Ranking All The MCU Final Battles From Worst To Best

[jolldan]

That third act finale is an incredibly important part of any movie but even more so in a comic book movie where getting to see the hero have their final showdown with the villain is usually integral to the story.

With that in mind I thought it would be cool to rate all of the final battles in the MCU from worst to best

23. Black Panther - Awful CGI Rhino's and the scene where they are both falling through the Vibranium mine is bordering on PS2 graphics.

22. Iron Man 2 - Basically the same battle as in number 1 with more suits and more characters as Rhodey joins, the lightning is also awful making it so dark throughout the battle.

21. Captain Marvel - We never get a sense that Carol in any danger or even how her powers really work throughout this battle.

20. Ant-Man & The Wasp - Basically this one just didn't feel like we ever got that final battle/showdown

19. Captain America - Honestly I originally thought this would place higher but when I go back and look at it, its really nothing special.

18. Thor - There's nothing wrong with this battle I just felt it kind of lost steam after Thor fights the Destroyer as Loki isn't physically a match for him.

17. Thor: Dark World - This is not a great movie but the final fight as both of them are hurtling through portals in to different realms is great it would rate higher if Malekith has been a better villain.

16. Iron Man 3 - The only time you will see this movie on a list of mine that isn't dead last lol whatever my opinions on this movie the final battle that had so many suit in it was awesome.

15. Iron Man - The original MCU movie finale still holds up imo, getting to see Stark take on basically a giant evil version of his own suit was incredible to see on screen.

14. Guardian's of the Galaxy: Vol 2 - This is a hard one to rate because visually its stunning and the jokes are incredible. I think what hurts this one for me is that the levity sometimes overshadows the sense of urgency but still a great one.

13. Doctor Strange - If we were going for most inventive final battles then I think Strange would take the cake, this was a rare instance we got to see brains not brawn win the fight.

12. Ant-Man - A much more contained battle the world isn't at stake but you're still super engaged because of how they use the environment around them.

11. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Despite the fact that this is a world changing battle inn trying to stop Hydra it also manages to feel so contained as two former friends fight and it leans in to that when they end up saving each other.

10. Spider-Man: Homecoming - This has Spider-Man holding on to a invisible plane that enough would probably have earned it a top 10 spot for me but the fact we get Peter stripped of his suit makes it so much more personal than a lot of others.

9. Thor: Ragnarok - We finally get to see Thor go full thunder god and its glorious, the scene with him entering to Immigrant Song is one of the coolest moments of the Thor franchise. We also get Hulk vs. Fenrir & a visual treat in Sutur.

8. Guardian's of the Galaxy- I just think this has everything it needed, its got space battles, its got the two assassin's going at it, its got an incredible moment of sacrifice that you never see coming and hell its even got a dance off.

7. Incredible Hulk - Im not a big fan of this movie but if I notice the last 15-20 minutes are on tv I will always watch it. In terms of just hand to hand combat I don't think there's a better battle in the MCU and there certainly isn't a more brutal one.

6. Spider-Man: Far From Home - It's hard to convey just why this so high without spoilers but the best way to describe it would be a pure visual extravaganza that's unlike anything I had seen from the MCU before.

5. Captain America: Civil War - The airport scene is still the highlight of the movie imo but the final battle actually manages to condense the fight and still make in incredibly powerful. This is the only time in the MCU that I genuinely worried that one Avenger would kill another.

4. Avengers: Age of Ultron - This one didn't quite reach the same heights as the first did but its still an incredible final battle, from the group fight near the drill to three way blast attack on Ultron there is so much to love about this one as well.

3. Avengers: Infinity War - Set in the stunning looking Wakanda we finally got the showdown that was teased for years and it was just as incredible as promised. Also it has one of the most hype moments of the entire MCU with Thor returning with Strombreaker.

2. Avengers: Endgame - The most heroes we've ever got to see on screen at one time together this was literally the closest thing to a comic book splash page from the moment Cap finally says Avenger's assemble, picks up the hammer or the fight with three of them vs. Thanos its all stunning.

