Ranking the best of the 23-film epic: ‘The Infinity Saga’.

The MCU has become a pop-culture juggernaut unlike anything prior in cinema history. While the concept of the cinematic universe, multi-franchise crossovers and co-franchise synergy certainly predates the MCU by several decades, it is Marvel who have turned the idea into an on-screen tour-de-force, unlike anything the world had seen before. Now; with the Infinity Saga at an end and the MCU moving into its highly anticipated Phase 4, it is time to step back and see what the best moments of the past twelve years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on-screen truly are.

For this ranking, each film will be limited to having only one moment on this list. It’s boring to see any film; singularly, dominate any top-ten tanking. Additionally, only the films qualify to have moments on this list. The Netflix Shows, ABC, etc. They deserve a ranking of their own and operate in such a different stylistic and narrative framework, that a direct comparison; especially with the Feige-Pearlmutter rivalry, is difficult.

Now that we’ve established the ground rules, let’s start with our honourable mentions.

HONOURABLE MENTION #5 – THOR RAGNAROK – WHAT WERE YOU THE GOD OF AGAIN?

Taika Waititi’s: ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ was a revelation for this flagging character’s franchise; transforming him into one of the most popular MCU heroes and this scene is a perfect example of why. Pinned down by Hela; Goddess of Death and an all-round terrible sibling, Thor speaks with his father one last time and receives wisdom through the sardonic, yet wholesome wit only Hopkins could pull off: “Are you Thor, the God of hammers?’. Advised to embrace his own strength, Thor does so in spectacular fashion and the scene evolves into a living heavy-metal album cover; set to the backing of Led Zeppelin’s iconic: ‘Immigrant Song’.

From Thor bringing thunder to soldiers of the undead on the Bifrost, to the Hulk punching a giant wolf off a waterfall into the void of space; this scene revels in comic-book wish fulfilment to the absolute maximum. Unquestionably one of the most fun scenes in the MCU, this-scene is arguably one of the best to show to someone outside the fandom; showing the crazy creative energy this franchise offers.

HONOURABLE MENTION #4 – SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING – THE DAD TALK

Being a teenager is hard. You never have enough money, your body turns against you and your homecoming date’s dad threatens to kill you… and that’s just Tuesday!

The standoff in this scene between Adrian Toomes and Peter Parker followed in the vein of brilliant Spiderman villain confrontations, though this was especially invasive and unique. With neither in costume and surrounded by normalcy all around them, Adrian’s threats land especially chillingly and even more unique is his ultimatum. For saving his daughter’s life, Adrian gives Peter a chance to walk away from his crusade against him; sparing his life in a gesture of respect. This cemented the uniqueness of this rivalry and played as a dark-reimagining of the terror of teenage boys everywhere, when meeting the parents of their crushes/girlfriends/etc.

HONOURABLE MENTION #3 – CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR – THE AIRPORT SHOWDOWN

One of the MCU’s most entertaining action-scenes, this splash-page come-to-life action scene is bursting with wish fulfilment moments, creative-action, great mini-exchanges and excellent action beats. During their tenure, the Russo Brothers proved that they understand multi-hero action and dialogue dynamics. Spiderman catching the Winter soldier’s arm effortlessly? Black Widow aiding Captain America at the eleventh hour? Wanda’s extremely effective counters but glass-cannon nature?

All of these things are proof of a creative team that knows how to balance in-universe logic with entertainment factor, creating engaging mashups where more and less powerful heroes constantly gain and lose the upper-hand; without ever feeling like a particular character has been nerfed. Every moment is based in believable emotional context and clever dynamics in the action.

In a universe full of brilliant imagery, not until Infinity War and Endgame themselves would so many iconic moments be set back-to-back: Spiderman stealing Captain America’s shield, Giantman’s arrival, the crippling of Rhodey, etc. to name but a few.

HONOURABLE MENTION #2 – CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER – I’M WITH YOU TILL THE END OF THE LINE

In a universe full of gods and monsters, terrors and wonders, frights and fights galore… sometimes, it is the simplest of promises between two friends that mean the most. As the Helicarriers fall around them, fire, smoke and steel coming together in the downfall of Hydra’s dystopian vision for humanity, the Winter Soldier beats away at Captain America. Screaming that his enemy is: “My mission!”, until a bloody, beaten man says back: “Then finish it. Because I’m with you till the end of the line”.

This promise had been tested through the second world war. It would be tested again in years to come, a commitment so strong that it would tear apart the Avengers themselves. Yet here was when it reached its dramatic peak, as Steve Rogers; the kid from Brooklyn, refuses to fight his traumatised and tortured friend any further. He would rather die than hurt Bucky anymore and this simple act of mercy shatters the Winter Soldier. From that moment on, the rebirth of Bucky Barnes begins. All because of a promise that was the foundation for one of the MCU’s finest friendships.

