MCU in 2021: Five moments from Marvel Cinematic Universe that blew our minds
10 years in, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) still manages to surprise, entertain, and shock us all. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Kevin Feige and the team managed to push out 9 releases in 2021, each offering something new and delightful for fans to chew on. As one of the biggest franchises in the world, the MCU nearly broke the internet on many occasions, no more so than the release of 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (NWH).
From the delightful cameo of Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock to the shocking death of Aunt May, the film remains one of the biggest blockbusters of the pandemic and is still going strong two weeks in. But, it's not the only MCU release that had us all surprised. We've seen countless moments go viral on social media, and with 2021 coming to a close, we thought we would focus on the top 5 moments that certainly had us stunned.
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#1: The much-rumored reunion
While the entirety of NWH deserves to be on the list, the particular moment Tobey and Andrew first appeared on screens certainly takes the cake. We knew they were coming, but just how remained a big mystery. Fans weren't disappointed, with both actors playing a significant role in the epic final battle, and helping provide Holland's Spidey with some much-needed wisdom. From the meme to their funny quips, the movie certainly delivered on its promises to bring the two back with a bang. Rest easy now Andrew! No one will ask you again.
#2: The shield becomes a weapon
When John Walker was introduced as the new Captain America in 'The Falcon and the Winter Solider', few believed he'd retain the mantle by the end of the show. But the way Marvel stripped him of his title was brutal, to say the least. It was a key moment for the show when Walker used Cap's shield to brutally kill a flag smasher, turning a beloved symbol into a weapon for the first time. Coming just months after the January 6 insurrection, it also paralleled the state of America today in a subtle way.
#3: Loki's surprising cameo
The ending of 'Loki' was not one anyone was expecting. We knew Jonathan Majors was going to show up at some point in the MCU, but his surprise cameo in the show certainly helped up the stakes in the emotional finale. Even more surprising was his death, at the hands of Sofia Di Martino's Sylvie. The moment proved an epic cliffhanger leading into 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness', and season 2 of 'Loki'.
#4: A Bohner of a surprise
Marvel loves to delight its fans, but trolling was something we never really saw till 'WandaVision'. The first release of 2021 left us all stunned when episode 5 ended with Pietro Maximoff being 'recast' as Evan Peters, spawning theories that the X-Men were finally making their way into the MCU. Fans spent weeks speculating what Peters' presence meant, only to be brutally trolled in the final episode that he was in fact just a random resident named Ralph Bohner. The troll may not have played well with all fans, but many certainly saw the funny side of it,
#5: Eternals' real MVP
From Richard Madden to Angelina Jolie, and Kumail Nanjiani to Gemma Chan, the 'Eternals' was a star-studded affair. But, despite the presence of 10 heroes (and a few villains), there was only one man who stole the show - Harish Patel's Karun. Kingo's valet stole almost every scene he was in, with his humor and humanity in sharp contrast to the superheroes he was traveling with. In fact, Nanjiani even called Patel the "real hero" of the film, high praise indeed given that he was competing with Jolie, Chan, Madden, and Salma Hayek.
