The MCU has become such an iconic part of our popular culture.
And we’ve already ranked the worst of the worst when it comes to the MCU Villains…
So it only makes sense that we figure out which of our righteous heroes is truly the
most noble.
There has to be someone who comes out on top.
I’m Brad with WickedBinge and this MCU Heroes: Good to Most Good.
For this list, the heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that have done greater heroics will
be given a higher ranking while those that have strayed from good or have done questionable
deeds will be ranked lower.
We’ll also be including some characters that haven’t been given the title of Avenger
but have helped to defeat the enemy and protect the public.
So let’s start at the bottom with the least heroic hero and work our way up…
Loki has been shady and heroic.
Once a villain, he was still consumed by jealousy about how he was treated growing up.
He felt robbed of his destiny and took it out on Odin and-to a lesser extent-Thor.
He loses a lot of hero points after trying to conquer Earth and lying about having the
Tesseract.
In the end, though, he did come to be supportive of his brother rather than jealous and even
handed over the Tesseract to try and save his life.
Which is nice, but unfortunately for Loki, you’re still getting placed at the bottom
of the list…
Nebula was another bitter sibling.
A former assassin, she spent a large portion of her life trying to be stronger than Gamora.
When she escaped being imprisoned by Thanos, she followed him to try and save her adoptive
sister, being the one to figure out first that he had killed her.
She then teamed up with Tony and, upon arriving on Earth, joined the Avengers to defeat Thanos
for good.
Her dealings with Thanos and the fact that she didn’t exactly turn around for the better
until the end is what ranks her second from the bottom.
Quicksilver had a brief time with the rest of the heroes when they were facing Ultron.
He and his fraternal twin sister Wanda were granted their powers rather than being born
with them.
While Wanda gained some impressive physic abilities, the thing that mainly set Quicksilver
apart was his supersonic speed.
He had a grudge against Tony Stark, joining Ultron to take out the man who he blamed for
the death of his family.
He switched tactics, helping the heroes take out Ultron once he realized the true plan
at work, but lost his life shortly after.
He wasn’t around long, but his sacrifice did help them in the end.
Bucky was initially a soldier before he was made a villain and then honorary Avenger.
He was an excellent second in command to Steve when he began to really take the role of Captain
America.
He nearly lost his life after a confrontation with Hydra and spent years afterward being
brainwashed and manipulated.
We dock him some points due to his actions during this time, but we also understand them.
We sympathize that it was frightening to realize what happened to him and having to confront
people like Tony and T’Challa that he had a hand in harming…
So we give him a lot of credit for stepping up and fighting alongside Wakanda and the
Avengers to take on Thanos and his forces.
Mantis was a sweet woman.
She was able to gather a lot from others by feeling their emotions and using it as a tool
to learn about leverage or gain other information.
She is often seen connecting with people on a very personal level, and confided in Drax
about her insecurities.
Some were upset at her feeling Thanos’ pain and having them realize Gamora was dead, but
she was feeling the same pain he was... and vocalizing it was a normal reaction to have.
Clint, mainly known as Hawkeye, is next.
He isn’t as glamorized as the other heroes tend to be, but he’s straight forward in
everything he does.
He does his best to look out for his family and his team.
He was the one that tried to hold Wanda back from conflict, provided a sort of safehouse
for the team when they needed to regroup and he stuck to Natasha as they gathered the Infinity
Stones from the different timelines.
Moving onto Drax the Destroyer.
Always leaping head first into action, it’s easy to initially read him as a simple character.
In truth, he’s been deeply hurt by losing his family and sees Quill’s crew as his
new one.
He warms up to Mantis and aids her with her struggles for identity and approved of Quill
and Gamora’s relationship.
He’s often driven by revenge and the heat of battle, always looking for the next target
to set his sights on.
Scott is a man not only trying to be a successful hero, but a father.
Even when under house arrest, he tries to make life as interesting for his daughter
as he can.
He’s a successful scientist, using his creations to be able to take on Iron Man after being
recruited by Steve, and even helping Ghost to overcome her sickness so she could lead
a normal life.
He isn’t driven by revenge like some heroes tend to do, but instead always made a point
to help whenever and however he could no matter the risk to his own well-being.
Sam, The Falcon, is up.
A good friend to Captain America, he is honest and to the point on whatever is being discussed.
He’s an experienced soldier and is always training to make sure to keep himself at the
height of his physical abilities.
Though he had some hesitance accepting Bucky, he did help protect the former tool of Hydra
from Peter and took Steve’s side to not sign over the freedom the Avengers had as
a group.
Natasha took the title of Black Widow.
Originally a KGB agent, she was brought into the Avengers by Clint.
She’s defeated various terrorist threats and was dubbed one of the most efficient agents.
She went on to bring Tony and Bruce on the team and became one of the few people relied
on to try and keep Bruce sane when he was being too heavily influenced by the Hulk.
