The Marvel Cinematic Universe has featured many key plot points that actually weren’t ever shown on screen. Since the beginning of the MCU’s movie timeline, the franchise has grown to become the most expansive in cinematic history. The entries into the franchise have seen its story follow many characters in countless settings, with each new installment offering something new to the MCU’s wider story.
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However, as the franchise’s narrative continues to play out, there are developments in the movies and TV shows of the MCU that are not shown on screen. There are significant moments that have been explained or referenced that did not explicitly occur in any specific movie or show, meaning that major developments have been glossed over in a rather conspicuous manner. With that in mind, here are 10 important MCU scenes that weren’t shown on screen.
10 Steve Rogers Reunites With Peggy In The Past
Rogers’ Ending Wasn’t Fully Shown
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The ending of Avengers: Endgame marked a monumental turning point for the MCU, serving not just as the culmination of years of storytelling but also as the individual endings of multiple characters. Steve Rogers’ ending saw him travel back into the past to reunite with Peggy Carter, making use of the time travel technology developed in the movie. However, the hero’s ending wasn’t fully shown.
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Endgame did show Steve arriving at Peggy’s home, and the pair were shown embracing and sharing their long-promised dance. It didn’t show many aspects of their ending though, such as explaining how Rogers’ return affected the timeline in question or how he justified his sudden reappearance to Peggy. Though Cap’s ending worked far better as it was shown, there were still many important elements of the narrative development that undoubtedly occurred off-screen.
9 Hulk’s Origin Story
The Incredible Hulk Skimmed Over His Original Transformation
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The beginning of Hulk’s MCU story came in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, introducing the franchise’s version of the iconic green behemoth. Though the solo movie saw Edward Norton play the titular role only to later be replaced by Mark Ruffalo, it’s still considered Hulk’s MCU origin. However, considering its place at the beginning of the franchise’s timeline, there is a key part of the hero’s story that was missing from the movie.
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The Incredible Hulk did not show exactly how Bruce Banner became the Hulk. The movie opens with an opening credits montage that briefly shows Banner’s transformation, although it’s naturally scarce on details. Being shown the hero’s origins in such a way leaves a certain amount to the imagination, meaning that many of the important moments that showed the development of Hulk’s abilities actually must have happened completely off-screen.
8 Breaking Team Cap Out Of The Raft
One Of Captain America’s Defining Moments Happened Off-Screen
Captain America: Civil War was the most important moment in Captain America’s MCU timeline, as it saw such significant character development that it had implications for the entire MCU rather than just his individual story. The movie saw Cap disputing the efficacy of the Sokovia Accords, refusing to sign and ultimately forcing the Avengers to disband. The movie ends with half of the former hero team imprisoned for declining to support the Accords, only to be broken out of the Raft by Steve Rogers.
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As important as the scene is for the MCU, it isn’t actually shown on screen. The movie ends with Cap arriving at the Raft and declaring his intention to break his teammates out, but the actual escape isn’t shown. A team of fugitive heroes escaping a high-tech prison clearly would have made for excellent cinema, but sadly, all of the action occurred off-screen.
7 Doctor Strange Meets Odin
Two MCU Powerhouses Met In An Unseen Moment
Thor: Ragnarok is pivotal in Thor’s MCU story, as it shows many crucial moments in his character development. As well as the death of Odin, the introduction of Hela, and the destruction of Asgard, Ragnarok lays the foundation for many of the MCU stories to follow. Interestingly, it also confirms and references important events that have already happened in the franchise, albeit off-screen.
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One such moment is deceptively important to the MCU. Immediately after meeting Doctor Strange for the first time, Thor asks after the whereabouts of Odin. Doctor Strange reveals that he has met Odin, and that the All Father insisted on not being disturbed. The revelation that Asgard’s most important figure met with Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme is a big one, particularly as the conversation might eventually have contributed to Odin’s death. Even so, it happened off-screen, and was never shown in the MCU.
6 Captain America Returns The Soul Stone To Vormir
Cap & Red Skull’s Reunion Was Only Implied
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Before claiming his own happy ending, Steve Rogers volunteers to be the hero to return each of the Infinity Stones to their rightful place in space in time after the events of Avengers: Endgame. The journey that ensues isn’t shown, as it wouldn’t have been hugely important to Endgame’s own story. However, one incredibly important moment would certainly have occurred during Rogers’ trip that sadly happened off-screen.
