This article is part of MCU Ranking Week on ScreenRant, during which we’re rolling out our official ranking of all 37 Marvel Studios’ movies. We’re also diving deep into the MCU franchise and the films themselves. Check out our MCU Ranking Week launch article to find out more!

The ongoing narrative of the MCU is divided into phases that typically span several years, but one of these stands above the rest in terms of sheer quality. Marvel made history with the concept of a shared universe, one where every movie (and, now, TV show) is linked to everything else. The MCU will always matter because of this incredible, innovative success.

So far, there have been six phases. The first three phases officially consist of only the MCU movies and one-sH๏τs (although various Marvel TV shows are now confirmed to be part of the MCU as well). Recent phases have been quicker but have actually incorporated more content, because of the range of Disney+ shows that are part of them.

But which of the six phases is the best? Here’s our judgment…

How Would The “Best” MCU Phase Beat The Others?

Let’s start by asking a simple question: What would the best phase look like? The MCU’s phases allow viewers to group the movies and shows into blocks based on their overarching narrative; most culminate in an Avengers movie, a logical end-point for the latest story, and there are sometimes codas like Spider-Man: Far From Home as well.

When ᴀssessing a phase in itself, then, you’re really wanting to look for the strongest overarching narrative. There should be a sense of momentum, a trajectory to the storytelling that permeates all the different tales, whether they’re explicitly part of the story or not. The stories should also not be overly dependent on past or future phases to define them.

The Latest Marvel Phases Simply Can’t Be The Best

Sadly, it is this lack of direction that has undermined the latest phases. They’re not even in the running for the “best,” not because the Avengers movies are missing, but rather because there’s been no real momentum. Marvel tried to do too much, and the result was too scattersH๏τ, leaving everything confused.

It’s entirely possible Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will somehow pull off a miracle, recontextualizing everything Marvel has done since 2019 and tying everything together. But even then, it wouldn’t redeem phases four and five; note that I said a phase shouldn’t depend on anything outside itself for definition.

Phases 1 & 2 Have Major Limitations Too

As harsh as this may seem towards Marvel’s more recent releases, we’re left with phases 1-3 in the running. The MCU’s first phase is fantastic, but it’s abundantly clear Marvel is still trying to figure this “shared universe” thing out. The Incredible Hulk was a ᴅᴇᴀᴅ-end (and its star was recast), while Thor lacked the confidence to truly embrace the supernatural.

Phase 2 is much stronger (who can forget Captain America: The Winter Soldier, considered the best Marvel movie of all time by many?). The Infinity Stones are brought into play, with Loki’s scepter retconned as the Mind Stone. On Earth, we see the ripple effect of the emergence of superheroes, setting up the Sokovia Accords.

But there are still far too many stumbles. Iron Man 3 isn’t really an effective launchpad for Phase 2, but rather works better if it’s seen as a coda to Phase 1 given Tony Stark’s PTSD. Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes drama and conflict with the (thankfully long-since defunct) Marvel Creative Committee leads to a lot of mistakes (particularly with Avengers: Age of Ultron).

That last point is critical. The Avengers movies should be blockbuster events, but Age of Ultron just felt underwhelming. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has blamed its reception on the mistake of announcing the Phase 3 slate in 2014, but in truth the movie is too disjointed in narrative terms. A phase with a disappointing climax cannot possibly be the best.

Phase 3 Is Undeniably The Best MCU Phase

Looking back, Phase 3 is the only real contender for the best MCU phase to date. It opens on a high note with Captain America: Civil War, tearing the heroes apart and setting up their greatest defeat in Avengers: Infinity War ahead of the spectacular triumph of Avengers: Endgame.

What’s remarkable, though, is that this phase handles character debuts in a way that feels truly organic. Marvel smartly decided to introduce Black Panther and Spider-Man in Civil War, setting up their solo movies, and ensuring nothing felt tangential or irrelevant. The thread of the Infinity Stones runs (fairly consistently) through Phase 3, too.

This isn’t to say that every movie in Phase 3 stands in the top 20 Marvel films of all time, of course; quality does vary. But there’s a sense of direction running through even the weakest performers that helps build momentum. The coda, Spider-Man: Far From Home, feels like a delightful love letter to both MCU and comics at once.

This is also, importantly, the time when Marvel’s movies had the greatest cultural impact. Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther is easily one of the best (and most influential) Marvel movies of all time, while Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame were genuine, do-not-miss blockbuster events of unparalleled significance, with some of the best MCU moments ever in them.

Will The MCU Ever Beat Phase 3?

Marvel made the mistake of over-expanding the MCU after Phase 3, largely because of a corporate mandate to create content for Disney+. The studio is currently rebalancing, reducing output to just a couple of movies and TV shows each year, and Marvel will surely become more strategic again.

It will be hard for Marvel to beat Phase 3, though, and perhaps impossible. This was the MCU at its peak, a time when expectation was high, and when billion dollar box office takings became almost everyday. There was a sense of optimism that meant missteps were overlooked, and that won’t happen again.

That’s particularly true because we seem to be entering a “post-franchise” era, where original filmmaking benefits; Christopher Nolan hoped Oppenheimer signified such a change, and the success of Sinners and Weapons seems to suggest he was right. In this new age, the MCU’s star will inevitably shine a little dimmer.

Looking back, the MCU‘s Phase 3 is probably always going to be the best.