1. The Avengers - Well what can I say nothing has still ever topped this final battle for me, the way they blended the perspectives of all the different Avengers, the team up moments and just the fact that any time I watch it, it never fails to bring smile to my face.


I look forward to seeing your list

 

[CosmicSpider]

Wow, final battles. Okay, I'll try:

(Edit: whoops, just realized I did Best to Worst.)

1. Avengers: Endgame (EPIC, emotional, triumphant, devastating, EPIC, splash-page, culmination of 11 years)

2. Avengers: IW (Thanos arriving in Wakanda was intense, gripping, devastating, unexpected: having him achieve his goal and toss the heroes aside like nothing)

3. Cap: CW (emotional, refreshingly small-scale)

4. Cap: TWS (there is so much emotional depth to this movie for me, especially in the final battle, which is why it is one of my favorite entries in the MCU. When Steve takes off his helmet and throws the shield away to appeal to Bucky is one of my favorite moments in the MCU.)

5. Thor Ragnarok (Vivid, epic and exciting. Also one of the best showcases of a hero’s powers)

6. Spider-Man FFH

Spoiler: Spoilers for FFH

(This may move down on the list after a few viewings, but for now I thought was extremely cool seeing Spidey constantly moving through the drone invasion, culminating with the final blow to Beck.

7. The Avengers (An amazing comic-book battle that is pure entertainment from start to finish.)

8. GOTG 2 (“The Chain” sequence is just amazing. The build up and the way the team fights together is magnificent.)

9. Ant Man (The Thomas the Train sequence. Nuff’ said.)

10. Cap: TFA (A straightforward battle that still works in its own right. Concludes with one of the most emotional endings of the MCU.)

11. Doctor Strange (Visually, it is one of the most striking FBs. I just think the night setting was its only drawback.)

12. GOTG (We Are Groot. The way the team finally came together to work as a unit was very powerful, both literally and emotionally)

13. Age of Ultron (Great teamwork showcasing, however not as thrilling or entertaining as TA1)

14. Spider-Man: HC (Not much to say here, it was good for a Spidey movie)

15. AMATW (Some great stunts and visuals, but nothing memorable here)

16. Iron Man (For being their first final battle ever, it’s not bad. It just doesn’t hold up to their grander efforts, but as a basic one-on-one brawl between two Iron Men, it was pretty good)

17. Captain Marvel (I found there was too much going on here, it was hard to focus on the objective. It just didn’t work as well as, say, GOTG Vol. 2. Or even Vol. 1.

18. TIH (Awesome street-level brawl, much like IM2, it was just held back by some dodgy visual effects)

19. Thor (The Destroyer stuff was decent at best, but the Thor vs Loki stuff was pretty phenomenal for Phase 1)

20. Black Panther (A terrific villain in Killmonger, however too much reliance on CGI and much like CM, it was difficult at times to see a real objective amidst all the mini-battles)

21. IM3 (Awesome-looking armors, however you barely get to see the details and abilities because of the night setting. Also not even giving Rhodey an armor was inexcusable on Tony’s part.)

22. Iron Man 2 (The team-up with War Machine vs the Hammer drones was easily the highlight of this battle for me, but the rest was just filler)

23. Thor: TDW (This one just didn’t have the “pizazz” or excitement factor for me. Also far too much involvement with the human characters.)

Ranking all of the Final Battles actually taught me that the best singular moments of them come from the smaller, emotional moments. The vulnerable moments in the midst of a battle that make these characters so human and relatable.

 

[Joefixit]

That third act finale is an incredibly important part of any movie but even more so in a comic book movie where getting to see the hero have their final showdown with the villain is usually integral to the story.

With that in mind I thought it would be cool to rate all of the final battles in the MCU from worst to best

23. Black Panther - Awful CGI Rhino's and the scene where they are both falling through the Vibranium mine is bordering on PS2 graphics.

