TheMarvel Cinematic Universe(MCU) is a force to be reckoned with in 21st-century cinema, dominating “highest-grossing” lists and multiplying at a rate that shows no signs of slowing any time soon. Spanning 28 films with the recent release ofDr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, each movie involves its own plot while also contributing to the intricate weaving of the sprawling MCU web. With so much at play, it can be hard to keep track of all the little details and subplots that have taken place.
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In some instances, great subplots have been forgotten in time, overshadowed by grander events. Many of these subplots doubtlessly deserve greater recognition; in some instances, they easily outshine the main plots of the movies they take place in. Additionally, the cinematic universe being as extensive and interwoven as it is, there are some great subplots that carry through multiple movies, often unnoticed or underappreciated. This list names 8 MCU subplots that were great, perhaps even better than the main plot of the movie.
T’Challa’s Revenge
Captain America: Civil Waris significant for a number of reasons, not least of all because it was T’Challa/Black Panther’s (Chadwick Boseman) introduction into the MCU. Following a terrorist attack that killed his father, T’Challa spends the movie hunting down the man he believes is responsible: former brainwashed Hydra super soldier Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). He almost succeeds at killing Barnes multiple times, but is continually thwarted by Steve Rogers/Captain America(Chris Evans) and his associates.
T’Challa’s story in the movie is one of revenge and the ways it can consume people when it manifests in the form of misguided rage. An almost Shakespearean tale, it forms an illuminating parallel against Steve and Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr) conflict, which is itself spurred by vengeance. It remains one of the best and most successful MCU subplots to date.
Peter Parker Wanting to be an Avenger
It’s established as soon as we meetPeter Parker(Tom Holland) inCaptain America: Civil Warthat he idolizes theAvengersand is desperate to join their ranks. He agrees to go to Germany withTony Starkwithout second thought, and we later discover inSpider-Man: Homecomingthat he made a vlog-style home video of the trip. It’s throughout that first Spider-Man film that he experiences conflict with Tony, who insists he is too young to join the big leagues and should focus on smaller-scale conflicts until he gets a little more superhero experience. Peter wants to be taken seriously and resents this treatment for most of the movie. It’s a testament to his character growth when, at the end ofHomecoming, he declines an offer from Tony to label him the newest Avenger.
It’s a fairly understated plot point, but his dreams of becoming a real Avenger come to a head and prove tragic inAvengers: Infinity Warwhen he finally gets the opportunity to fight in the big leagues, only to be blipped in the famous “Mr Stark I don’t feel so good” scene. His mentor and idol Tony Stark’s death only proves to further skew his feelings about the superhero gig. He no longer displays any interest in Avengers-level combat, telling Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) inSpider-Man: Far From Home"I’m just a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man". This arc carries through from his first appearance inCivil Warall the way to his latest appearance inSpider-Man: No Way Home, and makes for a compelling - and heartbreaking - character journey.
Hulk’s Tenure on Sakaar
Following thelackluster 2008 solo Hulk moviestarringEdward Norton,The Incredible Hulk, MCU’s Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) has only had his storylines feature as subplots in other MCU movies. His most prominent subplot began at the end ofAvengers: Age of Ultron, when, after spending the whole movie losing control, causing damage and chaos in various cities around the world, and costing the Avengers much of their good reputation, Hulk decides to leave Earth in a Quinjet and go AWOL.
We find out inThor: Ragnarökthat Hulk crash-landed on Sakaar, an artificial trash planet surrounded by wormholes. Here, he stayed in Hulk form for two years and fought as a prized gladiator for the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum). AfterThor(Chris Hemsworth) is also stranded on the planet, he helps Banner regain control and the pair fight together to defeat Thor’s evil sister Hela (Cate Blanchett). Very limited explanation and backstory is given regarding Hulk’s time on Sakaar; it’s such a vibrant setting, and Hulk missed a great deal during his time there, so it’s a shame it wasn’t allotted a little more attention.
The Government Wanting to Seize the Iron Man Technology
Iron Man 2is one of the most vehemently critiqued MCU movies,often at the bottom of ranking lists. It is mostly criticized for its lackluster main villain, and multiple subplots that many deem silly and inconsequential. One particularIron Man 2subplot, however, could have had fascinating repercussions if explored further. In one of the earlier scenes in the movie, Tony Stark is called before a Senate hearing and pressured to give up his Iron Man technology to the government. Not only is the scene one of the best in the film, with fantastic, natural performances from the cast, it introduces a plot thread that resonates in future movies and deserved more attention than a single scene in an otherwise tumultuous movie.
