Marvel's Best: 5 Endings That Made Us Fall In Love With The MCU
It is emotional rollercoasters like these that could help Marvel win back the love of its audience.
Even though the MCU projects of the last couple of years have far outnumbered those of the early phases due to the transition to Disney+, there is a widespread belief that Marvel is in decline.
Many fans feel that it is the quantity over quality approach that is hurting the MCU's present and future, and turning audiences away from the superhero media franchise. But what exactly is quality?
What made audiences fall in love with the world of superheroes and want to catch each new film in theaters? What should the studio bring back to make the MCU successful again?
The short answer to that is – the attachment to the characters. The heroes of the MCU's golden age were extremely relatable and beloved by audiences. That's why watching them on the big screen turned into an addictive emotional roller coaster ride each and every time.
The best way to demonstrate this point is to look at the movie endings that we still hold dear to our hearts. If Marvel can recreate the excitement and emotional tension of at least one of these scenes in their future projects, they'll have a good shot at a renaissance.
Iron Man (2008)
Yep, it is the very first MCU movie that made us fall in love with the superhero universe and Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark. Probably the most powerful scene comes just before the credits roll. That's when Tony announces to the world that he is, in fact, the mysterious Iron Man.
It was a shocking and refreshing twist for the superhero genre at the time, and Marvel definitely needs to find something similarly new to wow audiences in the future.
The Avengers (2012)
The Avengers cemented the group of original MCU superheroes as a team. Even though some of the characters had never had a solo movie before, the movie did a great job of developing them and showing the amazing dynamics and chemistry within the team that captured the audience's imagination.
The ending, in which the members of the Avengers meet to say goodbye and exchange hilarious lines, only added to that impression.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
The ending of Infinity War is still etched in our minds as one of the most shocking plot twists ever. Watching the beloved superheroes lose badly and then turn to dust after Thanos' snap was just too genre-bending and unexpected.
Of course, in order to achieve that level of shock value with any of its future projects, Marvel needs to let viewers fall in love with its new characters first.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
While we knew the fight wasn't over after Infinity War, the finale of Endgame was pure devastation. The loss of three of the original Avengers hit us hard. Not a dry eye in the theater.
The ending not only beautifully wrapped up the entire Infinity Saga, but it also gave a fitting end to the arcs of beloved characters. Tony and Natasha sacrificed their lives for the greater good of the universe, and Steve Rogers finally got a chance to live for himself.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Probably the best MCU ending and one of the most powerful scenes in the entire franchise is when the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Ravagers give Yondu a space burial in the moment that was as breathtaking as it was tear-jerking.
We doubt that Marvel will be able to ever repeat the emotional scale of this scene, but it's certainly a gold standard that future generations of MCU filmmakers should strive for.