Disney ants have pulled off something even Thanos couldn’t: kill off Hawkeye. 1g6m4c

Jeremy Renner stopped by High Performance for an interview, and the inevitable question came up — would he reprise his most iconic role as Clint Barton, better known as Hawkeye? Renner didn’t mince words. He called the entire situation “disheartening.” He asserted that a contract dispute with Disney’s “penny pinchers” means he’s letting the role go for the foreseeable future.

At this point, it’s no secret that, culturally speaking, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going through a lack of fresh, engaging ideas. The recent five-hour stream of empty director chairs revealing the cast of Avengers: Doomsday is a prime example. Perhaps the franchise got too big, and the ideas too many and convoluted to fit into the public consciousness. And it’s not just fan cynicism either — the producers of the Marvel machine have been feeling the pinch as well. Marvel President Kevin Feige himself was quoted in TIME, saying it’s been hard lately for them to capture the zeitgeist because they release too much product.

So there’s a reasonable assumption to make: Hawkeye Season 1 didn’t earn as much as expected. And that caused them to offer Jeremy Renner half the pay for Season 2. Or maybe they planned to give him a more secondary role as he eventually es the torch to a very capable Sinners star Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop. Regardless, Renner wasn’t having that. To the star, the offer felt insulting — especially coming so soon after his life-threatening snowmobile accident. Renner said:

“I’m like, ‘I’m sorry? Why? Did you think I’m only half the Jeremy because I got ran over? Maybe that’s why you want to pay me half of what I made on the first season.’”

Considering Marvel is synonymous with box office success, you’d assume their financial compensation with stars is exemplary. But you’d be mistaken.

As early as Iron Man 2, actors like Terrence Howard were pushed out of the franchise over salary disputes. John Malkovich, set to debut in Fantastic Four: The First Steps, shared that he turned down the franchise multiple times due to lowballed offers.

Carrie Coon, too, said the only reason she didn’t return for Avengers: Endgame was a lack of a salary increase. She even claimed people would be “surprised” by Marvel salaries. And if her performance in the last episode of The White Lotus is anything to go by — your loss, Marvel.

Luckily, however, it seems Feige is learning from past mistakes. In his acknowledgment that they may have flooded the market with too much product, he vowed to slow down and be more intentional going forward.

Unlike these other stars, Jeremy Renner is one of the founding faces of this franchise. Renner truly deserves to be treated as such. Because with every single complaint that reaches the fans, the goodwill Marvel has ridden on for nearly two decades chips a little bit more.

Marvel has yet to comment on the situation. The focus now is on Thunderbolts, which is getting glowing reviews from all the major publications. Perhaps Jeremy Renner leaving and Marvel injecting some new blood is best for everyone involved.

It’s easy to be cynical about the Marvel Cinematic Universe these days. With creative rehaul after despairing creative rehaul giving us the likes of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and now the equally-dreadful Captain America: Brave New World, time may have already run out for the Feigeverse.

Nevertheless, the street-level MCU fare may yet prove to be the harder-boiled foil that the multiversal proceedings are so desperately in need of, especially if Daredevil: Born Again lives up to its sizeable hype and history. And now, it’s scored another win ahead of its premiere in the form of one of the most interesting MCU characters to have debuted in the last decade.

Tony Dalton will return as The Swordsman in ‘DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN’

(Source: https://t.co/9jePLZrr2B) pic.twitter.com/EmNAGfKwE9

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 21, 2025

Per Variety, Tony Dalton’s Jack Duquesne (aka Swordsman) has been confirmed to return to the MCU after his refreshingly twisty arc in 2021’s Hawkeye — another street-level MCU show that stood out as some of the stronger fare of the Multiverse Saga.

Introduced as the fiancé of Eleanor Bishop — the mother of Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop — Jack seemed all but teed up to be Clint Barton’s next headache, only for the show’s finale to reveal that Swordsman was actually one of the good guys, using his fencing talents to aid Barton when the Kingpin-shaped shoe dropped.

Exactly how he’ll get involved in the Born Again narrative is anyone’s guess at this point, although it stands to reason that he’ll have some sort of business to attend to with Kingpin, who put a hit out on Eleanor after she framed Duquesne for the murder of his uncle Armand. This business might be friendly, and it also might not be — we mustn’t forget that while Duquesne ended Hawkeye as a good guy, none of the characters he formed an allegiance with then seem to be here in Born Again (yet). His character could well and truly go in any direction.

Also among Born Again‘s familiar faces are Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson as Karen Page and Foggy Nelson, who took up those mantles in Daredevil’s Netflix heyday. Also in the mix is Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, who also had a stint on the original Daredevil show before getting an eponymous Netflix series of his own. And he’s only a glimpse of the world that this street-level MCU arena has at its fingertips.

Indeed, who’s to say that we won’t link back over to Jessica Jones? Luke Cage? Iron Fist? Cloak & Dagger? This setting has everything it needs to be just as rich and expansive as the premise of a multiverse, all without putting itself at too much risk of getting lost in the CGI sauce. Still, Marvel has a lot to prove after last week’s clown fiesta of a theatrical release, and if Born Again can’t confidently carry us to Thunderbolts*, it probably won’t be long before James Gunn’s DC Universe quickly becomes the new top dog of the blockbuster scene.

Daredevil: Born Again will premiere its first two episodes exclusively on Disney Plus on March 4.

Last week, Marvel star Hailee Steinfeld took the internet by surprise when she announced her engagement to Buffalo Bills quarterback, Josh Allen, via Instagram. While most congratulated the actress on the big news, a few people weren’t quite as thrilled, and it seems her co-star, Shameik Moore, might be one of those people.

