10 MCU Plot Twists No One Saw Coming (2024)

Throughout its 16-year history, the MCU has had some pretty impressive plot twists. Catching audiences completely by surprise, a good number of those twists were also hard to predict ahead of time. These can range from character deaths, big shake-ups to the status quo, and a variety of creative decisions that have generated their fair share of controversy.

Sometimes in the MCU, the seeds for an imminent plot twist are sown throughout the movie, or even in previous movies. An example would be Captain America wielding Thor's hammer in Avengers: Endgame, a twist that was to a degree set up in Avengers: Age of Ultron with Steve Rogers having more success than anyone else in lifting Mjolnir. However, other plot twists in the MCU have come as a complete surprise for the vast majority of viewers. To that end, here are ten MCU plot twists that very few saw coming ahead of time.

10 The Mandarin's True Identity

Iron Man 3

In Iron Man 3, The Mandarin was introduced as a major new global terrorist leader who was threatening the world and was played by Sir Ben Kingsley. A classic Iron Man villain from the comics, the Mandarin's casting seemed perfect. After all, Kingsley certainly had the gravitas to play such a foreboding and dynamic villain. However, so does Trevor Slattery, the in-universe actor whom Kingsley was actually playing.

In a twist that remains quite controversial to this day, it was revealed that Iron Man 3's Mandarin was nothing more than an actor hired by AIM's Aldrich Killian in his bid to own both sides of the war on terror. However, this twist was so surprising and controversial that both a one-shot starring Kingsley and 2021's Shang-Chi established that the MCU did indeed have a real Mandarin and Ten Rings terrorist organization, one Killian had simply coopted. This also led to a very humorous return from Kingsley's Trevor in the Shang-Chi movie itself.

Iron Man 3

PG-13

Iron Man 3 pits genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist Tony Stark (Iron Man) against the Mandarin, an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his world destroyed by his mysterious antagonist, he embarks on a dangerous quest to find those responsible. His journey will test his character at every turn. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him and determine whether or not the suit makes the man or if Tony himself is the hero.

Director

Shane Black

Release Date

May 3, 2013

Studio(s)

Marvel , Disney

Distributor(s)

Disney , Marvel

Writers

Drew Pearce , Shane Black

Cast

Ben Kingsley , Guy Pearce , Paul Bettany , Don Cheadle , gwyneth paltrow , Jon Favreau , Robert Downey Jr.

Runtime

130 Mins

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe

prequel(s)

Iron Man 2 , Iron Man

Budget

200 Million

9 Hydra's Infiltration of SHIELD

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The twist in Captain America: The Winter Soldier that Hydra still existed and had been operating within the ranks of SHIELD for decades was very significant. As revealed by the computerized consciousness of Arnim Zola, Hydra had been shaping history in the shadows for years following the end of WWII, its corruption of SHIELD having extended to the very highest levels of the bureaucracy. As such, Captain America's dismantling of SHIELD and exposure of all its secrets alongside Hydra's was a huge moment during the MCU's second phase, one that had massive ramifications for the MCU's future.

The Winter Soldier's plot twist also had massive consequences for Marvel's Agents of SHIELD. Not only did the ABC show help set up the movie prior to its release, but the film's fallout was depicted in the final episodes of the show's first season and beyond as the entire infrastructure of SHIELD had effectively been destroyed. As such, this opened the show to explore some very interesting narrative avenues in future seasons as they sought to rebuild SHIELD into something better and new.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

PG-13

Superhero

Action

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the ninth entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After being awoken from cryosleep in the previous film, Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world. As he adjusts, he must battle a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier.

Director

Joe Russo , Anthony Russo

Release Date

April 4, 2014

Studio(s)

Disney

Distributor(s)

Disney

Writers

Stephen McFeely , Christopher Markus

Cast

Chris Evans , Hayley Atwell , Scarlett Johansson , Samuel L. Jackson , Robert Redford , Anthony Mackie , Cobie Smulders , Frank Grillo , Sebastian Stan

Runtime

136 minutes

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe , Captain America

Sequel(s)

Captain America: Civil War

prequel(s)

Captain America: The First Avenger

Budget

$170–177 million

See Also

10 Most Powerful Iron Man Armors in Marvel History, RankedMarvel News, Blog, Articles & Press Releases | Marvel

8 Quicksilver's Death

Avengers: Age of Ultron

2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron revealed that Clint Barton's Hawkeye had a secret family. Likewise, the movie spent quite a bit of time teasing the notion that Barton might lose his life by the movie's end, especially after introducing these additional emotional stakes. Furthermore, Hawkeye's end was intentionally set up during the Battle of Sokovia when Ultron began strafing the floating city in a jet while the Avenger was trying to get a young boy to safety, only for Pietro Maximoff's Quicksilver to save them both while sacrificing himself.

