It's easy to overlook some of the characters standing in the huge superhero shadows! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for some of the best supporting characters in the MCU. Some minor plot spoilers may be ahead!
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00:00 Kevin Bacon, you have to pretend you're an actual hero or else Christmas is doomed.
00:06 Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for some of the best supporting
00:11 characters in the MCU.
00:14 Some minor plot spoilers may be ahead.
00:16 Have you been listening this whole time?
00:19 Not by choice.
00:21 Number 10 John Walker.
00:23 I am Captain America.
00:27 There's a classic expression that goes "heavy is the head that wears the crown."
00:31 In regards to the MCU, you could probably also say that heavy is the arm that wields
00:36 the shield.
00:37 After all, when John Walker took on the mantle of Captain America, he was nobody's favorite.
00:46 Fans quickly rejected him and eventually the Marvel Universe themselves rejected him too.
00:50 Despite the rocky start, it became clear that John didn't necessarily deserve all of that
00:55 hate.
00:56 He was a skilled soldier with a genuine desire to do good.
00:59 In fact, he later helped Falcon and Winter Soldier turn the tides against the Flag Smashers.
01:04 His stint as Captain America might not have gone as planned, but maybe he'll get his
01:08 due as the US agent.
01:15 Number 9 Eric Selvig.
01:24 This astrophysicist is one of the brightest minds in the MCU.
01:27 In fact, Loki possessed Eric during the Avengers so that he could make a portal for the Chitaurian
01:32 army to use to invade Earth.
01:36 Yeah, we know, that's not actually a good thing.
01:47 But hey, if a literal god thinks you're smart enough to pull that off, who are we
01:51 to judge?
01:52 But even though Eric fell under Loki's mind control, he was eventually able to snap out
01:57 of it long enough to help shut the portal down.
01:59 Who knows how dire things could have gotten for Earth if he hadn't done that.
02:02 He might not have superpowers or a fancy suit of armor, but Eric Selvig might be a hero
02:08 in his own right.
02:13 Number 8 Scarlet Scarab.
02:21 She might not be a character with a vast amount of lore, but that doesn't mean we don't
02:26 want to see more of her in the MCU.
02:28 Layla Abdallah El Fawley is Mark Spector's somewhat estranged wife, but she's been
02:32 doing just fine on her own.
02:34 With the help of the Egyptian goddess Tarouette, Layla became her own hero known as the Scarlet
02:39 Scarab.
02:49 It's not just the range of super cool powers she has that we want to see more of.
02:52 Her journey is also equally compelling.
02:55 Despite currently only having appeared in Moon Knight, she's become a very well-rounded
02:59 character.
03:00 We're not sure where she may land next, but there's got to be more room for a Scarlet
03:04 Scarab somewhere.
03:08 Number 7 Kraglin
03:17 Not many side characters have managed to undergo as much of a character arc as Kraglin has.
03:21 When he started off in the MCU with the first Guardians movie, he was just a member of Yondu's
03:25 Ravager crew, but by the third Guardians movie, he essentially became part of the family.
03:38 Who doesn't love a good underdog story?
03:40 He might not look like one of the galaxy's most premier protectors, especially with that
03:45 mohawk, but he's proven to be one nonetheless.
03:47 We don't know what's in store for the future of the Guardian of the Galaxy's corner of
03:51 the MCU, but we really hope it can involve more Kraglin.
03:59 Number 6 Luis
04:00 This guy was the heart and soul of the first two Ant-Man movies.
04:04 Sorry, but you really can't convince us otherwise.
04:17 Luis was Scott Lang's former cellmate and close friend.
04:20 When Scott became Ant-Man, Luis would be a pivotal part of his crew.
04:23 He may be mostly comic relief, but there is no shame in that, especially if you're so
04:28 good at it.
04:38 This is a guy who can make anything sound interesting with his narration skills.
04:41 We're not going to say that Luis' absence was the reason Quantumania flopped, but it
04:46 definitely didn't help.
04:47 If the MCU really wants to get back on track, then we need that 6 episode Marvel spotlight
04:52 Luis spinoff.
04:53 Okay, maybe not, but just put him somewhere.
04:56 Number 5 Talos
05:13 Talos might not look like a good guy at first, but once you get past his green exterior,
05:18 you see that he means well.
05:20 This squirrel has been helping keep Earth safe for years.
05:23 Nick Fury even trusted him enough to have him masquerade as him when he was off world.
05:32 Talos would unfortunately die during secret invasion fighting off the squirrel resistance,
05:37 but his efforts were not forgotten.
05:39 Despite losing his home planet and being essentially forced into hiding, Talos never wished harm
05:44 on humanity and actively protected it.
05:46 And for that, the MCU owes a debt of gratitude to him.
05:54 Number 4 Koye
06:04 Akoye is one of Wakanda's best defenses against invaders, really only second to the
06:09 Black Panther.
06:10 There's not many other people who are as loyal to Wakanda as her, and that unwavering
06:14 devotion to her nation hasn't gone unrecognized.
06:24 As part of the highly skilled and highly deadly Dora Milaje, you know she only means business.
06:30 Akoye hasn't just stuck to Wakanda though.
