The MCU is a huge success filled with lots of drama, action, and comedy. The best part of this shared universe is all the different characters meeting each other and either fighting, working together, or a combination of the two. With so many characters, Marvel Studios has been able to build a lot of relationships that have become the backbone of the whole franchise.
Many of these relationships are based solely on working together, while others have turned into a budding romance or lifelong friendship. Marvel Studios has invested so much time in exploring a singular character, all while connecting the dots to a bigger picture. Luckily, those dots have been connected several times and some of the biggest characters have formed a deep and everlasting bond.
10 Tony Stark & Peter Parker – Father Figure & Mentor
In Captain America: Civil War when Tony says he has an idea and Queens popped up, fans lost their minds. Finally, Spider-Man would be joining the MCU and interacting with our favorite heroes. Tony Stark and Peter Parker would first bond in Civil War, but their relationship became strained in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Peter would sneak around in Tony’s suit until Tony found out and asked for it back. However, Peter righted his wrong and was welcomed to the team by Tony. He officially became an Avenger in Infinity War, but was snapped away by Thanos, dying in the arms of his mentor. Losing Peter was devastating to Tony, but it would also motivate him to help the team in Endgame. The two would share one of the most sentimental hugs when Peter returns and one of the saddest goodbyes when Tony died.
9 Bruce Banner & Natasha Romanoff – Spies & Smashing Romance
Natasha, on the order of Nick Fury, sought out Bruce Banner in 2012s The Avengers. Bruce would later Hulk out and chase down Black Widow on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, but was being controlled by Loki. Eventually, Natasha becomes the person to calm down the Hulk when the mission was over. Natasha and Bruce really bond during the events of Age of Ultron, even planning to leave the team behind and start a life together.
They both couldn’t be parents, and this seemed to bring them closer together. After Hulk saves Nat from Ultron, he flies away in the Quinnjet and ends up on a different planet in Thor: Ragnarok. They eventually reunite in Infinity War and Endgame but have no time for romance. Nat dies on Vormir and this devastates Bruce, which leads to him throwing a bench across a lake when he realized she was really gone.
8 Steve Rogers & Peggy Carter – Love Over The Years
Peggy believed that Steve Rogers would become something great, and he didn’t disappoint. After becoming a super soldier, these two would bond over taking down the Nazi science space division known as HYDRA. Steve ends up sacrificing himself to save the world, but not after sharing a kiss with Peggy and promising they would dance someday. Steve is found alive in the ice, but it’s been 70 years since he last spoke with Peggy, who has obviously aged and had her own family. Steve is heartbroken when Peggy dies, but after saving the world in Endgame, he returns the Infinity Stones, but not before he decides to go back in time and see Peggy. They’re finally able to have that dance and share another kiss… 70 plus years later.
7 Bruce Banner & Thor – Two Strongest Avenger Buddies
Long-time frenemies in the comics, the Hulk and Thor are two of the strongest characters in all the Marvel universe. The MCU capitalized on this, and in The Avengers, they start out fighting each other but eventually work together to take down Loki and his alien army. They share a fun moment when they take down an alien ship but Hulk playfully punches Thor and lets out a funny grunt. In Thor: Ragnarok, they truly bond as they both end up on the planet of Sakaar, battling each other as gladiators before saving Asgard from Hela and her army of the dead. Hulk, along with Rocket Raccoon, cheer up a saddened Thor in Endgame and motivate him to help defeat Thanos… again.
6 Clint Barton & Natasha Romanoff – A Shielded Friendship From Budapest
2012s The Avengers made some people think that Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff were romantically linked. However, their bond and friendship ended up being everything but romantic. They both were agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and trained to be spies. Clint was actually sent to kill Natasha at first, but made a different call and helped her become an agent of good.
