Throughout the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the franchise has featured many scenes that have only improved over time. The timeline of the MCU is packed with quality storytelling, as the franchise has consistently entertained with its adaptations of Marvel characters and stories since its inception in 2008. The franchise has grown to become one of the most successful in history, with many of its entries only appearing to get better as time goes on.
The fact that most of the movies of the MCU seem to age excellently is rarely overlooked, but within each entry there are specific scenes that continue to stand out. Whether their singular quality has become apparent after subsequent releases, or they subtly foreshadowed developments that have since come to fruition, some scenes within the franchise have aged remarkably well. With that in mind, here are 10 MCU scenes that have only got better with age.
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10 Steve Rogers’ Super Soldier Transformation
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
There are many scenes that have come to define Captain America’s MCU story, though few are as significant in the life of Steve Rogers as the scene in which he is transformed by Abraham Erskine’s super soldier serum. After being selected for his courage, his compassion, and his unflinching morals, Steve Rogers is subjected to a painful procedure that transforms him into Captain America. The scene remains noteworthy for its importance to the MCU and for its excellent use of both CGI and practical effects.
It’s in a narrative sense that the scene has truly gotten better over time, though. Knowing the reasons behind Rogers being selected for the program, his heroic arc makes the choice seem incredibly prescient. Looking back over his MCU story by rewatching his origins highlights just how apt Erskine’s assessment of Rogers was, making the scene even more satsifying than it was upon release.
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8.8/10 Captain America: The First Avenger
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*Availability in US Director Joe Johnston Release Date July 22, 2011
9 Showdown In The Zen Garden
Iron Man 2 (2010)
As an individual movie, Iron Man 2 is often considered one of the weaker entries in the MCU’s Infinity Saga. However, for all its issues, it does feature moments of brilliance that have aged surprisingly well. The movie’s climactic battle, which sees Iron Man and War Machine face off against Whiplash and an army of Hammer drones, stands out as a scene that has gotten significantly better over time.
The battle unfolds without music, and without any unnecessary quipping from its characters. The tension of the scene plays out to the sound of bullets being fired and armor being pierced, with occasional communication between the heroes as they fight their foe. When judging the scene against the relatively formulaic action of more recent superhero movies, it becomes clear that Iron Man 2’s Zen Garden battle has only improved with age.
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6.9/10 Iron Man 2
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*Availability in US Director Jon Favreau Release Date May 7, 2010
8 The Battle Of Sokovia
Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)
When it comes to final battles in MCU movies, the franchise can hardly be considered flawless. For all the MCU’s strengths, it often faces criticism over its climactic battle sequences, many of which are dismissed for using too much CGI or for being overstuffed to the point of confusion. Avengers: Age of Ultron may not be the most beloved MCU team-up movie, but it does strike a remarkable balance in its final battle.
The Battle of Sokovia sees a large team of Avengers fighting an endless swarm of Ultron drones, all while trying to stop the floating city from falling and destroying the Earth. These high stakes are never forgotten, and its delicate balancing of multiple heroes and emotional moments makes it one of the best-written battles in the entire MCU. As the franchise has continued to grow, this has only become more apparent, making it seem even better with age.
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17 7.2/10 Avengers: Age of Ultron
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*Availability in US Director Joss Whedon Release Date May 1, 2015
7 The Avengers Meet Thor
The Avengers (2012)
Of all the major heroes in the franchise, Thor’s MCU story has seen the character undergo perhaps the most radical personality shift of all. In his first few appearances, Thor was a largely serious presence who brought a powerful and distinctly non-human perspective to the Avengers. Nowhere in the franchise is this more evident than in the scene that sees the God of Thunder first meet his future teammates.
The scene sees Iron Man, Loki, and even Captain America make jokes at Thor’s expense, which the Asgardian meets with deadpan stoicism. The comedic potential of the character as he existed then seemed endless, but later changes to make Thor sillier ultimately upset that balance. As such, the first scene in which serious Thor encounters the Avengers stands out as especially great, because it utilizes his original characterization perfectly among his fellow heroes.
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5/10 The Avengers
Director Jeremiah S. Chechik Release Date May 4, 2012
6 Ant-Man’s Climactic Miniaturized Battle
Ant-Man (2015)
2015’s Ant-Man brought the MCU’s story to an entirely new level with the introduction of Pym Particles and the eponymous shrinking hero. The film features many great sequences, but its final battle between Ant-Man and Yellowjacket remains one of the best in the MCU. It sees both hero and villain shrunk down and battling among the toys of Ant-Man’s daughter, using a train set and other playthings as part of their showdown.