HONOURABLE MENTION #1 – SPIDERMAN: FAR FROM HOME – MYSTERIO IS THE TRUTH

In one of the most stunning VFX sequences of 2019, Spiderman is subject to a terrifying sequence of visual and emotional torture; courtesy of Jake Gyllenhaal’s electrifying turn as the master-of-illusions: Mysterio. From watching Michelle Jones be seemingly dropped off the Eiffel Tower, to the shattered corpse of Iron Man climbing from his grave and attacking him, this technology; once intended for advanced therapy by Tony Stark, likely left Peter Parker with a lot more psychological scars than it healed.

The brilliance of this scene’s visual inventiveness cannot be overstated, yet the writing is what elevates it to a truly standout scene in the MCU filmography. Here, Quentin gets the upper-hand on Peter by creating a scenario where Maria Hill is an illusion, Nick Fury is shot; potentially killed, while Beck tortures Peter with various horrifying imagery. Yet, at its apex; literally encased in Mysterio’s dome head, Fury brings him down and comes over to Peter, demanding to know who else is aware of Beck’s deceptions. Completely shaken and off-balance, Peter gives his friends’ names; only for Mysterio to reveal that this Fury too was an illusion; the last-piece of the puzzle to help him track down and eliminate all loose ends. A masterfully executed villainous manipulation, the man himself says it best: “It’s easy to fool people, when they’re already fooling themselves”.

All of these scenes are brilliant, yet what are the most truly phenomenal scenes of the MCU? The ones that; even generations from now, people will talk about with reverence? What are the scenes that offer the most incredible visual storytelling, the most emotive character-writing, the scenes that define the very heart of this juggernaut franchise?

Let’s begin the countdown.

10 – IRON MAN – FIRST FLIGHT

The iconic 2008 blockbuster that launched the MCU features one of the franchise’s absolute best ‘Suit up’ sequences, with the Mark II being taken for its first flight; by a delighted Tony Stark. In my mind, three things make this sequence so iconic: Firstly, its visual impressiveness and attention-to-detail. To this day, the Mark II (As well as Mark III) remains one of Industrial Light & Magic’s most impressive visual effects of the 21st century.

It feels tangible and somehow realistic; with a sense of weight that the scene’s writing conveys brilliantly. From slowly lifting off the ground, to smashing through the roof of the mansion; as well as a grand piano and classic Shelby car, this armour’s greatest accomplishment is causing the audience endless frustration in knowing it does not exist. It is a true work of visual-effects wizardry, where every movement, adjustment, calculation and second it is on screen shows consistent attention-to-detail: The HUD displays showing flight-paths, the machinery adjusting into place; even the fact that his display shows he will skim into the side of the mansion’s exit as he flies out. That is a creative-team working on top form and every visual-effects artist on that team deserve to be held in legendary regard by all film fans.

The second is the scene’s writing: Tony Stark’s safety conscious AI ‘JARVIS’ suggests they calculate more data before going anywhere, so of course Tony demands an immediate flight. Of course he then tries to break a world-record with not even minutes of flight experience; nearly killing himself in the process, before laughing giddily like a kid at Christmas as he narrowly avoids death.

All of this shows a hero who is supremely cocky but amazingly aspirational, recklessly bold but undeniably cool, as he commits himself to half-a-dozen choices that most would not even attempt with years of planning behind them. He is an exceptional character; flawed but likeable through his passion and hidden depth, which leads nicely onto the third and most important element of the scene: The performance of Robert Downey Jr. himself.

It is no exaggeration to say that without this performance, the MCU would likely have never gotten off the ground; it almost certainly would never have achieved the cultural dominance it now has. For eleven years, Tony Stark excited and amazed, captivated and frustrated, repulsed and impressed; all thanks to this ground-breaking performance. Downey’s performance here is a strong contender for the most culturally impactful in the 21st century, the entire modern-movie landscape would look very different without him and this scene displays perfectly what made that performance so great.

Imbuing Tony with a bold-swagger; masking guilt and pain, Robert sells the delight of his character’s success effortlessly. The manic laughter, the mixed screams of fear, excitement and joy; the smooth delivery at the scene’s beginning and end, dripping in absolute pride and confidence. To all the fans who started their MCU journeys with the original film, many must surely have known that they were witnessing the beginning of something incredible. By the end of his time in the MCU, Tony was a very different; yet equally brilliant character, defined by selfless empathy and moral courage. It was an incredible transformation but that original film still holds-up as one of his finest hours and this scene is a true testament to that and the powerhouse that was his performance.

9 – CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER – GRENADE!

Iron Man was the soul of the MCU for over a decade, yet Captain America was its heart for almost as long. Both characters would have excellent arcs, yet while Tony Stark would be defined by transformation; Steve Rogers would be equally regarded for his resoluteness. His unshakeable moral strength and in this scene, that instinctive goodness is shown at its absolute best.

