What shocking death is set to reshape the future of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Who turned out to be someone other than who they said they were?
Multiple times? Keep watching to find out!
The big reveal in "Iron Man 3" that the Mandarin's true identity was not who it appeared to be
became a polarizing moment in MCU history. Love it or hate it, the moment was one most viewers did
not see coming – and nearly a decade later, would become a major plot point in a different MCU film.
When trailers were initially released for the third film in the "Iron Man" series,
fans learned the Mandarin would be joining the franchise; a longtime comic book adversary
for Iron Man, his appearance felt as inevitable as it was straightforward.
Yet, Mandarin had a slippery history when it came to his racial origins in old comic books,
and the casting of Oscar winner Sir Ben Kingsley seemed to indicate, for some,
a possible whitewashing of the character that might just make matters worse.
Ultimately, Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark discovered the supposed leader of the Ten
Rings was an actor named Trevor Slattery, hired to terrorize Stark in the guise of the Mandarin.
A self-centered coward who saw the Mandarin as "just a role," he was a smokesecreen for
Aldrich Killian, the ultimate mastermind behind this particular Mandarin terrorist threat.
While fans were torn about this re-imagining of Iron Man's arch-nemesis,
many enjoyed Slattery's antics, and a Marvel One-Shot short depicting his life in prison
and subsequent abduction by the "real" Mandarin was well-received. Consequently,
Marvel surprised fans once again a decade later — by making Kingsley's Slattery a
significant supporting character in 2021's "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,"
continuing his storyline as a prisoner of the title character's father, the real Mandarin.
As the MCU came to dominate the box office throughout the 2010s, Marvel also made
inroads via a mostly separate but parallel world of TV, releasing series like "Agents
of SHIELD" on broadcast networks and streaming platforms. While "SHIELD" sometimes reacted to
events in Marvel movies or featured cameos by the likes of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, a
partnership with Netflix yielded six interrelated series that had even less to do with the MCU
Despite not being closely tied to the movies,
though, shows like "Daredevil" were well received. But at the beginning of 2019,
the Netflix production partnership was dissolved and all the series were canceled.
One of the casualties was Vincent D'Onofrio's portrayal of the classic Marvel supervillain
Kingpin, which had earned rave reviews from fans and critics alike. But it turned out
that the folks at Marvel Studios were also big fans of D'Onofrio, because in December 2021,
he made a surprise debut in the MCU proper as a major figure in the Disney+ show "Hawkeye."
That was followed almost immediately by "Daredevil" star Charlie Cox making a cameo
as Matt Murdock in "No Way Home," opening the door for other discarded Netflix heroes
to make their return, and cementing those shows as official MCU canon.
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" may not be the most warmly-regarded MCU outing,
but it did offer some unexpected plot points that would shape the MCU.
Chief among them was the death of Pietro Maximoff, brother of Wanda — aka Quicksilver
and Scarlet Witch — who spent most of the movie battling against the Avengers,
but ultimately became sympathetic characters. Fans were as shocked
as Hawkeye when Pietro gave his life to save the avenging archer.
"Bet you didn't see that coming."
Much like the Mandarin, this plotline would be revisited nearly a decade later,
much to the surprise of MCU fans, as Wanda's trauma over Pietro's
death became a major plot point in the Disney+ show "WandaVision."
Oh, and it also led to the dumbest fakeout in MCU history, as Evan Peters' alternate universe
version of Pietro turned out to be just some random guy. C'mon, MCU, you can do better!
"You're… Ralph Bohner?" "Boner."
Peter Quill is essentially an overgrown adolescent frozen in the intergalactic fantasies of an '80s
kid who watched too many movies. His obsession with Earth pop culture — fueled largely by the
mixtapes his mother left him before her death — has him dancing his way through heists and
other adventures of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" and wider MCU films.
