The movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the Marvel movies that came before it, offer some incredible endings, leaving a profound impact on comic book movie fans. For the most part, the endings of Marvel movies are better known for the MCU’s post-credits scenes, which always promise a teaser of the next film to come. It’s important to keep in mind that the actual final beats of a film before these are often amazing in their own right, ensuring each Marvel movie ends on a high note.
The various films underneath the Marvel banner achieve this through several ways. Many times, an emotionally devastating gut punch is held off until the final moments of a given film, ensuring that it leaves audiences walking out of the theater with an emotional impact. Other times, Marvel movies will simply end in a cheeky one-liner that promises more to come in a truly epic fashion. While superhero movies can have some great opening scenes, their final moments are often just as good, if not better.
Related The MCU’s Unexpected Agents Of SHIELD Link Addressed By Marvel Show Star
One of the biggest storylines from the later seasons of the Agents of SHIELD TV show gets addressed by one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe stars.
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10 Shuri Meets Her Nephew
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 
4.0 9
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the sequel to the 2018 film Black Panther and is part of Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Gripping with the passing of their king, the nation of Wakanda attempts to figure out how to move forward with Queen Mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) at the helm. However, a nation in grieving is not observed by all, as soon Wakanda comes under attack by the underwater civilization of Talocan, led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta.) Wakanda will enlist allies outside and from within to push back this new invading threat and ensure that Wakanda truly does live on forever.
Director Ryan Coogler Release Date November 11, 2022 Cast Winston Duke , Dominique Thorne , Michaela Coel , Danai Gurira , Angela Bassett , Lupita Nyong’o , Letitia Wright , Martin Freeman Runtime 2h 41m
The second Black Panther film was faced with the impossible task of creating a sequel that could live up to the late Chadwick Boseman’s legacy as T’Challa while staying respectful to his passing. Amazingly, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was able to accomplish just that, taking a vengeful and grieving Wakandan royal family into a war with a strange new nation in the midst of T’Challa’s off-screen death. The film could get powerfully emotional at times, especially the final moments in which Shuri makes a shocking revelation.
Meeting up with Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia in Haiti after officially becoming the next Black Panther, Shuri meets her nephew for the first time. Raised in secret by Nakia, the young boy T’Challa, going by Toussaint in the island nation, is the spitting image of his late father, causing an overwhelming waterfall of grief to wash over Shuri. While she’s able to love and accept the secret child of her brother as the next T’Challa, a thoughtfully-edited montage of Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther floods her memory, making for a poignant final scene.
9 Quill Reunites With His Grandfather
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 4.5 13
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The conclusion to the trilogy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, will see the Guardians on one final adventure together as they face off with the powerful Adam Warlock – one of the most significant threats the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ever seen. To protect a friend and their world as they know it, Peter Quill and his allies will band together to save one of their own and the galaxy from certain doom.
Director James Gunn Release Date May 5, 2023 Cast Chris Pratt , Dave Bautista , Karen Gillan , Zoe Saldana , Bradley Cooper , Pom Klementieff , Vin Diesel , Elizabeth Debicki Runtime 116 Minutes
Of all the films in the MCU, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is one of the few that actually feels like a true conclusion. Few characters in the titanic franchise are given the grace to retire, but this is just what most members of the galaxy-trotting superhero team do after their final showdown against the High Evolutionary. As Drax decides to lean into fatherhood raising orphans on Knowhere and Mantis embarks on a journey of self-discovery with her new monstrous companions, Star-Lord also relinquishes leadership of the team for a new destination — Earth.
As Dog Days Are Over by Florence & The Machine swells in the OST, Peter Quill decides to finally stop running, and reunite with his long-lost family from Earth. Amazingly, his grandfather is still alive, and instantly recognizes the now adult Peter, resulting in a misty-eyed reunion. One of the best character endings in the MCU, Star-Lord’s ultimate return to his roots on Earth is quite the powerful closing image.
8 Logan Learns What Death Feels Like
Logan
Logan 4.0 9
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Logan sees the titular hero, AKA Wolverine, in his twilight years as his healing factor has begun to fail him, and he has begun to age more rapidly. Set several years in the future, Logan finds himself caring for an ailing Professor Xavier, whose mind has begun to succumb to dementia, making him an incredibly dangerous mutant that can cause widespread destruction accidentally. But when the preoccupied Logan is asked to meet with a woman that requests he transports a young girl to a mutant haven known as Eden, he learns that she may have his DNA and that the fate of mutant-kind may rest in her hands.