A weak man; mocked and derided by his fellow soldiers, even the training instructor believes he is completely undeserving of receiving Erskine’s Super-Soldier Serum. He proposes a simple statement to the scientist: “You don’t win wars with niceness doctor, you win wars with guts” and throws a grenade into the group of training soldiers.

These men of brawn, muscles and malice; when faced with danger, scatter like lambs before the wolf, yet Steve Rogers runs straight towards it and covers what he believes to be an imminent danger to everyone around him with his own body. Had it been the real thing, this would have almost-certainly killed him; yet he instinctively gave up his life to protect them. Not because of their moral worth as people or because of any emotional connection. Instead, it was simply his inherent desire to protect life, to do the right thing; regardless of his means to do so in contrast to insurmountable odds.

This is one of the greatest examples of selflessness within the MCU and it establishes Captain America’s recurring presence in the franchise perfectly. Despite his soon-to-be-gained immense strength, he is almost always outmatched: Loki, HYDRA, Ultron, Thanos, time and time again he comes against villains who are so much more than he is. Yet, he holds true. Like the young man who stood up to a spiteful bully in the cinema-ally, he knows he has little chance alone; yet inspires others to follow him through that courage.

Regardless of whether the odds are hopeless: An interstellar warlord, a robot army or a grenade; seconds away from blowing him to pieces, he will never back down from what is right. It is this single, incredible quality; realised across multiple films and expertly established here, that made Captain America work in the modern-movie landscape as a moral paragon character. Ironically, Marvel may have cracked the formula for a good modern Superman adaptation before DC did: To admire values which seem so out-of-place in a morally chaotic world, we as the audience must see them tested and held to with courage and compassion; consistently. It is not about making the character ‘dark’, ‘relatable’ or ‘modern’. It is about showing how their courage shapes the world around them.

When that grenade fails to go off, it is clear to both the audience and characters who this man is: A paragon of decency. This is the scene where Peggy Carter; who to her everlasting credit was the only other person to run towards the grenade, begins to fall in love: Seeing a mirror to her own moral strength. It is the scene where Erskine affirms his decision with certainty, where the legend of Captain America begins and where even a man as renowned for coolness as Tommy Lee Jones, can only say in criticism: “He’s still skinny”.

8 – AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON – THE LAST ONE

I’m sure this will be a controversial choice for many, given this film’s lukewarm reception by the fandom and I do agree with many; though not all, criticisms of it. However, this scene; between the last Ultron-bot and Vision; the realised potential of what he could and should have been from the start, is one of the most brilliant scenes in the entire franchise.

What makes this exchange so powerful, is that it is a rumination on humanity by two robots; both born of the same inherently human desires. They are opposite expressions of the same intent, two sides of a dichotomy exploring one idea: How to save us? For Ultron, the very idea drove him to madness; the chaos of our actions too much for him to handle, until global genocide became his only option. For Vision, he bears the weight of the world and the human psyche within him; literally as he exists through the Mind Stone, yet that has forged within him an unbreakable empathetic spirit. So, what do these two ideological rivals conclude for humanity; when faced with each other’s perspective?

Well… that we’re doomed.

The embodiment of empathy & the tragedy of misguided pain. The saviour and the destroyer. God & the Devil. Many of these comparisons have been made about these children of humanity; who could have outlived both, yet their mutual agreement is a deeply sombre; sad moment. In-fact, the scene would be drowning in a sense of hopeless, fatalistic nihilism that I would likely condemn, if it weren’t for the dialogue that not only makes this work but elevates it to an astounding example of emotional introspection into humanity; both within and outside of the Marvel Universe:

Ultron: “They’re doomed”.
Vision: “Yes… but a thing isn’t beautiful because it lasts. It’s a privilege to be among them”.

That single line from Vision transforms this scene into one of the most heartfelt expressions of what the MCU means to people; especially in a post-Endgame world. These characters cannot keep going forever, either the actors move on or pass away or will otherwise be written out of the universe, because nothing goes on forever. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t treasure it while it lasts.

For all its flaws, Age of Ultron does embody this idea well. Iron Man’s obsessive ‘Suit of armour around the world”, Captain America’s longing for the past, Thor’s premonitions of losing home, Wanda and Pietro’s grief, even Black Widow and Bruce Banner’s self-hatred as monsters based in past traumas: All of them are trapped by their relationship with time, memory and knowledge. Ultron was their collective fear, anger and hatred manifested into one being; the ultimate ‘endgame’ if you will of what their mindset can drive people to: Obsession, resentment, fear and insanity. Vision in contrast, became their hope in overcoming that.

Vision therefore is not a bleak indictment of humanity but a hope for the future: Nothing is permanent but that’s okay. Because; to paraphrase, there is grace in our failings and there will always be opportunities for change. Pietro embraced this before he died, seeing the good an organisation like S.H.I.E.L.D could do, while ironically, the only character who knew this from the very beginning was Clint Barton. Though not technically part of this scene, it has always been an excellent example of editing that the Vision scene is immediately followed by Hawkeye returning to his family.