It’s long been an open secret that Moore, Mile Morales himself, has had a crush on co-star Steinfeld, who voices Gwen Stacey in the Spider-Verse movies. The actor’s behavior in interviews is undoubtedly flirtatious in nature, although it seems it was never really reciprocated, leading fans to conclude that the actor was crushing on his co-star. After the news broke about Hailee’s engagement, some jokingly suggested someone check up on the Spider-Verse star.

However, it wasn’t long until the man himself would make a cryptic post to X which many believe could be alluding to Steinfeld and Allen’s engagement. In his post, the actor talks about moving on, meeting new people and embracing new opportunities.

The timing is awfully convenient, and it’s easy to see why people would associate the strange message with the recent news regarding Steinfeld and Allen. Naturally — the internet being the internet, people began dragging the actor online, calling Moore corny and embarrassing. 

ur tarnishing miles morales name with ur corniness pls stop https://t.co/lHXA4LfXOG pic.twitter.com/mjzSQ3IegC

— yuuta ogoatsu (@gobbIiz) November 30, 2024

Others made Spider-Man themed jokes, using reaction GIFs from previous movies and cartoons.

A few noted that every other Spider-Man actor had, at some point, entered a real life relationship with their on-screen love interests from their respective films — perhaps Moore was hoping his time would come.

The only Spider-Man to fumble IRL https://t.co/Z28j73tpbh pic.twitter.com/75q0vNISfk

— Lex (@AlexSheen0) November 29, 2024

Moore responded to the backlash implying that his initial post was nothing more than a poorly timed coincidence, but the people weren’t buying it.

Also crazy what yall decide to engage with when I post.

— Shameik Moore (@shameikmoore) November 29, 2024

Since then the actor has responded a few more times to try to deny that the first post was ever about Hailee, but to no avail. The denizens on X continue to mock the star. 

He also seemingly tried to play dumb in a post where he claimed he had no idea about Hailee’s engagement — the post has since been deleted.

Oh this just gets funnier and funnier https://t.co/A0rwtg59Tm pic.twitter.com/mqksGLdYMB

— PattyNest (@PattyNest) November 30, 2024

Fans of the Spider-Verse movies have also expressed concern that this drama could result in further pushbacks for Beyond the Spider-Verse, a film which has already been delayed for far too long. Although, it’s difficult to see why this would have an effect on the sequel’s release.

Many have drawn attention to Moore’s behavior in interviews where his flirtatious comments seem to make Steinfeld uncomfortable on numerous occasions. This has led many to label Moore as “cringy” with some saying he gives off “nice guy” energy, with his post to X being the final straw for many.

He has also made some questionable posts in the past.

While Shameik has never outright confirmed his feelings for his co-star, it seems fairly obvious his behavior and his posts were more than just friendly banter. Whether he still feels that way now and whether that post really was about Hailee isn’t exactly clear, but it looks like the internet has made up its mind regardless.

The Avengers just assembled again for one last mission, and in unison, they tly declared, “I am Kamala Harris, and I’m down with democracy.” 

But much like in Avengers: Infinity War, one of the main of the crew was missing again. Jeremy Renner chose, for still unspecified reasons, to opt out of the endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris’ push for the presidency. This has already sparked some fans’ curiosity about why he’s not a part of the group’s push for a Harris presidency. One X even quipped on a post by the Discussing Film official page featuring the Avengers’ endorsement, asking, “Does this mean Hawkeye is Trumpy?”

It’s unlikely that Jeremy Renner is a Donald Trump er, however, since he’s publicly criticized Trump. But that’s not to say Renner couldn’t have changed his mind; if J.D. Vance is anything to go by, this political cycle has had its fair share of aisle-crossing from both sides. Essentially, Renner’s silence is being read as an endorsement by his fans.

It could be something else entirely, however. For instance, 50 Cent recently made a joke on his visit to The Breakfast Club, saying that he never wants to publicly endorse any politician and that’s the mistake Ye (aka Kanye West) made, which led him to his self-imposed exile in Japan. Renner could simply not want the attention. And there’s precedent to make us believe that might actually be the case.

Back when Renner was asked why he wasn’t in Avengers: Infinity War, he initially played coy and said it was just for storytelling reasons. But when pressed further by Variety, Renner said that he needed a break from acting and shared how the Avengers films took him to a level of fame he’s still not used to. He shared he’s still taken aback by seeing his face on cereal boxes. That’s to say it’s unlikely he’ll ever take to his socials to share why he wasn’t in his fellow Avengers’ endorsement video.

Jeremy Renner, however, does have something in common with Donald Trump. Hilariously, in 2017, Jeremy Renner and his team decided to engineer an entire social media app dedicated to Jeremy Renner and his fans, much like Donald Trump’s Truth Social. The idea for the app was for Jeremy Renner to give his fans exclusive stories and pictures, and they could all discuss him in a positive environment without distractions from the rest of the world. But unfortunately for Renner and his fans, people found this ridiculous, and trolls found a way to impersonate him, leading to Renner shutting down the app for good.

That app might be the last chance we had of Renner ever addressing the general public about anything, including his political opinions. But for our fans worried that the Avengers might be breaking up again as they did in Civil War — worry not, they still have those matching tattoos. So, unless Renner powers the Renner app back up and posts a picture of himself with a MAGA hat and his tattoo scrubbed off, we’ll continue assuming everything is all good at Avengers Mansion.

Loki, we thank you for your service in saving the MCU multiverse and becoming god of everything, but is there any chance you could use your powers to make the Marvel timeline a little easier to understand?

Now that we’re over 30 movies and 10 TV shows (well, 16, following the Defenders Saga becoming official canon) deep into the MCU, working out how it all fits together into one continuity is becoming more and more of a challenge. Honestly, things have never really been simple since Avengers: Endgame jumped five forward five years, with the real world still playing catch-up to the Marvel universe.

