Iron Man (2008): This Is Your Ninth Symphony

Image source: Marvel Entertainment

The balance between ruthless corporatism and altruistic repentance changes in this scene as Obadiah Stane takes Tony’s greatest creation from him. The pivot gets a clear visual representation in the form of a Dutch angle, in which the world is brought askew helps illustrate this momentary triumph of evil over good.

The Incredible Hulk (2008): We’re Putting Together A Team

Image source: Marvel Entertainment

The red-headed stepchild of the MCU isn’t so much a failure as it is forgettable, but it gave us this special moment. RDJ appears as Tony Stark, in an odd turn as recruiter for the “Avenger initiative.” Nick Fury’s post-Iron Man credits made the offer, but it’s this pre-credit scene that seals the deal. That it was a pre-Disney collaboration between Paramount and Universal made it all the more amazing.

The Avengers (2012): I’m Always Angry

Image source: Marvel Entertainment

This is the moment when the Marvel Cinematic Universe became everything it said it was. While seeing the tinkerer, titan, soldier and spies assemble as one closes the deal, Mark Ruffalo’s perfect line delivery sells a personal character moment, while Whedon frames it expertly. Banner remains in focus while the incoming CGI is in the background, making the statement that it’s characters that matter.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): Honor, Bravery, Sacrifice

Image source: Marvel Entertainment

A good chunk of Captain America’s character arc in these movies is about his internal conflict between loyalty to law and order and his commitment to justice and liberty. But one throughline that doesn’t get nearly as much exploration is the eternal conflict between image and identity. This shot captures that perfectly, juxtaposing his fugitive state against the living legend seen in the Smithsonian.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): Roaring Into Battle

Image source: Marvel Entertainment

The splash page is the kind of spectacle that comic books are known for but movies never managed to capture their essence until director Joss Whedon – himself a writer of comic books – did them for the MCU. Here he flexes it for maximum effect in a shot that not only highlights their power and intensity, but demonstrates their ability to engage the enemy as a single unit.

Captain America: Civil War (2016): Hey Everybody

Image source: Marvel Entertainment

Instantly iconic from the moment it was first revealed to the world via trailer, this shot does more than just air drop Spider-Man’s appeal directly into the MCU. It serves as a testament to the power of the franchise and its ability to wheel and deal with other film companies like Sony, which previously held exclusive film rights to the world famous wall crawler.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017): All Lost And Unloved Things

Image source: Marvel Entertainment

While Doctor Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy introduced us to new realms and planets, it’s Thor: Ragnarok that directly uplifts Odinson – and by extension the world of the Avengers – to a whole new cosmic level. In this trippy sequence, Thor is assured he is valuable and loved. “Fear not, you are found,” may well be the MCU mantra as it gears up to pick up its most obscure toys in the next phase.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018): Decimation

Image source: Marvel Entertainment

No amount of ubiquity in trailers, on movie blogs deadens the impact of this shot once you appreciate it in its full context. The galaxy has been decimated by Thanos with a snap of his fingers. Rather than visualize the snap’s far-reaching consequences, Infinity War elects to focus on the immediacy of that moment. We feel it through Tony Stark, for as always its the characters not the spectacle that matters.

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