The MCU has become a ubiquitous entity during the last decade with many characters you love to hate and those that are the most loved Marvel characters. Who can forget The Hulk vehemently smashing Loki into oblivion atop Stark’s skyscraper, taunting him for being a petty God? How could we possibly deny the paternal vulnerability of a doting Tony Stark, on his chosen protege, Peter Parker? Or not be intrigued by Thor continuing to be a gracious brother, betraying undeserved loyalty to a dexterously disloyal manager of mischief in Loki?
Marvel-Heads, we have a new several new entries to look forward to within the MCU, including Morbius, Moon Knight, and a new Hawkeye to replace the old one. It’s therefore time to re-assess our favorite Marvel characters. The hardest choices require the strongest of wills, but we’ll nevertheless attempt to muster the temerity to create an accurate composite of the most favorable Marvel superheroes. This is based almost entirely on “likability” quotients. See if you agree with our rankings.
Thor Odinson
The Asgardian God of Thunder, Thor is a brutish and impetuous hero projecting conspicuous Shakespearean diction but is nevertheless a soft soul. Beneath the flowing blond locks, bulging biceps, and rugged exterior; there lies a dormant poet, seeking only immortal human connections amongst the mortals that surround him.
We don’t need to prune our minds in order to envisage the sometimes-latent compassion of our good friend, Thor. We need only examine his quotes.
“Thank you, Sweet Rabbit.” – A quote from Thor, in reference to Rocket, a quarrelsome squirrel.
“Do I look to be in a gaming mood?” – Don’t we all grow perplexed and agitated when we feel our colleagues or friends are manipulating our emotions? Thor, thank you for indulging our deepest chagrins.
“I choose to run toward my problems and not away from them.” What perspicacity! The Titan Philosopher. All our problems should be tackled with such resonant equanimity.
Our concise summation: Thor embodies what makes the MCU such an excellent source of relief and entertainment. We can’t help but adore a superhero who countenances our manifest deficiencies as humans, with compelling wit, a rambunctious sense of humor, and a hammer that even villains manifestly bow to.
Iron Man or Tony Stark – Most Loved Marvel Characters
An intellectual mountain of a man. Let’s be clear, Tony Stark engineered a suit of iron, a weapon of outsize proportions, in a desolate cave in the Middle East. As we all know, he then proceeded to become the primary architect of The Avengers, a father figure to Peter Parker, and a doting husband to Pepper Potts.
Stark already endeared himself to audiences everywhere because of his enduring witticisms and unabashed snarkiness. How could he have not become a consequent fan favorite, once it became clear that beneath the intellectual brilliance, there still sat a heart undimmed by struggles and time.
Captain America
The original Avenger, Steve Rogers was initially a candlestick of man, likely not large enough to even fill out an extra-small t-shirt. After a fortuitous and potent injection of a vigorous set of steroids that promptly manifested in conspicuous musculature, Rogers evolved into a towering specimen of a man. His soul was already stout, a pinnacle of integrity and moral stoicism, but post-operation, Steve had the exterior bandwidth to project his heroism outward and impact society tangibly.
Some may insist Cap’ is nothing more than a beacon to boredom, ensconced in traditional values that may seem quaint and antiquated to contemporary audiences. Yet, it’s Rogers’ pronounced loyalty to the unremitting values past that nonetheless catalyze our unweighted appreciation for him.
Spider-Man – Most Loved Marvel Characters
The new iteration of Peter Parker, encapsulated and portrayed superbly by Tom Holland, is a revelation. An embodiment of youthful optimism, frivolous obstinacy, and genuine wholesomeness; Peter Parker is the neighborhood hero we all wished regularly safe-kept our streets.
One of the most emotional moments in the MCU is entirely indebted to Peter Parker who, upon being snapped into oblivion by a haunting Thanos on the planet Titan, lies cradled in Tony Stark’s arms, dissolving in dust, whimpering: “I don’t feel so good…I don’t want to go.”
Every aspiration embedded in this youngster’s mind dissipates entirely in front of our eyes, in a fraction of a second. As viewers, such a staunch emotive moment reminds us all of our own human fragility, while simultaneously foregrounding the latent paternalism many of us hold for a mentee or son in the vulnerable eyes of Tony Stark.
Spider-Man conveys vibrant adolescence, the angst of a young teenager arduously pursuing two girls beyond his own romantic vocabulary, while also still attempting to meet the central admonition of his Uncle’s standard: “With great power, comes great responsibility.” The Spider-Man spins webs with our heartstrings.
The Hulk
A green monster, governed by unnavigable and innate physical passions that only seem to be quelled by his puzzling affection for the Black Widow. Bruce Banner, in unparalleled bursts of testosterone, frequently transforms into a spectacle of mystical strength. The Hulk is the supreme victor in the Battle of New York, during the first Avengers film, decimating vociferously any opponent tempting to possess the temerity to frequent his path.
Though several movies have been made featuring the Hulk, his best moments have been in pictures outside that framework where we all remain transfixed and entertained by this bruting green giant. Not only is The Hulk humorous, but he’s also a stalwart hero and leader among his fellow Avengers.
Honorable Mention(s)
Black Widow – Most Loved Marvel Characters
A herald for female martial artists of every stripe. The Black Widow is a heroine notably displaying no extraordinary superpowers, aside from her own undeniable physical prowess. Her violent past with the Soviets aside, the octangular wonder is a symbol of sacrifice, a person who willingly succumbed to her own mortality in deference to her valued friend, Hawkeye, on Vormir. Plus, she was integral to resurrecting half of humanity. There’s that, too.
Peter Quill
Chris Pratt exudes a boyish charm in his portrayal of Peter Quill, the orphan child-man spearheading the Guardians of the Galaxy. Often tempestuous and irascible, Quill’s irrepressible spirit is what connects and unites the haphazard Guardians squad.
Ant-Man – Most Loved Marvel Characters
An underrated character whose importance is often overlooked within the MCU, the Ant-Man is the superhero brave enough to test his own mortality to reverse time and negate the damage inflicted upon the cosmos by Thanos. The Ant-Man is also a superb undercover, stealth agent, able to harness his unique ability to shrink or expand upon command to recover crucial information; and mitigate the effectiveness of some his more imposing fellow superheroes.