Following up on The Infinity Saga, one of the most successful and critically acclaimed cinematic achievements of all time was always going to be difficult, and Phase Four has reflected that. Though there have been many highs, including the return of iconic characters, the introduction of new villains, and a record-breaking movie, there have also been lows.
The Eternals received mediocre reviews from critics, and there is a growing feeling that Phase Four is simply too large for its own good. Despite this, Phase Four has still featured plenty of jaw-dropping moments that made us fans either smile and applaud or gasp and cry.
Agent 19 - 'Hawkeye'
Hawkeye was a breath of festive fresh air. The Christmas-set series allowed Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) the chance to shine in his own solo project, reminding us all of his charm, wit, and emotional range. Of the many revelations and new characters we were introduced to (Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop was a real highlight), nothing shocked audiences more than the revelation that Laura Barton is Agent 19.
Fans are excited about what this might mean for the future, especially considering Linda Cardellini has been largely wasted in the MCU so far. With her secret identity now known, however, we expect her to team up with her bow-firing husband on their next adventure, and we certainly can't wait.
Venom Joining The MCU - 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'
The post-credits scene in Venom: Let There Be Carnage made it clear that something strange had happened to Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his parasitic friend. Somehow, Doctor Strange's (Benedict Cumberbatch) spell had dragged them into the MCU. How and why exactly this happened is unclear, but the Spider-Man: No Way Home post-credits scene saw the journalist struggling to wrap his head around this change before being sent back to his own universe.
Though it's unlikely Hardy will reprise the role again in the MCU, we know that a piece of the symbiote remained behind. Fans have been speculating wildly about this, hoping that we either see Spider-Man (Tom Holland) don the symbiote suit or square off against Venom in the near future.
Xialing Taking Control of the Ten Rings - 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'
There were many things to love about Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The film, which is easily one of the best Marvel origin stories, was aesthetically beautiful, filled with interesting characters, and fast-paced. Though the film was filled with twists and turns, the post-credits scene blindsided a lot of fans with the revelation that Shang-Chi's sister, Xialing (Meng'er Zhang), had taken control of the Ten Rings, the criminal organization formally run by her father.
It's not entirely clear what Xialing plans to do with the organization, but given that she used to own an underground fight club, we think there may be something a little sinister on the agenda for the Ten Rings.
Jane Becoming The Mighty Thor - 'Thor: Love and Thunder'
Though Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) became the Mighty Thor quite a while ago in the comics, it seemed unlikely that the story would ever play out on the big screen, given that Portman appeared to be finished with the franchise. Thankfully, Taika Waititi was on hand to convince the Oscar-winning actress to return to the role in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Though Thor: Love and Thunder was something of a disappointment to fans because it relied too heavily on jokes and its thin plot, Portman's performance as Jane was a clear highlight. She bounced off Chris Hemsworth's Thor with ease and excelled in the action sequences, proving herself worthy of Mjolnir, though many fans believed Jane Foster was a hero all along.
The Return of Familiar Faces From the X-Men - 'WandaVision' and 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'
Fans were astounded when Evan Peters, the actor known for playing Quicksilver in the X-Men franchise, arrived on Wanda's doorstep, claiming to be her brother in WandaVision. Though it was revealed to be a ruse (and a 'Bohner' joke), this indicated that Marvel was not afraid of bringing actors from the X-Men franchise into the MCU.
Fast-forward to 2022, and fans were treated to the incredible return of Professor X (Patrick Stewart), leading The Illuminati and squaring off against Wanda Maximoff in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The returning characters won't end there either, as it was recently announced that Hugh Jackman would be reprising the role of Wolverine in Deadpool 3, something fans have clamored for ever since Disney acquired the rights to the X-Men.
The Return of Daredevil and Kingpin - 'Hawkeye', 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' and 'She-Hulk: Attorney At Law'
Ever since the cancelation of the Netflix Marvel shows, fans have been desperate to see Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, and the rest of the cast return to their roles in the MCU. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait too long. Cox delighted fans with his cameo appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and D'Onofrio returned to wreak havoc in the Hawkeye season finale.
Both characters will return to reprise their roles in the hotly-anticipated Daredevil: Born Again, although things will not be as they used to be. Kingpin will likely wear an eye patch after his run-in with Echo (Alaqua Cox) in the finale of Hawkeye, and Daredevil will have to come to terms with a world filled with superheroes. We're hoping that this and other questions will be answered when Daredevil: Born Again finally arrives on Disney+.
Ms. Marvel is a Mutant - 'Ms. Marvel'
Ms. Marvel was a lot of fun. Iman Vellani was a delight, perfectly balancing the character's razor-sharp wit with her identity struggles. The series struggled a little with a lack of a clear villain, but we're all excited to see Vellani share the screen with her idol Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) in The Marvels.
While the film will undoubtedly be filled with exciting moments, we hope it delves further into the jaw-dropping revelation that Kamala Khan is actually the MCU's first mutant, something that will surely have huge ramifications on the universe as a whole.
The Death of He Who Remains - 'Loki'
The Loki finale finally gave fans exactly what they wanted, an episode dedicated to the introduction of Marvel's new big bad, He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors). Majors was everything fans wanted him to be, and it will be interesting to see which iteration of the character we get in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Though Loki (Tom Hiddleston) fought to stop her, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) overpowered him and eventually killed He Who Remains, sending the sacred timeline into chaos and sending Loki into a world he doesn't recognize. Hopefully, the God of Mischief will be able to make sense of it all when the second season of Loki arrives.
Wanda Becoming A Villain - 'WandaVision' and 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'
Wanda Maximoff's (Elizabeth Olsen) arc has been built on tragedy and loss. She's lost her parents, her brother, and the man she loved, and in WandaVision, she also had to say goodbye to her children. It was this latest sacrifice that pushed her over the edge, allowing the Darkhold to corrupt her.
On her quest to find her children, Wanda murders without remorse, seemingly abandoning the heroic instincts that made her such a fan-favorite character. Though Wanda's descent into villainy seemed inevitable, many fans feel it was rushed and should have unfolded across a number of films in order to provide the character with the arc she deserved.
Three Spider-Men Unite - 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'
It may have been the worst-kept secret in cinema history, but that didn't lessen the delight of seeing Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire, and Tom Holland share the screen. Not only that, but they teamed up to fight some of the most iconic Spider-Man villains, including the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), and Electro (Jamie Foxx).
Seeing the Spider-Men support each other through their tough moments, quip about the many villains they've fought, and even crack each other's backs was everything we wanted and more. It's no surprise that Spider-Man: No Way Home went on to become the third biggest domestic movie of all time, thrilling audiences of all ages. Now we just have to hope the Spider-Men reunite again at some point in the future.