The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth franchise, and is showing no signs of slowing down. Phase Four continued throughout 2022, with the studio offering new additions in the movies, TV shows, and even special presentations. While fan reception for each new release has varied, there have been plenty of big moments for the shared universe during the last year. And I've decided to rank the 7 biggest MCU moments from 2022, going across all medias. Buckle up, true believers.
While the MCU was a movies-only franchise throughout its first Three Phases, that changed with the recently completed Phase Four. Some of these projects hit harder than others, but there were some truly epic moments that have the potential to change the shared universe moving forward. Let's break down the twist and turns that arrived throughout 2022.
7. Marc Spector has a third personality (Moon Knight)
Comic fans were thrilled when it was revealed that Star Wars icon Oscar Isaac would finally be joining the MCU as the title character of Moon Knight series, which was available for those with a Disney+ subscription. This was the first piece of new content to arrive in 2022, with Isaac playing multiple characters throughout the show's six-episode first season. But that seemingly changed greatly in the finale.
Moon Knight was fun because of how it incorporated Gods into the shared universe, including the truly iconic Hippo-faced Goddess Taweret. While Oscar Isaacs pivoted between playing Marc Spector and Steven Grant, the final scene introduced to another personality from the comics: Jake Lockley. What's more, he seems to be working with Khonshu, unbeknownst to the other two personalities. Hopefully Season 2 will come sooner rather than later.
6. Thor becomes a father (Thor: Love and Thunder)
One of the other ways that Phase Four of the MCU made history was through Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder, which marked the first time a hero was given a fourth solo movie. The Ragnarok director once again leaned heavily on comedic tones for this story, while also including a surprisingly emotional story for Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher.
This was especially true for the movie's finale. While fans mourned the loss of Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, we watched as Chris Hemsworth's title character actually became a father. He adopted Gorr's daughter Love, who was able to wield Stormbreaker. And the two seem to be a ragtag superhero duo that are sure to turn a few heads if they participate in future crossover projects. Fingers crossed.
5. Kamala Kahn is confirmed as a mutant (Ms. Marvel)
Phase Four's TV shows have all had very different tones, and some of the best succeeded by bringing something new to the table. Ms. Marvel was definitely in that category, following a teenage Avengers superfan as she discovers her own abilities. The movie also featured a powerful capsule episode, where Kamala Kahn traveled to 1942 India. But perhaps the biggest shock came in the finale.
During the last episode of Ms. Marvel, the title character finally adopts her superhero moniker, and has her first real adventure. And in the final moments we learned more about exactly why she was able to gain powers thanks to her bangle. Namely that she's a mutant. Fans have been not-so-patiently waiting for the X-Men to join the shared universe, so perhaps Kamala Kahn will be an important force in bringing mutants to life.
4. Wanda massacres the Illuminati (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)
There was a ton of excitement behind Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ahead of its release, thanks to the inclusion of director Sam Raimi and the show's connection to WandaVision. In the end the project was somewhat divisive, namely because it made Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch into a full-on villain, despite her making things right in her TV series.
Regardless of how you felt about Wanda's story (I blame The Darkhold), it was awesome to see the Scarlet Witch's full power realizes. There were a number of exciting action sequences, but perhaps the most iconic moment of Doctor Strange 2 was seeing her absolutely massacre the Illuminati of Earth-838. The violence was surprisingly brutal for a PG-13 Marvel flick, and it also featured the brief live-action appearance of Captain Carter and John Krasinski's Mister Fantastic. We'll just have to see if she eventually answers for these crimes, assuming she's not actually killed off.
3. Daredevil’s Return To The MCU (She-Hulk: Attorney At Law)
Throughout Phase Four we've seen characters from Netflix's Daredevil series slowly incorporated into the main timeline of the MCU. This started with Charlie Cox's quicks scene as Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home, as well as Vincent D'Onofrio having a role as Kingpin in Hawkeye. But things went into high gear when the Man without Fear popped up during the last few episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
While some fans were annoyed waiting for Charlie Cox to finally suit up in She-Hulk, it didn't disappoint. We were treated to a new suit in action, with the comedy series hilariously subverting the typical hallway fight. Matt Murdock was also charming outside of the costume, making fans all the more excited about his upcoming series Daredevil: Born Again, and his role in Echo. Daredevil is finally interacting with members of the MCU, and it's thrilling.
2. Mantis is revealed as Star-Lord’s sister (The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special)
One of the biggest MCU moments of 2022 didn't come from a movie of TV show. James Gunn's The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special broke new ground for the shared universe, and was a delightful 42-minute romp through both space and Earth. This project finally gave Pom Klementieff's Mantis her own story, including a huge twist that should impact the future of the shared universe.
Early in the special, Mantis and Drax speak about her biggest secret: that she's actually a daughter of Ego (Kurt Russell) and is therefore Peter Quill's half-sister. It takes the entire runtime for her to finally break the news, with Chris Pratt's character over the moon for this familial connection. It was a real tear-jerker of a scene, and should presumably greatly change their relationship in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
1. Shuri becomes the next Black Panther (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
Throughout Phase Four, the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie was definitely Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The acclaimed blockbuster didn't disappoint, and has been making a ton of money at the box office. The movie was a powerful meditation on grief, which also expanded the MCU with the inclusion of Ironheart as well as Namor and the Talokan.
The biggest question surrounding Black Panther 2 ahead of its release was exactly who would take the heart-shaped herb and become the next Panther. Unsurprisingly this honor went to Letitia Wright's Shuri, who debuted a killer new suit and personally took Namor on. Although she didn't take the Throne, with M'Baku instead becoming the next ruler of Wakanda. But that all might change with the news of T'Challa and Nakia's son. Only time will tell, but there's a new Panther in town.
Honorable Mention: Madisynn (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law)
Of course, I would be remiss to write about 2022's best Marvel moments without mentioning the queen of memes herself, Madisynn (Patty Guggenheim). She gave a truly hilarious performance during her appearance in She-Hulk, which went viral and was turned into countless memes. Her friendship with Wongers is one I hope to see grow in a future installment of the MCU. After all, who doesn't want to see them drink Gin & Tonics and binge watch prestige TV?
