The MCU Couple That Would Have Made A Lot Of Sense (But Never Got Together)
The great thing about superhero movies is that they have a little bit of everything. Action is, of course, a given in any franchise where characters resort to violence to solve their problems. At the same time, however, characters in each of the movies experience joy, pain, loss, humor, and love. In fact, the last of these emotions might just be the most important emotion in any story. Generally speaking, characters in stories are motivated to either protect or obtain something that they love.
And there's plenty of romance to go around. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and Gamora (Zoe Saldana), and even Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and um, other Loki (Sophia Di Martino) are all examples of romances that drive the MCU's characters on their journeys. But for every romance we do see in the MCU, there are probably dozens of potential couples that simply never were. In the right situation, any two people could feasibly fall in love. However, there is one MCU couple in particular that would have made a lot of sense, if they ever got together.
Bruce Banner and Mantis could have been a perfect match
We can hear your outcries from here. "If anything, Bruce belongs with Natasha or Valkyrie!" And to a degree, we agree. However, both of those pairings have some issues. The first, like Bruce Banner's (Edward Norton) romance with Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), simply never pans out, mostly because Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) dies in "Avengers: Endgame" before the two could really reunite. When they did try to work together, it didn't work because Bruce (Mark Ruffalo) had too much trouble controlling the Hulk. When it comes to Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), well, she definitely enjoyed being friends with the Hulk, but there's not much to suggest that she ever would have liked Bruce. Even when she met Professor Hulk in "Endgame," she says that she liked him "better either of the other ways."
So then, what evidence is there that Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Bruce, two characters who have never even met each other, could work out? Well, in a hypothetical scenario in which the two meet, it would quickly become apparent how much they have in common, or rather, how much they don't have in common. Because while similarities certainly help in a relationship, something should also be said for differences and how different people can bring out the best in each other.
Mantis and Bruce would be unlikely lovers
The main thing that really makes Mantis and Bruce a great fit for each other is actually obvious. Prior to merging his Hulk and Banner forms into one being, Bruce struggled for years with his emotional and psychological trauma. A troubled guy like that needs somebody who can understand and empathize with his emotions — and potentially even help him control them.
On Earth, that person was Natasha, who could understand Bruce's pain thanks to her own traumatic childhood and who had a real knack for coaxing Bruce out of his Hulk form. As we mentioned previously, however, that didn't end up working out. Where Mantis has the advantage over Nat in this situation is that she can literally feel Bruce's feelings with a simple touch and could make him fall asleep whenever it seems like the not-so-jolly green giant is about to break free.
Plus, since Mantis was never properly socialized, she wouldn't judge Bruce or his situation. This fact also explains why Bruce would be a good fit from Mantis' perspective. Bruce has been socialized, but he's still somewhat of an awkward person, as evidenced by that cringeworthy fan interaction in "Endgame." As fellow outcasts, he and Mantis would have a mutual understanding. The only real thing keeping them from working out is that Mantis is an alien from another world. Being part of the Guardians of the Galaxy is basically her calling, not living on Earth with Bruce.