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In the scene, Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) talks about how Tony “asks us to trust him as we cower behind [him and his Iron Man technology]”, and Tony’s best friend James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) is coerced into admitting he believes the existence of ‘Iron Man’ outside any jurisdiction presents a potential threat. Tony rebuts these arguments, arrogantly declaring he did everyone a favor: “I’ve successfully privatized world peace”, he says. This subplot is even more fascinating following the events ofCaptain America: Civil War, where Tony, after years of reflection and character growth, shows complete willingness to rescind power and expresses a belief that superheroes should not exist unchecked.
Thanos' Introduction in Avengers
Though fondly remembered as the movie that went where no other had gone before, and effectively started the MCU as it is known today, the firstAvengershad a fairly run-of-the-mill narrative, with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes reluctantly teaming up to defeat the villainLoki(Tom Hiddleston). In hindsight, one of the most compelling elements of the narrative is the one given the least attention: the introduction of Thanos (Josh Brolin), the Mad Titan.
It is vaguely touched upon thatThanossaved Loki from death following the ending ofThor(2011), then enlisted (or manipulated, depending on your interpretation) him to invade Earth with the help of the Chitauri. While it’s likely they kept his involvement brief to generate a sense of mystery, it left viewers with many questions, particularly regarding Thanos' decision to use Loki to retrieve the Tessaract instead of doing it himself, and whether Loki was being mind controlled, was participating willingly, or deliberately threw the battle in New York. Though it’s fun to speculate, it might’ve been nice to delve a little deeper into his involvement in the events of the movie.
Hawkeye’s Secret Family
Joss Whedon’s oft-criticized second Avengers movie,Avengers: Age of Ultron, is generally ill-regarded with accusations of a lackluster villain and disjointed plot. There is relatively unanimous agreement, however, that the film succeeds admirably in one of its subplots; around the middle of the movie, after Hulk tears through a major city and causes untold damage and chaos, the Avengers are sent away to lie low by their de facto boss Nick Fury.Hawkeye(Jeremy Renner) takes them to stay at his secret farm with his secret family, much to the shock of the rest of the team.
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At the farm, the Avengers get some much-needed rest and recovery, and the slower, more intimate nature of the scenes there allow for great character interactions, as they ponder on their lives and futures as superheroes. Critics and viewers alikefavor Whedon’s vision for a smaller-scale, more personal aura in this part of the storyand the film might have benefited with a little more exploration into Hawkeye’s quaint, hidden life and what it could mean for the rest of the heroes.
Tony’s PTSD
Iron Man 3is largely focused on Tony Stark’s efforts to defeat the terrorist organization known as ‘the Mandarin’, but the movie really shines in moments dedicated to a character-development related subplot that sees Tony grapple with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. After the events that took place in the previous movie,Avengers(2012), and his near-death experience that ultimately won the battle, Tony starts experiencing panic attacks and struggles with how to cope in this new, post-alien-invasion world.
The looming effects of Tony’s PTSD and his struggles to come to terms with the events that took place inAvengerspervade his actions and motivations in later movies as well; most specifically in his desperation to create a “suit of armor” for the world inAge of Ultron. Downey gives some of his best performance beats in these scenes, showing the vulnerable side of the Man in the Can.
Superheroes in the Real World
One of Disney+’s first MCU shows wasThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which follows the tumultuous partnership ofSam Wilson(Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes. Throughout the show they fight against a terrorist organization called ‘the Flag-Smashers’, protest against unjust new post-blip laws, and encounter conflict with John Walker (Wyatt Russell), who is appointed the ‘New Captain America’ by the U.S. Government following Steve Rogers' death.
Being a show rather than a movie,The Falcon and the Winter Soldierbenefits from more time to delve deeper into multiple plot lines, balancing those listed above relatively well. But the show’s opening scene introduces an understated struggle that deserved more screen time: it sees Sam in a bank, being refused a small business loan due to his choppy finances. For such a fleeting scene, it caused a great deal of discussion on social media, and implied fans are interested in knowing how superheroes are able (if at all) to live like “normal people” when they don’t have traditional jobs or, apparently, a steady source of income.
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