Every Final Showdown in the MCU, Ranked

With over 30 films and counting, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most expansive cinematic world ever crafted. With relatively small beginnings in Iron Man, it's easy to imagine a world where there's no MCU at all, much less one that has so encapsulated the viewing public's attention at such a massive scale. And, like with any franchise, the filmmakers need to find ways to keep topping themselves.

There's no better moment in a superhero film for filmmakers to go all out and show off everything at their disposal than in the film's climax. Here, powers collide, plot threads are combined and concluded, heroes are molded, villains are bested, and the expectations for a spectacle are at their highest. As the most successful superhero mega franchise of all time, the MCU is no different, whether it's in terms of complexity in plotting (less frequent) or in terms of bombast in action sequences (more frequent).

Included in this ranking of every final showdown in the MCU are just the films. That said, as far as the Disney+ series go, WandaVision's final conflict is an all-timer.

32 The San Francisco Chase in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Ant-Man 2

Release Date

July 4, 2018

Director

Peyton Reed

Cast

Evangeline Lilly, Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Michael Pena, T.I., David Dastmalchian

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Superhero

If the MCU has an outright underrated installment, it's Ant-Man and the Wasp. However, as far as action sequences go, it forgoes a large scale in favor of fun. The plot follows Scott Lang and his crew as they attempt to solve the mystery behind an intermittently vanishing young woman.

Why Doesn't It Work?

The third act more or less just has a car chase through the streets of San Francisco. There's Giant Man at one point, but at the end of the day it's more or less the one MCU film that lacks a major third act peak to the conflict (Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost is pretty much reformed by act three).

Stream on Disney+ and TNT

31 Black Widow vs. Dreykov & Taskmaster in Black Widow (2021)

Black Widow

Natasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Starring Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh.

Release Date

July 9, 2021

Director

Cate Shortland

Cast

Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Rachel Weisz, David Harbour, William Hurt

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Superhero

Taskmaster will return in the MCU, and that's good, because she's a villain who needs to. On one hand, she doesn't get any development in Black Widow and, on the other, Olga Kurylenko's talent is not one to waste.

Why Doesn't It Work?

And, admittedly, she's not wasted in Black Widow so much as she's a twist in that Taskmaster is Dreykov's daughter. Speaking of Dreykov, Natasha Romanoff's long-awaited confrontation is mostly dialogue-driven, so not exactly the most bombastic hero vs. villain scene of the MCU.

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30 Strange vs. Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2021)

Doctor Strange 2 in the Multiverse of Madness

Dr. Stephen Strange casts a forbidden spell that opens the door to the multiverse, and joins forces with Wong, and Wanda Maximoff. Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen return for Sam Rami's new MCU entry.

Release Date

May 6, 2022

Director

Sam Raimi

Cast

Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong

Rating

PG-13

Genres

Superhero, Action, Adventure, Fantasy

There's no real third act escalated conflict in Sam Raimi's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness so much as there's a revelation. America Chavez makes it possible for the Scarlet Witch to see the true results of her goal: Two children stripped of their 'real' mother.

Why Doesn't It Work?

Naturally, Wanda comes to her senses and backs off. And, as far as building a narrative goes, that's a strong choice, but it doesn't make for a bombastic finale.

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29 A Family Moment in Thor (2011)

thor

Release Date

April 21, 2011

Director

Kenneth Branagh

Cast

Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, Kat Dennings

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Superhero

The final battle in Kenneth Branagh's Thor isn't one of the traditional sense so much as it's an emotional battle. Loki, who audiences are just meeting in this film, drops himself from the rainbow bridge with what appears to be regret.

Why Doesn't It Work?

Of course, as the following year's The Avengers would prove, Loki wasn't done yet. And, while he didn't bring it in Thor, he's more than capable of orchestrating a big third act battle.