And yet, because MCU fans are gluttons for punishment, those tuning into Echo on Disney Plus may still wish to get to the bottom of exactly when the Alaqua Cox vehicle — Marvel Studios’ first TV-MA series — is set in the timeline. So let’s give it our best shot.

Echo is a dizzying journey through the complicated Marvel timeline 284y1q

On the one hand, Echo‘s time frame is actually pretty simple to determine. We know that Hawkeye takes place in December 2024 (although it aired in December 2021) and a caption in Echo tells us the show picks up Maya’s arc “5 months later.” So, using our Tony Stark-sized brains, we can deduce that the bulk of the series is set in May 2025.

The flashbacks that are interspersed throughout the narrative are much harder to pinpoint, however. The first half-hour of the series premiere, for example, recaps Maya’s entire life up until now. This tells us that her mother died and she moved from Oklahoma to New York with her father in 2007. Archival footage from Hawkeye then reminds us her dad was killed by Ronin. Clint Barton only went by his assassinating alter ego during The Blip, so this event has to have to taken place between 2018 and 2023.

At some indeterminate point after this, Kingpin allowed Maya to rise up through the ranks of the Tracksuit Mafia and she soon tussled with Daredevil in a fight. This presumably occurred during The Blip too, so this seemingly confirms that Matt Murdock was not among those snapped away by Thanos. If so, this finally answers a question we’ve been wondering ever since Daredevil was cancelled by Netflix.

There are some discrepancies in the timeline, though. Maya left her hometown of Tamaha, Oklahoma in 2007, but her family remarks that she hasn’t been back in 20 years — though this is possibly just a rounded-up figure. What’s more, flashbacks that flesh out young Maya’s bond with Wilson Fisk must take place in the late 2000s, even though Fisk is shown wearing a white suit — something he didn’t start doing until he met his wife, Vanessa, in 2015.

Just like the rest of the MCU, then, Echo‘s place in the timeline makes sense at first glance but when you take a closer look it starts to get messier than one of the show’s brutal, blood-soaked fight scenes.

Echo is both Maya Lopez’s nickname and the title of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney Plus series about her that dropped Jan. 9, 2024.

Played by Alaqua Cox, the character has a deep history with one of the franchise’s most notable villains Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, played by Vincent D’Onofrio, and is Marvel’s first deaf protagonist (Eternals’ ing character Makkari was the franchise’s first deaf superhero). If you’re a Marvel regular, you might recognize Maya from elsewhere in the MCU, but if you’re a first-timer, casual viewer, or fan of the Netflix shows hoping to get a glimpse of Matt Murdock/Daredevil, you can catch up with Echo’s MCU history right here.

What show or movie was Maya Lopez in before ‘Echo’? 5x2o3v

Maya was first introduced in episode 2 of Hawkeye, titled “Hide and Seek. ” In the Disney Plus show about Clint Barton and his archer successor Kate Bishop, she is one of the ringleaders of the Tracksuit Mafia, working under Wilson Fisk.

Clint killed Maya’s dad, William Lopez, during his time off from the Avengers after Infinity War to be the deadly vigilante known as Ronin. This set the young gangster on a path to avenge her dad as she hunted Clint down. What Maya didn’t know, however, was that William had been ratted out by his partner, Fisk, in an attempt to get full control of their criminal operations. The betrayal was personal seeing as Fisk had been in Maya’s life since she was a child and was like an uncle to her.

Maya’s last appearance in Hawkeye happens during a confrontation with Fisk after Clint informs her of what he had done, where the vicious kingpin tries to convince her that “sometimes family doesn’t see eye-to-eye.” Like in the comics, his “niece” proceeds to shoot him in the eye, setting the events of Echo into motion.

Maya’s stand-alone show delves deeper into the two characters’ shared history and serves both as a Hawkeye spin-off and the inaugural project under the MCU’s Marvel Spotlight banner.

Echo is available to stream now on Disney Plus.

The MCU is so huge now that it’s hard to jump into a fresh Marvel Studios project completely cold. Maybe part of the reason The Marvels crashed and burned was because it was a self-confessed sequel to about five different shows and movies. That’s not the case with Disney Plus’ Echo, however.

The pioneering project released under the brand-new Marvel Spotlight banner, which is apparently to be used for more standalone MCU productions going forward, Echo stars Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, an anti-hero long-term subscribers of the platform should already be familiar with. Don’t expect Kang crossovers and multiversal mayhem in this one, as Echo exists very much in the gritty, street-level corner of the Marvel universe.

Despite the Marvel Spotlight banner, though, it has to be said that you will get the most out of Echo if you’re familiar with certain other MCU films and series. Here are your homework assignments to complete before Echo drops all of its five episodes on Jan. 9.

Daredevil (seasons 1-3) 6q297

It’s fair to say, if you’re excited for Echo you’re probably already a die-hard Daredevil fan, as Charlie Cox’s latest return as the Man Without Fear is one of the show’s major draws. Nevertheless, there’s no better way to prepare for the Hornhead’s highly anticipated return than to relive how it all began for him and binge your way through all three seasons of Netflix’s show-stopping series once more.

If you’re really strapped for time, maybe just rewatch season 3 to remind yourself of where the Netflix show left Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk. Alternatively, if you’ve got nothing but time on your hands, why not follow up all seasons of Daredevil with the rest of the Defenders Saga — including Jessica Jones, The Punisher, Luke Cage, The Defenders, and (if you must) Iron Fist.

Hawkeye 62262p

The main reason for the confusion surrounding the Marvel Spotlight banner is that Echo is, by its nature, a Hawkeye spinoff. Don’t forget that Alaqua Cox debuted as Maya in the December 2021 series, which introduced her as the leader of the Tracksuit Mafia, who ultimately worked for her adoptive uncle, none other than Wilson Fisk/the Kingpin.