06:32 She's ventured out on occasion to help out against bigger problems.
06:36 This most notably includes assisting the Avengers in their fight against the evil Thanos.
06:40 She's shown her worth plenty of times already, but we hope we won't have to wait long to
06:45 see her being a badass warrior again.
06:51 Number 3 Happy Hogan
06:53 He's the best bodyguard Tony Stark has ever had for a reason.
06:57 Happy Hogan isn't just any character.
07:00 He's someone who's been around since the start of the MCU with the very first Iron
07:06 Man movie.
07:07 He's aided Iron Man numerous times and has also stepped up in the wake of his death
07:11 too.
07:12 After Endgame, he became an important part of Peter Parker's life and helped him out
07:15 of plenty of bind.
07:23 Happy is someone you can count on and that goes a long way in this universe.
07:26 He might not be someone who can fight Thanos, but if you need something, Happy Hogan is
07:31 always happy to help.
07:35 Number 2 Mantis
07:46 Mantis really only has a few very specific superpowers, but when she gets to work, she
07:51 delivers amazing results.
07:52 This guardian of the galaxy, who also happens to be Star-Lord's half-sister, has faced
07:57 all kinds of enormous threats.
07:59 She's helped stop the High Evolutionary and also temporarily held back forces like
08:03 Evil and Thanos.
08:06 That's right, the Avengers almost defeated Thanos in Infinity War thanks to Mantis using
08:15 her powers to put him to sleep.
08:16 If Mantis is able to keep the mad titan subdued, even temporarily, that's a win on its own.
08:26 Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
08:30 about our latest videos.
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08:42 Number 1 Wong
08:49 Wong has reached many milestones throughout the MCU.
08:52 Going from Doctor Strange's unofficial sidekick, he's now gotten bumped up to becoming the
08:56 Sorcerer Supreme.
08:57 If you ask us, that's got to be the promotion of a lifetime.
09:00 While he's gained that impressive accolade, fans can't help but want more Wong.
09:11 He'll most likely be in the third Doctor Strange movie, but there's no reason he can't
09:15 pop up in other places like how he did in Shang-Chi and She-Hul.
09:18 Benedict Wong himself has even expressed interest in the character getting his own spin-off
09:22 series.
09:23 It's uncertain if something like that will ever be in the works, but hopefully Marvel
09:27 can work their magic sometime soon.
09:32 Is there an underrated MCU character we missed?
09:35 Let us know in the comments down below.
09:48 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Best Characters
09:53 in the MCU.
09:59 For this list, we're looking at the most intriguing and dynamic characters of the Marvel
10:04 Cinematic Universe.
10:05 Which MCU hero or villain tops your list?
10:08 Share with us in the comments below.
10:13 The Mad Titan shocked audience members everywhere by being one of the only MCU villains to actually
10:19 succeed in their plans.
10:29 While wiping out half of existence everywhere for five years is impressively terrifying,
10:34 it isn't just this that makes Thanos interesting.
10:36 The best villains have motives we can understand.
10:39 Thanos' desire came from wanting to help the universe in the long run, as it has finite
10:44 resources he thought were depleting too quickly.
11:02 This is a much more intriguing motivation than simply wanting to impress Lady Death,
11:06 as he does in the Infinity Gauntlet comic storyline.
11:10 Thanos' usually calm composure, his violent acts, and his firm belief that what he's
11:15 doing is right make him one of the best MCU villains.
11:26 There are several MCU characters defined by trauma, and Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet
11:31 Witch, has suffered more than most.
11:42 Her parents, her brother, and Vision have all perished.
11:45 However, seeing how Wanda has persisted and carried on has made her a character easy to
11:50 root for.
11:51 Even when she did go all murder-happy across two universes, we couldn't help but cheer
11:55 her on.
12:05 Not only that, but her immense power levels that seemingly haven't even begun to peak
12:10 have led to some wonderfully thrilling sequences.
12:13 Even that has tied in with her struggles.
12:15 The mantle of Scarlet Witch is a heavy weight to bear, leading her to make some mistakes,
12:20 and others to view her as a monster.
12:35 Once a highly skilled surgeon, it took a horrific car accident to put Stephen Strange on the
12:40 right path.
12:50 Since then, we've marveled at every new bit of magic he's wielded against world conquerors
12:55 and interdimensional beings alike.
12:57 Part of the fun of Doctor Strange is seeing what clever ruse or trick he'll come up with
13:01 next.
13:15 But we also love that he's not afraid to rub anyone the wrong way, even if he is working
13:20 with them to save the world or the multiverse.
13:22 Although it took an accident for him to change some of his ways, he has never lost the extreme
13:27 ambition that we find so admirable.
13:30 Whether he's the Sorcerer Supreme or not, we'll always be a Supreme fan of his.
13:47 The first Marvel heroine movie audiences were introduced to, Natasha Romanoff quickly became
13:51 one of the more mysterious characters in the MCU.
14:00 Part of that was due to Marvel not giving her a movie until far too late.
14:03 But even still, everything about the super spy immediately made us want to know more.