22. Iron Man 2 - Basically the same battle as in number 1 with more suits and more characters as Rhodey joins, the lightning is also awful making it so dark throughout the battle.

21. Captain Marvel - We never get a sense that Carol in any danger or even how her powers really work throughout this battle.

20. Ant-Man & The Wasp - Basically this one just didn't feel like we ever got that final battle/showdown

19. Captain America - Honestly I originally thought this would place higher but when I go back and look at it, its really nothing special.

18. Thor - There's nothing wrong with this battle I just felt it kind of lost steam after Thor fights the Destroyer as Loki isn't physically a match for him.

17. Thor: Dark World - This is not a great movie but the final fight as both of them are hurtling through portals in to different realms is great it would rate higher if Malekith has been a better villain.

16. Iron Man 3 - The only time you will see this movie on a list of mine that isn't dead last lol whatever my opinions on this movie the final battle that had so many suit in it was awesome.

15. Iron Man - The original MCU movie finale still holds up imo, getting to see Stark take on basically a giant evil version of his own suit was incredible to see on screen.

14. Guardian's of the Galaxy: Vol 2 - This is a hard one to rate because visually its stunning and the jokes are incredible. I think what hurts this one for me is that the levity sometimes overshadows the sense of urgency but still a great one.

13. Doctor Strange - If we were going for most inventive final battles then I think Strange would take the cake, this was a rare instance we got to see brains not brawn win the fight.

12. Ant-Man - A much more contained battle the world isn't at stake but you're still super engaged because of how they use the environment around them.

11. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Despite the fact that this is a world changing battle inn trying to stop Hydra it also manages to feel so contained as two former friends fight and it leans in to that when they end up saving each other.

10. Spider-Man: Homecoming - This has Spider-Man holding on to a invisible plane that enough would probably have earned it a top 10 spot for me but the fact we get Peter stripped of his suit makes it so much more personal than a lot of others.

9. Thor: Ragnarok - We finally get to see Thor go full thunder god and its glorious, the scene with him entering to Immigrant Song is one of the coolest moments of the Thor franchise. We also get Hulk vs. Fenrir & a visual treat in Sutur.

8. Guardian's of the Galaxy- I just think this has everything it needed, its got space battles, its got the two assassin's going at it, its got an incredible moment of sacrifice that you never see coming and hell its even got a dance off.

7. Incredible Hulk - Im not a big fan of this movie but if I notice the last 15-20 minutes are on tv I will always watch it. In terms of just hand to hand combat I don't think there's a better battle in the MCU and there certainly isn't a more brutal one.

6. Spider-Man: Far From Home - It's hard to convey just why this so high without spoilers but the best way to describe it would be a pure visual extravaganza that's unlike anything I had seen from the MCU before.

5. Captain America: Civil War - The airport scene is still the highlight of the movie imo but the final battle actually manages to condense the fight and still make in incredibly powerful. This is the only time in the MCU that I genuinely worried that one Avenger would kill another.

4. Avengers: Age of Ultron - This one didn't quite reach the same heights as the first did but its still an incredible final battle, from the group fight near the drill to three way blast attack on Ultron there is so much to love about this one as well.

3. Avengers: Infinity War - Set in the stunning looking Wakanda we finally got the showdown that was teased for years and it was just as incredible as promised. Also it has one of the most hype moments of the entire MCU with Thor returning with Strombreaker.

2. Avengers: Endgame - The most heroes we've ever got to see on screen at one time together this was literally the closest thing to a comic book splash page from the moment Cap finally says Avenger's assemble, picks up the hammer or the fight with three of them vs. Thanos its all stunning.

1. The Avengers - Well what can I say nothing has still ever topped this final battle for me, the way they blended the perspectives of all the different Avengers, the team up moments and just the fact that any time I watch it, it never fails to bring smile to my face.


I look forward to seeing your list

My list would honestly look somewhat like yours. I would have black panther higher on the list, but other than that , that’s pretty much how they line up for me.