Sokovians who volunteered to receive powers from Hydra, Pietro and his sister Wanda had just made their debut as heroes in Age ofUltron itself. As a result, Quicksilver's death came as a major shock, though one that arguably had to happen. It also meant that Pietro received one of the most heroic ends in the entire MCU.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

PG-13

Action

Sci-Fi

Superhero

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Earth's Mightiest must reunite and work with newcomers Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch to battle a new antagonist Ultron, who receives an all-new origin story while dealing with a new level of inner conflict amongst the team. Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch may not necessarily agree withThe Avengers and initially blame Tony Stark for creating the new villain and the death of their parents. Avengers: Age of Ultron was directed and written by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige for Marvel Studios. The movie was released on April 13, 2015, followed by its eventual sequels, Avengers: Infinity War in 2018 and Avengers: Endgame in 2019.

Director

Joss Whedon

Release Date

May 1, 2015

Studio(s)

Marvel Studios

Distributor(s)

Disney

Writers

Joss Whedon

Cast

Chris Hemsworth , Clark Gregg , Robert Downey Jr. , Cobie Smulders , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Jeremy Renner , Thomas Kretschmann , Chris Evans , Don Cheadle , Mark Ruffalo , Elizabeth Olsen , Scarlett Johansson , Paul Bettany , Samuel L. Jackson , James Spader

Runtime

141 minutes

prequel(s)

The Avengers

Budget

365 million USD

7 Ego Killed Star-Lord's Mom

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

One of the most vicious plot twists in the entire MCU, the reveal in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 that Ego put the tumor in the head of Star-Lord's mother was incredibly brutal. Claiming that he had to kill Meredith Quill to continue his great "Expansion" throughout the cosmos, Ego couldn't see the problem with killing Peter's mother. That said, Star-Lord's instantaneously opening fire on his Celestial father the moment he hears this dark truth is one of the most satisfying moments in the entire Guardians franchise.

This particular plot twist also carried some significant ramifications for the rest of the movie. After all, it's what led to Star-Lord giving up his powers as a half-celestial. Rejecting his father, Quill reunited with the rest of the Guardians while also realizing that Yondu had been the one who truly cared for him as a father all along, resulting in some incredibly touching dynamic just before Yondu's death at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

PG-13

Superhero

Action

Adventure

Comedy

Sci-Fi

Set to the sonic backdrop of Awesome Mix 2, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the adventures of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Baby Groot as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics reappear.

Director

James Gunn

Release Date

April 19, 2017

Studio(s)

Marvel , Disney

Distributor(s)

Disney

Writers

James Gunn , Dan Abnett , Andy Lanning , Steve Englehart , Steve Gan , Jim Starlin

Cast

Dave Bautista , ​Chris Pratt2 , Chris Sullivan , Vin Diesel , Kurt Russell , Zoe Saldana , Karen Gillan , Elizabeth Debicki , Sylvester Stallone , Glenn Close , Sean Gunn , Nathan Fillion , Tommy Flanagan , Michael Rooker , Pom Klementieff , Bradley Cooper

Runtime

137 minutes

prequel(s)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Budget

$200 million

6 Vulture Is The Father of Spider-Man's Date

Spider-Man: Homecoming

An MCU plot twist that drew audible shock from several theater audiences in 2017, the reveal that the Vulture was the father of Spider-Man's date Liz in Spider-Man: Homecoming was completely blindsiding. Having been named Liz, many assumed that Peter's crush and eventual date was Liz Allan from the comics. However, she was actually Liz Allan-Toomes, a reveal that was made only when Vulture himself opens the door when Peter arrives to pick her up for a school dance.

The resulting connections Adrian Toomes makes while driving Peter and Liz to the dance have largely been seen as one of the greatest villain moments in the entire MCU. Realizing that Peter is Spider-Man, Peter's stunned shock and justified fear is on full display as Vulture figures it all out, the green light at the intersection sinisterly illuminating his face. As such, the audience is made to feel exactly as Peter does during this incredibly dynamic scene as it deals with this major twist.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

PG-13

Superhero

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Comedy

Drama

After making his MCU debut in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland is back as Peter Parker for a new Spider-Man solo film. This time, Peter battles with Adrian Toomes, who takes on the moniker Vulture after profiting off of selling Chitari technology and weapons. Under Tony Stark's guidance, Peter must prove himself a hero while protecting his city from Vulture and the other criminals in New York. Spider-Man: Homecoming was the first of three films in director Jon Watts' MCU journey, dubbed the "Homecoming" trilogy.