She had agreed with Tony for the Avengers to be regulated and helped to team up with
Captain America to take out Thanos after the snap, even sacrificing her life so Clint could
get the Soul Stone.
Gamora had been Thanos’ adoptive daughter, or at least one of them.
She had a hard childhood, with her planet being a victim to Thanos and his method of
killing off half of the population.
She had a conflicting relationship with Quill in the beginning, seeing him as carefree and
unable to be reliable in dangerous situations.
But the more the man and his team grew on her, the more she developed, able to see Nebula
as more of a sister than an enemy.
She knew of Thanos and his high expectations of her and begged Quill to kill her so Thanos
couldn't use her.
Rocket was the result of experimentation and tends to enjoy adapting other things around
him.
He’s abrasive upon first meeting, but for the most part, he does have a softer side.
He raised Groot and was visibly shaken when the other disappeared at the snap.
He offered a sympathetic ear to Thor as they head to try and defeat Thanos with a new weapon,
even giving the man an eye to use.
Shuri is not just your garden variety princess.
She’s a genius, a warrior and a devoted sister.
She was the one to remove the Hydra programming from Bucky’s mind and was the one entrusted
to remove the Mind Stone from Vision.
She makes an impressive display of fighting off the enemy while still working to separate
the stone from Vision, even though she was one of the many who died that day.
Vision was originally seen as the perfect form for Ultron, but instead he sided with
the Avengers to take out the other.
Being mainly a machine, he’s able to objectively calculate risks and routes to take.
His demeanor is usually calm, being the one guy in the room to have a level head at almost
any time.
He became romantic with Wanda later on and it was her that he begged to destroy him before
Thanos could use the Mind Stone.
Though that method didn’t work, we commend him for his bravery in being willing to sacrifice
himself, even trying to comfort Wanda as he asked her to perform this difficult task.
[use clip from Infinity War: Vision-“You could never hurt me.”]
Quill was raised by crooks and ruffians and was the result of an alien and human relationship.
It led to him having a fond appreciation for Earth, having some distant memories of the
planet before his abduction.
Upon running into Tony, Peter and Doctor Strange, he teamed with them to help take on Thanos.
It is heartbreaking to see him react to losing Gamora, and we understand his lashing out.
It just would have been nice if he held back a few more moments.
Of course, we have to keep in mind that this was after having to take on his biological
father and lose the man he saw as a role model.
This guy really can’t catch a break and only wanted to be able to provide a comfortable
life for himself and the crew he saw as a family.
Thor, though being able to harness the power of thunder, is one of the more approachable
heroes.
He approaches situations with a sense of humour that catches others off guard and is always
willing to seek out aid from others.
Even after being hurt by Loki, he believed his brother was able to be redeemed and was
one of the few to trust his brother.
He took a liking to Quill and his team, teaming with Rocket and Groot to arrive on Earth and
fight alongside the Avengers and Wakanda to take on Thanos.
He was the one to recruit Doctor Strange, trusting the man’s abilities to use the
Time Stone.
Fury was the one who founded the Avengers, being inspired by Carol.
He’s no-nonsense and takes on each challenge head on.
Not only is he a deadly force to be reckoned with, but he’s quick to pick up on threats.
His quick thinking to call Captain Marvel for help led to the team receiving a lot of
aid from her as they faced Thanos again.
He was the one to approach Peter after Tony’s passing and always pushed the Avengers he
recruited and trained to always strive to be stronger for each conflict.
Rhody the War Machine was a hero long before he put on his own iron suit.
He was an officer for the United States Airforce and his experience with the military landed
him a position with Stark Industries.
He befriended Tony and stood by him when the man suffered from PTSD and was trying to figure
out how to be a hero.
He was an example of loyalty and morality that is admired in a man who had seen conflict.
He helped take out Ultron, stood with Tony to challenge Steve and even after he was severely
injured, he approached life with determination and a sense of humour.
Okoye is a brilliant example of loyalty and strength.
Though initially conflicted on who to protect, she took to aiding the rightful king rather
than the imposter sitting on the throne.
She is a respected aid for T-Challa and is one of the strongest of Wakanda.
She was on the front lines when Thanos’ minions attacked and continued to fight even
after T’Challa disappeared with the snap.
She briefly served as an ally to Natasha until life was restored and she returned to protect
her beloved Wakanda.
Groot tends to change drastically on how he interacts with people based on what age he
is at that moment.
But overall, he’s caring and very protective…
And he’s so damn loveable.
He sees Rocket as a father figure and is always willing to sacrifice himself for others, be
it using his body as a shield or removing part of him to create a new weapon for Thor.
T’Challa is the respected ruler of Wakanda and noble Black Panther.
He was initially driven by thoughts of revenge, seeking out the Winter Soldier he thought
was responsible for the attack that killed his father.
But he decided not to let revenge consume him ever again.
Black Panther learns from his mistakes and this allows him to ultimately become one of
the greatest heroes.