After the main villain’s death, this is what was immediately shown and after Tony Stark’s in Avengers: Endgame, it is his family once again that are shown as the first reunion. They anchor that film to its emotional core and what that value truly means is established in this scene. Laura’s emotional relief immediately after, at her husband’s survival is ultimately what every Avenger fights for and what the MCU is truly about. They may save a town, city, world or even universe but Laura, Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel Barton are who they are truly meaningful to.

Them and us.

7 – GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2 – YONDU’S FUNERAL

Death was; for a long time, something the MCU received significant criticism for shying away from. Characters would survive, return or otherwise escape deadly circumstances in ways that people were beginning to feel seriously frustrated by; pre-Infinity War & Endgame. However, one of the strongest deaths prior to Infinity War was that of the surprising standout of Guardians of The Galaxy 2: Yondu.

A fun, brash character in the first, the second peeled back his defences to reveal a deeply lonely and frustrated person on the inside; a victim of slavery and brutality for his entire life. Even more surprisingly, his entire dynamic with Peter Quill was re-contextualised in a way that did not feel cheap or slap-dash but instead offered genuine emotional insight into his character; alongside a compelling psychological study of how trauma can cause people to mask emotional needs and connections.

When his death came; giving his life for Starlord, it was heartfelt and deeply touching, yet the most standout part came in the Ravager funeral. Ostracised from his former family and friends for years, upon learning of their former scoundrel’s redemption through Rocket; the second biggest standout of the film, they came to honour him in a dazzling display of colour and emotion, set to backing track of ‘Father and Son – Tea for the Tillerman – Cat Stevens’. Considering how much of the narrative is defined by the absence, presence and impact of parental figures, I couldn’t think of a more perfect track to underscore this ending.

That is a huge part of what makes this ending so strong, as well as what it represents. Ego, Yondu’s parents, Thanos; all are held in contempt by the film’s end, yet Yondu himself shows what it means to overcome your worst self. To step up; when the chips are down and your adopted son’s biological father is threatening mass genocide, do the right thing and give anything to ensure your family and the one/s you love are safe.

Each character in this film struggles with their relation to family, either as an idea or something directly impacting them in the present: Yondu shows that it’s not about being perfect. It’s about committing yourself to those you love and his story offers the simple lesson: Do it as soon as you can. Embrace the life and love you can have, a message not lost on Rocket.

Constantly pushing people away with his mad antics in the first act of the story, Rocket’s defence mechanisms are nothing to Yondu; who calls them out with self-loathing contempt: “I know who you are boy, because you’re me!”. Once he dies and Rocket sees redemption, forgiveness and how true family will always honour the improvements of one another, his barriers melt away. The film’s final shot of him crying is an emotional release years in the making for this character and it hits incredibly powerful.

Starlord embraces Groot as a new son-figure, reaching out in ways his adoptive father never could. Gamora and Nebula have established a positive emotional connection for the first time, Drax gently compliments Mantis, Rocket and Quill reconcile and Gamora and Quill finally mutually confirm their shared chemistry. The most ironic and powerful thing is that; in Yondu’s death, the Guardians have now become more alive than ever. They are emotionally awakened, connected and re-committed to one another. Here, they definitively become a true family.

6 – GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY – YOU SAID IT YOURSELF B***H

A zealot wields ultimate power, ready to destroy the ancient enemy of his people. Ferociously, he calls down wrath against their gods and proclaims their salvation in fire and blood. He calls out a vicious Kree war-cry and then; upon the cusp of mass genocide, at the very edge of destruction… the main hero challenges him to a dance-off.

Need I say more?

Aside from having one of the best punchlines in the entire MCU; courtesy of ‘O-O-H CHILD” by The Five Stairsteps, this scene then evolves into one of the franchise’s most powerful gut-punches as Peter and Ronan both grasp for the Power Stone. Peter reaches it first but the sheer power is overwhelming, obliterating him piece-by-piece as he burns alone; his imminent death watched smugly by Ronan. Seconds away from destruction, Gamora; unwilling to let him die, offers her hand, knowing that it will almost certainly mean her own destruction. Peter; lost to the power flowing through him, turns and sees his long-lost mother, once again offering her hand. It is his second chance at the failure that has haunted him his entire life and this time, he doesn’t hesitate.

This scene’s transformation from comedic hilarity to emotional brutality is expertly handled, a vicious tonal shift that could only be smoothly handled by a creative at the top of their game and here, that’s exactly what director James Gunn was. His gang of misfits captured the hearts of audiences in 2014 and it is this scene that cements why: Faced with obliteration, they stand together and through that strength, the power of the universe itself is held at bay. Underscored by one of the franchise’s most underrated musical pieces: ‘Black Tears’ is Tyler Bates at his best, each beat raising the tension further and further; until the breaking point, as the music turns triumphant, Ronan’s face turns to disbelief and the Guardians stand together.