Director James Mangold Release Date March 3, 2017 Cast Hugh Jackman , Patrick Stewart , Dafne Keen , Elizabeth Rodriguez , Daniel Bernhardt , Richard E. Grant , Doris Morgado , Boyd Holbrook Runtime 137 Minutes
The end of Wolverine’s long journey throughout the original Fox X-Men continuity, Logan was one of the most critically-acclaimed superhero movies at the time of its release in 2017, thanks in no small part to its emotional ending. The film centers around Logan’s encounters with two clones made from his DNA — Laura, a feral child who behaves much like Logan did early into his amnesia, and X-24, a remorseless killer who murders Professor X. The final sequence of Logan sees the titular mutant save the former from the latter.
Injecting himself with a steroid that temporarily boosts his power at the cost of eating into his long-term healing factor, which had already been fading, Logan manages to kill his evil doppelgänger at the cost of his own life. Impaled on a massive tree branch, Logan can only utter “So that’s what that feels like” as he dies, with a crying Laura in his arms. This actually pays off the prophecy laid out in The Wolverine that Logan would die on his back, covered in blood, with his heart in his hands. Only the truth wasn’t so literal, with Laura being his new emotional “heart.”
7 Tony Stark Reveals Himself As Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man 4.5 5
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Iron Man is the first film in the long-running Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, who becomes Iron Man after he is kidnapped and discovers terrorists are using weapons developed by Stark Industries. Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Tony’s love interest Pepper Potts alongside Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan and Jeff Bridges as the villainous Obadiah Stane.
Director Jon Favreau Release Date May 2, 2008 Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Jeff Bridges , Gwyneth Paltrow , Terrence Howard , Leslie Bibb , Shaun Toub , Clark Gregg , Paul Bettany Runtime 126 minutes
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The truth is…I am Iron Man
“
The first film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe couldn’t have ended in a more hype-worthy way, beginning a dynasty of cinematic and pop culture dominance. Following the hectic battle with Iron Monger, Tony Stark is hounded at a press conference, demanding to know Stark Industries’ role in the mayhem. After a brief moment of hesitation, Tony states “The truth is…I am Iron Man” before a hard cut to black, just as the press explodes with curiosity at Stark’s words.
This is not only a satisfying scene that stays true to Tony’s character while drumming up excitement for the MCU to come, but it was also incredibly impactful to the overall narrative of the franchise. Thanks to these words, the MCU largely did away with secret identities, cutting out some of the tired melodrama that plagues many superhero stories. This makes it all the harder to believe that the line was improvised by Robert Downey Jr., forever asserting himself as Tony Stark for decades to come.
6 Steve Rogers Realizes He Missed A Date
Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger 3.5 5
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Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 superhero movie starring Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, a weak patriotic civilian who becomes the test subject for the military’s Super Soldier project. The film was the fifth film in the long-running MCU franchise and also starred Samuel L. Jackson, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, and Sebastian Stan.
Director Joe Johnston Release Date July 22, 2011 Cast Chris Evans , Hayley Atwell , Hugo Weaving , Sebastian Stan , Tommy Lee Jones , Samuel L. Jackson , Dominic Cooper , Stanley Tucci , Toby Jones Runtime 124 Minutes
While Iron Man and The Avengers might get the lion’s share of the credit for Phase One of the MCU’s success, Captain America: The First Avenger is an undersung hero of the series. Telling the origin story of Captain America, the period piece ends with Steve Rogers flying a bomber straight into an iceberg to save millions of lives, freezing himself in the process only to be thawed out decades later. The final moments of the film show Steve waking up, only to realize that the world around him has changed.
To his credit, Steve takes the realization that he’s woken up over 70 years into the future surprisingly well, surviving the shock of seeing a modern city. When Nick Fury asks him how he’s doing, he only thinks of his long-lost love, Peggy Carter, who he had promised to take out on a date. The heartbreaking realization that Steve would never get his chance to be with the woman he loved is a memorable, bittersweet conclusion to end Captain America’s first MCU appearance on.
5 Thanos Wins
Avengers: Infinity War
Avengers: Infinity War 3.0 12
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Avengers: Infinity War is the third Avengers movie in the game-changing Marvel Cinematic Universe. This film is positioned as the beginning of the culmination of everything that has transpired in the franchise to date. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who previously helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War, have assembled the largest ensemble in a superhero film to date. Nearly every living character in the MCU is included as the Avengers join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to take down Thanos in a battle that has massive repercussions for the future of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. A sequel, Avengers: Endgame, was released in 2019 and marked the end of the Infinity Saga.
