The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) may shine a light on super-powered heroes, but Marvel’s stories have often been able to deliver emotional and compelling beats even with characters who have no powers of their own. We all know that not all heroes wear capes, but the superhero genre tends to make it feel the opposite is true.
However, despite an abundance of powers and superhuman feats being done throughout superhero films in general, Marvel has occasionally been able to find ways to shine a spotlight on the regular men and women of the MCU, without veering into the extraordinary.
And while the superhero genre exists in a realm of fantasy, there is something magical about seeing an ordinary human step up to the plate in a heroic scene. Facing down a large threat, or overcoming overwhelming odds. All of this combines to create some of the best scenes ever to appear in the MCU and beyond.
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Steve Rogers Jumps On The Grenade
Going back to Steve Rogers, officially the first Avenger, and the man who would one day become Captain America, his debut story showed how it wasn’t important that this character be a macho superhero, or even a broad-built soldier. What mattered for Steve was the fact that his heart was in the right place.
Steve Rogers was extremely sleight of build, and often found himself becoming a target for bullies. But Steve was unwilling and unwavering, standing his ground, and choosing not to run away or give in. However, his most impressive trait is not his bravery in the face of a challenge, but his willingness to lay down his life for his enemies.
When Steve was given a chance, against all odds, to join the army, he was once again picked on and targeted by his peers. However, when one of the senior officers throws a false grenade into the fray to see if any of his men are willing to jump on the grenade and save the others, he is stunned to see Steve immediately and, without hesitation, put his life on the line.
Steve was eventually given the super soldier serum, and his enhanced body allowed him to do extraordinary things, but it was his heart that made him a hero.
6
Agent Coulson Stands Against Loki
Likewise, decades later, a man who idolized Steve Rogers would find himself standing between danger and the safety and well-being of his friends. Agent Phil Coulson, an ordinary man, albeit also an exemplary agent of SHIELD, stood up to Loki when the God of Mischief was set to hurt others.
Phil was on a ship that also had several superheros. However, he didn’t flee and wait for someone else to stop Loki, and he didn’t back down. He stood his ground against a literal God. He was brutally killed, but even after taking a fatal sH๏τ, Phil was happy to know he could do some small things to help his heroes.
Phil is a legend and a hero in his own right, and despite having no superpowers of his own, he remains one of the most impressive and memorable characters in the MCU.
5
Sam Wilson Faces The Red Hulk
Further proving how much Steve Rogers inspired others to embrace being heroes, Sam Wilson, once a sidekick to Cap, was trusted by Steve to become the next Captain America. While it took Sam some time to see in himself what Steve knew from the start, he eventually claimed the тιтle, and proved he was worthy of being called Captain America.
However, despite having the opportunity to take super soldier serum and become just like his friend and idol, Sam chose to abstain. This may be because he does not trust himself under the influence of such intoxicating power, or because, as his friend Bucky pointed out, “Steve gave them something to believe in, you give them something to aspire to.”
Either way, Sam is hero enough on his own, and this can be seen when he stands firm against Thaddeus Ross when he transforms into Red Hulk. Sam could arguably be crushed and killed in an instant, but without powers, he knows that he can still make a difference, and he courageously puts himself in the line of fire to save the world.
4
Tony Stark Builds A Suit In A Cave
Going back to the start of the MCU, Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr. is the cornerstone and foundation of this incredible universe. And while he is a spectacular genius, he does not have any inherent superpowers.
Instead, Tony puts his brain to good use, and he fearlessly stands up to bullies, much like his old friend Steve Rogers. When Tony is kidnapped by a terrorist organization, he finds himself being pressured into creating weapons of mᴀss destruction with parts of his own weapons. However, Tony decides to enact malicious compliance.
While making weapons for the enemies at a gruelingly slow pace, Tony puts together a groundbreaking suit of high-tech armor, and manages to ensure his own escape. Of course, he couldn’t have done all this without the help and bravery of his dear friend and fellow captor, Yinsen, who laid down his life to ensure Tony could escape.
3
Clint Barton Defends New York Against The Chitauri Invasion
Eventually, with the power of a high-tech suit, Tony kind of becomes a superhero in his own right. However, one character who never becomes a super-enhanced individual is Clint Barton. Clint is an agent of SHIELD, and he is an elite marksman.
However, above and beyond his incredible skill with a bow, Clint knows how to keep cool under pressure, and how to jump into a fight without thinking about his own well-being above the safety of others. Clint dives into the fight in New York when aliens invade, and on his own, he dispatches dozens of Chitauri aliens with his incredible bow skills.
However, this may be argued as a superpower in its own right for how skilled Clint actually is. But a character who certainly has no superpowers to speak of is a near and dear friend that Clint fought alongside for years, Natasha Romanoff.
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Natasha Romanoff Calms The Incredible Hulk
As a young girl, Natasha Romanoff was trained to be an elite ᴀssᴀssin by the Red Room program. Clearly, she has exceptional skills and her years of harsh training make her above average. However, all of that skill and training wouldn’t get her very far against a monster like the Hulk, whom she managed to bravely face down.
Nat recruited Bruce Banner to the Avengers team, and together, they traveled on the helicarrier where they tried to keep Loki contained and away from the general population. However, Loki manages to break Bruce and unleash Hulk, causing immense devastation and destruction on the flying ship.
With the helicarrier at risk of falling out of the sky, Nat was able to approach the Green Giant and help calm him. This took immense bravery, and developing an emotional connection that was able to pierce through Bruce’s enraged state.
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Tony Stark Snaps His Fingers To Save The World
Finally, returning to Tony Stark, that foundational piece of the MCU tapestry, there is one moment in Avengers: Endgame that defines this incredible saga, and highlights once again, that, after all is said and done, sometimes it is the humans, and not the superheroes, that save the day.
While the Infinity Stones had been seen to cause immense damage to anyone who wields them, Tony fearlessly puts his life on the line, and literally sacrifices himself, in order to put a stop to Thanos, and save the world and the universe from his terrible plan to cull half of all life in the universe.
Tony saved the day, not with his suit, and not with his genius, but with his bravery, his selflessness, and his love for his fellow man. The MCU continually proves that not all heroes wear capes, and they can often be the difference between saving the world and losing it.