Every thematic point of the film: Grief, pain, sharing emotions, being trapped by and overcoming trauma; all coalesce in this astonishing moment, only visually heightened by the use of gorgeous IMAX cinematography. Beginning immediately following Starlord’s grabbing of the stone, it reinforces the visual storytelling as Starlord’s visceral screams convey it.

Within this story, the Power Stone serves as a metaphor for grief & death; showing the cost of both to those it touches. It begins the story on a dead-world; found by a grieving son, only to end up among misfits fleeing death and/or pasts drowning in grief. Gamora, Drax, Quill, all suffer the re-emergence in memories of what they’ve lost through it, while Rocket directly loses Groot in an attempt to stop it. When Starlord attempts to bear it on his own, he is being shredded at an atomic level; a visceral and physical translation of how grief feels to those it torments.

The only way to escape this is in the sharing of that burden, between those who understand. One-by-one, each member of the team embraces the stone and their inner-pain; yet in doing so, they master it through gained shared resilience. Their physical and emotional salvation came through each other and brought this embodiment of grief and one of the six most powerful objects in the universe down to their level, because their shared strength was greater still.

Ronan’s aghast fury provides the icing on the cake for this phenomenal scene, as he stares in terrified shock: “You’re mortal… how?!”. The final irony for him is that he gave his enemies the name that would bring his own destruction: Each guarded the other in their moment of weakness, each was the other’s strength and together; Ronan had nothing to rival that. As Starlord himself says:

“We’re the Guardians of the Galaxy”.

5 – THE AVENGERS – I’M ALWAYS ANGRY

Sometimes, a scene has deep metaphorical connotations. Sometimes, a scene explores characters in a deeply complex and beautiful way; that will stick with you for years to come. Sometimes however… a scene is pure awesomeness and that is what this is. The scene that birthed a thousand imitators: The Dark Universe, the Monsters Universe; even DC scrambled to ape this success as quickly as possible.

Because make no mistake; until 2012, this scene was viewed as culturally impossible by many. A dream in the minds of comic-book fans only and yet; here we are, not even a decade on and we can see what this success has led to. Nearly a decade of filmmaking can see its roots in this scene, in the uproarious success it brought to its film and the MCU as a whole. The shared universe idea was vindicated here: It was not only possible to bring multiple unique, vastly different characters in style, tone and ideologies together; from multiple franchises: It was highly profitable.

What is the magic ingredient of this scene? Witty dialogue? Costumed characters; together in battle, facing a shared threat? Impressive visual effects? These all help but thousands of blockbuster movies share similar elements; yet few standout like this, so what is that makes this so special? Ultimately, I would argue that it boils down to one key element. The climax of this scene brings the team together in an effortless crescendo of everything the entire franchise has been building towards. Working together, the Hulk and Iron Man destroy the Chitauri Leviathan, Captain America shields Black Widow and the six-form together in a shared circle to defend one-another and plan their response to the enemy.

It is an exceptionally triumphant way for almost six-film’s worth of storytelling to come together, a phenomenal display of cinematic self-confidence and one that; unlike so many imitators failed attempts, completely sticks the landing. It is a royal flush at the poker table and was; for many years, the defining scene for shared-universe storytelling. Even with it now having been usurped, this scene remains the original calling card from Marvel; putting everything on the line, only to win it all. Pure wish fulfilment and a superb example of escapist thrills, this scene remains one of the most memorable and impactful in the last decade.

4 – BLACK PANTHER – JUST BURY ME IN THE OCEAN

Great villains are the bedrock of great films. A hero; intensely challenged, will often become iconic just through the strength of their conflict with a memorable antagonist. Wild schemes, badass costumes, terrifying presences, all can offer much to make a fantastic rival for our main protagonist/s.

Yet the greatest villains fundamentally change their heroes, their impact felt long after they have been defeated/killed/etc. Luke Skywalker became a mature, empathetic hero after battling his father, Clarice Starling was a fundamentally stronger person after surviving Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill’s trials and in this scene, Black Panther is fundamentally changed by the death of villain Erik Killmonger, otherwise known as Prince N’Jadaka of Wakanda.

Driven by the death of his father and the global, systemic racism towards Black people, this is one of the best-written death scenes for an antagonist, ever put to film. After a movie full of vicious rage and emotion; when faced with his own death, Erik’s anger largely slips away and he falls into a dejected state. Michael B. Jordan’s performance is emotionally harrowing, as he delivers one of this scene’s biggest gut-punch lines:

“My pop said Wakanda was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He promised he was gonna show it to me one day. You believe that? Kid from Oakland, running around believing in fairy tales“.