Director Joe Russo , Anthony Russo Release Date April 27, 2018 Cast Chris Hemsworth , Anthony Mackie , Elizabeth Olsen , Robert Downey Jr. , Scarlett Johansson , Mark Ruffalo , Sebastian Stan , Paul Rudd , Chadwick Boseman , Don Cheadle , Samuel L. Jackson , Josh Brolin , Tom Holland , Evangeline Lilly , Paul Bettany , Chris Evans , Jeremy Renner Runtime 149 minutes Expand
In most films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the bad guys ultimately lose, whether by their own incompetence, the actions of the protagonist, or a last-minute redemption arc. This wasn’t the case in Avengers: Infinity War, which ended with Thanos doing what he had been promising to do the entire film — Snapping his fingers and randomly killing off half of all life in the universe. Watching some of the most beloved superheroes be turned to literal dust in the wind left entire theaters speechless at the time of Avengers: Infinity War‘s premiere.
”
This is no place to die
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It’s no wonder that this is still one of the most iconic superhero movie endings of all time. From Spider-Man’s whimpering “Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good” to Black Panther’s ominous “This is no place to die“, the final moments of each dusted hero echo with disturbing sadness. It’s hard to believe the MCU will ever reach the same lows of this emotionally devastating ending ever again.
4 Peter Parker Starts Over
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man: No Way Home 16
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For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the trials and tribulations of being a superhero. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) when his identity becomes a problem for the ones he loves. Unfortunately, when the spell goes wrong, Spider-Man will now have to face off with villains such as Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) and Electro (Jamie Foxx) as Peter finally comes to terms that he can’t run from being Spider-Man. Supported by his close friends and help from an unexpected place (or multiverse), Spider-Man will go toe-to-toe with some of the most legendary foes in his storied history.
Director Jon Watts Release Date December 17, 2021 Cast Tom Holland , Zendaya , Benedict Cumberbatch , Jacob Batalon , Jon Favreau , Jamie Foxx , Willem Dafoe , Alfred Molina , Benedict Wong , Tony Revolori , Marisa Tomei , Andrew Garfield , Tobey Maguire Runtime 148 Minutes
Spider-Man: No Way Home may be best remembered for returning Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire to the big screen as Spider-Man for the first time in years, but the film also deserves credit for the genius way it handled Spider-Man’s return to status quo. There’s no denying that up until Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s ending, Peter Parker’s life had strayed way too far from the traditional broke Spider-Man hiding a secret identity, acting as Tony Stark’s ward and successor with all the resources and support that entails. Luckily, the film’s ending had something to say about that.
With everyone in the multiverse having forgotten him, Peter Parker is truly returned to square one, unable to even find solace in the company of his friends due to the fact that his existence was erased from their minds. Completely isolated for the first time, Peter settles into a lonely apartment, makes a homemade Spider-Man suit, and swings into action, somberly opening a new chapter of his life. For the genius way it was able to emotionally conclude Peter’s high school storyline, Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s ending is easily among the greatest of any Marvel movies.
3 Captain America Makes Tony A Promise
Captain America: Civil War
Captain America: Civil War 4.0 12
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This third Captain America film adapts the “Civil War” storyline from Marvel Comics and sees Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) at an impasse over who governs superheroes and how. Captain America: Civil War pits two teams of Avengers against one another and introduces new superheroes Black Panther and Spider-Man. The divide between the two perceived leaders of the Avengers caused the other members to choose sides. It all started when the UN decided to take control of the superheroes’ involvement in fighting crimes. Steve disagreed with the UN’s proposal, while Tony supported the decision. Things turn for the worst when Steve’s friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), also known as the Winter Soldier, becomes the prime suspect in a terrorist bombing.
Director Anthony Russo , Joe Russo Release Date May 6, 2016 Cast Martin Freeman , Daniel Brühl , Robert Downey Jr. , Sebastian Stan , Elizabeth Olsen , Chadwick Boseman , Chris Evans , Paul Rudd , Frank Grillo , Scarlett Johansson , William Hurt , Paul Bettany , Anthony Mackie , Emily VanCamp , Tom Holland Runtime 147 Minutes Expand
In truth, Avengers: Infinity War wasn’t the first time the Avengers collectively lost to a major villain. After Baron Zemo’s plan to break up the Avengers through infighting essentially works in Captain America: Civil War, Captain America is on the run from the government, his friends imprisoned, while Tony Stark helps James Rhodes recover from his injuries. Everything changes when Tony gets a letter from Steve explaining his actions. Though he doesn’t express regret, he does leave a way for Tony to contact him in a true emergency — a flip phone.
