Ranking Every MCU Movie's Ending Scene Worst To Best

Everybody always talks about the post-credit scenes of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, and for good reason — they can be quite exciting. However, before those segments fill up the big screen, there are the proper endings to the Marvel Cinematic Universe installment that people just finished watching. 

In those final scenes before the credits begin to roll, the various endings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe also tend to tease future installments through pieces of dialogue, bombshell twists, or even just surprise appearances from important supporting characters. More importantly, though, they can help provide welcome closure to a standalone story through tears, laughter, and every emotion in between. The best of these endings remind you why you fell in love with characters like Black Panther and Captain America in the first place — even if not every ending in this expansive franchise has managed to stick the landing. 

Throughout the various entries in the MCU, there has been a fair share of underwhelming endings. These unsatisfactory conclusions are more apparent than ever when ranking the various MCU movie endings from worst to best. Luckily, the finer details of the endings that knock your socks off also become equally prominent. Whether good or bad, though, looking over the Marvel Cinematic Universe endings allows one to appreciate the final moments in these films before the post-credit sequences grab all the oxygen in the room.

A lot of "Iron Man 2" has had the unfortunate effect of feeling like little more than a set-up for later Marvel Cinematic Universe entries. That continues to the film's ending, which kicks off with a meeting between Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) that involves Fury informing Stark that he no longer wants him on the Avengers. After this exchange, Fury pulls some strings to get the antagonistic Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) to present Stark and Rhodes (Don Cheadle) with their medals for saving the world in the preceding scenes of "Iron Man 2."

The conversation between Fury and Stark is awkward, right down to the flat set that it's shot in. It doesn't connect with the preceding movie's core themes and mostly comes off as a shoehorned trailer for "The Avengers." The pay-off gag with Shandling's character is fun, but it goes on a bit long and doesn't work well placed against the preceding conversation. This underwhelming ending is a microcosm of "Iron Man 2" in how it's disjointed and derailed by the set-up for future MCU titles.

The ending of "Avengers: Age of Ultron" can't help but pale compared to the conclusions of the other three "Avengers" titles. Every other "Avengers" installment ends on a note that suggests that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will never be the same, sometimes for the better, such as "Avengers: Endgame," other times for the uncertain worse, such as "Avengers: Infinity War." By contrast, "Age of Ultron's" ending's biggest deviation from the norm is showing that the titular superhero group has shifted its headquarters from Stark Tower to a larger compound in upstate New York.

Otherwise, there's a strange sense of stagnation here. Even the depiction of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) eschewing superhero antics to spend time with his family feels too detached in execution to leave an impact. There are some funny lines, but the ending doesn't suggest that the horrors delivered by the robot Ultron or the challenges experienced by the main Avengers will have much in the way of lasting ramifications. Even a depiction of a new Avengers line-up doesn't inspire strong emotions beyond making one wonder why Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon (Anthony Mackie), couldn't have been part of the Avengers roster in the rest of "Age of Ultron." Even without comparing it to its predecessor and successors, the ending of "Age of Ultron" is too familiar for its own good.

The original "Thor" concludes with the Rainbow Bridge, which allowed Asgardians to travel to other realms, shattered. Above all else, this means that Thor will no longer be able to trek to his Earthbound love interest, Jane Foster. But as Thor looks on his kingdom with his friends and family, Foster is busy with her Earth colleagues working on some kind of device. Per the Asgardian Heimdall (Idris Elba), Foster is determined to see Thor again, which would explain her recent scientific excursions. In the movie's final shot (before the post-credits scene, of course), Thor emits a grin, knowing that, with the wits of Foster, he will see her again. It's a cute enough ending that nicely caps off the unexpectedly charming romance that became a critical part of Thor's inaugural solo cinematic outing. 

However, the rush to reassure Thor and audiences that Jane Foster isn't too far away does rob some of the power of Thor's sacrifice in destroying the Rainbow Bridge. What was previously a massive stunt to demonstrate that the God of Thunder had grown more selfless is now mitigated in the hopes of providing a tidier happy ending. Saving that resolution for a later Marvel Cinematic Universe outing would've done the conclusion to "Thor" so much good, even if the cute romantic vibes of this final ending are far from torturous.

