Duke's Favorite MCU Scenes Ranked

[Dukefrukem]

To commemorate 22 films in the MCU, and the culmination of everything we've seen for 11 years, the following 22 scenes are my favorite parts of the MCU. I was going to make a game out of this but felt there would be little participation so I'm just going to list them. With a couple of HMs.

Feel free to post your own faves.

HM1: “I don’t want to go” - Avengers Infinity War
HM2: Thor Meets Strange - Thor Ragnarok
HM3: "He may have been your father boy, but he wasn't your daddy" - Guardians of the Galaxy vol2

22: Tony Stark in front of Congress - Iron Man 2
21: Meet Hela Thor Ragnarok
20: "Earth is closed today!" Avengers: Infinity War
19: Stairway Fight Captain America: Civil War
18: Highway Fight & Cap vs Winter Soldier Captain America: The Winter Soldier
17: Meet Vision Avengers Age of Ultron
16: "Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts innocent people die... every time" Avengers Age of Ultron
15: "It’s a hoot that you don’t get why you need this" Avengers Age of Ultron
14: Avengers "Assemble" for the first time The Avengers
13: That One Shot The Avengers
12: Meet Steve Rogers Captain America: The First Avenger
11: Loki in Captivity Thor: The Dark World
10: Thor vs Hulk x2 - The Avengers and Thor Ragnarok
9: What is Phase 2? The Avengers
8: Iron Man vs Thor The Avengers
7: I had a date Captain America: The First Avengers
6: What is and always will be my Greatest Creation... Iron Man 2
5: Iron Man vs Hulk Avengers: Age of Ultron
4: ...so was I Captain America: Civil War
3: I'm Always Angry The Avengers
2: Cap vs Everyone Captain America: The Winter Soldier
1: Lifting Mjolnir Avengers Age of Ultron

[Dukefrukem]

Honorable Mention: “I don’t want to go”
Movie: Avengers: Infinity War
Summary:[

Show Spoiler

Spider-man is sensing his dissolve, and is breaking down in front of his mentor Tony Stark

]

Why I’m mentioning it: Some may laugh when I say this was emotional, but to me it was. It was an improvised scene by Tom Holland and I if the movie didn't have a longer death scene like this, the snap would have felt a lot more muted, with people just disappearing. The relationship between the two characters over three films was enough to put merit in this reaction, which leaves Tony dumbfounded. Then the film just ends with our hero standing there, with a final line from Cap, "Oh God".

[Dukefrukem]

Honorable Mention: Thor Meets Strange
Movie: Thor Ragnarok
Summary: Searching for his father, Thor discovers Earth has wizards now.

Why I’m mentioning it: Good comedic scene between Thor and Strange (and Loki); but more importantly I just love it when these characters meet each other for the first time. The interaction between their personalities is great. Plus it sets up a purpose for the long time period where we don't see Strange; he's established that his powers has grown from his origin movie and that he's got a list of beings he monitors as a threat to Earth.

[Dukefrukem]

Honorable Mention: "He may have been your father boy, but he wasn't your daddy"
Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2
Summary: Yondu saving Quill from an imploding living planet.

Why I’m mentioning it: Another emotional scene where Marvel proves they are not above killing off likable characters (and avoiding the previous fake-outs e.g. Loki (Twice), Fury, Coulson, Pepper, Groot, J.A.R.V.I.S.) . The quicksilver death was a poor attempt to do this, but he hadn't nearly been around on screen enough for this to matter. Not shown, is an equally great scene where the Ravager ships pay tribute to Yondu.

[Peng]

Off the top of my head my #1 probably would be Killmonger's Sunset ("Bury me in the ocean..."), then 2-4 Civil War ones sprinkled throughout top 10. Beyond that I'll have to really think about it.

[Skitch]

First two Cap movies would be loaded for me.

[Ezee E]

I'd have to ponder on this. Outside of the snap, there isn't going to be too much that truly enthralls me.

[Dukefrukem]

# 22. Tony Stark in front of Congress
Movie: Iron Man 2
Summary: Tony Stark Subpoenaed to hand over his "weapon" to the US Government.

Why I’m mentioning it: This scene servers a bunch of different purposes; Introduction of Don Cheadle as Rhodey, Introduction of Hammer Industries and Justin Hammer, the repercussions of the Iron Man 1 ending, but mainly a hilarous back and forth Stark has with the U.S. Government, while calling out N. Korea, Iran and Hammer Industries. Side note, Senator Stern was created and named after Howard Stern since Jon Favreau was a big fan.

[Dukefrukem]

# 21. Meet Hela
Movie: Thor Ragnarok
Summary: Hela returns from the prison she was kept in by Odin

Why I’m mentioning it: I love Cate Blanchett's presence in this scene, her confidence, her knowledge that Thor clearly doesn't possess, and just her overall design here- I think she looks smokin' hot. She's definitely top 5 my favorite villains in the MCU. The destruction of Mjolnir is also a sight and really puts dread in the eyes of Thor; who at this point, relies on his weapon to control his power.

[Dukefrukem]

# 20. Earth is closed today!
Movie: Avengers: Infinity War
Summary: The Black Order arrives on Earth for the Time Stone but the Earth bound Avengers have something to say about that.

Why I’m mentioning it: I love the build here; it's reminiscent of Independence Day. The scenes that preceded it alluded to the worst- and the worst arrived just as Banner said. I love the introduction of Stark's nano suit. I love the introduction to Spider-man's spidey sense and showing up "What's this guy's problem Mr. Stark?" Tom Vaughan-Lawlor is by far the standout in the Black Order as Maw. The responses from Stark is pure Stark; "No time for a thing, that's a thing right there?" "Dude you're embarrassing me in front of the wizards"

[Dukefrukem]

# 19. Stairway Fight
Movie: Captain America: Civil War
Summary: Cap meets up with Bucky, and both need to fight off a wave of soldiers.

