As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues its ever-expanding list of superheroes and villains, fans debate about who makes the perfect Avengers lineup. Gods, super soldiers, and wizards usually make many viewers' dream team, but one group of characters often gets missed out — the animals of the MCU.
Whether they're cuddly pets, superpowered space dogs, or mystical creatures from another dimension, these trusty animal sidekicks share a common trait of being some of the MCU's most adorable and loyal characters.
8) Gus — 'Moon Knight'
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At first glance, you might think Moon Knight's Gus the Goldfish doesn't offer much. Steven Grant's (Oscar Isaac) "little one-finned wonder" was a loyal companion and kept the bumbling gift shop worker company after a tough day at work or a failed date.
Though obviously a little on the quiet side, it's comforting that Steven could come home and rant to Gus about his day, knowing he wasn't completely alone or talking to an empty room. The miraculous appearance of a second fin indicated that the original Gus was likely long gone, but Gus II will likely serve as a just as worthy companion.
7) Fenris — 'Thor: Ragnarok'
Nobody said pets are just for the good guys! This proved to be the case when Hela (Cate Blanchett) used the Eternal Flame to resurrect her giant Asgardian wolf, Fenris, in Thor: Ragnarok. Years before the events of Ragnarok, Fenris was by Hela's side as they conquered the Nine Realms before dying not long after her mistress' banishment to Hel.
Upon their return, the Goddess of Death and her terrifying sidekick sought to rule Asgard following the death of Odin but were eventually stopped by Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and his allies. Fenris remained loyal until the very end, engaging in a colossal battle with Hulk before plummeting to her death.
6) Cosmo — 'Guardians of the Galaxy'
Though only appearing briefly in the MCU so far, Cosmo the Space Dog is one to watch for the future as he plays a much more prominent role in the comics. Cosmo, usually found teaming up with Nova and Star-Lord on Knowhere, developed psionic powers, including telekinesis.
On the big screen, though, fans are yet to see the full range of Cosmo's abilities. He only appeared as one of the Collector's possessions in Guardians of the Galaxy before being freed later in the film and more recently appearing in What If...? shortly. Nevertheless, if the MCU continues to go down the cosmic route, the adorable Space Dog will likely pop up more frequently.
5) — Hawkeye
From Space Dog to Pizza Dog, Hawkeye's Lucky instantly captured the hearts of audiences when he was taken in by Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Unlike Cosmo, though, he wasn't blessed with superpowers, so he took a backseat when Kate and Clint (Jeremy Renner) went out fighting crime.
The one-eyed golden retriever was featured prominently in the series. Fans will hope the lovable pizza-fanatic canine will be returning when Kate and Clint's stories are revisited.
4) Ant-Thony — Ant-Man
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Number 247 of Hank Pym's (Michael Douglas) colony of carpenter ants formed a unique bond with Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), who opted to rename him Ant-Thony. From breaking Lang out of prison to helping fight Falcon (Anthony Mackie) at Avengers Compound, Ant-Thony proved to be a handy companion throughout the events of Ant-Man.
Lang's favorite ant, unfortunately, met his match, though, when Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), or Yellowjacket, fired at the oncoming swarm, killing Ant-Thony in the process.
3) Alligator Loki — 'Loki'
The fifth episode of Loki was full of surprises, Easter eggs, and countless variants of the titular character, the most intriguing of which was a reptilian version of himself. Alligator Loki stole the show despite his limited screen time, becoming an instant fan favorite and letting his personality shine through a series of growls and blinks.
In one of the most memorable moments in the series, the reptile bit off the hand of fellow variant President Loki, setting off a clash between multiple versions of the God of Mischief. The episode also had a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo from Throg (a frog variant of Thor), but Alligator Loki was by far the animal of the hour.
2) Morris — 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings introduced fans to the beautiful realm of Ta Lo, a dimension only accessible through a portal on Earth. Of the many mystical creatures inhabiting Ta Lo, Morris the Dijiang was the one that left the biggest impression on his audience.
After originally belonging to Shang-Chi's (Simu Liu) mother, Morris made an unlikely ally in Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley). He helped the heroes reach Ta Lo to protect the realm from Wenwu and his army. Six-legged, winged, fluffy, and faceless, Morris' distinctive appearance made him stand out as one of the most extraordinary characters in the MCU, and he was even dubbed a "chicken-pig" by Katy in a hilarious scene.
1) Goose — 'Captain Marvel'
Perhaps the MCU's most powerful pet, Captain Marvel's Goose, was a force to be reckoned with. The deadly Flerken disguised as the faithful feline looks harmless on the surface but could release huge tentacles at any given moment.
Despite scratching Nick Fury's (Samuel L. Jackson) eye out and revealing the truth behind the famous eye patch, Goose proved to be the movie's true hero, helping prevent the Kree Empire from capturing the Tesseract by swallowing it whole. Any animal that can keep an Infinity Stone safe is undoubtedly worth keeping around. Goose's lovable exterior, coupled with the ability to fight when it really matters, makes her the most useful MCU pet of all.