The final scene of "Eternals" starts grounded, as Sersi (Gemma Chan) talks to her boyfriend, Dane Whitman (Kit Harington), about her adventures while this seemingly ordinary guy hints at his Black Knight superhero persona. However, their conversation gets interrupted when the Celestial Arishm arrives over Earth and plucks up Earthbound Eternals Sersi, Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), and Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani). This cosmic being proceeds to inform them that they will all be judged for their involvement in sabotaging the birth of a Celestial in the Earth's core, with Arishm then whisking the trio away to an unknown spot in space.

It's a gonzo ending on paper, but unfortunately, it feels too much like a tease for further "Eternals" movies rather than a satisfying conclusion to this story. The best parts of "Eternals" have roots in the film's standalone qualities that thrive in the here-and-now. This ending, unfortunately, primarily functions as a teaser trailer for a prospective "Eternals 2." It doesn't help that director Chloe Zhao divulged information to Empire about a substantially darker, but also bolder, ending that was filmed but never used. Being conscious of a better alternative for how "Eternals" could've wrapped up only exacerbates the disappointing nature of its eventual conclusion.

"Iron Man 3" deserves more love in the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe discourse, though it isn't without shortcomings. Case in point: the film's ending. 

This conclusion sees Tony Stark narrating a series of events that occurred in the wake of this superhero saving the day. Bad guys get arrested, a small boy from Oklahoma gets a lavish workshop to enjoy, and Stark recovers whatever's survived from his decimated home. Oh, and Stark gets the shrapnel removed from his chest thanks to some new medical technology used in precision surgery. There are fun beats here, but it's all a bit forced. There are some pivotal character beats here that needed more room to breathe, not getting barreled through in a single montage. 

Most notably, Stark opting to remove the shrapnel in his chest feels especially rushed with little prior set-up over why he'd do this now. The overall narrative of "Iron Man 3" is often quite creative and enjoyable, making this rushed ending feel more underwhelming by comparison.

In the final moments of "Black Widow," the audience gets to see the titular superhero heading off to her adventures in "Avengers: Infinity War," complete with the blonde hairdo she'd sport in that film. This scene also explains how Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and her fellow fugitive superheroes managed to secure a Quinjet in that sequel, with "Black Widow" concluding with this Avenger soaring off into the sky to help her friends. As the Quinjet vanishes from sight, the camera moves down to linger on some lightning bugs flying against a night sky, an image harkening back to the opening shots of "Black Widow."

The way director Cate Shortland attempts to provide a tidy bookend for "Black Widow" is admirable, but the conclusion here feels torn between two masters. On the one hand, the final visual attempts to provide unity across "Black Widow" as a narrative, but this scene itself only exists to set up "Avengers: Infinity War." Missing are the many endearing supporting characters from the rest of the film's runtime, like Yelena, and the ending fails to provide a real resolution for the preceding scene hinting at a confrontation between Romanoff and General Ross (William Hurt). While not a bad ending, the final moments of "Black Widow" can't help but come off as an awkward attempt to do so much in one scene.

The first "Captain America: The First Avenger" sequel rounds off its story with Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, and Nick Fury paying a visit to the grave of — Nick Fury. The former director of SHIELD is going underground and will need the world to think he's dead to do that. This development already helps this ending move up a few slots on this list thanks to Fury's grave featuring the epitaph "the path of the righteous man: Ezekiel 25:17," a reference to a quote delivered by Samuel L. Jackson in "Pulp Fiction." After Fury is gone, Natasha Romanoff and Rogers have one final goodbye before the latter character and Wilson, using intel about Bucky Barnes handed to them by Romanoff, prepare to track down the man brainwashed to serve as the Winter Soldier. 

