10 Deleted MCU Scenes That Totally Changed How You Looked At Characters

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Content Warning: the following article contains discussions of suicide and suicidal ideation.
There have been many deleted scenes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that had the potential to change how audiences looked at certain characters had they been kept in the movie. Throughout the MCU’s movie timeline, the franchise has introduced countless characters adapted from the pages and stories of Marvel Comics. Among these heroes and villains, many have seen considerable development due to the scope of the MCU’s capacity for storytelling over numerous releases spanning several years.
The franchise has seen many scenes deleted from its movies that might have changed things for certain figures in the MCU. In these cases, the movies of the MCU almost featured scenes that could have completely transformed audiences’ perspectives of the characters in question, potentially even leading to very different outcomes within the franchise itself. With that in mind, here are 10 MCU deleted scenes that totally changed how you looked at characters.
10 Rhodey Tries To Save Tony Stark Iron Man (2008) As the first movie in the MCU, 2008’s Iron Man bears major importance for everything that followed. One deleted scene in particular completely changes how the character of James “Rhodey” Rhodes is perceived, long before he ever donned the War Machine armor as one of the franchise’s heroes. During Iron Man’s final battle with Obadiah Stane in the Iron Monger armor, Rhodey saves a trapped Stark by ramming a car into Stane, putting himself at great personal risk.
The scene clearly demonstrated Rhodey’s selfless and heroic nature in a way that the rest of the movie didn’t really capture. It painted him in a very different light, and would have better set up his taking control of the War Machine armor in Iron Man 2. Had the scene remained in the movie, it would have highlighted Rhodes as a contender for the Avengers much earlier.
9 Alternate Opening Scene In The Arctic The Incredible Hulk (2008) Though Hulk’s story in the MCU has seen significant character development, his time in the franchise almost started very differently. The Incredible Hulk’s alternate opening scene saw Bruce Banner head to the Arctic and attempt to take his own life, only to transform into the Hulk. Though the scene was deleted, it was later referenced in 2012’s The Avengers.
Had Hulk’s time in the MCU started with him at such a low point, it would have highlighted just how totally his transformations affected him. Banner’s feelings about his transformations were made clear in the early stages of the MCU, but The Incredible Hulk’s alternate opening almost painted him in a much more tragic light. Seeing him try everything to avoid hurting others as the Hulk brings a very emotional and upsetting aspect of his story to light.
8 Stark Lets Black Widow Use His Gauntlet Iron Man 2 (2010) Of all the heroes in the franchise, Iron Man’s MCU story made him one of its most-changed characters. The Infinity Saga saw him change from a hedonistic, self-centered, and irresponsible billionaire playboy to a more ethical and heroic philanthropist. The movies of the MCU’s Phase 1 did a good job of outlining Stark’s problematic tendencies, although one deleted scene from Iron Man 2 better showcased the depths of his irresponsibility.
The scene showed an inebriated Stark flirting with Natasha Romanoff – then undercover as Natalie Rushman – and allowing her to use the repulsor on his Iron Man gauntlet. Considering his state of intoxication and the power of the Iron Man armor, the act potentially endangers the lives of his party guests, making Stark seem especially reckless. The scene would have made the hero seem decidedly less heroic, even if it would have been in-keeping with the overall thrust of his character arc.
7 Strange Treats An Injured Dog Doctor Strange (2016) 2016’s Doctor Strange introduced the titular sorcerer into the MCU, while also establishing the franchise’s magical community. Like many other MCU movies, it featured a scene which potentially could have changed how Strange was perceived. The scene took place while Strange was searching for Kamar-Taj, and saw him wandering the streets and reliant on charity to survive. After happening across an injured dog, Strange takes the time to treat and help the animal using his medical knowledge.
The scene would have painted Strange in a far more sympathetic light, as it highlighted his compassion and his caring nature in a way that the finished film didn’t explicitly explore. As Strange spends the majority of the film acting arrogant and headstrong, seeing a softer side of him would have changed audiences’ perceptions somewhat. Though his heroic nature ultimately shined through in the end, witnessing the softer side of the character would have been a deceptively large shift.
6 Bombs On Board Avengers: Endgame (2019) Avengers: Endgame marked the end of Steve Rogers’ Captain America story in the MCU, but one of the movie’s deleted scenes still had the potential to change how audiences looked at the character. The scene sees Rogers traveling with Rhodey, who asks him about the events on the Valkyrie which saw him frozen before being resurrected in the present. Rhodey asks why Cap couldn’t have simply abandoned ship once it was in the Arctic, and Rogers is lost for words.