The visual effects employed in the scene hold up incredibly well, especially in comparison to the CGI-laden finales of subsequent Ant-Man movies. Seeing Ant-Man engaging in a miniaturized fight remains a perfectly-conceived conclusion to his first MCU outing, and it’s still excellent from a visual perspective. Not only does it capture the essence of Ant-Man’s abilities, but it also provides a fun and innovative scene that other Ant-Man movies largely failed to deliver.
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7.3/10 Ant-Man
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*Availability in US Director Peyton Reed Release Date July 14, 2015
5 Team Cap Vs. Team Iron Man
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
The MCU has adapted some major Marvel Comics storylines, and among the franchise’s most epic is its handling of Marvel’s Civil War. Captain America: Civil War saw the Avengers torn in two, with the majority of the franchise’s hero siding with either Iron Man or Captain America over the Sokovia Accords. Various other developments led to increased tension between the Avengers, eventually spilling over into a full-scale battle between heroes.
Team Cap against Team Iron Man remains one of the best scenes in the MCU, because not only is it visually entertaining, but it’s brilliantly written. The way in which the battle occurs feels surprisingly natural with regard to the film’s narrative, which is quite a feat considering the number of heroes involved. Gut-wrenching though it is to see the heroes fight amongst themselves, it’s a scene that has aged incredibly well.
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13 8.2/10 Captain America: Civil War
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*Availability in US Director Anthony Russo , Joe Russo Release Date May 6, 2016
4 The Avengers Try To Lift Mjolnir
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Not all great MCU scenes need to have major significance to the franchise as a whole. Such is the case with Avengers: Age of Ultron’s scene in Avengers Tower, where the heroes unwind after a well-deserved party by taking turns to try lifting Thor’s hammer. Despite the Asgardian explaining that it can only be lifted by those worthy of it, each character steps up to try without success – until Steve Rogers, who wobbles Mjolnir slightly, causing Thor’s expression to shift.
The scene has aged well, especially as Captain America went on to wield Mjolnir during the events of Avengers: Endgame. Knowing that Thor’s concern about Steve’s potential worthiness was entirely founded, the scene takes on another aspect in hindsight. Additionally, it’s a scene that shows the Avengers as a group of friends rather than simply colleagues, adding a more human side to their partnership.
3 Iron Man’s First Flight
Iron Man (2008)
When assessing the best moments of Iron Man’s MCU story, there are many excellent candidates. Scenes featuring the hero that have gotten better with time can also be found in abundance, but few have aged as well as Tony Stark’s first full flight as Iron Man. Shortly after refining his initial rudimentary plans, Stark uses his completed Mark II suit to take to the skies for the first time.
When it comes to superhero suit-up scenes, Iron Man’s is unrivalled in its execution. The scene perfectly communicates the perspective of the hero, while also outlining Stark’s exhilaration at using his latest invention. There are few other scenes in cinema that put the audience in the shoes of the hero in quite the same fashion, and Iron Man’s first MCU flight has only gotten better over time as a result.
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8.7/10 Iron Man
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*Availability in US Director Jon Favreau Release Date May 2, 2008
2 The Mandarin Fake-Out
Iron Man 3 (2013)
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Iron Man 3 introduced the hero’s iconic nemesis to the big screen, only to cruelly waste the villain with a fake-out that he was simply an actor paid by Aldrich Killian. Revealing that the Mandarin was really a clueless actor named Trevor Slattery was considered an insult to the source material upon Iron Man 3’s release, and prompted general outrage from Marvel fans. However, the scene has since gotten much better over time.
The release of the one-shot All Hail the King and then Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings respectively set up and then introduced the MCU’s real Mandarin. Explaining that Slattery had been unwittingly using the identity of the true villain and chronicling the repercussions of his actions made for a much better story. In turn, this retroactively made Iron Man 3’s twist seem much better, with the scene improving massively since its release.
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6.1/10 Iron Man 3
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*Availability in US Director Shane Black Release Date May 3, 2013
1 The Avengers Arguing
The Avengers (2012)
The manner in which the MCU’s Avengers first formed a team saw a huge amount of tension and in-fighting, as their respective egos and ideals clashed on several levels. Most notably, Captain America and Iron Man fundamentally disagreed on the nature of heroism, with Steve Rogers’ traditional values at odds with Stark’s innovative approach to helping humanity. Their argument saw Rogers dismiss Stark, effectively telling him that he doesn’t consider him a hero.
Tony Stark’s character arc saw him gradually become all the things Rogers claimed he wasn’t, eventually laying down his life to defeat Thanos. Having seen that arc unfold, the scene in which the Avengers argue only highlights how excellent Iron Man’s hero story is within the franchise. As such, it’s another scene in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that has only proven to get better with time.
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: First Steps (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: First Steps (2025)
Blade (2025)
Avengers: Doomsday
Avengers: Secret Wars