The scene isn't especially compelling visually and feels a touch too much like a cliffhanger for future movies. However, the restrained nature of this ending does allow the performances of actors like Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson to take center stage, a welcome detail. It is also nice that it's a relatively serious scene that doesn't undercut the ramifications of the impactful climax of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" with shoehorned-in jokes. Plus, given how much fun "The Winter Soldier" has been, it's hard to complain about getting an overt signal that more adventures in this style are on the way.

Just as "Ant-Man" seems to be winding down, the film tosses off one more instance of Michael Pena's Luis recounting a story. The moment those drums begin rumbling, it's clear where the film is going next. After a false start, Luis recalls how none other than Sam Wilson is trying to track down Scott Lang after they skirmished earlier in the film. Lang had previously been working under the radar, and now, the Avengers were calling. No wonder Luis is so excited to recount this tale. 

While this is a familiar gag, it's hard to complain about getting more Luis storytelling. Plus, the varied locations in this sequence and the presence of a Stan Lee cameo help to give it a unique personality. Additionally, this is one of the more enjoyable ways that an ending to an MCU title has directly connected to an upcoming movie in the franchise, as Wilson tracking down Lang lays the groundwork for "Captain America: Civil War."Beyond that, it also works nicely as a way to suggest this former burglar isn't finished with his superhero antics. Accomplishing a dual feat like that is how you score an ending as satisfying as this.

"Doctor Strange" is one of the rare Marvel Cinematic Universe endings to largely eschew dialogue. This restrained conclusion comes after the titular lead of the film (Benedict Cumberbatch) saves the world through the use of the Time Stone and returns that same artifact for safekeeping. After these developments, Strange returns to the New York City Sanctum Sanctorum, which he will now oversee. 

Walking to a large window on the top floor of this establishment, Strange removes a watch from his arm, a gift from former lover Dr. Palmer (Rachel McAdams), which demonstrates to the viewer that his hands are still shaking as a result of his accident. The camera pulls back to emphasize not just the empty space surrounding Strange but also the mystical wonders he now has in his everyday life. Without having this character say a word, the ending of "Doctor Strange" conveys the fact that one life has ended for this Avenger and another has begun.

It's a contemplative ending that proves quite affecting in the context of the journey Strange has gone on during this movie, with the poignancy of this moment exacerbated by the wise choice to eschew dialogue. The quiet physical acting from Cumberbatch also gets to shine in this ending, which turns out to be one of the more thoughtful and moving conclusions in the MCU canon.

The original "Guardians of the Galaxy" is largely a raucous ride, but its ending begins with a touch of melancholy, as Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finally opens the present his mom gave him on her deathbed. Reading the letter contained within, viewers learn that his mom is the reason Quill refers to himself as "Star-Lord," his outlaw moniker being a way to preserve a connection with his deceased parent. The gift she bestowed on him turns out to be a cassette tape entitled Awesome Mix Vol. 2, which features the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell cover of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

This tune plays over a final montage of all the primary "Guardians of the Galaxy" characters, which proves to be a shockingly touching stretch of filmmaking. After subverting expectations for its whole runtime with its rough and tumble gags, "Guardians of the Galaxy" plays another fast one on viewers by revealing that they've unwittingly become emotionally invested in these cosmic goobers. Even if one of them is a raccoon and another is a tree, the main figures of this story have etched their way into your heart. It's a fittingly touching way to wrap up such an unexpectedly poignant thrill ride.

With the ending of "Spider-Man: No Way Home," Peter Parker is forced to become someone much more recognizably like the classic version of everyone's favorite web-crawler. Having sacrificed everyone's memories of Peter Parker to save the multiverse, this plucky teenage superhero is now living on his own in a ratty apartment. He may be a stranger now to MJ and Ned, but he's still got his Spider-Man persona to keep him busy. As "No Way Home" concludes, the viewer sees Parker listening in on police radio chatter and swinging off into a snowy night dressed up in a new homemade Spider-Man outfit. Even after everything he's endured, Parker isn't giving up on being properly responsible with the great power he's been given.