 

[Batmannerism]

I'll just do a top 10, because to me a final battle needs to be interesting and original - we've all seen massive slugfests, which get dull after a while, but the MCU has treated us to some very clever, satisfying and memorable moments including:

1. ENDGAME: It's the MCU's ROTK, a truly epic fight with some very memorable highlights including Cap wielding Mjolnir, MCU sisters unite, and Thanos being even more badass than he was in IW. This one is for all the marbles and it delivers.

2. Cap Civil War: It's intense, emotional and well choreographed with a real narrative - it never feels like aimless punching. While not as big scale as other MCU films the final showdown feels so personal that I had to rank it number 2.

3. Thor Ragnarok: not only does it have zombies, the goddess of death, a 1000 foot tall demon, an undead wolf, the Hulk, Skurge firing 2 M-16s at once, Loki, Valkyrie, Heimdall, Korg and Thor shooting lightning out of his ash but also one of Led Zeppelin's best head banging tunes - in short it's awesome on every level.

4. GOTG VOL 1: Spectacular and intense but also fun. Ultimately they save the world with the power of friendship, and that's a tough act to beat. And of course We are Groot !

5. Dr Strange: Visually stunning but also the cleverest resolution of any MCU film, it gets mad props for that. Who doesn't love a good time loop ?


6.Cap TWS: also very intense, great choreography and high stakes. Gets better every time I watch it.

7. The Avengers: Set a high standard, which Marvel has pretty much either met or exceeded ( but for a couple of films). Some great Hulk moments.

8. Ant Man: Because it was original to take things down to a smaller scale, and we all love TTTE !

9. GOTG Vol 2 because it has some real LOL moments "Mantis, Look Out !" ( I'm still laughing at that) and a giant Pac Man. Yondu's sacrifice also added emotional weight.

10. Infinity War: Not really a battle, as Thanos pretty much walks through our heroes like he's on god mode. Still damn entertaining though.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

Whats the Hype without some arbitrary listing:

23. Black Panther - pretty lame.

22. Ant-Man & The Wasp - what final battle?

21. Captain America - meh

20. Thor - wasn't bad, just way too short.

19. Thor: Dark World - eh

18. Iron Man 3 - some disgusting humor in a scene that was supposed to be emotional.

17. Iron Man - pales in comparison to most of the mcu battles.

16. Captain Marvel - visuals were great, "im just a girl" was a bit much

15. Ant-Man - Thomas the train is most of what i remember.

14. Spider-Man: Homecoming - Spidey got his ash beat but it was a fun battle.

13. Guardian's of the Galaxy- It's decent, but the dance off gets it here on the list.

12. Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ranks here for the slow motion scene around the drill and wanda ripping ultron's heart out and Vision's convo with Ultron.

11. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Emotional, intense. Loved it.

10. Guardian's of the Galaxy: Vol 2 - Some awesome stuff in this one.

9. Iron Man 2 - This battle is ranked very low on most people's lists. I love it. It's the awesome final battle we never got from IM1.

8. Doctor Strange - Ranks this high for "Dormammu I've come to bargain..."

7. Thor: Ragnarok - Mostly for immigrant song

6. Spider-Man: Far From Home - Every battle in this film was enjoyable but that final battle was DOPE!

5. Incredible Hulk - unlike most, i love this film. And I think the final battle is the icing on an already tasty cake.

4. Avengers: Endgame - From the big three, to Cap wielding mjolnir, to on your left, to avengers assemble, to something entering the upper atmosphere, to I am Iron Man. Thrilling start to finish.

3. Avengers: Infinity War - Wakanda was good, but Thanos vs Strange and Thanos vs Stark and the earlier Titan battle were the stand out moments.

2. Captain America: Civil War - The airport scene still rivals Endgame's final battle and Cap/Bucky vs Stark is one of my highlights of the MCU.

1. The Avengers - This was a visual delight, near perfect CGI throughout (a marvel for 2012) great teamwork (Iron Man blasting Cap's shield and need I mention Hulk and Thor).