Natasha is even close with Clint’s wife and is referred to as Auntie Nat by his kids. After half the world is snapped away by Thanos, Natasha tracks down Clint, who is broken from losing his family. Natasha ends up fighting off Clint and sacrifices herself in Endgame, adding to Clint’s heartbreak while bringing back his family. Here’s hoping Black Widow has a flashback of Budapest.
5 Rocket Raccoon & Groot – Genetically Enhanced Animal Father To A Tree
It’s wild to think that seven years ago, these two characters were barely known. In 2021 and over the past seven years, Rocket Raccoon and Groot have become two of the most lovable characters throughout the MCU. Firstly, a full-grown Groot is acting as Rocket’s muscle and helps him in any way possible. Groot ends up sacrificing himself to protect Rocket and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Rocket takes a small piece of Groot and ends up regrowing a new Groot at the end of the first film. They work together until the events of Infinity War when Groot is dusted by Thanos’ snap. Groot saying his only words, “I Am Groot,” at that moment has been confirmed that he was saying “Dad,” to Rocket. Luckily, everyone’s favorite tree is brought back in Endgame and reunited with his surrogate father.
4 Wanda Maximoff & Vision – The Love & Pain Of The Mind Stone
Two iconic comic book characters that have been romantically linked for years, Wanda Maximoff and The Vision have recently been explored in depth in Disney+’s WandaVision. In the MCU, both Wanda and Vision are connected to the mind stone, which they bond over in Captain America: Civil War and eventually realize they’re in love during Avengers: Infinity War. Realizing that Thanos needs all the stones to complete his conquest, Vision asks Wanda to destroy the stone in his head, which she reluctantly does, but Thanos uses the time stone to go back and kill Vision again. Wanda later uses her power to create a fake life and a fake Vision in WandaVision because she had been through so much loss and missed the love of her life. Hopefully, they can say “hello” again.
3 Tony Stark & Pepper Potts – The Original MCU Couple
2008s Iron Man finally brought the famous shell head, Tony Stark, to the big screen. Also, his assistant Pepper Potts was introduced for the first time in live-action. Pepper starts out as an employee for Tony but they finally realize they love each other in Iron Man 2, sharing a kiss on a rooftop after a near-death experience. Pepper and Tony go through the ups and downs of a relationship in the MCU, but finally end up together at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming. After surviving the snap and Thanos, Tony and Pepper end up married and having a little girl in Endgame. After fighting Thanos and his army, Tony ends up with the stones and snaps all of Thanos’ army away, slowly killing him in the process. Pepper is able to say goodbye and tell Tony that she and their daughter will be alright and he can rest now.
2 Tony Stark & Steve Rogers – Fighting Like Brothers
The backbone and the heart of the MCU have been Iron Man and Captain America. These two comic book legends became even more iconic in the past 10 years, both having their own trilogies and appearing in several other MCU films. Their relationship has also been a rollercoaster ride, bickering and fighting like brothers but also being there for each other. They are polar opposites and usually disagree on what’s best for the team. Civil War had both men drafting their own teams of superheroes and battling it out at a Berlin airport. However, after a brief truce, the real fight comes when Tony realizes that Cap’s best friend killed his parents and Cap knew about it. They nearly kill each other but go on to make up in Endgame and save the planet from Thanos.
1 Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes – Taking All The Stupid With You
After becoming Captain America, Steve becomes a soldier and saves a captured Bucky. Bucky is later thought to be killed but comes back in The Winter Solider as a brainwashed agent of HYDRA. Bucky nearly kills Steve until Steve tells him, “I’m with you till the end of the line,” the same thing Bucky told a young Steve after his mom’s death. After another fight in Civil War, Steve is able to capture and calm Bucky down. Bucky realizes that he’s been brainwashed and starts working with Steve to help the Avengers. After they defeat Thanos and Cap has to return the Infinity stones, he tells Bucky to not do anything stupid when he’s gone. Bucky replies, “How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” That’s the same thing Steve said to him when Bucky was first shipped off to World War 2.
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