While Echo will no doubt recap viewers on the salient points of her prior journey, seeing as it’s been over two years since Hawkeye aired at this point, it would definitely be handy to revisit all six episodes of the Jeremy Renner vehicle ahead of Maya’s return. Especially as we just saw Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop again in The Marvels.

Spider-Man: No Way Home 6f1f57

Again, if you’re the sort of person who’s hyped for Echo, then you’re probably a Daredevil completist, someone who eagerly hoovers up each and every appearance from Charlie Cox as the adventurous avocado-at-law. In that case, no walk down Daredevil memory lane would be complete without a rewatch of his grand return to the world of the MCU in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Yes, Cox’s cameo in the ginormously successful Spidey threequel only lasts for mere moments, but his solitary scene carries a whole lot of weight. Through this, Matt became the very first character from Marvel Television to transfer over into the movies, something which cemented the vigilante in MCU canon without a doubt, thereby paving the way for the Daredevil: Born Again and his other Disney Plus appearances…

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law 3y3n6m

Echo could not be more tonally different from She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but if you want to imbibe the unabridged Daredevil story prior to diving into Echo then you need to give the divisive legal comedy a go. Specifically, Cox shows up in the final two episodes of the season, which introduce an unlikely but epic romance between Matt Murdock and Tatiana Maslany’s titular Jade Giantess.

Many fans didn’t take to how much lighter the generally gloomy hero is depicted in She-Hulk, what with his revamped yellow suit and newfound love of smiling, so expect Echo to revert Matt to his factory settings, complete with Netflix-era red costume. Nevertheless, can you really appreciate his return to his roots in Echo if you overlook that time he hooked up with Hulk’s cousin and fought a guy dressed like a frog?

What If….? season 2 2k2w55

No, none of the main cast of Echo appear in What If…? season 2, but the animated series does have one star in common with its live-action Disney Plus counterpart. Devery Jacobs ed the MCU in the sophomore run of the anthology show in a truly groundbreaking role — she voiced Kahhori, the very first superhero created exclusively by Marvel Studios.

We’ve yet to find out if Kahhori could appear elsewhere in the MCU, but it’s worth noting that Jacobs is set to turn up in Echo as well. Plenty of actors have played multiple roles in this franchise, so there could well be no link whatsoever between Jacobs’ animated and live-action Marvel characters, but the franchise certainly has an intriguing opportunity here to connect its two Native American heroines together in some form.

The long-awaited first-look trailer for Echo finally imbued the oft-overlooked series with some serious hype, but then Marvel immediately went and dropped the ball by announcing the Alaqua Cox vehicle was actually the first in a confusing new subthread of MCU content: Marvel Spotlight.

According to producer Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Spotlight is a new brand of Marvel Studios productions that are inessential to the overall franchise plotline, akin to those “comics fans didn’t need to read.” Apart from being the first time the House of Ideas has told us to disregard wider continuity — you know, the thing that makes the MCU the unique, industry-defining shared universe that it is — in fifteen years, folks are also getting confused that Echo, of all things, is the first Marvel Spotlight project.

As the trailer makes abundantly clear, Echo directly follows up on the events and narrative of Hawkeye, in which we learned that Maya Lopez was Kingpin’s adoptive niece and, what’s more, she shot him in the eye after discovering the truth of his evil ways. So those tying themselves in knots over on the Marvel Studios subreddit as they try to make sense of this paradox are more than forgiven.

“Marvel Spotlight states that they have individual MCU projects that are not connected and it’s [d]ebuting with Echo,” shared one perplexed , “but wouldn’t you [n]eed to have watched Hawkeye to know details about her and why Kingpin has a [m]issing eye">treated like Marvel Television offerings it’s leaving fans questioning everything about the make-up of the MCU. And you thought Echo wasn’t going to be important.

Echo hits Disney Plus in a bingeable batch of five episodes on Jan. 10.

Making her onscreen debut during the events of Hawkeye before quickly securing her own streaming show, Echo is one of the least recognizable Marvel characters to date to land an eponymous series. 

Not that that’s a bad thing – plenty of obscure-leaning comic book heroes are overdue for a big budget adaptation. Still, it’s nice to have some background going into these things, and that’s exactly what we’re here to provide. 

Echo – real name Maya Lopez – is a relatively fresh face on the Marvel scene, first appearing in Joe Quesada’s run of Daredevil comics in 1999. A lot of the broad strokes of her backstory pop up in Hawkeye. She was born deaf, making her part of a very exclusive hearing impaired superhero club, and is a citizen of the Cheyenne Nation. Her parents are Kingpin associate Willie “Crazy Horse” Lincoln, and an as-yet undisclosed mother.

Echo’s old man was killed by Wilson Fisk, who promised to raise Maya up to be a fine, upstanding distributor of violence. She was sent to a school for kids with special needs, there discovering her superhuman, somehow-not-mutant ability to perfectly replicate the movements of others. After playing a song on the piano despite A: Not being able to play the piano, and B: Again, not being able to hear anything, she changed schools, and trained to be a performer-slash-punching enthusiast. The second part was mostly Kingpin’s idea.

Maya’s journey to heroism: Is there an Echo in here? 2pt1m

If a lot of what follows sounds familiar, it’s because Quesada’s Daredevil stories — the ones that introduced Echo — did a lot of heavy lifting during the writing process for the Ben Affleck movie from 2003. Kingpin being Kingpin, he blamed the death of Maya’s father on Daredevil, eventually sending her out into the world to get the Man Without Fear. The truth came out, and Maya decided to be one of the good guys — albeit a really murdery one — and does a bunch of kissing with Matt Murdoch, as is the fate of all martial artists in skimpy outfits hanging out on Hell’s Kitchen rooftops.

