Spider-Man: Far From Home Tom Holland and ZendayaImage via Sony Pictures Releasing
By
Michael Block
Published 45 minutes ago
Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts!
On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK.
In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
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With dozens of films and series with hundreds of heroes and villains, the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand. As timelines allow for new characters, sometimes, we fall instantly in love with them. Maybe they're an already iconic hero, a charismatic villain, or an extraterrestrial creature with pizzazz. Whatever or whoever they are, they've found a special place in our hearts from day one.
We're here to celebrate 10 of our favorite MCU characters. Specifically focusing on their MCU iterations rather than the comics, these characters brought us new excitement with their first iconic appearances. From leaders to sidekicks, these MCU characters are instant icons. Though there are easily more than 10 options here, we picked the ones that have had a mostly positive reaction from the start.
10 Sam Wilson
Anthony Mackie as Captain America holding his shield in Brave New World.Image by Marvel Studios
Very rarely do you get to hold two high-ranking honors quite like Sam Wilson. First arriving in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Wilson becomes an instant friend to Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). Agreeing to help him and Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) defeat Hydra, he comes face-to-face with the brainwashed Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), also known as the Winter Soldier. From there, he serves as Captain America’s sidekick before he eventually takes on the role himself.
The reason we love Sam Wilson is because of his arc in the MCU, brilliantly portrayed by Anthony Mackie. Having a similar journey to his character, Mackie had the pleasure of going from supporting player to series co-star in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, all the way through to Captain America: Brave New World. Mackie’s ability to take on the mantle of the first Black Captain America is a huge feat. And he does so with great pride. He is a hero through and through.
9 Rocket Raccoon
Rocket Raccoon piloting a ship in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.Image via Marvel Studios
Not all fuzzy creatures are cuddly, but they sure are fun! Rocket Raccoon is a tough-talking, wisecracking, hot-tempered mercenary and weapons expert. As a crucial part of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket became an instant fan favorite because of his personality. Oh, and once you realized that Bradley Cooper was doing extraordinary vocal work, the fondness for the furry creature skyrocketed.
Now, he had a great introduction and tenure in his various appearances, but by the time we reached Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, his stock soared to new heights, as his past was absolutely gutting. Paired with the animal cruelty storyline as the center of the film, if you didn’t love Rocket before, you surely do now. As the only character to have their own animatronic at Disneyland, you know he’s something special.
8 Korg
Korg waving in Thor: Ragnarok Image via Marvel Studios
This may be a wildcard entry, but I promise you, if you recall your favorite part of Thor: Ragnarok, it’s likely meeting the walking, talking space rock named Korg. Voiced by actor-director Taika Waititi, he is a Kronan warrior forced to participate in the Contest of Champions on Sakaar alongside his best friend, Miek. He later leads a rebellion against the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) and escapes the planet with the help of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) to help protect the survivors of Asgard against Hela (Cate Blanchett) and goes with the survivors who escaped from Thanos' (Josh Brolin) attack on their ship to protect them during Avengers: Endgame.
Despite looking brooding and overpowering, deep down, Korg has a heart. He has superhuman strength and durability, and a personality to adore. Friendly, humorous, and kind, Korg is a good-natured leader who enjoys joking around. He is the epitome of juxtaposition. We love an individual who is loyal, and Korg is almost loyal to a fault. Now, in terms of representation, yes, Korg is gay. Technically, the rock people are described as genderless but are clearly coded as male. Expressing his love, Waititi's Korg ends up performing the mating ritual with a stone man named Dwayne. We stan.
7 Peter Quill
Image via Marvel Studios
When Guardians of the Galaxy was announced, it was a chance to introduce a lesser-known property to the behemoth that is the MCU and see if audiences were eager for new characters. To bring Peter Quill, better known as Star Lord, to life, they needed an actor who was charismatic, energetic, and quirky enough to lead a band of merry extraterrestrials. So they found an actor who was best known for his comic chops — someone who didn’t resemble the other heroes, with their ripped physiques. His name was Chris Pratt. Having the freedom to craft a character to his liking, Pratt gave us a hero we could relate to. He didn’t have superpowers like the Avengers. He was all heart and devotion.