Director

Jon Watts

Release Date

July 7, 2017

Studio(s)

Marvel , Sony

Distributor(s)

Disney

Writers

Christopher Ford , John Francis Daley , Jon Watts , Erik Sommers , Jonathan Goldstein , Chris McKenna

Cast

Michael Keaton , Martin Starr , Angourie Rice , Robert Downey Jr. , Marisa Tomei , Bokeem Woodbine , Logan Marshall-Green , Garcelle Beauvais , Michael Mando , Zendaya , Tom Holland , Jon Favreau , Donald Glover , Hannibal Buress

Runtime

133 minutes

Franchise(s)

Spider-Man

Sequel(s)

Spider-Man: Far from Home , Spider-Man: No Way Home

Budget

$175 Million

Main Genre

Superhero

5 Thanos' Snap

Avengers: Infinity War

While there was always the danger that Thanos would snap his fingers, few could have predicted that the Mad Titan would actually succeed by the end of Avengers: Infinity War, effectively the first part of the story that concludes with Avengers: Endgame. Likewise, it's very unlikely that many were expecting so many of the MCU's newest heroes to be among the victims, let alone that the entire roster of original Avengers would survive. It perfectly set up massive amounts of excitement for Endgame, as many questioned how Earth's Mightiest could bring their fallen allies back.

Avengers: Infinity War

PG-13

Action

Sci-Fi

Superhero

Avengers: Infinity War is the third Avengers movie in the game-changing Marvel Cinematic Universe. This film is positioned as the beginning of the culmination of everything that has transpired in the franchise to date. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who previously helmedCaptain America: The Winter Soldier andCivil War, have assembled the largest ensemble in a superhero film to date. Nearly every living character in the MCU is included as the Avengers join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to take down Thanos in a battle that has massive repercussions for the future of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. A sequel,Avengers: Endgame, was released in 2019 and marked the end of the Infinity Saga.

Director

Joe Russo , Anthony Russo

Release Date

April 27, 2018

Studio(s)

Marvel

Distributor(s)

Disney

Writers

Stephen McFeely , Christopher Markus

Cast

Chris Hemsworth , Anthony Mackie , Elizabeth Olsen , Robert Downey Jr. , Scarlett Johansson , Mark Ruffalo , Sebastian Stan , Paul Rudd , Chadwick Boseman , Don Cheadle , Samuel L. Jackson , Josh Brolin , Tom Holland , Evangeline Lilly , Paul Bettany , Chris Evans , Jeremy Renner

Runtime

149 minutes

prequel(s)

The Avengers , Avengers: Age of Ultron

4 Evan Peters Revealed As Ralph Bohner

WandaVision

The appearance of Evan Peters in Marvel's WandaVision effectively came with two major plot twists for the first MCU Disney+ series. Initially, Peters' appearance alone came as a major surprise, especially due to his claims that he was Wanda's brother Pietro. Having played the Fox universe's version of Quicksilver beginning with X-Men: Days of Future Past, many believed that the multiverse was in play and that Peters' Quicksilver was simply the first of many X-Men who might appear in the MCU following Disney's recent purchase of 20th Century Fox.

Instead, it was eventually revealed that Peters was actually playing Ralph Bohner, Agatha Harkness' pretend husband whom she turned into a puppet for use in her manipulations of Wanda. Much like Sir Ben Kingsley's Trevor Slattery, it was also revealed that Bohner was an actor. In essence, Evan Peters' role was merely a dynamic bit of meta-casting to keep both the Scarlet Witch and audiences guessing throughout the series.

WandaVision

Adventure

Drama

Action

Superhero

WandaVision, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first TV show on Disney+, first aired in 2021. The series kicked off the MCU’s Phase 4 and brought back Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, and Paul Bettany as Vision. WandaVision strayed away from Marvel’s typical formula, this time formatting itself more like a classic sitcom as Wanda struggles to cope with the death of Vision.

Cast

Paul Bettany , Elizabeth Olsen , Kathryn Hahn , Teyonah Parris , Randall Park , Kat Dennings , Debra Jo Rupp , Evan Peters

Release Date

January 15, 2021

Seasons

1

Streaming Service(s)

Disney+

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Writers

Jac Schaeffer

Directors

Matt Shakman

Showrunner

Jac Schaeffer

3 Mysterio Exposing Spider-Man's Secret Identity

Spider-Man: Far From Home

Following his defeat of Mysterio in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker was ready to get his life back on track, including his life as Spider-Man. However, Mysterio had a video released that not only publically outed the Webslinger as Peter Parker, but also as a murderer using doctored footage from their battle in London. Again, audiences' shock and surprise were made to perfectly match Spider-Man's major "WTF" moment at the end of the 2019 movie.

