Fans Voted 10 Best Characters in the MCU & The Results Have Surprising Twist

MCU started 16 years ago with the release if ‘Iron Man’ in 2008. Since then across 33 movies and dozens of TV shows we were introduced to hundreds of characters. No matter how small or big their role was, everyone had a chance to stand out and shine.

Now picking the best characters in a cinematic universe is never easy, this is why we decided to check the place that allows thousands of fans to cast their vote. We naturally landed on Ranker, where over 50,000 fans voted for their personal favorite MCU character, and I gotta say, number 1 surprised me. Let’s see the ranking!

10. Scarlet Witch (17980 Votes)

All things considered Scarlet Witch had one of the shortest character arcs in the MCU and yet, her story resonated quite well with the fans. She lost everything, gained powers, and found love – the latter being important in a world thrown in chaos. She lost her love to Thanos and met inconsideration every step of the way, until ultimately breaking apart during ‘WandaVision.’

A lot of fans hated the way her character ended, but due to her popularity, there’s hope that Wanda might return in a future MCU project.

9. Black Widow (18953 Votes)

MCU’s femme fatale certainly grew above what fans expected from the character, due to Johansson’s brilliant portrayal. From a spy trained in the Russian Red Room to one of the biggest heroes in ‘Avengers’ franchise, it’s been quite the journey. Fans were heartbroken when Black Widow sacrificed herself to gain the Soul Stone, and naturally that we didn’t get to see her relationship with Hulk grow.

8. Rocket Raccoon (18994 Votes)

Sarcastic, sometimes toxic, brilliant, dangerous but loyal to a fault, this is just a short summary of Rocket’s character arc. He was there during some of the most important moments in the MCU, but what really sold the character to fans was the reveal of his tragic backstory in ‘Guardians of Galaxy Vol. 3.’

7. Doctor Strange (21768 Votes)

Doctor Strange started as an egomaniac, and like Black Widow managed to become one of the most essential characters in the MCU. Can you believe that the character was almost played by Joaquin Phoenix?

6. Loki (21483 Votes)

Now, personally, Loki should be much much higher, especially in light of everything that transpired during ‘Loki’ season 2. From a villain to an unlikely ally to Thor, to the God of Stories that ensures that everyone in the Universe gets a fair chance.

5. Captain America – Steve Rogers (25553 Votes)

Steve was never a villain or an anti-hero for that matter in the MCU, which almost seems like a necessity these days to have an intriguing character arc, but what Captain America brings to the table is far more important – integrity, honesty and perseverance to do what is right no matter the circumstances.

4. Thor (26047 Votes)

Thor’s character development was somewhat diminished by ‘Love and Thunder’ something which even Chris Hemsworth acknowledges, luckily, he gets a chance for redemption in ‘Thor 5.’ Still, the latest flop did not stop him from ranking so highly.

3. Spider-Man – Peter Parker (26661 Votes)

Spider-Man was always among Marvel’s most popular characters so it’s not surprising to see him ranking so highly on this list. Peter was through quite the journey in the MCU, he lost everything in his latest movie and Holland himself acknowledged that the studio will have to work hard to top the story.

2. Iron Man (28604 Votes)

MCU’s pinnacle of character growth – Tony Stark himself. Tony was such a flawed character with some nasty personality issues that most people can associate with- and yet, he turned out the biggest hero of Infinity Saga by sacrificing literally everything – his own life, to stop Thanos and return humanity to some form of normalcy. He did bring humanity into danger before, but he completely redeemed himself in ‘Endgame.’

1. Stan Lee (34998 Votes)

This is the surprise I was talking about. Stan Lee is the fictional representation of the real-life comic book writer and editor, often portrayed by Stan Lee himself. He made cameo appearances in numerous Marvel films and television projects, including many within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some of these appearances are self-referential, occasionally acknowledging Lee’s role in creating certain characters.

Who is more worthy of holding the number 1 place than the man who made it all possible?

What do you think about the list? Let us know in the comments below!