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28 The Ant-Family vs. Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Release Date

February 17, 2023

Director

Peyton Reed

Cast

Kathryn Newton, Evangeline Lilly, Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Jonathan Majors

Main Genre

Superhero

The third (but probably not final) chapter of Peyton Reed's Ant-Man saga keeps the jokes, but alters the setting. With a larger scope than the first two films combined, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was meant to be an integral chapter in the overarching MCU, but unfortunately Scott Lang's journey to keep Kang in the Quantum Realm feels repetitive and dry more often than not. Not to mention, the less said about M.O.D.O.K. the better.

Why Doesn't It Work?

Almost every frame of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania takes place in the wholly CGI-crafted Quantum Realm. So, once the big battle commences, there's no way to show audiences anything they haven't seen before, even in the very same movie. Furthermore, by having Ant-Man and Wasp beat Kang, it deflates some of the tension for the villain's forthcoming Avengers duology.

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27 Captain Marvel vs. Yon-Rogg & Starforce in Captain Marvel (2019)

Captain Marvel

Release Date

March 6, 2019

Director

Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Cast

Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law, Annette Bening, Djimon Hounsou

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Superhero

Wonder Woman was the superhero movie to break necessary new ground, but Captain Marvel (released two years later) did very well for itself nonetheless. Even still, regardless of its soaring past one billion worldwide, Captain Marvel is pretty low-key as far as MCU films go.

Why Doesn't It Work?

The true conflict in Captain Marvel is Carol Danvers' journey to remember her own identity. Then, once she does, she has to face off with those who restricted her memory, which just happens to be the very group she only recently called friends. Danvers' emotional development is a treat, and playing No Doubt's "Just A Girl" over her fistfight with Starforce was a nice touch, but overall the film has one of the MCU's least exciting conclusions.

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26 Black Panther vs. Killmonger in Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther

Release Date

February 13, 2018

Director

Ryan Coogler

Cast

Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Action

While Ryan Coogler's Black Panther is easily one of the best MCU films, its third act battle is pretty forgettable. As incredible as Michael B. Jordan is as Erik Killmonger, his whole (somewhat misguided but understandable) quest goes from deep and admirable to...just...two comparably sized dudes in two comparable suits throwing comparable moves at one another as a space train passes by.

Why Doesn't It Work?

It's the film's weakest point, their one on one fight. But, that could have been improved were it spliced with another, more interesting battle. Unfortunately, Shuri, Okoye, and Nakia taking on Killmonger's men and their charging CGI rhinos simply doesn't do it. Even still, Black Panther is top-tier MCU.

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25 The Guardians, Ravagers, and Nova Corps vs. Ronan & His Army in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy

Release Date

July 30, 2014

Director

James Gunn

Cast

​Chris Pratt2, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Adventure

Some might rank the third act of Guardians of the Galaxy a bit higher, perhaps even number one of its trilogy, but outside the dance fight its entirely forgettable. It's just a light version of a Star Wars space battle, just with stakes the audience doesn't really feel.

Why Doesn't It Work?

It's all simply CGI with little personality, though the Ravagers' teaming up with Nova Corpse to fight a mutual threat is a nice touch. However, once Peter Quill initiates the concept of break dancing as a distraction tactic, the final conflict (or at least the tail end of it) becomes quite endearing.

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24 Dormammu in Doctor Strange (2016)

Doctor Strange

Release Date

October 25, 2016

Director

Scott Derrickson

Cast

Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amy Landecker

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Adventure

Mads Mikkelsen is one of the best actors working today, and he sure does what he can with the part of Kaecilius in Doctor Strange. But, at the end of the day, he's just another bland MCU villain.

Why Doesn't It Work?

And, for the most part, this extends to the film's magical film's conflicts, which have Strange and Kaecilius bending cities. But the third act takes a different approach by having Strange interact repeatedly with the ethereal Dormammu, with the former tricking the latter into what amounts to a black hole, the only escape from which is taking Kaecilius with it, away from the people of Earth.