Naturally, this is something that 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home immediately followed up on as the public, media, and law enforcement all began swarming Peter Parker and his loved ones. It also motivated the core plot of No Way Home with Spider-Man asking Doctor Strange to cast a spell and make everyone forget that he's Spider-Man. As such, Far From Home's ending certainly ranks as one of the biggest MCU plot twists resulting in the biggest fallout and changes to the status quo (right up there with Hydra's infiltration of SHIELD and Thanos' Snap).

Spider-Man: Far From Home

PG-13

Adventure

Comedy

Superhero

Action

Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home follows Peter Parker (Tom Holland) as he deals with the fallout of Thanos' snap and the weight of Tony Stark's legacy in a post "blip" world. Peter and his friends go on summer vacation to Europe, where Peter finds himself suddenly the inheritor of Tony's incredible tech. However, the trip suddenly goes awry as Europe comes under siege from otherworldly villains, routed by a cloaked hero, Mysterio. Partnering with Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and Mysterio, Peter will fight to protect his friends while figuring out his place in a post-Iron man world.

Director

Jon Watts

Release Date

July 2, 2019

Studio(s)

Marvel , Sony

Distributor(s)

Sony

Writers

Erik Sommers , Chris McKenna

Cast

Michael Keaton , Tom Holland , Jacob Batalon , Jon Favreau , Zendaya , Samuel L. Jackson , Martin Starr , Marisa Tomei , Cobie Smulders , Jake Gyllenhaal , Tony Revolori , Angourie Rice

Runtime

129 minutes

Franchise(s)

Spider-Man

Sequel(s)

Spider-Man: No Way Home

prequel(s)

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Budget

$160 million

2 The World Forgets Peter Parker

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Needing to save all reality from the spell he inadvertently botched, Spider-Man received yet another major plot twist at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home. To reverse all the multiversal mayhem, the entire world had to forget that they knew Peter Parker via a new spell from Strange. While Spider-Man would still be remembered, the man underneath would be completely forgotten, including by his friends, allies, and loved ones. It's a huge plot twist, one that has changed Spider-Man's entire life going forward and will hopefully be addressed in the upcoming Spider-Man 4.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Superhero

For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the trials and tribulations of being a superhero. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) when his identity becomes a problem for the ones he loves. Unfortunately, when the spell goes wrong, Spider-Man will now have to face off with villains such as Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) and Electro (Jamie Foxx) as Peter finally comes to terms that he can't run from being Spider-Man. Supported by his close friends and help from an unexpected place (or multiverse), Spider-Man will go toe-to-toe with some of the most legendary foes in his storied history.

Director

Jon Watts

Release Date

December 17, 2021

Studio(s)

Marvel

Distributor(s)

Sony

Writers

Erik Sommers , Chris McKenna

Cast

Zendaya , Jon Favreau , Tom Holland , Jamie Foxx , Alfred Molina , Benedict Cumberbatch , Marisa Tomei , J.B. Smoove , Benedict Wong , Jacob Batalon

Runtime

148 minutes

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe

prequel(s)

Spider-Man: No Way Home , Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse , Avengers: Endgame , spider-man homecoming

Budget

$200 million

1 Shuri Faces Killmonger In Ancestral Plane

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Near the end of the film, Princess Shuri consumes the heart-shaped herb to become the next Black Panther in 2022's Wakanda Forever. Initially, one would have expected her to reunite with the recently deceased Queen Ramonda or even a panther version of her fallen brother T'Challa. However, Shuri instead comes face to face with her cousin Erik Killmonger who tried to take the throne in the first film prior to his defeat at the hands of T'Chlla.

The Killmonger cameo from Michael B. Jordan came as a major surprise, though it did make a certain amount of sense for the MCU storyline. Seeing Killmonger spoke to Shuri's similar desire for vengeance against Namor, just as Killmonger had sought vengeance for his fallen father N'Jobu. Likewise, Killmonger was also the last Black Panther to drink from the heart-shaped herb aside from T'Challa himself.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

PG-13

Drama

Action

Adventure

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the sequel to the 2018 film Black Panther and is part of Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Gripping with the passing of their king, the nation of Wakanda attempts to figure out how to move forward with Queen Mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) at the helm. However, a nation in grieving is not observed by all, as soon Wakanda comes under attack by the underwater civilization of Talocan, led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta.) Wakanda will enlist allies outside and from within to push back this new invading threat and ensure that Wakanda truly does live on forever.

Director

Ryan Coogler

Release Date

November 11, 2022

Studio(s)

Disney

Distributor(s)

Disney

Writers

Ryan Coogler , Joe Robert Cole

Cast

Winston Duke , Dominique Thorne , Michaela Coel , Danai Gurira , Angela Bassett , Lupita Nyong'o , Letitia Wright , Martin Freeman

Runtime

2h 41m

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Sequel(s)

Black Panther

Budget

250 Million