed by Vision, but the moment overall offers hope in a world where everything seems to go wrong constantly. Everyone has to grapple with their own end like Ultron, but if we take the time to foster beauty throughout our lives, then perhaps there’s nothing to really fear.
7. The Ancient One Dies- Doctor Strange
Another one of the knocks against the MCU, especially early on, was that nobody ever died. While I heavily disagree with killing characters off just because, the MCU absolutely nailed the death of Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) mentor, the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton).
After a fight with former student, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelson), the Ancient One falls off a skyscraper onto the cement sidewalk. Strange rushes her to his old hospital, but he can’t save her. Instead, she astral projects out onto the balcony where she and Strange talk before a slowed down lightning storm.
As the rain trickles down, the Ancient One discusses how she has tried to prolong her life for centuries but must still die. She’s left her body now just so that she can have a few more seconds on earth. But she certainly doesn’t waste them, as she tells Strange that after all he’s been through, he’s still more focused on himself than everyone else.
The Ancient One’s final words not only delve into existential fears, but also expose Strange’s undying self-absorption. Despite everything he’s done in the movie so far, he’s still missing the point: avoiding death isn’t the point of life. Realizing that there’s a world outside ourselves with people worth saving is why we’re here. Without this moment, Strange would never make his time bending sacrifice in the third act, which completes his arch from pseudo savior to actual hero.
6. Liz’ Dad- Spider-Man: Homecoming
Another moment of sheer shock, the reveal that Liz’s (Laura Harrier) dad is actually supervillain Vulture (Michael Keaton) is brilliantly set up. After Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is condemned by Tony Stark for destroying the Long Island Ferry, he hangs up the Spidey Suit for a while.
Instead, he puts his mind off of it by getting ready for the homecoming dance in a classic 80’s teen comedy montage. It’s a fun moment and nice homage that abruptly stops when Adrian Toomes answers Liz's door.
From the moment that Peter sees Liz’s dad, we feel nothing but tension. There’s the “father protecting his little girl” in Adrian, but we can’t tell how much he knows. During the ride though, Adrian asks a few more questions and starts to realize who his daughter is actually dating.
They arrive at the school and Liz goes in, but Adrian makes the first play by pulling a gun on Peter. He doesn’t shoot though, and instead offers Peter a chance to have a good night at the dance, as long as he stops interfering with his plans. But if he sees him again, he vows to kill Spider-Man.
It’s a moment full of intensity from start to finish, but it also develops Peter’s character. Even though he’s just trying to have a nice normal teenage night, evil still finds him.
Peter will never have that normal life and if he wants to be a true hero he knows he must answer the call. Of course, he does, and leaves Liz to take the down the vulture and redeem himself for his earlier mistakes.
5. December 16th, 1991- Captain America: Civil War
Of all the curtains that the MCU pulled on us, this one from the final act of Captain America: Civil War was easily the most devastating. It wasn’t a huge surprise given that fans theorized that the Winter Soldier was responsible for killing Howard (John Slattery) and Maria (Hope Davis) Stark, but the emotional impact of seeing Stark watch his parents die is nothing but haunting.
The emotional devastation of this reveal is set up not just in Civil War itself, but throughout the entire MCU. Howard Stark’s legacy looms over Tony in the first Iron Man film, but their stressed relationship is fully explored in the sequel. With Tony dying, he’s forced to confront who his father really was, something he's been putting off for decades.
Their fractured relationship still dictates Stark’s decisions, as evidenced by the B.A.R.F. tech at the beginning of the film that he uses to relive a memory of his parents. It’s a personal battle that Stark still fights, but that’s not the only emotional baggage he has in Civil War.
Throughout the film, he’s reeling over the guilt from creating Ultron, no longer with his love Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), trying his best to hold the Avengers together, and must later deal with his best friend, Col. Rhodes (Don Cheadle), becoming severely injured.
By the time that Stark finds out the man who murdered his parents is the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), he can’t hold anything in. Downey Jr sells Stark’s distress, which quickly bubbles over into blind rage.
Captain America (Chris Evans) tries to stop him, but it’s too late, and the Avengers are lost. It’s a personally devastating way to end a film rife with big action pieces and superhero politics, but it’s that personal fallout that makes this split so believable.
4. The Hospital Scene- The Guardians of the Galaxy
Just about everything we need to know about Peter Quill, the notorious outlaw Star-Lord, comes in the opening scene of James Gunn’s surprise sci-fi hit. When we first find him, he’s burrowed in 10cc’s “I’m Not In Love” on his Walkman. It’s a much slower song than others on the soundtrack, but it reflects the somber tone of the tragedy at hand.
His Grandpa (Gregg Henry) then comes to pull him into the hospital room, the very reason he’s tuning the world out. There, he finds his mother (Laura Haddock) battling cancer. They talk about how Peter gets into fights to defend the weak, and his mother smiles at him before giving him a gift. Suddenly, she then flatlines, asking Peter to take her hand. Sadly, he doesn’t and is overcome with grief before being whisked away by Yondu (Michael Rooker).
The traumatizing scene dictates much of the rest of Quill’s life. His love of music stems from the connection he and his mother shared, evidenced by the mixtape she gifted him. His sense of justice remains intact too, as he ends up becoming one of the galaxy’s greatest heroes. Most of all though, he runs away from his traumatic earth life until he finally rights his mistake by taking Gamora’s hand at the end of the film.