However, when he became caught up in a galactic battle between Xandar's Nova Corps and Ronan the
Accuser in the original 2014 "Guardians of the Galaxy," most fans were just getting to know the
character — and likely expected a final act fueled by weapons, explosions and superpowers, not dance.
Singing and shimmying in front of the warlord,
Ronan became so confused that it allowed the other Guardians enough time to blast Ronan
and retrieve the Power Stone. It was a memorable exclamation point on Pratt's now-iconic character,
and all these years later, the "Guardians" haven't lost their groove.
Pop culture has been telling us for more than three-quarters of a century that superheroes
must keep their identities hidden — the concept even predates Superman,
stretching back to heroes like Zorro, the Lone Ranger and the Scarlet Pimpernel. So,
viewers took it for granted in 2008, when the original "Iron Man" came out, that Robert Downey
Jr.'s Tony Stark would do everything in his power to keep Iron Man's true identity on the down-low.
But the movie ended with Stark addressing the world's media at a press conference, distancing
his gaze from the index cards in his hand and announcing instead with a twinkle in his eye
"I am Iron Man."
It was not only an early signal that the MCU was willing to take big swings and diverge
from the superhero playbook, but also spoke volumes about the nature of this cocksure hero.
Stark simply isn't the alter-ego type, and in hindsight, his inability to stop
himself from taking credit for Iron Man was perfectly in keeping with who he'd become.
One of the most harrowing moments in the MCU occurred when Steve Rogers' best friend Bucky
Barnes was killed in action during World War II in "Captain America: The First Avenger."
So it turned out to be a welcomed surprise when the title villain in "Captain America:
The Winter Soldier" was revealed as Cap's long-lost friend.
Steve's astonishment reflected the feelings of many viewers, especially since the movie
was set decades after Steve had last seen Bucky. The revelations came fast and furious as Bucky
was not only alive and looking young, but also working for HYDRA after being kept cryogenically
frozen through the decades. Naturally, Steve and Bucky's previously established friendship helped
goose the rest of the movie, making the pair's climactic confrontation all the more poignant.
Nick Fury was an integral part of the plot of "Spider-Man: Far From Home." He was the one who
sought Peter Parker out while he was visiting Europe, recruiting him to team up with Quentin
Beck, the up and coming superhero known as Mysterio, to stop the Elementals. Following
the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury was depicted as having been driven into the shadows, but doing
his best to continue to enlist superheroes to eliminate ongoing threats to the world.
So, how shocking was it to learn that Nick Fury wasn't Nick Fury at all?
The film's post-credits scene brought with it the revelation that Fury may have been less
invested in protecting Earth than the rest of the movie led fans to believe.
It showed Fury and his loyal associate Maria Hill changing into the forms of the Skrulls
Talos and Soren. Their conversation then revea led that Fury had deployed the shape-shifting
aliens to do his job while he pursued some kind of mission in space with the rest of the Skrulls.
"Everybody back to work!"
While many of the villains of the MCU haven't made much of a lasting impression, Michael B. Jordan's
take on Eric Killmonger in "Black Panther" proved to be one of the exceptions. For the
first half of the film, the character seemed to be just an American mercenary after vibranium.
But ultimately it was revealed that he had been playing a long game,
patiently waiting for an excuse to enter Wakanda, because he was actually T'Challa's cousin
and thus had his own claim to the Wakandan throne. And more: his father had been killed by T'Challa's
father, who then abandoned Killmonger and left him behind in America to fend for himself.
Even though he was willing to destroy and kill to get what he wanted,
Killmonger's circumstances and his desire to carry on his father's mission to help the oppressed
made him impossibly sympathetic. In fact, the fate that awaited him was probably met
by as much disappointment from MCU fans as any sense of triumphant comeuppance.
As a result, the character remains one of the MCU's most potent and memorable villains.