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23 Iron Man, Pepper Potts, Rhodey, and Many Iron Man Suits vs. Fake Mandarin in Iron Man 3 (2013)

Iron Man 3

Release Date

April 18, 2013

Director

Shane Black

Cast

Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Jon Favreau

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Action

The third and final mainline Iron Man film lost Jon Favreau (as director) but gained Lethal Weapon screenwriter Shane Black in his stead. The result is very Blackian, e.g. the incorporation of Christmas, but what Iron Man 3 is most of all is a (very half-hearted) analysis of PTSD.

Why Doesn't It Work?

And, as an Iron Man film, the third installment falls short. Tony Stark spends all of six seconds in the suit and, even when he does, it's never in the middle of a particularly enthralling action sequence. Take for instance the third act shipyard battle, which puts a lot of faith in audiences being enamored with a bunch of Stark's suits on autopilot. But, even back in 2013, the MCU had already gone to far more exciting places.

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22 Eternals vs. Ikaris in Eternals (2021)

Eternals

Release Date

November 5, 2021

Director

Chloé Zhao

Cast

Gemma Chan, Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek Pinault, Kit Harington, Kumail Nanjiani

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Superhero

Without a doubt, Eternals would have worked better as a TV series. The story of a crew of ancient immortal guardians with various powers never has the time to fully flesh out any of them, leaving audiences shrugging more than cheering.

Why Doesn't It Work?

This also applies to the third act conflict. Is the Ikaris twist solid? Yes, and Richard Madden excels in the role, but his fight with the other Eternals, while carrying some emotional impact, is a poor CGI-laden and uninvolving sequence.

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21 Iron Man & War Machine vs. Whiplash in Iron Man 2 (2010)

Iron Man 2

Release Date

April 28, 2010

Director

Jon Favreau, Kenneth Branagh

Cast

Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Action

Even with action sequence storyboarding by Genndy Tartakovsky (Samurai Jack), there's very little about Iron Man 2's final battle that helps it stand out. It's too swift, a little too chaotic, and it copies the first movie in having one Iron Man essentially go up against a bigger Iron Man.

What does work is the teaming up of Iron Man and War Machine. At least the sequence let Rhodey suit up and party down.

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20 Black Panther vs. Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Black Panther Wakanda Forever

A sequel that will continue to explore the world of Wakanda and all the characters introduced in the 2018 film.

Release Date

November 11, 2022

Director

Ryan Coogler

Cast

Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong'o, Daniel Kaluuya

Rating

PG-13

Genres

Superhero, Action, Adventure, Drama

The main conflict in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever exists within individuals, not outside of them. Is Namor around trying to stake his claim? Sure. But the real battle is against grief.

The fisticuff sequences in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are a little more elaborate and enjoyable than those in the original film, and in that sense it has the edge. The original still has the edge in terms of being a moving film, but it's not as if Wakanda Forever falls very short.

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19 Cap vs. Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Captain America

Release Date

July 22, 2011

Director

Joe Johnston

Cast

Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Action

Joe Johnson's Captain America: The First Avenger keeps gaining charm as time goes on, and MCU installments blend together more and more. The origin story is a period piece more than anything. Well, save for a romance...and a sci-fi war film.

It's a movie that could very well have been a disaster were the tone not spot on. And, thankfully, with the Tesseract and other such lore having already been at least introduced, The First Avenger feels connected to its larger universe regardless of which decade it takes place in. In the end, it's one of the MCU's best, and there's an argument to be made that it's the MCU's very best. However, for those looking for elongated action sequences, it's best to temper one's expectations. But, Cap's clash with Red Skull didn't need to be some well-choreographed extravaganza, it just had to further emphasize the Tesseract and put Cap on ice. It does both, and brings a tear to the viewer's eye in the process.

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18 Spider-Man vs. Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

spider-man homecoming

Release Date

July 5, 2017

Director

Jon Watts

Cast

Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Action

The first of thus far three MCU Spider-Man adventures, Spider-Man: Homecoming was a real treat. It showed that, even with a slim amount of time in-between takes on the IP, Spider-Man had a lot of juice as a film series.