Packing so much of Quill’s arch into just a few minutes, the opening scene balances character building with emotional impact before the space lunacy of raccoons and trees truly blasts off.
3. Spider-Man Dies- Avengers: Infinity War
There was a lot to process for MCU fans after the dramatic ending of Infinity War, such as our infallible heroes losing for the first time. Then, there were the character deaths such as Gamora, Vision, and fan favorite Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Still, nothing compared to the wave of death at the end, which crescendos with the dusting of Marvel’s all time most popular hero, Spider-Man.
The Russo brothers maximized the impact of the dusting deaths because most of the characters that died were ones we never expected too. Many fans theorized that the old Avengers might die and the newer ones like Dr. Strange and Spider-Man would, well, avenge them.
Instead, a plethora of new characters blew away before our eyes, with the most surprising and impactful being Spider-Man.
As the team on Titan soaked in their loss, the Guardians of the Galaxy and Doctor Strange disappeared before Tony Stark’s eyes. Then, Peter Parker, who Stark recruited, starts to turn to dust. He realizes this and completely breaks down, begging for his life in Stark’s arms before dying.
It’s here that the inner kid of Peter Parker is really emphasized. He’s enjoyed the highs of superhero life, like fancy tech and fame, but now he must deal with a grim fate he’s not ready for. His useless pleading shows how unprepared he was for this, which makes his end more tragic.
Stark, who knew this threat was coming but failed to protect the Earth, is left to soak in failure. Peter dying only cements the personal nature of this defeat, as it was Stark who first saw the hero potential in Peter. It’s a depressingly brutal ending for a blockbuster, even if it’s eventually reversed in the next film.
2. Tony Says Goodbye- Avengers: Endgame
Surprisingly, the MCU decided not to include an excess of action scenes in Avengers: Endgame. Sure, there’s the extravagant final battle with every superhero from twenty films or so, but besides that there’s not too many fight scenes across its three-hour runtime.
Instead, we have many touching character moments in what will be their last film. Some explore the grief they can’t shake after losing to Thanos (Josh Brolin), while others offer up a tearful goodbye in this MCU finale. It’s the latter that makes it here in the form of Tony Stark’s prerecorded goodbye.
During the battle for Earth, Tony Stark epically sacrifices himself to defeat Thanos and finishes the fight he started in 2012. It’s a touchingly fitting way for Stark’s character to end, but he’s still not done.
Through a monologue, Stark discusses how far the Avengers have come, which doubles for how far the MCU itself has come. He waxes poetically about the other worlds that they never would've imagined years ago, as we see the places he’s revitalized and the families he’s reunited. Lastly, he qualms any worries over the future by telling his daughter Morgan (Lexi Rabe) that he loves her 3000.
This goodbye exemplifies why we love superheroes, especially Iron Man. Coming a long way from the self-centered billionaire he was in Iron Man, Stark has now saved countless families and worlds.
Even more, he sacrificed a life with his own family so that billions of others could have their own happy endings. Everywhere from New York City to the fantastic Wakanda are safe now because of Stark.
There’s still a level of uneasy sadness lingering over from Stark’s death, but Stark reassures us himself by saying, “Everything’s gonna work out exactly how it’s supposed to.”
Of course, he means the Avengers defeating Thanos, but he’s also talking about how life will hurt us and beat us down, but not without reason. When he was kidnapped by terrorists sixteen years ago, it proved to be the catalyst Stark needed to become a great hero. In his last moments with Morgan, he plays the hero one last time by assuring us that even the saddest moments have their reasons and that it all works out in the end.
1. Cap’s Perfect Ending- Avengers: Endgame
But despite Tony’s perfect goodbye, nothing in the MCU is quite as satisfying or emotionally moving as Cap’s perfect ending. If anyone deserved a happy ending in the MCU, it's probably Captain America. The perfect soldier and worthy man spends most of his first film trying to prove himself, only to lose his life and love Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) to save the world.
From then on, Steve Rodgers is a man who doesn’t fit in anywhere. Even though he leads the Avengers and is a great SHIELD agent, his high morals and stubborn beliefs end up clashing against the world around him. He does have friends he cares about like Bucky and Natasha (Scarlett Johansson), but he’s never a man who fits in.
As such, Captain America decides to walk away from the Avengers after their final battle. When returning the Infinity Stones and Mjolnir from another timeline, Rodgers decides to stay. Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) becomes worried, but soon realizes that an older version of Rodgers is nearby.
Rodgers tells him that he lived the life he never had a chance to before giving him the shield. Wilson asks about a wedding ring, but Rodgers doesn't answer. Instead, we get the perfect shot of Rodgers dancing with Peggy Carter, which cuts to black right as they kiss.
With time travel and bending logic, it’s the ending the could only exist in a Hollywood superhero film. However, it’s incredibly satisfying to see that Steve Rodgers, who gave everything of himself for the world time and time again, gets to live a peaceful life with his true love.
It’s a brilliant end to the Infinity Saga, showing that the characters are ultimately the heart and soul of the MCU. While the fight scenes will always be fun, they just wouldn’t have the same impact without these characters to root for. The best fan service of the entire franchise, Cap’s happy ending is a heartfelt MCU scene that’ll stay with audiences for a long, long time.