The ending to "No Way Home" feels like it should get points simply for refusing to either back off the mind-wipe conceit or even offer a hint that it could be reversed. Aside from that welcome detail, though, this finale still functions well thanks to a soaring piece of music composed by Michael Giacchino and a beautiful-looking Spider-Man suit, not to mention the striking imagery of this superhero swinging across the sky against a nighttime snowy sky. Already a pleasing spectacle on the surface, the "No Way Home" ending gets even better with the greater emotional beats that inform why Parker has been forced into the stage of his Spider-Man career.

Several parts of "Avengers: Infinity War" play to the beats of audience expectations, like the comedy ensuing from Thor encountering the Guardians of the Galaxy or the continued rapport between Peter Parker and Tony Stark. However, expectations for how a traditional superhero movie should end get tossed aside immediately once Thanos snaps his fingers while wearing the Infinity Gauntlet and retrieving all the Infinity Stones. 

While the last two "Avengers" films saw the titular superheroes emerging triumphant after duking it out with the forces of darkness, "Infinity War" concludes with them losing. Badly. In a brutal montage devoid of a score, viewers and a handful of surviving superheroes watch as beloved figures like Black Panther and Scarlet Witch turn to dust. Most harrowing of all is Parker's sobs as he can feel himself dying, accompanied by the character clutching Stark closely and apologizing to his mentor.

It's a bleak conclusion that offers zero hope or hints as to how half of the population getting wiped out might be reversed in future movies. The sparseness of this montage, especially the removal of music and emphasis on the eerie sound work used to capture people turning to dust, only exacerbates the uneasy atmosphere of this sequence, which is followed up by a brief moment showing Thanos alone and smiling over his genocidal work. It's a harrowing ending that instantly suggests that "Infinity War" will have lasting consequences for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  

With the ending of "Black Panther," this Ryan Coogler directorial effort becomes a circular narrative as the story returns to the backdrop of its prologue: Oakland, California. The place where N'Jobu (Sterling K. Brown), the father of Erik "Kilmonger" Stevens (Michael B. Jordan), was killed, T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) has now brought his sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), to this site to recognize the horrors of the past. After all, their father was the one who murdered N'Jobu that night. No more will the past be hidden away, nor will Wakanda any longer be isolated from the rest of the world. This is signified not only by T'Challa vowing to build an outreach center in this neighborhood but also by him bringing a Wakandan aircraft for the kids in this era to be amazed by. Just before the scene concludes, a child played by Alex Hibbert walks over to the King of Wakanda and asks him, "Who are you?"

Not only is it wonderful how this ending ties directly into the opening of "Black Panther," but it's also a great way to depict to the audience the complexities of how T'Challa will be responding to his country's past. The casting of Hibbert is also a great touch, given that he previously played the youngest version of Chiron in the best picture-winning film "Moonlight." The star of a historic feature gets to cross paths with a historic Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero. How fitting that two legends should meet in such a great ending.

It's tough to imagine any other Marvel Cinematic Universe ending besides the ones from "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" topping this list, and for good reason. Instead of teasing future adventures or ending on one final gag, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" is the rare MCU entry to end entirely on pathos. Set to the Cat Stevens ditty "Father & Son," the ending depicts Peter Quill and the other Guardians of the Galaxy looking outside their spaceship to see that the Ravagers have come to give Yondu (Michael Rooker) a proper funeral. Colorful blasts fill the cosmos and the screen as each of the Guardians gets a tender moment as they bask in the vivid display. Most notably among these final emotional beats is Rocket Raccoon solemnly recognizing that he can have bonds with other people that reverberate after he's gone.

This is an ending that wears its heart on its sleeve and then some, with director James Gunn making no apologies for crafting a blockbuster ending that's meant to make you cry rather than cheer. The unabashed poignancy is impossible to resist, especially with the perfect needle drop of "Father & Son" and the affecting tiny character beats, like Yondu's right-hand man Kraglin (Sean Gunn) cheering at the sight of a proper Ravager funeral for his deceased pal. These details and so much more give "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" the best ending of this whole franchise.