Beyond her Taskmaster-adjacent ability to mimic others, Echo doesn’t have a lot of powers. She’s great at punching and kicking people. She took on the Ronin persona for a while – the one that Clint Barton rocked during Avengers: Endgame. She also got to play host to the Phoenix Force, after a cosmic, inter-superhero Thunderdome battle royale determined who’d be best at keeping a fiery, vengeful genocide bird in their brain. In fairness, basically everybody’s had the Phoenix Force for a while. It’s the Marvel version of getting mono your freshman year. 

Meanwhile, Echo’s prosthetic leg in the MCU is an all-new, all-different addition to the character, coming to you honestly, thanks to performer Alaqua Cox’s own real-life missing limb. The decision to include the prosthesis, as well as Marvel’s choice to cast a Deaf actress to portray the character, have been lauded as a win for representation.

In the ever-expanding tapestry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the introduction of Disney Plus shows marked a whole new era. These shows not only brought beloved characters to the small screen but also left audiences on the edge of their seats with a treasure trove of cliffhangers. From heart-pounding suspense to jaw-dropping revelations, the MCU’s streaming offerings reinvigorated the art of the cliffhanger, captivating and astonishing fans in equal measure. In this exploration, we delve into some of the most unforgettable cliffhangers that left viewers eagerly awaiting the next chapter in the MCU’s grand narrative.

10. WandaVision – Double Pietro 6d2x66

A surprising and unexpected development occurred in the fifth episode of WandaVision, which was titled “On A Very Special Episode…” There had been a lot of buildup to this moment as viewers had been following Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) through a number sitcom eras throughout the 20th century.

Wanda’s surprise at seeing her brother Pietro at the door may be seen at the end of the episode. The casting change of Pietro Maximoff, originally represented by Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the MCU, added mystery and intrigue to the scene. Evan Peters, who played a different version of Pietro in Fox’s X-Men film series, portrayed the role in WandaVision.

This cliffhanger did more than just throw viewers for a loop; it also set the stage for future MCU efforts to explore the notion of the multiverse, which became an overarching motif in the franchise’s following entries. Fans eagerly awaited the next episode to find out what this means for the MCU as a whole, and how Pietro got there.

9. Moon Knight – The Psych Hospital 3v1sw

The fourth episode of Marvel’s Moon Knight, titled The Tomb, had an enthralling storyline development. In an unexpected and dramatic turn, Harrow (Ethan Hawke) fires not one, but two point-blank bullets at Marc, leaving the viewer in suspense and expectation of what will happen next.

Following what seemed to be a fatal fall, Marc awakens in a mysterious mental institution. The line between reality and illusion blurs, leaving both Marc and the audience in suspense. The facility is filled with elements and characters from his past experiences, heightening the intrigue.

As Marc’s medication wears off, he escapes orderlies, and a sense of foreboding fills the institution’s unstable, swaying wing. In a room that curiously contains something he’s been seeking, Marc stumbles upon a sarcophagus, revealing his alter ego, Steven Grant. Their unexpected reunion evokes a mix of emotions, intensifying the uncertainty that the asylum might be a vivid delusion or a surreal fever dream. The plot twists keep the audience on edge, craving answers to the unfolding mysteries.

8. The Falcon And The Winter Soldier – Death by Shield 5n4i18

In episode 4 The Whole World Is Watching, John Walker’s morality drastically changed. His slide starts with his shield fueling his ego, driven by unshakeable ideals and a yearning for heroics. The episode emphasizes two key incidents that led to his demise. First, the Dora Milaje overcome him. Walker retreats rather than allowing for himself to be humbled. After a short talk with his buddy Hoskins, he takes the super-soldier serum.

A supercharged Walker fights the Flag Smashers. Hoskins being fatally hurt in an intervention. Walker’s spiral into evil continues as he violently murders one of Karli’s pals with his shield as witnesses film on their phones, overwhelmed by sorrow. The horrifying last shot depicts Walker standing over his dying victim with a bloody shield.

7. Hawkeye – The Return of Kingpin 2u4w3x

Following the revelation of Eleanor Bishop’s secret meeting with Kingpin, Wilson Fisk, portrayed by Vincent D’Onofrio, returns to the series. The actor confirmed that this is the same character from “Daredevil,” and his storyline picks up from where it left off. Eleanor’s attempt to sever her connection with Fisk due to her husband’s debts takes a dark turn.

While Kingpin tries to stop Eleanor from escaping, Kate Bishop intervenes and temporarily incapacitates him, revealing an unexplained increase in Fisk’s physical resilience in this series, in line with his comic book portrayal. After evading the NYPD, Fisk encounters Maya, who has discovered the truth about her father’s death and how he was framed.

6. Loki – Kang Has Risen 2l2u20

The conclusion of Loki season 1 served as a fitting ending for the MCU series while also expertly setting the stage for Loki season 2 and the wider Marvel universe. Over the course of the first season’s six episodes, viewers accompanied the “main” Loki variant as he unraveled the mysteries of the multiverse, the Sacred Timeline, and the Time Variance Authority (TVA). It became increasingly clear that the TVA was not what it initially appeared to be.

In the season 1 finale, Loki and Sylvie meet He Who Remains, the creator of the TVA and the architect of the Sacred Timeline. He swiftly reveals that he established the organization to prevent a devastating multiversal war. Despite his warning that his death would usher in new variants, Sylvie chooses to end his life. This momentous decision, as the season concludes, installs the Marvel antagonist Kang as the ruler of the TVA and, by extension, the entire MCU timeline.