By giving the climax of the film plenty of breathing room, this ending leaves things on a strangely hopeful note, despite the dour circumstances of the Avengers. It’s also a great bit of character work to see each Team Cap member’s reaction to imprisonment in the raft — Ant-Man plays dumb while surreptitiously searching for a way out, The Falcon nervously paces back and forth, and Hawkeye relaxes, making the best of a bad situation. This phenomenal ending is paid off soon, when Tony uses the flip phone to bring the band back together in the wake of Thanos’ arrival.
2 Captain America Finally Gets A Life
Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame 4.5 12
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The penultimate chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Endgame, marks the finale of the first three phases of the MCU and acts as part two of Avengers: Infinity War. With Earth’s Mightiest Heroes failing to stop Thanos from wiping out half of all existence, the heroes discover one final chance to make things right. Journeying back through space and time, the surviving Avengers attempt to stop Thanos before all is lost.
Director Joe Russo , Anthony Russo Release Date April 26, 2019 Cast Chris Hemsworth , Anthony Mackie , Paul Rudd , Robert Downey Jr. , Scarlett Johansson , Mark Ruffalo , Evangeline Lilly , Sebastian Stan , Josh Brolin , Elizabeth Olsen , Tom Holland , Don Cheadle , Samuel L. Jackson , Bradley Cooper , Karen Gillan , Brie Larson , Paul Bettany , Chris Evans , Jeremy Renner , Chadwick Boseman Runtime 182 Minutes Expand
While the ending of Avengers: Endgame saw the retirement of the franchise’s two most important heroes, the way Captain America’s ending was handled was a beautiful conclusion to its lengthy multi-film arc. Steve was always driven by the tragedy of his loss of a life with Peggy Carter, throwing himself into his hero work in lieu of it, badly enough for Tony to even tell him to get a life. After returning the Infinity Stones and Mjölnir, Steve finally decides to take this advice, returning to the past to be with Peggy once and for all.
The final scene of Steve dancing with Peggy, finally making good on his promise to take her on a date, is one of the most gratifying moments in the entire MCU. The end of his arc is a perfect reflection of Tony’s — Whereas Tony finally learned to care about something bigger than himself and sacrifice himself to protect it, Steve learned to be selfish and afford himself a happy life. There’s something heartwarming about a fantastical movie full of aliens and superheroes ending with a young couple dancing in a suburban home in the 40s.
1 Blade Continues His Work In Russia
Blade
Blade
The Blade franchise is a series of action-horror films centered around the character Blade, a half-vampire, half-human “Daywalker” who hunts vampires. The franchise is credited with paving the way for modern superhero films, combining elements of martial arts, gothic horror, and comic book lore. The original trilogy starred Wesley Snipes as Blade and was a significant success, leading to a renewed interest in comic book adaptations. The franchise is set to be rebooted within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with Mahershala Ali taking over the role of Blade.
Created by David S. Goyer , Stephen Norrington , Guillermo del Toro First Film Blade TV Show(s) Blade: The Series
As great as emotionally-satisfying payoffs and poignant final moments are, sometimes, a knowingly cheesy teaser of what’s to come can be just as powerful of a final scene for a superhero movie. No film demonstrates this better than Blade, which sees Wesley Snipes’ daywalker continue his bloody work in Russia. Just as it seems a vampire is about to descend on a young woman, Blade suddenly appears, standing ominously amid the falling snow.
Hearing Wesley Snipes speak Russian is its own kind of joy, but the panache with which he closes out the first Blade movie makes hearing the scene even better. He unsheathes his sword and slashes, literally cutting to the end credits and a driving techno beat. Few MCU endings can compare to the hype generated by the ending of the original Blade, and it seems clear the struggling Blade reboot might not have the same delicious impact.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date February 14, 2025
- Thunderbolts*
Release Date May 2, 2025
- The Fantastic Four (2025)
Release Date July 25, 2025
- Blade (2025)
Release Date November 7, 2025
- Avengers: Doomsday
Release Date May 1, 2026
- Avengers: Secret Wars
Release Date May 7, 2027
Captain America: Brave New World
Thunderbolts*
The Fantastic Four (2025)
Blade (2025)
Avengers: Doomsday
Avengers: Secret Wars