10 Marvel Movies That Nailed Their Final Scene

:0:0

In the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, only a handful of movies have been able to absolutely nail their final scenes. The movies of the MCU have earned massive success by adapting the characters and stories of Marvel Comics into live-action. Even before the franchise began, Marvel adaptations were often a force to be reckoned with at the box office, earning considerable financial success. Many of them were also hugely popular with audiences and critics alike, earning excellent reputations in the process.
There’s no better way for a movie to earn such a reputation than by ending with an unforgettable and perfect scene. Throughout the MCU’s movie timeline, there have been many exceptional final scenes that perfectly end their respective movies. Getting the perfect closing moments helps to make a movie seem especially satisfying, and has undoubtedly been a contributor to the success of Marvel’s movies. With that in mind, here are 10 Marvel movies that nailed their final scene.
10 Thor Escapes As Asgard Is Destroyed Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Thor: Ragnarok was more than just a excellent movie: it was a turning point in Thor’s MCU story. It saw the death of Odin, the loss of Mjolnir, and, in its climactic battle, the destruction of Asgard. The movie’s closing scene sees Thor abandoning Asgard to Hela as it is destroyed by Surtur, choosing to save his people rather than attempting to preserve their home.
What makes the scene perfect is what it signifies for Thor as a hero. It’s a moment where he has completely abandoned his ego, and makes an impossible choice that he believes is best for his people. The movie then ends with Thor embracing his role as Asgard’s rightful King, still reeling from the loss of Asgard. In terms of the way it ends the movie, it’s great, but the way in which it continues Thor’s own story is absolutely perfect.
9 Steve Rogers Breaks Heroes Out Of The Raft Captain America: Civil War (2016) Across Captain America’s MCU timeline, the character has undergone some massive changes. The first Captain America, Steve Rogers, was a founding Avenger, but also an inspirational figure to many of the MCU’s other characters. However, over the course of his MCU story, his perspective on heroism and himself as a person changed drastically, with the ending of Captain America: Civil War one of his most important moments.
Civil War’s final scene is set to a voiceover of a letter Rogers wrote to Tony Stark. It explains that Rogers is abandoning his hero persona and his role as an Avenger, but that he believes he’s doing so for the right reasons. As it plays out, Steve is rescuing his imprisoned teammates from the Raft, signifying his moral compass is intact even as he commits a criminal act. It’s a scene that perfectly summarizes Cap’s journey throughout the movie, and begins to set up his MCU ending.
8 Spider-Man Continues To Be A Hero The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) Though The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is often considered one of the worst Spider-Man movies in recent history, it’s a movie that absolutely nailed its ending. After his battle with the Green Goblin ended in the shocking and devastating death of Gwen Stacy, it seemed as though Peter Parker would abandon his heroic purpose as Spider-Man. The movie’s final scene sees Rhino rampaging through the streets of New York, only for a grief-stricken Spidey to arrive just in time.
The scene touches on Peter’s heartbreak and the difficulty he faces in resuming his life as a hero, but he ultimately overcomes it. It establishes his vulnerabilities but also his willingness to push on to live up to his responsibility to the people of New York, serving as a touching final moment for the movie. It also sets up a sequel that will likely never come to pass, though this now seems only to establish that he will have a future as a hero regardless.
7 The Avengers Lose Their Battle Avengers: Infinity War (2018) In perhaps one of the most shocking and devastating twist endings in the history of the superhero genre, Avengers: Infinity War saw its villain triumph over the MCU’s heroes. During the climactic battle, Thanos was able to gather all six Infinity Stones and enact his plan, snapping half of all life out of existence. The movie ends with a scene in which half of the MCU’s Avengers crumble into dust, serving as a heartbreaking conclusion to the hard-fought battle.
Of course, Avengers: Endgame established the means of the Avengers’ subsequent victory and the resurrection of the heroes, but that doesn’t detract from Infinity War’s final scene. Watching it back, it’s still a perfect ending, as it remains every bit as emotional even years after its release. It’s a final scene that sets up one of the most epic cinematic events in history, marking a perfect end to an incredible movie.
6 Spider-Man Carries On Even After Peter Parker Is Forgotten Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) Spider-Man"s story in the MCU started out with some controversy, as his reliance on existing heroes in the franchise was divisive. However, the ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home cleverly subverted those criticisms, setting up a more comic-accurate future for the hero. Faced with the potential destruction of reality, Peter Parker made the impossible choice to be forgotten by the world. The movie’s final scene sees him swing through New York, continuing his heroic work as Spider-Man.