It could have gone a very different way, namely the way it went for Marc Webb's two regrettable Amazing Spider-Man films. However, just like those two Amazing Spider-Man films, the final battle between Spidey and Vulture in Homecoming is forgettable (the real battle is the moment Peter Parker discovers his date's dad is the Vulture).

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17 Thor & Asgardian Children vs. Gorr & His Monsters in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Thor: Love and Thunder

The sequel to Thor: Ragnarok and the fourth movie in the Thor saga. Directed by Taika Waitit. The cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Chris Pratt, and Karen Gillan.

Release Date

July 8, 2022

Director

Taika Waititi

Cast

Taika Waititi, Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Chris Hemsworth, ​Chris Pratt2, Karen Gillan, Russell Crowe

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Superhero

While Thor: Love and Thunder doesn't hold a candle to Thor: Ragnarok, director Taika Waititi still didn't short audiences on action sequences. It's just that Thor's quest to take down Gorr the God Butcher is plagued by wonky pacing and a far too heavy focus on humor.

The final battle in Love and Thunder isn't the film's best, that would be the fight on the monochrome planet, but it still adds a twist that helps it stand out. Specifically, Thor is assisted by the children of Asgard, and it's a nice touch (fueled by some an even better tune).

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16 Ant-Man vs. Yellowjacket in Ant-Man (2015)

Ant-Man

Release Date

July 14, 2015

Director

Peyton Reed

Cast

Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Superhero

As a whole, Ant-Man is the MCU's ultimate diversionary Sunday afternoon film. It's perfectly palatable, enjoyable, and loaded with entertaining performances.

It also has a pretty inventive battle between Ant-Man and Yellowjacket. After all, what movie has made a better use of Thomas the Tank Engine?

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15 Captain America vs. The Winter Soldier (and S.H.I.E.L.D./HYDRA) in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Release Date

March 20, 2014

Director

Anthony Russo, Anthony Russo, Joss Whedon

Cast

Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Superhero

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is very different from its predecessor, but it's equally effective. And, from the opening mission on the S.H.I.E.L.D. vessel to the helicarrier takeover, it's just as exciting. The Winter Soldier follows Steve Rogers quest to uncover who's attempted to assassinate head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury. But, he may find the answer to that question lies within S.H.I.E.L.D. itself.

The aforementioned helicarrier sequence (which has them targeting hundreds of thousands of innocents across the globe) is instantly endearing. The shots of the hovering vessels blasting each other with any number of cannons is unforgettable, as is Rogers' more personal battle with his former friend turned government assassin.

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14 Spider-Man vs. Mysterio & His Drones in Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Spider-Man: Far from Home

Release Date

June 28, 2019

Director

Jon Watts

Cast

Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Zendaya Coleman

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Superhero

Spider-Man: Far From Home finds Peter Parker on a class trip, albeit one that goes horribly wrong. Why? Because they arrive in Venice right when it's being attacked by some mysterious elemental monsters. But, thankfully, there's a mystery man soaring around who could very well help Spidey take them down.

Of course, the mystery man isn't benevolent, and he's the one responsible for the (in reality faux) elemental monsters to begin with. Quentin Beck, Mysterio's actual name, is just a disgraced inventor staging a fallacy to gain some Stark tech. Spider-Man stops him, but Beck has one more trip up his sleeves.

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13 The Guardians vs. The High Evolutionary & His Army in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Release Date

May 5, 2023

Director

James Gunn

Cast

​Chris Pratt2, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sylvester Stallone, Will Poulter

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Adventure

The heartbreaking final chapter of James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy takes a cue from the second film and focuses on one specific character, while giving the others their due, of course. In the case of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, that character is Rocket Raccoon, whose past provides the MCU with its saddest moments.

The movie itself can be a little overstuffed, but it's a manageable experience more often than not. This also applies to its rising spaceship (space city, really) final act, which functions well as a rescue mission sequence while also sewing the seeds to wrap up its characters' storylines.

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