The emotional brutality of this line comes in the fact that Wakanda is both a symbol and living proof in the MCU of what Africa could have been, were it not for the horrors of colonisation that exploited and tore apart the continent’s people and wealth. Through its access to Vibranium, Wakanda escaped a similar fate but to a man like Erik; an African-American growing up with all the horrors of racism atop his father’s death, this is an impossible dream. A fairy-tale that he loathes himself for believing, as his death in the very place he hoped would break this global oppression has shattered any hope he had left.

Michael B. Jordan’s performance highlights the character’s despair and Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa watches in anguish, having to witness a family member die who; though a vicious ideologue, ultimately had a fire for genuine reform inside him that he has had to snuff out. These two were both rivals from mistakes they never made, injustices that should have never happened and evils that are beyond anything they ever deserved to face. That is the basis for a truly devastating emotional conclusion to a hero-villain dynamic.

The scene truly nails the fundamental sadness of this when; in an act of mercy, T’Challa takes Erik to view the Wakandan sunset; an especially clever visual irony of the sun-setting on his dream of a Wakandan empire: Something he claimed would never happen. Yet; as he witnesses true beauty, for a moment, a man consumed by rage can finally feel a sense of peace. However, it is in T’Challa’s next offer that the audience is truly hit by the depth of Erik’s pain and resolve. When offered a chance to be healed, Erik derides the idea and delivers the greatest final line for a villain in the entire MCU:

“Just bury me in the ocean, with my ancestors who jumped from the ships. Because they knew death, was better than bondage”.

In a franchise full of spectacular escapist thrills, this line is a cold, hard slap of reality; a chilling emotional introspection into the corrupting power of racism to a person’s soul. Because to him, in death there is freedom and so, it is a far-better fate for he and his people than enslavement and brutalisation. It is a choice no-one should have ever had to consider, yet so many have or do fear this. It is an incredibly hard-hitting line because there is a raw emotional truthfulness to it, both in so much of Black history and an embodiment of the cultural rage and fear so many live with now.

As Killmonger pulls out the blade to end his life, it hits you that this villain wanted vengeance and cruelty, reprisals and retribution, viciousness and villainy beyond what a moral society can allow; even as recompense for the worst of past-sins. Yet when faced with his own-mortality, he chose to die; rather than live in the same world that his people suffered in.

To him, the world was far too-cruel to endure for another second of powerlessness. In a time where black people have ended up under the knees of police officers, where the most powerful man in the world can proclaim those kneeling in support ‘shouldn’t be in the country’ and where a global pandemic has disproportionately impacted minorities, this kind of scene reflects an emotional-distress all too real for so many millions.

While my top-three favourites each mean more to me for reasons I shall soon elaborate on, this may remain; for some time, the most important and socially-relevant scene the MCU has ever done.

3 – AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR – THE SNAP

The villain never wins. For years, this was as true in Marvel as anywhere else; with little more than horror movies and the odd crime-thriller being the exception. To be sure, some of their villains left lasting damage, strong impacts or ‘won’ through ideological/emotional victories, such as with Zemo or Erik Killmonger. But a total victory? Their goals fully accomplished, the heroes dead and/or broken, the villain alive, successful and happy? That would never happen.

Until it did.

This was a once-in-a-generation pop-culture moment. The kind of jaw-dropping experience that; decades from now, people will still remember in the same vein as the: “I am your Father” twist: A completely unexpected, horrifying, chilling moment; that leaves you rocked to your very core. What makes this sequence so devastating is that it is; largely, a near-silent expression of unfathomable emotional pain.

Devoid of music until the final moments, every single-sound is drawn out like a blade. As Thanos retreats through a portal, Stormbreaker crashes down to earth; the sound ringing in Thor and the audience’s ears, like the hell-horns of doom. Chris Hemsworth’s near-paralysed expressions of emotional terror are haunting, as the audience watches the events unfold with growing shock and despair. Cultural icons; new and old, disappear as dust in the wind. Bucky Barnes, T’Challa, Groot, Wanda Maximoff, Sam Wilson.

What makes each moment so devastating is that the scene never cuts away quickly to the next one but instead gives each person who dies a person to react, to mourn, to be torn apart by their loss or desperate to find them in the chaos. Wanda is the only true exception and her looking over Vision’s own lifeless body, until the very last moments of her own life is harrowing enough; a glimpse at a character truly defeated and broken, robbed of their last hope.

This brutal formula repeats on Titan, though with a generous extra-helping of emotional torment as Peter Parker; one of the MCU’s most likeable and exciting new heroes, dies scared and afraid in the arms of his mentor and surrogate father-figure. For those in the UK who watched Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War on opening night, they had the pleasure to witness him die exactly two years after his introduction: 26th April 2016 & 26th April 2018.

Thanks Marvel.

Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr. nail this moment, paying off three films of emotional development (four if you count the Iron Man 2 retcon) in a tragic way; with Spiderman getting the long-awaited hug in a way we never wanted to see. Thankfully, Endgame lifted that particular trauma off our hearts but it was still brutal to witness and that leads onto one of the best aspects about this.

