(To celebrate the coming of Avengers: Endgame this Friday, I thought I would list my five favorite Avengers thus far. I am on vacation atm, so I apologize if this post is not as fleshed out as it could be!)
5.) Black Panther / T’Challa
In the MCU, T’Challa’s rise to prominence has been one of the most unique – and one of the best to witness. After getting a taste of Black Panther’s abilities in Captain America: Civil War (2016), his following 2018 eponymous solo-film solidified his place as one of the coolest, and most well-developed characters in the entire MCU, despite being one of the newest. He is not just the King of Wakanda – he is a hero who has faced doubt and uncertainty head on, and strives to do what is best for the people he is sworn to protect. His suit is awesome, his character and personality are balanced, and I look forward to seeing him (and Okoye and Shuri, of course) grace the silver screen in future installments. If the others can bring him back from “The Snappening”, of course.
4.) Captain Marvel / Carol Danvers
Another brand-new face in a sea of super greats, Captain Marvel’s 2019 solo outing was out first official look at the character, other than a tiny teaser at the end of 2018’s Infinity War. Honestly, I didn’t expect to like Carol as much as I did, but, despite being so new, I already find her to be one of the most endearing heroes in the whole MCU. She displays a compelling balance of humanity, vulnerability, humor, and badassery, which combines to make her journey thrilling to watch. As someone who was once a little girl who loved superheroes, it warms my heart to see little girls buying Captain Marvel merchandise and wearing shirts or bags with her likeness on it. However, Captain Marvel is not just a great female superhero – she is an amazing hero who anyone can look to and find a bit of themselves in. If she truly is meant to be the new face of the MCU, then I have the utmost faith in whatever is to come next.
3.) Doctor Strange / Steven Strange
What can I say? I am drawn to sarcastic assholes. I knew little about the character when I sat down to watch 2016’s Doctor Strange, but emerged from the theater totally spellbound. His abilities are the coolest to see onscreen, bar none – but his magic is not only visually striking, it’s capable of incredible, unorthodox feats that standard butt-kicking isn’t able to convey. But his hero persona is only half of it – he’s also a compelling character because Steven Strange isn’t completely likable, despite his quick wit and serious nature. He starts out sarcastic and pompous and downright arrogant, and though he changes and admits to his faults and embraces his new role as a master of the mystic arts by the end of his solo film, he never quite sheds those prickly bits of his personality. He doesn’t have the charm of Tony Stark to dampen those traits, but really, that just makes him more relatable – heroes aren’t always perfect role models, after all. Plus, he’s got the best sidekick in the entire MCU – his cape.
2.) Ant-Man / Scott Lang
I’ve said it before, and I will say it again (and again, if I have to) – Ant-Man and his epic size-changing adventures are the kind of breather fans of the MCU need to break up the do-or-die, lives-at-stake nature of most films in the series. Both 2015’s Ant-Man and 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp came on the heels of significantly more “dramatic films” in Age of Ultron and Infinity War, and were welcome doses of heart and humor after such high-stakes installments. Scott Lang is – arguably – the most “human” of the Avengers; he’s a family guy with a complicated criminal history and he just wants to do right by his daughter and those he cares about – and maybe save the world, if he gets included in events like 2016’s Civil War. Ant-Man is the perfect example of what happens when a truly average person gets bestowed with great responsibility, which makes him easy to watch and connect with. He makes mistakes, but also does his best to right them no matter how difficult it can be. Besides… his size-changing hi-jinks will never not be funny to me. Heroes do come in all sizes – and Ant-Man is the literal embodiment of that sentiment.
1.) Captain America / Steve Rogers
Of the original crew of major Avengers, I have found Captain America’s journey to be the most compelling. From 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, where a scrawny boy finds not only incredible physical power, but the strength within himself to become a hero, to 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where Cap’s unwavering sense of honor drives him to walk away from, and uncover the conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D, to 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, where Steve refuses to comply with restrictions and stands up for what he believes is right, even if it means splintering the Avengers at their core… his trilogy has felt the most complete. His character arc has experienced the most ups and downs across all of his appearances, but they have all contributed in making him a multi-layered, believable, and interesting character to watch, and he has always felt genuine in all of his actions. Captain America went from the poster boy for S.H.I.E.L.D. to a defiant rebel who will stand by his choices, but maintains the heart and the loyalty that have defined him from the start. Cap’s remarkable journey may soon be coming to an end following Endgame, but if it does… I can proudly say that he is my favorite, and will likely continue to be, no matter how many new characters are introduced.
Frostwritten 