The MCU always provides epic action sequences, and 2021 provided some of the best the franchise has ever staged. With the MCU expanding into streaming series on Disney+, some of the best MCu action scenes emerged in unexpected places. From the street-level battles of Hawkeye to the multiversal clashes of Loki and Spider-Man: No Way Home, the action scenes were outstanding.
None of the big set pieces were simple or gratuitous but always focused on the characters at the center of them. Whether it was introducing a character like Shang-Chi for the first time or celebrating the entire cinematic history of Spider-Man, the MCU gave fans fun and meaning in the best action sequences of 2021.
Fighting The Flag-Smashers (The Falcon And The Winter Soldier)
A major battle between the heroes of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier and the Flag-Smashers may not have been huge on spectacle, but it was huge on character. Fans not only saw the humanity and patience in Sam Wilson but the impatience and range of John Walker, leading to the grim yet iconic scene of him murdering one of the Flag-Smashers.
Comic book fans know that the U.S. Agent is not a nice guy, but his brutal killing of an unarmed combatant in front of what turned out to be the entire world did far more to stain the legacy of Captain America than the innocent blood on the shield.
Prison Rescue (Black Widow)
The prison break scene is one of the top moments in Black Widow for how it brings together the unusual Romanoff family. Natasha and Yelena work very well together, a pair of Black Widows easily capable of overwhelming the security of a remote Siberian prison.
The scene also allows the two characters to bond as they rescue their 'father,' and reveals different sides of their characters. Natasha is straightforward and no-nonsense while Yelena is always making light of something, such as Natasha's superhero pose.
Kate Bishop Vs. Kingpin (Hawkeye)
One of the most unexpected scenes of the year was the one-on-one battle between Kate Bishop and the Kingpin in the Hawkeye finale. Kate Bishop is one of the best female archers in Marvel Comics, but strength-wise, she's no match for Wilson Fisk, as the climactic battle showed.
The Kingpin almost soundly defeated Kate, even after being hit by a car, but Kate used her ingenuity and experience to win. She triggered a series of trick arrows to detonate all at once by using a trick Clint Barton taught her in an earlier episode.
Lamentis (Loki)
One of the best action sequences of the year occurs in episode three of Loki when Loki and Sylvie fight their way through a settlement on the planet of Lamentis to get on a rocket off the doomed planet. It's essentially one long tracking shot (with some sly edits hidden in transitions) that follows the two on a race through the alien setting.
Stylistically it's one of the most unique scenes of the year, with Loki and Sylvie using their magic and their wits at every turn to catch up to a rocket that is then crudely destroyed by a meteor.
Final Battle (WandaVision)
Some fans may have been disappointed that the wildly inventive WandaVision ended in something of a routine boss fight between Wanda and Agatha Harkness (as well as The Vision and White Vision), but the scale of the magical battle made it one of the best action scenes of 2021.
Agatha Harkness and the Scarlet Witch are both some of the most powerful magicians in the Marvel Universe, and their epic battle in the sky over Westview revealed how powerful they were, with Wanda finally realizing her true potential as the Scarlet Witch.
Captain Marvel Vs. Thor (What If... q?)
One of the most epic - and funniest - action sequences of 2021 occurred in the battle between Captain Marvel and the Party Thor in What If..? episode seven. The battle literally and figuratively becomes Looney Tunes as the two punch each other across the entire planet.
The two characters punch each other so hard they fly through the upper atmosphere, with the battle taking on a scale that even the live-action MCU has yet to achieve with such powerful beings.
Mirror Dimension Battle (Spider-Man: No Way Home)
Spider-Man: No Way Home is full of great action scenes and one of the best is the Mirror Dimension battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. The battle is great for its visuals and action but ranks high for how it relies on Peter Parker's ingenuity.
Spider-Man is not just one of the fastest and strongest Marvel superheroes, he's one of the smartest and in this sequence, he uses his knowledge of math to defeat the much more powerful Doctor Strange and strand him in the Mirror Dimension.
Freeway Chase (Hawkeye)
The freeway chase in Hawkeye episode three is one of the best MCU action sequences of 2021 for how dynamic it is. Much of the sequence is framed inside the car Kate Bishop and Clint Barton drive, in a revolving camera shot reminiscent of Children Of Men.
The sequence is on par with any action scene in the MCU movies, building and building as the chase eventually ends on the Manhattan Bridge. Clint Barton uses a Pym Particle arrow to enlarge another, allowing them to escape the Tracksuit Mafia.
The Bus Fight (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings)
The bus fight scene in Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings is outstanding on many levels. First, it's a mini-movie itself, building through three acts as Shang-Chi fends off attackers, fights Razor Fist, and the bus careens out of control.
It's a fantastic introduction to who Shang-Chi really is and what he's capable of, with the scene revealing to Katy and the audience that Shang-Chi is one of the best martial artists in the Marvel Universe, if not the best.
Statue Of Liberty Battle (Spider-Man: No Way Home)
The final battle at the Statue of Liberty in No Way Home is the best MCU action sequence of the year not only for its epic scale but also for its focus on character. The scene pits three versions of Spider-Men against five of his greatest supervillains in his biggest fight ever.
The sequence never loses the thread of Peter Parker's story though, and he confronts his biggest challenge when it comes time to save or kill Green Goblin. The scene proves that Peter Parker is one of the best superheroes ever, in all his many versions.