As a Celestial hybrid with daddy issues and a love of music, Peter Quill was a cool guy. Played like a space Indiana Jones, the character immediately found a great following, leading the franchise to new worlds. To be fair, the entire group of Guardians became instant favorites, but as the face, Pratt broke out and found the same fame as the other Chrises (Evans and Hemsworth).
6 Agatha Harkness
Kathryn Hahn as next-door neighbor Agnes in 'WandaVision'Image via Disney+
Sing it with me now, “It was Agatha all along.” Sometimes, characters are made simply by bringing them to life. Then there are others who are made thanks to the specific actor portraying them. That was absolutely the case with Agatha Harkness, first coming to existence as Agnes, Wanda’s (Elizabeth Olsen) nosy neighbor in the decade-bending world of WandaVision. But when we learned that Agnes was actually Agatha and was controlling everything, how could you not adore the villain even more? Brought to life by Kathryn Hahn, Agatha soared to the top as one of the most fantastic screen depictions in the new era of the MCU.
A drastically different interpretation than what’s been seen in the comics, she was the prime antagonist against Wanda-slash-Scarlet Witch. Through charisma and flamboyance, Hahn dominated the screen to the point that she earned a spin-off series, Agatha All Along. Though we know her fate is that of a ghost right now, we can’t help but wonder how she’ll be utilized in the future. Agatha is an example of a brilliant character who became better through performance.
5 Kamala Khan
Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan in Ms. MarvelImage via Disney+
On the outskirts of the big names are the newer Marvel characters that have emerged in the new era of comics. Many of those characters have been sprinkled into the MCU, some of whom did so by finding themselves as the lead of their own Disney+ series. In the comics and on screen, Kamala Khan took over the moniker of Ms. Marvel. Portrayed by Iman Vellani, Kamala became a new teen hero who meant something even more special as a groundbreaking Pakistani-American superhero in the MCU. The character is seen admiring Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), making her just like us with our superhero idols. But little did she know, Kamala had powers. She then unlocks her dormant cosmic energy powers from the Noor dimension via a magical bangle. Later appearing in The Marvels, she proved she was a little spitfire and one hell of a hero.
Having a fan-obsessed character became fantastic to watch develop. We all have a little Kamala in us, where we wish we could be a hero at the end of the day. Now, if you watched Ms. Marvel from beginning to end, you may have been just like me and had a major freak out during the finale when it was all but confirmed that she was a mutant when the X-Men theme song was played. Kamala is a refreshing character with room to grow into a major player in the New Avengers, should the MCU go down that path.
4 Peter Parker
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) in 'Spider-Man: Far From Home'Image via Sony Pictures Releasing
Spider-Man is easily one of the most beloved characters in the history of Marvel. The character has been a major factor in pop culture for decades, but it wasn’t until the 21st century that our adoration for him on film officially began. Now, we can insert the meme here about the multiple Spider-Men pointing at one another to begin the debate of who the best one is, but I’m going to settle it for you now. While I grew up with Toby Maguire and appreciate Andrew Garfield’s portrayal, Tom Holland is the best Spider-Man of all time. It’s all thanks to his pristine, expert portrayal of Peter Parker.
Holland’s Peter Parker still has the origin story we know and love, but it’s his connection with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) that initially drew us in. The tech kid version of the character was enduring because he had that boyish charm and whimsy that hadn’t been explored before. Having a mentor in Tony Stark helped him integrate into the Avengers, becoming a crucial part of the team-up. Even in his solo films, Holland shone. He looked like an underdog as Peter, and yet he was always the hero we knew he could be all along. Perhaps our image of previous Peter Parkers was shattered in Spider-Man: No Way Home, yet fans of the character and every Spider-Man film that came before were filled with jubilation seeing the mashup on screen. It’s hard to imagine anyone disliking Spider-Man as a character. It’s even more perplexing not to adore Holland’s version.