It's funny how a seemingly throwaway scene in 2015's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" ultimately
became the one best remembered from the film. Perhaps it's because the moment was thrilling,
quite funny and would later pay off with a major reward — all emblematic
of the unique formula MCU films tap into at their finest moments.
During a party at Stark Tower early in the film, the Avengers jokingly attempted to
lift Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. As we all know, the ability to wield the hammer
isn't just a simple matter of strength — the individual has to be worthy to do so,
with a combination of heroic qualities that Mjolnir can magically detect. So, it came as no
surprise when none of them could lift the hammer, though it did twitch when Captain America tried.
But later in the movie, it's revealed there's one
character besides Thor who can handle Mjolnir: Vision.
After stealing a synthetic body Ultron had created for himself,
Stark and Banner uploaded Stark's loyal A.I. program J.A.R.V.I.S. into it,
with Thor channeling the lightning necessary to activate the body.
Of course, many of the Avengers were suspicious of this new being they dubbed Vision. After all,
he had at least some of Ultron's consciousness inside him, so how could he possibly be trusted?
Easy answer: by effortlessly lifting Thor's hammer,
Vision immediately proved himself worthy of their trust, and had fans cheering in the aisles.
It seemed inevitable that at least one or two characters wouldn't make it through "Avengers:
Infinity War," yet few could have predicted the movie opening with the slaughter of at
least half of what remained of Asgard — and the main villain of the MCU up until that point.
After Thor's home was destroyed during the events of "Thor: Ragnarok," the citizens who
remained behind sailed into space, only to encounter Thanos and his followers.
The sequence became even more shocking when the newly reformed Loki
attempted to kill Thanos, only to be strangled by the Mad Titan.
Thankfully, through a mix of time travel and multiversing,
an alternate universe Loki would eventually live on in a self-titled Disney+ series.
But that didn't lessen the pain of losing the Loki who went through "Ragnarok" in "Infinity War."
In "Captain America: Civil War" Helmut Zemo went to work employing what he knew about
the Avengers to tear them apart. Key to his plan was showing Tony Stark a video from the
night in 1991 when his parents died in a car crash, as it showed that their deaths happened
at the hands of Bucky Barnes, acting on behalf of HYDRA as the Winter Soldier.
While viewers had seen Bucky being sent to carry out the Starks' executions earlier in the film,
the knowledge he had killed them was trumped by the heart-pounding slow-burn sequence where
Tony learned the truth. Viewers, Captain America, and Bucky had all hoped Tony wouldn't find out,
given it wouldn't do him or the other Avengers any good, and it was gut-wrenching to see Cap
and Iron Man turn on each other, their friendship shattered in a single moment.
"He's my friend." "So was I."
When Peter Parker picked up his crush Liz at her house for the homecoming dance in "Spider-Man:
Homecoming," he was as shocked as the audience when Adrian Toomes,
the illegal arms dealer he had been trying to stop, was revealed as Liz's father. Could Peter
keep his wits and get out of the situation with his life, secret identity, and prom date intact?
The moment is magnificently orchestrated by director Jon Watts,
who builds tremendous tension with things as simple as rear-mirror close-ups and the shades
reflected from street lights. On the surface, it appears as though Parker still has the advantage;
as with any Keaton character, however, this man is no fool. You can see the wheels turning in
his mind as the light of recognition finally illuminated the deadly confrontation to come.
"You walk through those doors, you forget any of this happened, and don't you ever, ever
interfere with my business again."
Peter Quill lost his mother to cancer at a young age and never knew his father... until "Guardians
of the Galaxy 2," when he learned that his father was the Celestial Ego the Living Planet,
and that Peter was in possession of the same extraordinary powers as his dad.
Initially, Ego came across as the warm parent Quill had been missing for most
of his life — but eventually, his true nature became known.
Ego revealed that he was responsible for causing Quill's mother's illness and death,
something neither Quill nor viewers expected. After all, Ego had claimed he loved Quill's
mother. Yet, as Ego himself would point out, when you're a Celestial who is millions of years old
and only getting older, you don't experience love like a mere mortal. In Ego's mind,
this may have made his actions reasonable — but for Peter, it was the ultimate betrayal.