Seeing Steve Rogers baffled by such a simple solution to the events that caused him to be frozen makes him seem very different, even if it does occur in a sense at the end of his MCU timeline as Captain America. His previous appearances highlighted his intelligence as well as his physical strength, so seeing him confronted by an obvious solution that he overlooked is somewhat jarring. The deleted scene called Rogers’ overall tactical prowess into question, and potentially could have damaged his entire MCU arc.
5 Razor Fist’s Pep Talk Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) Despite being a relatively minor secondary antagonist, Razor Fist was one of the breakout stars of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The character served as one of the agents of Xu Wenwu and the Ten Rings, and later helped defend Ta Lo from the Dweller-in-Darkness and his forces. However, a deleted scene almost had a major impact on the character of Razor Fist, as he almost didn’t survive the ending of Shang-Chi.
The scene saw Razor Fist offer a pep talk to Katy Chen during the movie’s climactic battle, inspiring her into action. He then ran into the fray, only to be swiftly killed. Though the scene was removed from the film before even being finished, it would have made Razor Fist seem far less formidable, and naturally would not have allowed for any anticipation of his MCU future considering his death.
4 Adam Warlock’s Graphic Threats Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) One of the most exciting additions to the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was Adam Warlock, who had been teased in the previous movie’s post-credits scene. He initially appeared in the movie as an antagonist before changing allegiances to become one of the Guardians. However, one deleted scene nearly altered perceptions of his character in a major way, and would have ultimately made his hero turn much less convincing.
The scene, albeit incredibly short, saw Adam Warlock launch into disturbing detail about his intentions for the Guardians. He announces that he intends to exact some perverse acts on their dead bodies after killing them, making him seem much darker and far less emotionally stable. As he was set to later become a member of the Guardians, seeing him make such intense and graphic threats would likely have made audiences less accepting of his hero role.
3 Zeus Gives Thor Advice Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) Despite being an incredibly exciting addition to the ranks of the MCU, Thor: Love and Thunder’s Zeus was little more than a secondary antagonist, as he sought to stop Thor from pursuing Gorr to Eternity. Though he was ultimately not helpful to the heroes in the finished movie, one deleted scene would have made him seem quite different. The scene shows Zeus offering Thor advice before willingly giving over a thunderbolt to aid the hero in his journey.
Considering that Zeus acts as an obstacle to Thor’s quest in the finished film, the deleted scene paints him in a very different light. Audiences would almost certainly have softened to the otherwise obnoxious Zeus had the scene been included. However, as Zeus and Thor’s disagreement directly led to the MCU’s Hercules set-up, it was ultimately for the best that the scene was removed.
2 Mason’s Betrayal Black Widow (2021) Black Widow gave the titular hero a much-deserved solo movie, even if it was released after her death in Avengers: Endgame. The film featured the character of Rick Mason in a minor role, though his story was almost very different. One deleted scene showed an alternate cut of Mason’s phone call with Natasha Romanov, and it subtly painted him as a traitor rather than an ally to the hero.
The scene in question seemingly saw Mason helping General Ross track Natasha, and offered no context for their conversation other than implying it was Ross’ idea. The scene that remained in the movie, however, establishes that Mason used a coded message to tip Natasha off into giving a false location, cementing him as a valuable ally to the hero. Considering his minor role in the movie, it might not seem an important distinction, but it would have changed his characterization massively.
1 Odin Allows Malekith To Kill Frigga Thor: The Dark World (2013) Thor: The Dark World saw Thor’s mother, Frigga, killed by the forces of Malekith, prompting the Asgardian to pursue revenge. However, one deleted scene almost changed her death entirely, and it would have forever altered how audiences perceived Odin. The scene saw Malekith offer an ultimatum to Asgard’s king, offering to spare Frigga in return for the Aether, only for Odin to refuse.
Seeing Odin neglect to save his wife and instead choose to passively resist Malekith made him seem much less heroic. Considering that Frigga begged Odin for his help, and that Malekith ultimately obtained the Aether anyway, Odin’s decision makes him seem incredibly ineffective. Had the scene remained in the film, it would have also made Odin much less likable from the audience’s perspective, making it the deleted scene in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that had the most potential to change how a character was viewed.
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