3 Wong
Benedict Wong as Wong in the MCU's 'Doctor Strange'Image via Marvel Studios
While we tend to focus much of our attention on the central characters, when a sidekick brings personality and fun to the screen, we begin to admire them a tad more. Such was the case for Wong, played with full force by Benedict Wong. First introduced in Doctor Strange, Wong serves as the librarian of Kamar-Taj, where he forms a close friendship with Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). When Wong is killed defending the Hong Kong Sanctum, he is revived by Strange using the Time Stone. From there, Wong becomes a major presence through the cinematic universe.
Wong has become such an essential utility player in the MCU because he can pop up anywhere he’s needed. From Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to Spider-Man: No Way Home, if a portal can be created, expect Wong to appear. Already a fan favorite, perhaps his most shocking yet best appearance came during She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Though his story revolves around Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), it’s his newfound friendship with Madisynn King (Patty Guggenheim) that took us all by surprise. Wongers forever! What makes Wong great is his affability. He’s powerful and selfless. As proven, he is always willing and able to save the day. Though he may never lead his own story, we are grateful whenever he makes a cameo.
2 T'Challa
Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa, aka Black Panther, with his mask off in Black Panther.Image via Marvel Studios
As the MCU grew bigger and bigger, it was only a matter of time before characters on the outskirts would be introduced into the world with their own solo film. But before he revived his own film, Black Panther made his MCU debut in Captain America: Civil War. Motivated by revenge for the death of his father, T’Challa donned the mantle of Black Panther. In the Tony Stark-Captain America feud, he originally sided with the former until he learned that his father’s murder was at the hands of Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl). From there, after universal acclaim, T’Challa returned to Wakanda for the solo film, Black Panther.
What made the character work was casting the perfect individual: Chadwick Boseman. Perhaps many individuals could have taken on the part, but Boseman’s portrayal was filled with great depth and sincerity. Boseman didn’t just hold his own as one of the major players in the MCU; his presence was important. In a time when representation and visibility are crucial in media, Boseman’s fictional African king opened up major dialogues about positive Black representation in superhero blockbusters. There’s a reason why Black Panther is one of the greatest and most nominated MCU films, one of which is Chadwick Boseman.
1 Groot
Baby Groot breaks the fourth wall in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2Image via Walt Disney Studios/Marvel Studios
Yes, there are different variations of Groot, with perhaps Baby Groot as the most beloved. That being said, how could you not love a space tree! Truly, is there anyone who doesn’t adore Groot? Voiced by Vin Diesel, Groot is a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy and a close ally of Rocket. The tree-like extraterrestrial humanoid has a storied history in the MCU. In his original incarnation in Guardians of the Galaxy, he sacrifices himself to save the team from Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace). But have no fear — he returns as a sapling, growing into the universally adored Baby Groot. After he finally grows to full form again, his power helps the team and the rest of the MCU, but he is a victim of Thanos’ blip. When he does resurrect again, he is back under the control of Rocket, reminding us why they’re such a dynamic duo.
Groot is the type of character who pops off the screen because he’s a unique specimen. While we tend to pick Baby Groot over full-size Groot, his story and quirks of simply saying, “I am Groot,” make him a brilliant creation. Of course, he has expanded beyond the silver screen for an adorable series on Disney+, which is a fantastic, mostly mindless watch. I might be biased, but Groot is my all-time favorite. I will sing his praises forever and always.
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Guardians of the Galaxy
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Release Date
2015 - 2019-00-00
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Trevor Devall
Rocket Raccoon (voice)
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Will Friedle
Peter Quill / Star-Lord (voice)
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Vanessa Marshall
Gamora (voice)
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David Sobolov
Drax the Destroyer (voice)
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