10 Best MCU Twists That Truly Surprised Audiences

The MCU has delivered many shocking moments in its movies and TV shows, and a few have worked particularly well to take audiences by surprise. One difficult aspect of making comic book movies is that many viewers are already aware of a long history of comics and stories about the featured characters. For example, nobody was surprised when Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio turned out to be evil in Spider-Man: Far From Home, as the character is one of Spider-Man’s most notorious villains. The challenge for Marvel is how it can still surprise audiences while staying somewhat true to the source material.

As difficult as this is, Marvel Studios has repeatedly pulled it off, introducing unforgettable moments throughout the MCU timeline that few can say they saw coming. That isn’t to say that every effective twist has been well-received, but for better or worse, these reveals have shaped the story of the MCU. From unexpected deaths to massive movie-closing cliffhangers, these are the moments that keep the MCU memorably, exciting, and impossible to predict.

10 Thor Allows Surtur To Destroy Asgard

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

When the third film in the Thor franchise was titled Ragnarok, viewers with knowledge of Norse mythology knew this spelled bad news for Asgard. The plot of the Taika Waititi-directed film centered around Thor needing to get back to Asgard to stop his sister, Hela. Many were not expecting that Ragnarok would be brought on intentionally to stop Hela, allowing the Asgardian home world to be destroyed. Like Odin said, “Asgard is where our people stand,” and Thor’s difficult decision has continued to have rippling effects across the MCU.

9 The Universe Forgets Peter Parker

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Audiences were expecting to see the return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home, as leaks and spoilers made it one of the worst-kept secrets in Hollywood. What many did not expect was how the movie ended. To stop the multiverse from collapsing, Peter tells Doctor Strange to make everyone in the universe forget Peter Parker. He doesn’t tell anyone who he is after this happened, meaning Peter is now truly alone. It was the ultimate sacrifice for Spider-Man to make, and it sets up an intriguing storyline for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4.

8 Kamala Khan Is Revealed As The First MCU Mutant

Ms. Marvel (2022)

Viewers have been waiting for the X-Men to join the MCU, but many were not expecting the first mutant to be revealed in Ms. Marvel. The moment comes when Kamala’s friend, Bruno, reveals she has a mutation in her genes, paired with a musical riff of the X-Men: The Animated Series theme. While it’s not an entirely surprising moment as Kamala is part Inhuman, part mutant in the comics, comic book readers may not have expected this moment so soon, and casual viewers didn’t see this reveal coming.

7 Thanos’ Snap Changes The MCU Forever

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Many who read the Infinity War storyline from the comics knew that if Thanos snapped the gauntlet with all six Infinity Stones, half of the population of the universe would disappear. However, not many were expecting Marvel to have the courage to do it. Not only did Marvel recreate the snap, but they traumatized MCU viewers by showing so many of their favorite heroes turning to dust. Avengers: Infinity War ended with Thanos winning, a twist that would leave audiences stunned for a whole year until Avengers: Endgame.

6 Vulture Is The Fater Of Peter Parker’s Date

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Jon Watts imagined Spider-Man: Homecoming as a 1980s teen comedy that took place in a superhero universe. Peter Parker is dealing with the complications of being in high school and being Spider-Man, and those two lives combine when he learns that the father of Liz Allan is Adrian Toomes, a.k.a, The Vulture. It’s a stunning twist executed perfectly by the actors and the direction and leads to some amazing comedy and tension. It proves that nothing can go right for Peter, even when he just wants to take the girl he likes to a dance.

5 Bucky Barnes Killed Tony Stark’s Parents

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Captain America: Civil War showed flashbacks to a secret mission that Winter Soldier completed when he was brainwashed. At the film’s climax, it’s revealed by Baron Zemo that Bucky killed Tony Stark’s parents during this mission, leading to a fierce battle between Iron Man, the Winter Soldier, and Captain America. It’s a shocking twist that not only turns Tony against Steve Rogers but also divides the Avengers all the way until Avengers: Endgame.

4 Aldrich Killian Is Revealed As The Mandarin

Iron Man 3 (2013)

This twist remains one of the most divisive moments within the MCU. While Ben Kingsley’s turn from the Mandarin to washed-up actor Trevor Slattery is hilarious, it diminishes Tony’s most iconic villain. While Guy Pearce is excellent as Aldrich Killian, he doesn’t carry the same intimidating presence as Kingsley did. It was a bold move from director Shane Black, and audiences still debate whether it worked.

3 Ego Told Star-Lord He Killed His Mother

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Peter Quill already had a complicated relationship with his father, Ego the Living Planet, and it got even worse when Ego admitted that he put a tumor in his mom’s head. This reveal was not only shocking for the audience, but it angered Peter so much that it snapped him out of Ego’s control. Peter had a strong connection to his mother and while he wanted to know his dad, this turned Ego into a monster who needed to be stopped.

2 Mysterio Revealed Spider-Man’s Secret Identity

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Mysterio is the master of illusion and manipulation, and while Spider-Man defeated him, he got the last laugh. In the post-credit scene of Far From Home, Quentin Beck released a video where he accused Spider-Man of murder and revealed his secret identity. It’s a massive twist, as audiences have never seen a Spider-Man movie where the world knew Peter Parker was the famous web-slinger. It left viewers with an incredible cliffhanger until No Way Home debuted.

1 Captain America Discovered Hydra Had Infiltrated SHIELD

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Captain America was a loyal soldier to S.H.I.E.L.D. until he discovered that the organization had been infiltrated by Hydra. The moment comes when he and Black Widow find an underground bunker containing the mind of Arnim Zola. Zola reveals Hydra has taken over S.H.I.E.L.D., and it is currently being led by Alexander Pierce, a member of Hydra. It’s a betrayal of the organization that tied together the entire MCU, and it’s the biggest twists in the entire franchise so far because of it.