5. Secret Invasion – Death of Maria Hill 4y5n5c

In episode 1 of Secret Invasion, we witnessed a collaboration between Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and Talos. Their mission was to prevent a bombing plot in Russia, masterminded by a faction of rebellious shape-shifting Skrulls led by Kingsley Ben-Adir’s Gravik. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to thwart the bombing. The episode then came to a shocking conclusion when Gravik assumed Fury’s identity and fatally shot Hill in the its closing moments.

4.  Loki – The Loom Goes Boom 6z4o3b

In the climactic moment of Loki season 2, episode 4, Timely steps forward to attempt to rescue the branching timeline and the TVA from imminent disaster using a solution he and OB have devised. Although he’s fully prepared to be brave, the radiation emitted by the device proves overpowering, and Timely is tragically torn apart after taking just a few steps.

The remaining cast watch in sheer horror as their last hope to save everyone vanishes, and the device’s collapse becomes inevitable. As the temporal energy obliterates the device, Loki and the others can only stand there and acknowledge their impending fates as the shockwave approaches the TVA itself.

3. Ms. Marvel – Kamala Time Travels 2q5j2j

Following the introduction of visions of Kamala’s great-grandmother, Aisha, in episode 2, the conclusion of Ms. Marvel’s fourth episode suggests that Kamala might have traveled back in time to when Aisha first disappeared. In this episode, Kamala (Iman Vellani) and her mother, Muneeba (Zenobia Schroff), journey to Karachi, Pakistan, influenced by Muneeba’s mother and Kamala’s grandmother, Sana (Samina Ahmed). Sana had experienced the same train vision that Kamala had at the end of the third episode. Although Muneeba believed their trip was simply a family visit, it became an opportune moment for Kamala to delve deeper into the mysteries of the bracelet and the abilities she acquired in the first episode of Ms. Marvel.

2. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law – The Daredevil Helmet 181418

In Episode 5, Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) faces a significant challenge, and it’s not a villain, but her wardrobe. Having spent the past three episodes donning ill-fitting outfits, and Jen finally decides it’s time for a change. She consults a tailor, the heroes’ own Griffin Matthews, who bravely accepts the unique challenge of crafting garments for the size-changing Hulk. In the final scene, we spot a very familiar helmet neatly stored in one of his hat boxes. It’s none other than Daredevil’s helmet, though it’s yellow instead of the traditional red. This costume is inspired by Daredevil’s original attire from 1964, featuring yellow and reddish-brown hues.

1. What If…? – Zombie Thanos 1e2h4e

In many ways, fans were apprehensive about What If…">Thanos’ immense power, he too succumbs to the zombie virus at some point before realizing his malevolent ambitions.

When Taylor Swift first started sharing her bedroom songwriting with the world in 2006, Marvel movies were far, far, from being what they eventually became — but then again, so was Taylor.

You could say the brand and the pop star enjoyed a parallel ascent, and while their paths never really crossed (soon, they might), they have always been two sides of the same effervescent and endlessly contentious American pop culture coin. The mark of any truly impactful cultural footprint: You either hate them or you love them, there’s no in-between.

To this day, Swifties regularly quote the iconic tweet from 2019, “Since y’all wanna be assholes for Taylor. Iron man dies in endgame [SIC].” And who could forget that time Taylor borrowed Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool costume for Halloween (a premonition if we’ve ever seen one)? The MCU and the “Cruel Summer” singer have always been destined to meet, we’re just speeding up the process.

Here are 27 Marvel characters matched to sheer perfection to their Taylor Swift song.

Thanos: “Lavender Haze” 334d5y

Sure, “Look What You Made Me Do” or “Vigilante S**t” would suffice for Thanos, but we’d be remiss not to give this purple Mad Titan a song befitting of his skin-tone. Now, I’d like you to promptly imagine this genocidal maniac seductively dipping his cheekbone in a pool of purple, lavender-filled water. You’re welcome!

Loki: “Anti-Hero” 5c5n6v

What a journey Loki has had in the MCU. “Anti-Hero” might not be among the songs Taylor has written about her whirlwind romance with Tom Hiddleston, but it certainly best describes his Marvel character. Every villain either dies as one (and, believe us, he tried) or lives long enough to see himself become an anti-hero.

Thor: “Love Story” 1l255v

He was Romeo, she was Juliet — but they drew too many stars around each other’s scars, and eventually those scars started bleeding (sorry, mixing up songs here). Anyway, fast forward eight years, seven months, and six days, and come to find out this pair’s love story wasn’t finished being written yet. Then Marvel had to go and ruin it all. That’s where Taylor’s “Love Story” comes into play. Let’s just forget Marvel’s tragic ending, and imagine that Thor and Jane continued to teach each other the “way of the warrior” and the “way of the people.” And they lived happily ever after. 

Some romances are easy-peasy, and some go together like oil and water. Given that Gamora only said one sentence to Peter in Guardians of the Galaxy before kicking him in the stomach, stealing the Orb, and then stealing his heart, there’s perhaps no better pairing for “I Knew You Were Trouble” than these two.

Sorry, the opportunity to match this iconic song to Steve and Bucky was right there, and we couldn’t not take it. You know how it goes, Mister Americana and his Heartbreak Prince are with each other until the end of the line.

Taylor initially wrote this 2010s pop staple about Katy Perry, but that’s only a tiny jump away from the feud that put the two Avengers leaders on a path of collision that eventually led to an actual Civil War. Taylor might have compared Katy stealing some of her tour dancers to a “bullet hole,” but not even she could match the dramatics of Tony and Steve in Captain America 3.

Starfox: “Style” 4c1r5m

I mean… did you expect anything else? Taylor never reveals who her songs are about, but “Style” was always a no-brainer. This pairing is a match made in heaven, even if the romance that inspired it was short-lived. We may never see Starfox in the MCU again, but Harry Styles is the perfect Eros. There, I said it. Sue me.