It would have been so easy to end the film on Thanos snapping, begin Avengers: Endgame with the Snap and have it be undone in the same film. Would that have been awful? Probably not. Would it have had anything like the cultural impact it did? Not a chance. The Snap was an agonisingly evil, clever, sadistic and genius move from Marvel, making us feel every single day of wait until Endgame showed us how we were going to get our heroes back and just who we would lose to get them. Spoiler alert for the 1 and a half people who haven’t seen Endgame, we lost the very-best of them. (RIP Tony & Natasha)

Yet the greatest loss would have been the film’s final moments and that incredible final shot: Thanos; the Mad Titan, after winning against the entire roster of this universe’s heroes, does exactly what he said he would. Not conquer, kill, laugh or villainously revel in destruction. Instead, he sits down; overlooking a farm on a beautiful planet, then smiles peacefully at a job well done.

Then the film ends.

That simple, peaceful ending; underscored by the hauntingly beautiful ‘Porch’ by Alan Silvestri, as death and destruction sweeps the universe, is both unbelievably horrifying and ecstatically genius. The film ends on Thanos’s terms, watching him as he smiles; yet we know that his actions are horrific, so to see this victory leaves a true sinking feeling in the stomach. It is the kind of ending that a great hero gets after a long, trouble road to victory and seeing Thanos corrupt that idea is the perfect way to end this devastating movie moment.

Thanks to this moment; as well as the subsequent losses taken to undo Thanos’s victory here, the MCU feels more dangerous, consequence-driven and thus, engaging than ever. In a snap of his fingers, that evil oversized grape changed what was possible for on-screen comic book storytelling; forever.

2 – DR. STRANGE – THE MEANING OF LIFE & DEATH

Earlier in this countdown, I said that Ultron’s death scene offered a powerful look into what these characters mean to people. It is a scene I would consider one of the moral-pillars of the MCU, yet this is the scene I would argue is the bedrock of their emotional and creative philosophy. It is the heart of what every MCU story; in some shape or form, either builds towards, embodies or is impacted by. To put it simply, it is the baseline moral-heart and message of the entire franchise.

In this scene, we witness the death of the Ancient One, the Sorceress Supreme who has guided Dr. Strange towards greatness throughout the story. Now; fatally wounded by the secondary antagonist Kaecilius, she speaks with Steven one-last-time. In a film with the most creative, insane visuals of the franchise, powerful sorcery and multi-dimensional action, it is extraordinary that the most powerful scene is a simple conversation; albeit it being set to the gorgeous backdrop of time running at one-thousandth of its normal-speed.

As lightning forms in the distance and the snow creeps down like glittering diamonds, the Ancient One offers Strange the key advice that cements his ego-death and transition into a selfless hero. A simple breakdown of his mindset around the fear of failure as a motivator, before delivering the four-words that change him forever:

“It’s not about you”.

The cinematography in this scene had been exclusively focussed on shots behind the two characters; regardless of whether they are close-ups, wides, etc. Immediately after the delivery of this line, the camera arcs around the back of the Ancient One’s head; Stephen Strange visually passing through her, as his emotional perspectives are forever changed. From then on, the scene is shot exclusively from in-front of them; with the exclusion of a handful of wide-shots behind them that do not properly show the face. This cinematography is a masterful way to convey emotional change and is the best character-driven cinematography in the entire MCU. Simple, yet beautiful; complex in design, yet easily understood in intent.

If this were all the scene offered, it would still perhaps be a contender for the top ten list; yet it is the following exchange that truly makes this an astounding example of superhero-writing. Faced with the scale of what he must battle, Steven Strange admits his fear, saying: “I’m not ready” and the Ancient One’s response?

“No one ever is. We don’t get to choose our time. Death is what gives life meaning. To know your days are numbered. Your time is short”.

This statement is one of the most genuinely heartfelt, emotionally powerful and morally uplifting ways of viewing death that I have ever encountered in any film; let alone the superhero sub-genre. It accepts the immovability, the inevitability, yet embraces this as the ultimate expression of humanity. This is a deeply-powerful piece of advice for our own lives; to live not in fear, but in pursuit of a life that makes that fear a part of ourselves to live with, not our cruel master in terror or bitterness.

More than that however, it is the central message of the Infinity Saga.

Death; one way or another, will claim that which we love eventually. The characters we relish will fade away, yet the journeys they take, the emotions they inspire; that is the what makes the stories meaningful. The Age of Ultron scene highlighted why we care about these characters so much, seeing them as living representations of our own fears, strengths, successes and failures; we find ‘Grace in their failings’ and joy in witnessing how that plays out across multiple stories.