Why I’m mentioning it: I think the Russos are really good at directing action and this is one of the few scenes on this list that is purely here for action eye candy and choreography.

[Dukefrukem]

# 18. Highway Fight & Cap vs Winter Soldier
Movie: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Summary: Cap, Nat and Sam just got some intel from Sitwell and are attacked by the Winter Solider.

Why I’m mentioning it: 2nd scene strictly for action- Imagine Captain America turned bad? What kind of havoc could he cause? The answer is this scene with the Winter Solider's surprise attack. I love the jumpscare here and just the unrelenting attack on our heros.

[Skitch]

I rolled my eyes hard at "earth is closed" scene. But I'm a Stark hater so ignore me lol

[Dukefrukem]

I rolled my eyes hard at "earth is closed" scene. But I'm a Stark hater so ignore me lol

Really? Why's that? It thought it was a perfect response to Maw's ramblings.

[Skitch]

Really? Why's that? It thought it was a perfect response to Maw's ramblings.

My first thought, "Who the HELL made him police of the earth? Last time he tried to protect it (Ultron) he fucked it all up. Maybe someone should tell him to take a seat."

I know, its just a movie.

[Dukefrukem]

My first thought, "Who the HELL made him police of the earth? Last time he tried to protect it (Ultron) he fucked it all up. Maybe someone should tell him to take a seat."

I know, its just a movie.

I mean, I dont think that's what that line implies. A space ship just landed in the middle of NY... again.

[Morris Schæffer]

Good stuff so far. Those clips are really good. Winter Soldier is badass. I need to see Civil War again, but that stairwell fight is even better than I remember.

[Dukefrukem]

# 17. Meet Vision
Movie: Avengers Age of Ultron
Summary: Banner and Stark are working to put Jarvis into the bio-organic-vibranium-thing, when Cap, Pietro and Wanda try to stop them, until Thor puts an end to it.

Why I’m mentioning it: A lot of the time the introduction of characters is epic, and I dont think this is any exception. The way vision emerges from the cradle, the confusion with the Avengers; first hostile then docile, and THAT music that plays when Vision floats to the windows and sees his own reflection gets me every time. It's also the first time the Infinity Stones are mentioned to the group. The scene is also odd in the sense no one asks what to call the new Jarvis-android. Thor merely says "I had a Vision" and from that moment forward they just call him "Vision". The scene ends on a great callback to an earlier joke surrounding Mjolnir. It's perfect Whedon.

[Dukefrukem]

# 16. "Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts innocent people die... every time"
Movie: Avengers Age of Ultron
Summary: In hiding, the team is recovering from a big loss against Ultron.

Why I’m mentioning it: This isn't the first time Stark and Rogers have gone up against each other, but it's certainly starting to feel like there's a lot more tension between the two. it's the perfect dialog exchange as a prelude to Civil War. Again, perfect Whedon right here.

[Dukefrukem]

# 15. "It’s a hoot that you don’t get why you need this"
Movie: Avengers Age of Ultron
Summary: The team is just learning what Stark created using Loki's scepter.

Why I’m mentioning it: In retrospect, this is more foreshadowing of End Game than it is Civil War, but again, I think the strongest parts of Ultron and the first Avengers is the interaction between the team. And this really showcases the knee-jerk reaction after defeating Ultron for the first time. Later, Tony points to the sky and says "that's the end game...how were you guys planning on defeating that?"
Cap: "together."
Stark: "We'll lose.
Cap: "Then we'll do that together too"

[megladon8]

Hey this is awesome! Will be following this, Duke.

Hope to see more Winter Soldier and Ragnarok scenes

[Dukefrukem]

# 14. Avengers "Assemble" for the first time
Movie: The Avengers
Summary: Finally, all in the same room- Banner, Cap, Nat, Thor, Iron Man, Fury

Why I’m mentioning it: Where to start- Loki is on board the heli-carrier and we really learn what he's been up to; "He killed 80 people in 2 days" "He's adopted". We finally have the big six in the same room together. Iron Man makes the perfect entrance... "No hard feelings Point Break you have a mean swing".... "Raise the mizzenmast! Jib the topsails!" And all that jargon is just to distract from when he plants his bug to crack into S.H.I.E.L.D.. (which btw, Tony later says he'll learn every dirty secret SHIELD has ever had... except for the one where Hydra has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.) And ending on the Galaga joke. Perfect Whedon.

[Dukefrukem]

# 13. That One Shot
Movie: The Avengers
Summary: Self explanatory.

Why I’m mentioning it: Ends on a stinger.

[Dukefrukem]

# 12. Meet Steve Rogers
Movie: Captain America: The First Avenger
Summary: Howard Stark and Dr Abraham Erskine successfully apply Stark's super soldier formula to Steve Rogers.

Why I’m mentioning it: Not only is this our first look at Captain America, we immediately get to see him in action as he chases down a Hydra agent. Also, apparently, the scene where Hayley Atwell appears to reach out and touch Chris Evan's chest was a natural reaction to seeing him with his shirt off.

[Dukefrukem]

# 11. Loki in Captivity
Movie: Thor: The Dark World
Summary: Loki tries to play it cool.

Why I’m mentioning it: An emotional scene for me as Loki learns the truth. Truly 100% Tom Hiddleston here.