Matt Murdock: “Vigilante S**t” x5t5o

Sometimes in order to get things done, you’ve got to do some vigilante s**t, am I right? No one knows that better than Taylor — ahem, I mean Matt Murdock. This Devil of Hell’s Kitchen is a man of law in the courtroom, but he’s not above bying those guardrails on the streets if it means catching the bad guy. Taylor also knows a thing or two about catching the bad guy — or, at least, that’s the assumption if our theories about the genesis of “Vigilante S**t” are correct.

Scarlet Witch: “Mad Woman” 3h284s

As two deeply empathetic women who have had to face constant scrutiny from a young age, there was an abundance of Taylor Swift songs that perfectly matched Wanda Maximoff (the entire Reputation album, for starters). Yet, there’s none that quite matches the desperation of a woman pushed to her limit like “Mad Woman” from the masterpiece that is folklore.

Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers: “The Man” 562v6m

Carol Danvers has been at the receiving end of a lot of unjustified flak during her time in the MCU. The way a particularly toxic subsection of the Marvel fandom turned against both the character, and actor Brie Larson, and mobilized to boycott her movies was unprecedented. People hated Carol for being cold, angry, and stand-offish, which, go figure, have historically been traits those same viewers find cool in male characters. And Taylor Swift knows all about being chastised for things that are usually celebrated in the opposite sex.

Clint Barton/Hawkeye: “The Archer” 1a3z6e

I’ll confess, I initially paired Clint with “The Archer” because, well, that’s what he is! However, upon revisiting this introspective ballad, I realized just how fitting its lyrics are for a man who has been defined by the death of his loved ones — namely, the heartbreaking end of his best friend and hero, Natasha.

Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow: “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” 5v1j5k

There have been a lot of heartbreaking deaths in the MCU, but none have felt as unjust as Natasha’s. Although her sacrifice was equivalent to that of Tony’s, she didn’t even get the honor of a funeral. We’ll never forgive Marvel for that.

Quentin Beck/Mysterio: “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” 3m4f3q

We all know this choice wasn’t completely innocent. It is rumored this iconic bop was written about Jake Gyllenhaal, but it’s also quite fitting for his character Quentin Beck, since Taylor is describing the most obnoxious man alive in the lyrics. Jake is a fantastic actor, and he completely nailed his performance as Mysterio, but good God, I think he’s the villain I have wanted to strangle the most out of anyone in the MCU.

Dr. Strange: “Hey Stephen” 6u2a3r

Underneath his rich playboy exterior, Stephen Strange is a sweetheart. He can never say no to a teenager in need, and he can be quite funny when he wants. Taylor said it best: Hey, Stephen, “Come feel this magic I’ve been feeling since I met you.” It’s not often an Avenger has a Taylor Swift song named after them, after all.

Nebula: “Tolerate It” 70445l

We know Taylor is probably singing about a dismissive lover in this heartwrenching ballad, but there are a lot of lyrics that scream “daddy issues” here, too. There are, in fact, a lot of characters with absent fathers in the MCU. Loki or Tony Stark would be great fits here too, but there’s something about the way Nebula tried to do her best for her dad at all times, and received nothing but contempt and violence in return, that has always made us root harder for her character. Thankfully, in the end, just like Taylor in “Tolerate It,” she realized she deserved better.

Out of all iterations of Spider-Man on the big screen, Tom Holland and the MCU’s feels the most like a true, awkward teenager trying to navigate the confusing world of puberty and superheroism. A lot of that is down to Peter’s relationship with M.J., which is simultaneously wholesome and mature for its level of commitment and partnership. We love the idea of these two lovebirds going from childhood friends to an old married couple, just like Taylor describes in this beautifully innocent lullaby.

Valkyrie: “King of My Heart” 2ud4i

We believe this one is pretty self-explanatory. Obviously, Taylor is singing to a man here, but we are huge fans of the way the MCU took a page from Beyoncé’s book and made this iconic lady the new King of Asgard. Given the extreme queer energy that King Brunnhilde exudes, we are definitely happy to turn this love song into a women-loving-women anthem for the purposes of this list.

Adam Warlock: “Bejeweled” 6g662w

The MCU version of Adam Warlock may have been more of a derp than a threat, but hey, that gold skin was blinding all the same. No, that isn’t the Mind Stone on his forehead, or the Soul Stone — both of those were destroyed in Avengers: Endgame. It’s probably just his birthstone. We’re thinking topaz. Just imagine how bright he makes the whole place shimmer when he stands under the mirrorball. 

He Who Remains: “Mastermind” 4x5g4q

Mr. Free-will-stealer himself is the perfect pair for this infectious Taylor banger about how she carefully planned the meeting and courtship of her lover, all the while trying to trick him into thinking it was all fate. That’s basically what He Who Remains was doing to everyone on the Sacred Timeline for eons, right?

Hela: “Better Than Revenge” 5j3r37

The ultimate baddie T-Swift song for the ultimate Marvel baddie. The lyrics of “Better Than Revenge” (even the revised ones) are practically tailor-made for Hela, who returns from imprisonment in Thor: Ragnarok to reclaim the crown her younger brother Thor stole from her. Now, we don’t condone revenge, but if you’re the Goddess of Death, we won’t deny it’s fun to watch. Wait, does that mean Taylor’s… ? Never mind. 

Deadpool/Wade Wilson: “Karma” 5j3f5a

Honestly, we’ll let this image speak for itself. But also, we really need Taylor to give her bestie Ryan the rights to this song in Deadpool 3, and create what would easily be the most iconic needle drop in the history of the MCU (sorry, James Gunn and Peter’s Awesome Mix!).

