Aside from the long roster of heroes, the Marvel Cinematic Universe may be known for its epic battles and dazzling special effects, but some of its most unforgettable moments come from the twists. They could come in the form of shocking plot reveal, hidden identity or a sneaky asterisk embedded in a movie title. These twists have made the franchise iconic and beloved by audiences everywhere. It also set the bar high for Marvel, that if a movie or a show lacked any important plot points or twists, audiences would feel underwhelmed.
This list takes a look at several memorable moments that not only serve as shock value, but also raise the stakes. These moments shift the tone of the film or even the direction of an entire saga. From something as small-scale as Peter Parker realizing his girlfriend’s dad is a baddie to the world’s most famous snap, these are the best twists in the MCU.
10
President Ross Turns into the Red Hulk
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ (2025)
In Captain America: Brave New World, General Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) has been elected President of the United States. He’s spearheading an international initiative to share the wealth of newly found metal adamantium discovered in Celestial Island with other countries. The new Captain America, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) discovers a deep conspiracy involving President Ross orchestrated by one of his oldest enemies, Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson). Sterns has secretly exposed Ross with gamma that changes his body, turning him into Red Hulk when he’s under extreme duress.
The twist would have ranked higher on this list if it had been kept under wraps by Marvel’s marketing. The film literally builds up to Ross’ transformation as if it’s the film’s biggest reveal. Unfortunately, most audiences, especially the die-hard fans, were spoiled by the trailers and even the film’s poster, which also led to the film’s lukewarm reviews. Casual audiences, who were not familiar with the comic book lore or were not exposed by the film’s revealing materials, would be genuinely surprised by this. In the current political landscape, the twist actually holds some relevance and it is pretty bold of Marvel to do so in one of their biggest films.
9
Killmonger is T’Challa’s Cousin
‘Black Panther’ (2018)
In Marvel’s biggest solo film, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) finds out that his adversary Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) is the secret son of Prince N’Jobu (Sterling K. Brown), making him T’Challa’s cousin and legitimate heir to the Wakandan throne. Even worse, this lineage enables Killmonger to also step into the Ancestral Plane and become a twisted version of Black Panther. Suddenly, the stakes of their conflict become far more complex.
This revelation turns Killmonger from just another outsider into someone with a rightful claim, a personal vendetta, and a tragic backstory. He is already an above-average villain by Marvel standards, and his motivation becomes even more tragic as it’s rooted in betrayal and abandonment. Famously, this forces T’Challa to confront the sins of Wakanda’s past, after years of hiding away from the world in their nation’s wealth, and starts making a change as he reigns as King of Wakanda. This makes the film’s themes of heritage and legacy stronger, and gives Black Panther its emotional and political depth.
8
Loki Fakes His Death
‘Thor: The Dark World’ (2013)
Thor: The Dark World may not be anyone’s favorite MCU film but it has one of the best twists that also played with audiences’ expectations in the long run. In the film’s final battle, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is overwhelmed when Malekith’s (Chrisopher Eccleston) lieutenant Algrim (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) is turned into a lava-filled monster Kurse. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is able to stab and kill him, but not before Kurse delivers his final blow at the God of Mischief. Despite Thor’s encouragement, Loki appears to die.
However, at the end of the film, Loki is alive, disguised as Odin and ruling Asgard in secret. This sets up the events of the third Thor film and confirms that Loki is stronger than we expected. For new audiences, it shows that no one stays dead in the comic book world, except for Uncle Ben of course. Nevertheless, just like Loki, Marvel is full of tricks. When Loki is killed by Thanos in the opening scene of Avengers: Infinity War, audiences everywhere expected him to stand up like nothing happened. But when he stays dead, we know what kind of threat Thanos is to the other heroes.
7
Ego Killed Quill’s Mother
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ (2017)
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) meets his long-lost father Ego (Kurt Russell), a charming celestial being who seems like the answer to Peter’s inner void. But things take a dark turn when Ego reveals that he planted the brain tumor that killed Peter’s mother, simply to eliminate emotional distractions from his master plan of galactic conquest.
As a child taken away from his home with a mixtape made by his mother, this reveal hits hard. It weaponizes Peter’s most vulnerable hope: a nuclear family. He may have found a family in his crew and also a father in Yondu (Michael Rooker), but he has always wanted his real mother and real father. Ego’s betrayal also deepens the film’s character work and cements Yondu’s role as Peter’s true father figure. James Gunn uses the twist to explore themes of abuse and found family to its fullest effect. It’s a twist that doesn’t just shock, but it reshapes Peter’s identity and reinforces the Guardians’ bond.
6
Mysterio’s Deception
‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ (2019)
In Spider-Man: Far From Home, both Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) were fooled by the so-called multiversal hero Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). He is actually Quentin Beck, a disgruntled former Stark Industries’ employee who uses advanced illusions and drones to fake superhero battles. Aided by a team of ex-Stark employees, he creates an alter ego built on theatrics and deep tech trickery.