Yet Dr. Strange goes even deeper into this idea and shows that both within and without the Marvel universe, death is the deepest humaniser for our lives; not its invalidator. It is a deeply comforting scene on a soulful level, a beautiful expression of humanistic principles and; despite this inspiring moment, does not forget the humanity in its characters.

“You’d think after all this time I’d be ready. But look at me, stretching one moment out into a thousand, just so I can watch the snow”.

In this gentle moment of emotional honesty, Strange’s ego melts away and Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance conveys an emotional rawness that shows this scene’s true intelligence. That ultimately; even with that knowledge, we’re only human and death is still terrifying but that’s okay. It’s not about overcoming fear. It’s about embracing the fact that; while time remains, you can still watch the snow. For its not about you. It’s about life.

That is the defining message of the MCU.

1 – AVENGERS: ENDGAME – PORTALS

Okay, I can see the eye-rolling.

“This is such a cliché top choice!” you say.

“A geek picking a scene out of mega fan-service delight; for their own biases!”.

To respond to that, I would refer you to renowned Chemistry teacher Walter White:

However, this is no ordinary fan-service.

This was eleven-years of build-up.

This was twenty-two movies.

Ten-different character franchises.

Dozens of heroes and thousands of hours of speculation with friends, complaints, praise, worries, hopes, dreams, fears, all building towards this moment. The moment where Captain America stands alone against an entire army, in the most beautiful extreme-wide the sub-genre has ever seen. In this moment of hopeless, of absolute despair; he holds-true, with his reward being a voice from the dead restored:

“On your left”.

From this moment onwards, my best friend; who I saw Endgame with on my first viewing, says I went into a panic-attack from sheer excitement. I was shaking, in a meltdown from pure geekgasm ecstasy and my eyes wouldn’t have left that cinema screen if nuclear fire had seared my bones or for a hundred naked supermodels walking by. Every additional hero’s return was a new level of nirvana, overloading my senses; blasting through my genetic emotional autistic restraint like Mjolnir through glass. I couldn’t believe the pure joy I was experiencing.

This scene is not the deepest in the MCU. It does not offer soulful human commentary or thematically rich introspection into modern issues of race, politics or the human condition. Instead, it is pure wish fulfilment. It is not the heart or soul of the MCU, it is the dream, the golden-apple, the ultimate fantasy and the greatest scene in shared-universe storytelling of all-time. An emotional impact this visceral, this deep; this hyper-invested in so many tonally and emotionally different characters, is simply not possible in a conventional story format.

This is the scene the MCU was launched to; one-day, create. It is the magnum opus of cinematic universe writing; easily eclipsing the incredible first Avengers movie iconic 360-degree circle shot, yet this makes it look pitifully small-scale. Bigger is by no means better; yet here, that is exactly what happens with astounding style and impact.

To reach such a point of hopeless frustration, wondering how the heroes could ever beat Thanos; only to see this occur, is like bottling delight as a magic elixir and guzzling it by the barrel-load. Black Panther, Okoye and Shuri leading the way; the living symbols of Afrofuturism, says so much without a word needing to be said. Falcon’s emergence just brings more portals in his wake; now made gateways and symbols of restored connection, as ally after ally emerges.

Spiderman’s return in particular tugs the heart-strings, the shouts of the Wakandan army crying: “Yibambe!” is almost criminally uplifting and Thanos’s disbelieving stare; as Cap looks back to him, now ready to face him with all the allies he could ever ask for, is the stuff that pure sadistic delight is birthed from. At that point, rounding it off with Cap finally delivering that iconic: “Avengers Assemble” line is just the bright-red cherry, on top of the chocolate mountain, standing atop the sea of gold; surrounded by the continents of pure-sugar, that is this scene.

The music; appropriately named ‘Portals’, is a fundamental part of the magic and it is; without question, one of the most impressive tracks Alan Silvestri has ever composed. A John Williams level piece in-quality, the phenomenal music is just one part of the production-equation that brought this goliath scene to life.

Every element came together perfectly and the entire production team; especially Anthony and Joe Russo, should be forever proud of themselves. A comic-book splash page truly come-to-life, it is not the deepest or most complex thing ever put to film. Instead, it is a pure expression of comic-book joy, the revelry of filmmakers, fans and a studio building an empire that culminated in one of the most fun, jaw-dropping, melt-your-face fantastic payoff scenes in all of cinema history.

I could talk about this scene for another 10,000 words, yet if I were to boil down what makes this the best scene; I’d day this. Every other example on this list, may or may not lift my spirits on a bad day. Most often, they would or at least offer emotional catharsis through fictional emotional intensity. But not everytime.

Portals has yet to fail to bring a giddy smile and childhood glee from me. To be completely honest, I think it always will and in today’s chaotic world; that can make all the difference.

Nuff said.

So there we have it. That’s my list but what do you all think? Do you agree, disagree and what do you hope; in time, will be scenes that could feature on your own future top ten lists? Please get in touch and share with me, your top ten MCU moments.