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Returning the Soul Stone to Vormir would have been one of the most interesting unseen moments in MCU history, as it would have seen Captain America come face to face with the Red Skull once more. Having not seen one another since the events of Captain America: The First Avenger, seeing the hero and villain reunite would likely have been an incredibly tense moment. Unfortunately, the scene is only implied to happen, rather than being explicitly shown or referenced.
5 Odin & Hela Conquering The Nine Realms
One Of Asgard’s Most Important Moments Was Only Briefly Referenced
As Thor: Ragnarok introduced Hela to the MCU, it also needed to establish the villain’s origin story. Thor’s previously unseen sister, the Goddess of Death, was introduced in emphatic fashion, breaking free immediately following Odin’s death and destroying Mjolnir before going on to seize control of Asgard. The reason for her imprisonment is explained, though it establishes an incredibly important unseen moment in the history of the MCU.
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It’s explained that Odin and Hela once conquered the Nine Realms together, before Odin considered his daughter’s appetite for death and destruction too concerning and imprisoned her. Not only does their campaign of conquest sound intriguing, but Odin’s actions during that time paint him in an entirely different light. Despite being one of the most interesting moments in Asgard’s history, it all occurs completely off-screen, and is only briefly explained in Thor: Ragnarok.
4 Spider-Man’s Origins
How Peter Parker Became The MCU’s Spider-Man Remains Vague
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Captain America: Civil War marked the MCU debut of Spider-Man, introducing the franchise’s young version of the iconic hero. In need of support for the Sokovia Accords, Tony Stark enlists Spider-Man, bringing him into the fold in an attempt to prevent Captain America from turning himself into a fugitive. Peter Parker’s introductory scene sees Stark establish that the young man has already begun his hero career, and that he already possesses his spider-like abilities.
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Though other movies have chronicled Spider-Man’s origin story in detail, the MCU opted not to do so. However, it’s still an important moment in the character’s history, being a defining moment for the hero and therefore a key moment in any Marvel universe. Why the MCU skipped over such a scene is understandable considering the character’s modern cinematic history, but it’s still a crucial moment that wasn’t shown on screen.
3 Loki Meets Thanos
Phase 1’s Most Important Villain Interaction Wasn’t Revealed
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The early movies of the MCU introduced Loki as one of the franchise’s most powerful villains, serving as the antagonist of 2011’s Thor before scheming to conquer Earth in 2012’s The Avengers. Thor ended with Loki’s apparent death, though his return in The Avengers confirmed not just his survival but that he had joined forces with Thanos. Despite being a major MCU development, the pair’s first meeting was not shown on screen.
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Loki’s meeting with Thanos was a major moment in the MCU for multiple reasons. It saw Loki being given his scepter, which contained the Mind Stone, and also marked the beginning of Thanos’ involvement in Earth’s future. However, it’s only established through context, and the specifics of the two characters’ first meeting are never fully explored, making the important scene something of an MCU mystery.
2 Bruce Banner Transforms Into Professor Hulk
The Transformation Was A Key Moment In Hulk’s Story
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As one of the MCU’s founding Avengers, Hulk has always been one of the franchise’s most important heroes. There have been many important moments in his MCU story, but one of the most significant was not shown on screen at all. Between the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Bruce Banner is able to reconcile his own mind with the body and abilities of the Hulk, transforming into the character known as Professor Hulk.
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Considering Infinity War saw Banner unable to transform into the Hulk, Professor Hulk’s appearance in Endgame was a huge development. The two personas being amalgamated into a single being was one of the most important moments for Hulk’s character in the MCU, but it all happened off-screen. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law offered a little more insight into the transformation, but it still ultimately happened outside of the on-screen events of the MCU.
1 Thanos Destroys Xandar
Obtaining The Power Stone Came At A Massive Unseen Price
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When it comes to universe-shattering events in the MCU, Avengers: Infinity War is perhaps the franchise’s most important movie. However, one of the most substantial developments in terms of the general universe is confirmed to have happened off-screen, being only briefly referenced after the event. Thanos confirms that he collected the Power Stone from Xandar, destroying it in the process, though it did not happen on screen.
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The destruction of Xandar is a massive moment in the MCU, as it saw countless deaths and has potentially far-reaching consequences. Considering Xandar’s connection to the as-yet unseen hero Nova, its devastation is a considerable development in the MCU’s wider story. Even so, it’s confirmed to have all happened off-screen, with Thanos already having possession of the Power Stone in Infinity War. As such, it’s one of the biggest events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to have occurred off-screen.
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Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date February 14, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Release Date July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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Spider-Man Homecoming 4
Release Date July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
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