It’s an ending that stands out as one of the MCU’s most bittersweet moments. Over the course of No Way Home, Peter Parker has lost almost everything and everyone that he loves, but the movie’s ending sees him battle on as a hero regardless. It’s a testament to his heroic nature and also an uplifting moment to end a relatively tragic chapter in Spider-Man"s MCU story.
5 The X-Men Announce Their Dedication To Peace X2: X-Men United (2003) Although Fox’s X-Men movies aren’t typically known for their quality, 2003’s X2: X-Men United is widely considered one of the franchise’s better efforts. The movie’s story focused mostly on exploring Wolverine’s past, while also further establishing the growing tensions between humanity and mutantkind. The movie’s closing scene shows the X-Men approaching the President of the United States as he prepares to address the nation, announcing their continued intention to pursue peace. The movie then goes on to tease Jean Grey’s return, setting up a Dark Phoenix story.
X2’s final scene is perfect in the way it depicts the movie’s heroes. Together, they approach one of the most powerful people on Earth, simply to announce themselves as heroes. Seeing them stand as a team in spite of the loss of one of their most valued members is touching, especially as their message is one of hope and unity. It’s an understated yet brilliant way to end X2’s story, and remains a great final scene.
4 Miles Morales Embraces His Identity As Spider-Man Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of the most popular superhero movies of recent years, thanks largely to its exceptional approach to the eponymous character and the remarkable creativity involved in its creation. The movie’s story, which serves as an origin for Miles Morales as Spider-Man, features multiple Spider-People from throughout the Spider-Verse. It ends with Miles delivering a voiceover as he swings around the city, finally accepting himself as his world’s Spider-Man.
The movie’s story sees Miles go through a journey of self-doubt, especially as he struggles to control his abilities. Seeing the young hero gain mastery over himself and embrace his destiny as a hero makes for an incredibly uplifting final scene, capping off an already excellent movie with a perfect ending. The movie’s final moments help to cement Miles Morales as one of cinema’s most exciting young superheroes, perfectly concluding his first big-screen outing.
3 Mary Jane & Peter Finally End Up Together Spider-Man 2 (2004) The legacy of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy is undeniably that of an incredibly influential franchise on the modern superhero genre. Spider-Man 2 is commonly considered the best of the three-film arc, exploring multiple aspects of the hero and his wider Marvel story. The film’s final scene sees Mary Jane flee her wedding to John Jameson, instead choosing to finally be with Peter Parker after learning that he is Spider-Man.
The scene is incredibly satisfying in the way it pays off two movies" worth of build-up regarding the two characters. However, it also signifies Mary Jane finally understanding Peter, and Peter finally trusting Mary Jane completely. It’s a happy ending for a character who had already been shown to suffer greatly over the first two movies of his story, marking a thoroughly deserved moment of personal triumph for the hero.
2 Tony Stark Announces Himself As Iron Man Iron Man (2008) The very first movie in the MCU, 2008’s Iron Man, started the franchise off with an exceptionally delivered piece of cinema. The movie served as an origin story for the titular hero, but also established the foundations of a shared cinematic universe with the potential for greatness. The movie’s final scene saw Tony Stark shockingly announce himself as Iron Man to the world, departing massively from the character’s traditional Marvel story.
Iron Man completely nailed its final scene in how subversive it was. It established the MCU at its very beginning as a franchise willing to do the unexpected, while also allowing Robert Downey Jr. scope to improvise a little, which paid off tremendously over subsequent releases. In almost every way, Iron Man’s final scene is completely perfect, both in respect to the movie itself and in the way it influenced the MCU’s future.
1 Logan's Heroic Death Logan (2017) Throughout the entire history of superhero movies, there is arguably no scene more emotional than Logan’s death at the end of 2017’s Logan. After following Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine across multiple movies in a decades-spanning franchise, Logan gave him an unforgettable send-off. The aging hero took on one final fight in order to protect his daughter, giving his life in the process.
The final scene sees Logan deliver a brief speech about embracing his death, and telling Laura that she can be more than he was. It’s a relentlessly emotional moment that serves as a bittersweet ending for one of the genre’s most beloved characters. Seeing Wolverine finally pass on peacefully after centuries of fighting remains both heartbreaking and utterly perfect, highlighting that Logan is undoubtedly one of those Marvel movies from outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that completely nailed its final scene.
Upcoming MCU Movies