Top 10 Best Fights In MCU Phase 4 (So Far)
#10: Enter the Dora Milaje
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (2021) The Dora Milaje didn’t need superpowers to become known as one of the most impressive fighting forces in the MCU. They demonstrated their skills after discovering that Bucky and Sam are working with the sinister Zemo. When the Dora Milaje arrive to pick the villain up, John Walker’s bad manners lead the warriors to teach him and his allies a painful lesson. Despite being outnumbered in the apartment, the Dora Milaje aren’t bothered. They channel the anger they feel towards Zemo as they batter his temporary allies around the room. This clash features great choreography, comedic beats and a couple of surprises. And it definitely shows why Sam recommends fighting Bucky instead of the Dora Milaje.
#9: Natasha vs. Taskmaster
“Black Widow” (2021) Natasha’s first encounter with Taskmaster starts off with a literal bang. After the mind controlled villain nearly blows the avenger’s car off a bridge, the two confront each other. The following fight is short but sweet. After Taskmaster manages to counter nearly every blow, she reveals that she can also copy her opponent’s moves. Natasha’s surprise at having her fighting style mimicked is a wonderful moment that shows the super spy may be in over her head. She needs to use weapons just to keep up. Since Natasha doesn’t typically lose fights, seeing her get kicked off a bridge made for a surprising ending. Their conflict established that Taskmaster was a seriously dangerous opponent.
#8: Captain Marvel vs. Thor
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“What If…?” (2021-) The animated “What If…?” has no shortage of bombastic fights. One of our favorites occurred between two of the heaviest hitters to ever join the Avengers. After party Thor’s antics cause havoc on earth Captain Marvel tries to lay down the law immediately. But when the god of thunder Thor refuses to back down, the two decide to settle their differences with their fists. Their tense grudge match quickly builds into a globe-spanning brawl. The duo flies over oceans, crashes near landmarks and have an epic dust up in the desert. Their entire clash is rendered with gorgeous and fun animation. Seeing these Titans go at it was definitely a treat.
#7: The Bus Fight
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“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021) Hopes were high for the introduction of Marvel’s martial arts master. Shang-Chi exceeded our expectations as soon as he got on a crowded bus with a few Ten Rings goons. Actor Simu Liu pulls off the moves with incredible style. Whether he’s using his jacket effectively mid-fight or double-kicking two guys simultaneously, every move looks real and ridiculously cool. The fight really kicks into high gear when Razor Fist shows up with his unique arm attachment. After the villain damages the bus, Shang-Chi has to improvise to stay alive and keep innocents safe. Featuring the perfect balance of incredible fistcuffs and humor, the bus fight definitely set the right tone for the hero’s fights going forward.
#6: Wanda vs. Agatha
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“Wandavision” (2021) While we loved seeing one Vision disarm the other with philosophy (Xref), the best and most emotional clash came when Wanda faced another witch. After the two play mind games, they settle their climactic clash in the real world. At first, it seems like Agatha has Wanda backed into a corner. But it turns out that the avenger was playing the villain all along. Seeing Wanda use one of Agatha’s tricks to claim victory made for a satisfying conclusion to their clash. After witnessing how powerful and clever the Avenger was here, we can’t wait to see the Scarlet Witch in future battles.
#5: Bucky & Sam vs. John Walker
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (2021) To say John Walker wasn’t the best choice for a new Captain America would be an understatement. Although he tried to do good deeds, he truly becomes unsuited for the position after he vengefully takes a man’s life in public. In the wake of John’s brutal actions, Sam and Bucky demand the shield back. The new Cap’s refusal to yield leads to an incredible fight scene. Walker puts up one hell of a fight against two Avengers. And since the symbolism of the shield is so important, the stakes feel as high as a climactic movie battle. We didn’t exhale until Bucky and Sam ripped Cap’s shield away from Walker. By the end of their satisfying melee, we feel just as exhausted as the heroes.
#4: Doctor Strange vs. Strange-Supreme
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“What If…?” (2021-) A “What If…” episode proved that Doctor Strange could be an immensely powerful supervillain. After losing the love of his life, a version of this sorcerer tried to use the time stone and mystic arts to save her. He could only complete his mission by absorbing the energy from his good counterpart. The confrontation between them is a feast for the eyes. As Strange-Supreme unleashes terrifying spells, the good doctor tries desperately to stay alive. Their duel gets so intense that even their cloaks fight each other. A combination of creative spells, heartbreaking sacrifices and tragic character motivations made this scene unforgettable. Although Strange-Supreme manages to defeat his good counterpart, he soon finds there’s a steep cost for victory.
#3: Shang-Chi vs. Ten Rings Guards & Death Dealer
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“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021) After accidentally entering his sister Xialing’s underground fighting tournament, Shang-Chi realizes he and his allies just walked into a Ten Rings Trap. He and his friend Katy attempt to get away by escaping on scaffolding. This leads to an intense sequence where Shang-Chi and Xialing face multiple minions while trying to keep Katy safe. It’s a great acrobatic fight filled with plenty of flips, tumbles, and suspense. But the highlight of this high stakes clash has to be when the hero faces his former trainer, Death Dealer. Their duel features fantastic cinematography as well as impressive physical performances from the two actors. This one-on-one was the perfect ending to a thrilling fight sequence.
#2: Ultron vs. Guardians of the Multiverse
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“What If…?” (2021 - ) “What If…?” showed how devastating Ultron could be by showing what would happen if he got his hands on the Infinity stones. After heroes from different realities are recruited to stop him, an epic clash begins. Their first fight has a multitude of Mjolnirs, close calls and a horde of zombies raining down on Ultron. But all of that isn’t enough to stop the evil robot. The Guardians of the Mutliverse must face him again in a tense, action-packed and exhilarating battle. Watching the good guys change their plans several times made for an unpredictable bout that had us glued to our TVs. While the multiverse still isn’t completely safe, at least the guardians made sure there was one less evil robot out there. Before we reveal our top fight, here are a few honorable mentions. The Watcher vs. Ultron, “What If…?” (2021 - ) Who Knew Uatu Could Throw Down? Wenwu vs. Ying Li, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021) A Marvelous Clash That Pays Homage to Films Like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” Loki vs. Sylvie, “Loki” (2021 - ) An Emotional Fight Between Variants Natasha vs. Yelena, “Black Widow” (2021) A Fun Close-Quarters Brawl Between Sisters The Truck Fight Scene, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (2021) A Thrilling Scuffle Atop Two Eighteen Wheelers
#1: Shang-Chi vs. Wenwu
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021) When Wenwu’s misguided attempts to save his wife threaten the world, his son Shang-Chi must step up to stop his father. The hero initially has to play defense when facing the might of his dad’s powerful rings. But when Shang-Chi took some of his father’s dangerous weapons for himself, we really got chills. Watching the two master martial artists use the rings in creative ways was awe-inspiring. Although the two have a lot of bad blood between them, Shang-Chi decides to spare his father in the end. The emotional way this cool, visually stunning and brilliantly choreographed clash concluded made it the one of the best fights Phase 4 had to offer so far.