14:08 Natasha began as a great buffer between the larger-than-life heroes, before becoming a
14:13 steadfast ally to Captain America.
14:26 Throughout the franchise, we got pieces of her past, painting her as a deeply regretful
14:31 character trying to make up for past wrongdoings.
14:34 With an intriguing past and a ton of awesome spy skills, we loved seeing her hang with
14:38 the guys and kick plenty of bad guy butt.
14:49 The God of Thunder has had one of the most chaotic arcs in the MCU.
14:54 He began as a stubborn deity who preferred to let his hammer do the talking.
15:08 And while he still loves a good smiting, he's gone through some hard-learned lessons.
15:12 He's lost many loved ones, including most of his best friends and family members.
15:31 However, he will never stop fighting for what is right.
15:34 Ragnarok was a wonderful turning point, tapping into the goldmine that is Chris Hemsworth's
15:39 comedic timing.
15:53 Infinity War and Endgame took him through depression and guilt, while we in the audience
15:57 cheered him on through every low point.
16:12 Thor is a powerhouse, but he's also a great character.
16:18 Though Chadwick Boseman's time in the MCU was tragically short, we're grateful he was
16:22 able to portray one of its best characters.
16:30 The King of Wakanda is a symbol not just for his citizens, but for many African-American
16:35 viewers who wanted to see themselves represented on screen.
16:38 He never failed to captivate audiences, whether through his thirst for vengeance in Civil
16:43 War or his journey in Black Panther, where he learned his kingdom was far from perfect.
17:01 He's been shown to be calm and respectful when it counts, but also powerful and unwavering
17:06 in the face of injustice and villainy.
17:08 Upholding everything that makes a great king, his grace will truly be missed.
17:18 Like many of you, we were obsessed with Tom Hiddleston's Loki the moment he appeared on
17:23 screen.
17:36 Acting as a dastardly and treacherous brother to Thor, Loki's path to redemption has been
17:41 one of the most genuine pleasures in the long-running series.
17:44 Though let's face it, most of the time he's still a little troll not to be trusted.
17:49 Even when he was outright murdering people, we couldn't help but be charmed by him.
18:00 Charismatic and mischievous, Loki heightens every scene he appears in.
18:04 He could have easily just been maniacal and bloodthirsty, but underneath that was something
18:08 more.
18:09 It just took a lot of failed grasps at power for him to realize it.
18:20 Whatever the future holds for Loki, we can't wait to see it.
18:25 Peter Parker may be the easiest MCU hero to like.
18:29 Tom Holland has managed to capture both the dorky humor and social awkwardness that made
18:33 us love Peter for years.
18:45 We knew that from only a handful of scenes in Civil War, and every other subsequent appearance
18:50 has been an honest delight.
18:56 Though he's made several decisions without thinking, as any teenager with superpowers
19:00 would, those decisions have all come from a mindset of wanting to do what is right.
19:05 He's had to learn harsh truths about sacrifice and loss more times than any teen should,
19:10 so he's also the hero we'd most like to give a hug.
19:19 Despite it all, Peter's resilience shows he is braver and more capable than many others.
19:27 When it comes down to it, there's nothing about Steve Rogers we don't respect.
19:31 Despite his stature, he worked tirelessly to fight for his country in World War II before
19:36 he knew it was right.
19:43 Since then, his moral compass has never steered him wrong, a fact we're all probably a little
19:48 jealous of.
19:52 Whether it be his own teammates, an army of robots, or just good old-fashioned aliens,
19:57 Steve was always there to defend those who couldn't defend themselves and stand up for
20:01 justice, even when he was alone.
20:04 It doesn't hurt that he's also an excellent strategist, combatant, and has an immovable
20:08 sense of honor.
20:09 No wonder he was able to wield Mjolnir.
20:21 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
20:24 Wong, a steadfast ally and wonderful Sorcerer Supreme.
20:38 Peggy Carter, she's much more than Captain America's main squeeze.
20:51 Matt Murdock, Charlie Cox in Netflix excellently showcased his moral struggles.
21:00 Rocket, violent, hilarious, and the best member of the Guardians.
21:17 Scott Lang, a goofy thief with a heart of gold.
21:25 Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
21:30 about our latest videos.
21:31 You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
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21:43 Trevor Slattery
21:44 One of the MCU's best twists came at the courtesy of its biggest breakout character.
21:56 Only kidding, you know who number one is.
21:58 Number one, Tony Stark.
22:00 There are many reasons Iron Man remains one of the MCU's strongest solo outings, though
22:05 chief among them is Tony Stark.
22:16 Captured perfectly by Robert Downey Jr., Tony began his superhero career as a selfish, rich
22:22 jerk.
22:23 But seeing the pain his work caused had an extremely positive effect on him.
22:27 We're not saying he doesn't have any flaws.
22:29 He's got more than he knows what to do with and has created more than his fair share
22:34 of villains.
22:45 But his actions were always born out of a desire to protect Earth.
22:49 His flaws only served to give him more depth and to make him more fascinating.
22:58 Tony's journey from self-absorbed to self-sacrifice will always be one of the strongest arcs of
23:04 the MCU.
23:05 Do you agree with our picks?
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