Looking back at the breadth of the MCU, there have certainly been plenty of fan-service moments. But
it's hard to think of one that garnered more applause and excitement than the "Avengers:
Endgame" scene when Captain America proved himself worthy.
Remember how Cap was able to budge Thor's hammer way back in "Avengers: Age of Ultron?"
Well, by the time "Avengers: Endgame" arrived, the stakes had become so much higher,
as the team tried desperately to restore the half of all life that
Thanos had snapped away. So when the trio of Thor, Cap, and Iron Man confronted Thanos,
with the Mad Titan moments from ove–rcoming Thor, Cap's revelation that he may have been
more worthy than he let on back in "Ultron" brought joy to both Thor and viewers.
"I knew it!"
"The Avengers" was the first time Marvel's various superheroes teamed up on the big screen.
Given the excitement of seeing the team assemble for the first time,
fans didn't anticipate the emotional gut-punch of seeing Phase 1 fan favorite Phil Coulson
end up on the wrong side of Loki's scepter.
Coulson's death gave the film real stakes,
and the uneasy team of superheroes something to rally around. For fans who loved the
steadfast agent, though, Coulson's demise gave "The Avengers" extra emotional heft.
Of course, he went on to lead the TV show "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," making Coulson not only one of
the first iconic MCU characters to die, but also the first to be resurrected. And more than once!
Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. became major forces throughout the first many MCU movies.
Throughout that time, fans had been led to believe the organization was a
force for good — as did the Avengers. Such clear lines of good and evil came crashing
down with "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," however, amidst revelations that
for decades a parasite had been feeding on S.H.I.E.L.D. from the inside: HYDRA.
"Hail Hyrda!"
When Captain America and Black Widow went to seek answers at a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility,
they found themselves in an underground lair. There, a computer with Hydra scientist Arnim
Zola's mind explained Hydra's decades of work within S.H.I.E.L.D., an admission that allowed
him to brag while distracting the heroes from the missiles on their way to destroy the facility.
Ultimately, it took the destruction of S.H.I.E.L.D. to eliminate the threat from Hydra.
Given all the battles he has fought in the MCU, it's easy to forget that Peter Parker
is still a teenager. So when the revelation of his identity as the man behind Spider-Man
compromised the college acceptances of him and his friends in "Spider-Man: No Way Home,"
it made sense that he wouldn't think through all the possibilities to
remedy the situation — and that Doctor Strange wouldn't double check that Peter had exhausted
every other option before coming to him for a magical solution to his problem.
Unfortunately, by the time Strange completed the spell to make the world forget Parker
was Spider-Man, things had gone haywire and the door had been opened to other universes.
It would be a mess that could only be undone with a very adult decision.
By the end of the film, Peter had worked with Strange to finally make everyone forget about him.
It was a choice that left him isolated, alone, and clearly entering a new era for the hero.
The third "Spider-Man" film in the MCU was packed with surprises, from the web-head teaming up with
his counterparts from the previous "Spider-Man" franchises to a "Venom" series tie-in. But one
of the most unexpected moments in "No Way Home" turned out to be much less about
the stunt-casting and more about hard-earned audience affection for an ill-fated character.
In every Spider-Man story prior to the MCU, the death of Uncle Ben had always been a catalyst for
Peter to become a hero. But without a Ben in his origin story, the MCU's Peter had instead
been in the care of Aunt May— and had seemed to discover his fate without a comparable tragedy.
Until now.
When May encourages Peter to help the villains who have arrived in the MCU from alternate universes
instead of sending them home to die, Peter follows her advice. But when Green Goblin
takes control of Norman Osborn's body, Aunt May pays the price. Among her final words?
"With great power, there must come great responsibility."
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