Mysterio’s deception extends to the audiences who fell for the multiverse bait. It was not until three years later that the MCU formally introduced the Multiverse. Mysterio’s reveal is smart and caught everyone off guard by connecting it to a particular scene featuring Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War. His illusions also made exhilirating visuals where Spider-Man can’t trust his senses. In some ways, this twist reinforces that almost everything in MCU ties back to Tony Stark even after his death. It’s an interesting connection, but this is the second time after Spider-Man: Homecoming that Peter Parker’s adventure is influenced by the billionaire.
5
The Mandarin is A Decoy
‘Iron Man 3’ (2013)
In Iron Man 3, Tony Stark is still grappling with his near-death experience in the Battle of New York but a new threat arrives in the form of The Mandarin, who takes the world hostage. Stark is forced to rely less and more on his ingenuity as The Mandarin relentlessly attacks him. The terrorist affiliates himself with The Ten Rings, a faction that kidnapped Stark in the first film. But apparently, The Mandarin is not what he seems. The menacing figure turns out to be an actor named Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley).
The twist was divisive at the time of its release. Comic fans felt deceived as The Mandarin is supposed to be a terrifying character, while general audiences felt the twist was anticlimactic. Nevertheless, the twist is brilliant as it subverts expectations entirely. With the real mastermind being a scorned scientist Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), this bait-and-switch subverted traditional villain setups in superhero films. The twist has aged well and has paid off, as Shang-Chi & The Legend of the Ten Rings explains, the concept of The Mandarin is not relevant to today’s world. Ben Kingsley also reprised his role as the bumbling actor in the same film, resolving loose ends from Iron Man 3.
Iron Man 3
- Release Date
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May 3, 2013
- Runtime
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130 Mins
4
Bucky Murdered The Starks
‘Captain America: Civil War’ (2016)
After disagreeing about the Sokovia Accords, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) was ready to put aside their differences and find the root cause of the problem in the final showdown of Captain America: Civil War. With Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) teaming up with Captain America, they are led into an abandoned facility where the truth is revealed before the heroes’ eyes. Stark saw security footage of when his parents were murdered, and he got a good look at the perpetrator: Bucky.
The reveal instantly tears apart what little peace remained between Tony and Steve. This information turned them against each other, and both heroes fought brutally. For all the politics and philosophical arguments earlier in the film, this moment makes the conflict deeply personal, leading to one of the most emotionally intense fights in the MCU. While the fight has no casualties, it changes the dynamic of the Avengers, just before Thanos’ threat. It’s one of the MCU’s most grounded and painful twists, and definitely one of its best.
3
HYDRA Infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.
‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014)
In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it’s revealed that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been infiltrated by Hydra for decades. This led Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) to go on a run and try to take down the evil organization. Hydra apparently had planned this years in advance, strategically putting double agents in pivotal positions, such as Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford), who was the secretary of the World Security Council that oversaw S.H.I.E.L.D.
This twist is so effective because it changes the entire MCU. It turns a superhero sequel into a paranoid spy thriller, filled with betrayal and ideological conflict. The Hydra reveal doesn’t just affect the movie universe but also plays a crucial role in the Agent Coulson-led TV show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which led to the series’ improvement after hiding its plan for several episodes. It’s rare for a twist to have that kind of reach, and it marked a turning point for Marvel’s willingness to take bold narrative risks.
2
The Vulture is Liz’ Dad
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ (2017)
Spider-Man: Homecoming finally puts Peter Parker (Tom Holland) in his first major MCU film after his short debut in Captain America: Civil War. Here, he’s in his habitat as a high schooler trying to balance school and proving himself worthy of being an Avenger. As small heroic neighboorhood acts becomes too easy for him, he sets his sights on Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), an underground arms dealer selling advanced alien tech salvaged from the Battle of New York.
The film’s biggest twist comes at the most unexpected moment: when Peter arrives to pick up his date, Liz Allan (Laura Harrier), for the homecoming dance, he discovers that her father is none other than Toomes aka the Vulture. This twist came out of nowhere as the film kept its secrets tight. It is also a suitable twist as it’s something personal and terrifying for Peter, relevant to the film’s theme. Keaton’s presence here is intense, and this little scene elevates his role from being a one-off Marvel villain to a memorable one.
1
The Blip
‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War brings together nearly every hero in the MCU for their greatest challenge yet: stopping Thanos, a cosmic warlord determined to collect all six Infinity Stones and use them to wipe out half of all life in the universe. Thanos proves to be an unstoppable power that the heroes, from the resourceful Iron Man to an actual god Thor, are unable to contain. Their final battle takes place in Wakanda, where Thanos hunts for his last remaining Stone. Once he gets them all, he uses his gauntlet to make the deadly snap.
When Thanos snaps his fingers, half the universe turns to dust, including beloved characters like Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Doctor Strange. The film’s twist isn’t a single reveal but a devastating reversal of the superhero formula where instead of winning, the heroes lose. Watching beloved characters disintegrate in silence made for one of the most shocking and unforgettable endings in blockbuster history. It left the audience stunned and devastated. But it’s a bold move that gave real weight to the stakes and set the stage for Avengers: Endgame. Without this important, game-changing twist, Endgame and MCU wouldn’t be the iconic franchise that audiences all over the world love.