Avengers: Endgame: “End Game” 2i3wb

We did it. We made it to the endgame. Taylor might as well have been g directly to the Avengers and Thanos with this contemporary lyrical hit. Avengers: Endgame saw the “A-team” reach back in time to restore the universe to its rightful state and confront Thanos, whose reputation preceded him, in the ultimate showdown that blew the Marvel universe — and the box office — wide open.  

King T’Challa/Black Panther: “Long Live” c6pw

Sorry, we didn’t mean to sucker punch you in the gut, but we couldn’t up this opportunity to honor T’Challa and Chadwick Boseman’s legacy. “Long Live” not only encapsulates the significance of T’Challa and Boseman’s impact on Marvel, but also their impact on cinema and the Marvel fandom. “Long live the walls we crashed through,” Taylor sings, and indeed, Black Panther blew through expectations to become the highest-grossing movie directed by a Black filmmaker, with Boseman as its leading man. “One day, we will be ed,” sings Taylor —  This one’s for you, Chadwick. From all of us. You will never be forgotten.

Marvel knows that good things come in threes, which is why we’re about to be gifted with the MCU‘s very first three-hero-led film with The Marvels. Whether it’s a found family dynamic, a multiversal link-up, or a complicated love/friend triangle, the possibilities are endless when you three really good characters. This list is most definitely proof of that.

The Marvels g4h6j

The build-up to the team-up happening in The Marvels between Monica, Carol, and Kamala was lengthy and glorious. From 2019’s Captain Marvel to 2021’s WandaVision and 2022’s Ms. Marvel, we’ve been tracing the crumbs to what will hopefully be a complete meal at the finish line when the three heroines finally forces. With tons of family history and tricky dynamics shaking up their mojo, these three powerful ladies will have to talk it out before fighting it out.

The Peters 105170

Search “dream team” up on the dictionary and you’ll likely run into these three hotties. Marvel devotees across generations had been hoping the twists and tricks of superhero storytelling would somehow bring the three iterations of Peter Parkers together at some point. Considering they come from separate franchises and are the same character, these hopeful fans were in luck when Marvel decided to dedicate its new saga to the multiverse. Their energy was magnetic in Spider-Man: No Way Home and we hated having to say goodbye in the end. Peter 1, Peter 2, Peter 3, we will always love you.

Steve, Sam, and Bucky 38491p

These three were put through the wringer during their time together in the MCU. While most of their scenes happened in pairs, including either Steve and Sam, Steve and Bucky, or Bucky and Sam, their connection as a trio is undeniable. The three men all shared a deep iration for one another, and with Steve now gone, his two best friends were compelled to do his legacy justice, together. The Captain, the Falcon, and The Winter Soldier might sound like the jazziest name ever for an underground emo band, but it’s just the angstiest, most loyal love — sorry — friend triangle in the superhero world.

Thor, Groot, and Rocket 3a1qp

Who can ever forget the feeling of watching Thor, Groot, and Rocket blast into Wakanda looking for Thanos during Infinity War? This trio was a fan favorite during the film, uniting the best Marvel duo ever in Rocket and Groot with one of the OG Avengers at his very prime. They became quite inseparable during their journey with Thor and Rocket’s himbo/grump synergy working particularly well on screen thanks to their common experiences of loss and pain.

Peter, Ned, and MJ 473p2f

A Peter Parker will always need a best friend and a girlfriend, but there’s something about the MCU’s version of the famous spider hero that hits the spot. Not only are Ned and MJ a lot more involved in helping Peter with his missions in this franchise, but they also enjoy a much deeper and more genuine connection as teenage best friends just trying to figure out their place in the world. Spider-Man: No Way Home highlighted just how much they love each other and we sincerely hope they’re eventually brought back together.

Loki, Mobius, and Sylvie 2g2s62

There’s plenty of untapped potential with this threesome. And we mean that both in action and romantically. Come on, we can’t be alone in hoping Loki’s historical ission of his bisexuality will be more than a line of dialogue in this new season of the Disney Plus show. And, since Tom Hiddleston’s got as much chemistry with Owen Wilson as with Sophia Di Martino, there’s only one solution here that would keep fans of both ‘ships happy. In truth, we’d be content just seeing more of these three get together to take down Kang.

Kate, Clint, and Lucky the Pizza Dog 3y14l

In Marvel Comics, Lucky is a catalyst for Clint and Kate‘s mentor/mentee relationship, so when the studio started planning the Young Avenger’s introduction into the live-action cinematic universe, there was no doubt this four-pawed sidekick had to come along. In Disney Plus’ Hawkeye, Lucky is not just a friendly furry face, but a grounding force for both Kate and Clint, offering companionship and emotional . The pizza-loving golden retriever was easily the best character in the show, so Marvel better bring him back in the future.

Tony, Steve, and Thor 4p242n

The MCU doesn’t get much better than when these three are on the screen. As the first Avengers to get their own individual trilogies and the headliners of the franchise, a Thor/Steve/Tony scene will always ignite the butterflies in any worthy Marvel fan’s stomach. They’re iconic leaders, each with a very specific skill and power set, who reach their maximum potential when brought together. Although we’re certainly sad we’ll probably never see them team up again, we will always cherish the show-stopping moments they gave us through the years. The closest thing to rockstars the MCU will ever have.

Thor, Bruce, and Valkyrie 494n1j

Taika Waititi may have fallen out of favor with Marvel fans after Thor: Love and Thunder, but we will always be grateful to him for giving us the wonderful Thor-Bruce-Valkyrie collab. While the rest of the Avengers were busy having marital problems on Earth, Thor and Hulk were reuniting in space and we were witnessing the birth of the best Avenger friendship. The introduction of Valkyrie was an instant hit with audiences, making her the cherry on top of this hilariously dysfunctional found family.