He was the first ruler to be willing to share the advances of his city with the outside
world and took in Bucky to help the man once he was regaining his memory and breaking free
of Hydra’s control.
And he always made the lives of civilians as his priority.
Ultimately, T'Challa initiates programs dedicated to providing aid to the needy in foreign countries
as early steps to reduce Wakanda's isolation.
He does this in a very cautious manner, as it is impossible to fully share Wakanda's
wealth, technology and resources, without causing chaos around the world.
Certainly one of the coolest superheroes in the MCU, and one of great cultural significance.
Rest in Peace, Chadwick Boseman.
Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, never seems to catch a break.
She lost her family at a young age, was duped by Ultron, lost her brother and then lost
the man she loved to Thanos.
She’s one of the strongest members of the Avengers, being one of the few beings Thanos
showed fear towards.
Being able to hold back the powerful man with one hand while honoring her dying loved one’s
wish with the other.
She always puts the greater good before herself no matter what it might cost her and her involvement
to save Okoye and Natasha in Infinity War made all the difference in the initial conflict.
Bruce was a founder of the Avengers and, while he did struggle a lot with maintaining his
Hulk form, he became a reliable aid for many of the other heroes.
He was the one to aid Thor when they took on the Dark Elves, was the one to help confront
Thanos with Tony and Doctor Strange in the beginning and was a key player in defeating
Loki.
He was able to merge his form and the Hulk into one body and went on to use time travel
to gain the Time Stone before Thanos could find it.
Doctor Strange, while once a fast and loose kind of guy, eventually became a master of
the magical arts after seeking help to treat his hands.
He refused to be labeled as an Avenger, seeing the group as beneath him, but came around
to helping take down Thanos.
He offered up his stone only because there was no other way to defeat the man, seeing
the future where Tony saved all of them in the end.
Carol, while not dubbed the original Avenger, was the inspiration for the program.
She was a soldier for a number of years on an alien planet, having lost her memory and
been brainwashed to fight an enemy that wound up not being an enemy.
After arriving back on Earth, she realized she had been lied to and fought to harness
her new power, fighting against the people she once served in order to protect the aliens
that begged for her help.
She went on to be the one to find Tony and Nebula and assisted the Avengers in fighting
Thanos.
Steve Rogers took up the shield as Captain America and was dubbed to be the first Avenger.
Growing up, he tried his best to stand up for others.
He attempted enlisting several times despite having a ton of health issues and a weak frame.
When he was finally accepted to participate in training, he was looked down upon but he
never let it frustrate him.
He even lunged himself on what he thought was a grenade ready to explode just to save
his fellow soldiers.
When he was unfrozen, he was glad to step up and help be a role model for the newer
heroes coming in.
He had a ton of conflict with Tony over the years, even going against him and leaving
the Avengers.
But when Thanos became a threat, he put his disagreement with Tony and some of the others
aside to take on the man and his army.
All and all, Captain America is noble, chivalrous and incredibly idealistic.
A hero who really believes in doing the right thing in any situation.
He’s also loyal and principled in every aspect of his journey.
Onto the Silver Medal of Heroics.
Tony Stark has been a mess of a character since he first made appearances on screen.
There’s no doubt the man is a show off.
He likes to be the best and hates admitting any sort of weakness.
He has problems reaching out to others, but strives to protect those around him.
He had a conflicting relationship with Steve, partially admiring how much of a hero Captain
America is and partially hating how much his father Howard would talk about him as Tony
grew up.
But he wound up being a great mentor for Peter and was a hero that stuck by his morals.
He was for regulating the Avengers because he felt personally responsible for the lives
that were lost in the conflict they had with Ultron.
It’s important to keep in mind that he’s not a hardened soldier and had a harder time
dealing with the effects of war and the emotional toll it would take.
He stood against Thanos, sacrificing himself to be rid of the threat and save the planet.
Finally, we arrive at the Gold… and if you’ve been keeping track, you probably already know.
The Gold Medal of Good goes to Peter Parker.
Spiderman.
He may have eventually been okay with being a friendly neighborhood Spiderman, but he
also had an impressive resume.
Super strength, heightened senses and a bleeding heart.
These traits gave him as much help as they did trouble.
Stan Lee himself once stated that the only reason Spiderman couldn't lift Thor’s hammer
was because he was unwilling to take a life.
He saves Vulture from exploding, earning the villain’s silence about his identity.
He spent every moment trying to live up to the legacy Tony left behind, seeing the man
as his idol and tried to comfort Tony as he slowly disappeared from existence.
When it comes down to it, Peter Parker’s sense of right and wrong, loyalty and overwhelming
idealism is what lands him with the Gold Medal Good MCU Hero.
But what do you think?
Who do you consider the most good among the Marvel heroes?
Let us know in the comment section.
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Where we break down the morality of the characters in your favorite cartoons, shows and movies.
But most importantly, stay wicked!