The Marvel Cinematic Universe has no shortage of fan-favorite characters that have each fostered several key friendships over their time in the franchise. With so many characters, it can be difficult for the screenwriters to give every relationship its due in any given film.

Though not every relationship in the MCU gets adequate screentime, there are several underrated companionships that certainly deserve the distinction that friendships like Steve Rogers and Tony Stark have received in their tenure in the franchise.

Bucky Barnes And Rocket Raccoon

Bucky and Rocket talk in Avengers Infinity War

Bucky Barnes, also known as the White Wolf and the Winter Soldier, may have very little in common with a certain furry member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, but the two did share a single moment of bonding during the Battle of Wakanda in Avengers: Infinity War, where they teamed up to battle the oncoming forces of Thanos's invasion army.

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Ever since their first meeting, fans have wanted Rocket Raccoon and Bucky Barnes to reunite in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The running gag concerning Rocket's fascination with stealing prosthetic limbs plays quite nicely with the super-soldier famous for his enhanced bionic arm, making the two a comedic duo worthy of a reunion in the near future.

Ant-Man And Thor

thor and ant man smiling as himbos

Despite both being part of the Avengers for several years, Thor and Ant-Man have only appeared in a single film together, as both were among the surviving members of the team in Avengers: Endgame. Even though both were integral parts of this film, they still shared very little screen time together over the course of their quest to undo the Decimation.

Thor is the one original Avenger with the least interaction with other members of the team, something that the MCU seems to be working hard to change, as audiences recently got a new look at Thor's next adventure, which will involve the Guardians of the Galaxy. Nevertheless, in order to properly fulfill his legacy role in the franchise, Thor must interact with more of his teammates before his inevitable departure from the films, including the smallest Avenger yet.

Spider-Man And Sam Wilson

Falcon Winter Soldier Captain America Spider-Man SR

The ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home left fans plenty to unravel, but one thing was clear: Spider-Man will continue his superheroism beyond that film's events. This means that he will continue to meet with other Avengers, including one that he only met briefly during the superhero Civil War.

Spider-Man and Sam Wilson have every reason to meet once more in the near future. Wilson, as the newly-anointed Captain America, is sure to be taking a leading role in the Avengers moving forward, meaning that other members, like Spider-Man himself, will be reporting to him. Not to mention, the real-life rivalry between Tom Holland and Anthony Mackie would doubtlessly lead to some hilarious onscreen interactions between their characters.

Captain Marvel And Nick Fury

Carol Danvers with cap on with Nick Fury in elevator

Even before Iron Man, Nick Fury was acquainted with a certain other superhero: Carol Danvers, the Kree trainee known as Captain Marvel. The two engaged in an exciting escapade in the '90s before parting ways for several decades. As far as fans can gauge, Carol's departure from Earth at the end of Captain Marvel was the last time the two ever interacted.

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Carol and Fury had a surprisingly amicable friendship in the brief time they worked together in the '90s, leading many fans to wonder how that relationship might have evolved now that thirty years have passed. While the two may have interacted at Tony Stark's funeral, the MCU has yet to include an onscreen interaction between present-day Carol Danvers and Nick Fury.

Wanda Maximoff And Hawkeye

Clint Barton and Wanda Maximoff comfort each other in Avengers Endgame

During her early days in the MCU, Wanda Maximoff struggled with the burden of becoming a hero. As a result, several of the original Avengers came to her aid in order to encourage her to reach her full potential. The most poignant of these emerging mentors was Clint Barton, who was the one to officially declare Wanda an Avenger.

Despite sharing very little screentime together, Wanda and Clint have been shown to have quite a loving relationship, which lasts even beyond the groundbreaking events of Avengers: Endgame. It would be especially interesting to see how Clint would interact with Wanda now that she has become one of the most powerful villains in the MCU.

Hulk And Thor

Thor and Hulk in Ragnarok

Hulk and Thor are undoubtedly the two strongest Avengers of the original team, making their relationship one of the most interesting in the MCU. This relationship was explored in greater depths during the events of Thor: Ragnarok, in which the two teamed up as members of the Revengers in order to stop Hela, the goddess of death.

While Thor and Hulk have certainly shared plenty of screentime over the years, there is much more to explore between two of the last active members of the original Avengers. These two have seniority over every other member of the team and will therefore be responsible for training up the next generation of Avengers. Seeing how the two may clash or collaborate over this responsibility would be incredibly interesting for longtime fans.

Mantis And Drax

Two of the most hilarious members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Mantis and Drax, prove to be even funnier when paired up with one another. The two began their friendship during the events of Guardians of the Galaxy, volume 2, serving as members of the team all the way through the present day, and both are confirmed to appear in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder.

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Mantis and Drax have one of the funniest relationships in the entire franchise. Both characters are ill-adapted to the intricacies of English conversation, making their interaction especially hilarious. Not to mention, the running gag concerning Drax's intense distaste for Mantis's appearance warrants revisiting in their upcoming appearances.

Agent Coulson And Steve Rogers

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers Captain America and Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson in The Avengers

Agent Phil Coulson was very much the glue of the MCU's first phase, appearing in four of the six films therein. Once the Avengers were assembled, Coulson couldn't help but express his excitement at being in the presence of the Earth's mightiest heroes, especially his personal idol, Captain America.

Phil Coulson was a beloved character whose time in the franchise was cut much too short when he was killed by Loki. However, the events of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. revealed his survival, leading many fans to hope to see Phil Coulson return in Phase 4 of the MCU. If this does occur, it would be truly fascinating to see how he would rekindle his relationship with the Avengers, including the now elderly Steve Rogers.

Shang-Chi And Wong

Benedict Wong and Simu Liu in Shang-Chi

Shang-Chi may be one of the newest Avengers introduced in the MCU, but he is quickly becoming a fan favorite. The character's jovial personality and personability make it easy for him to make friends, even with the normally quite enigmatic Sorcerer Supreme, Wong.

The mid-credit scene of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the longest that Wong and Shang-Chi have ever interacted onscreen, and is also one of the most delightful sequences in all of Phase 4, as the two heroes are depicted singing "Hotel California" at a karaoke bar. This hilarious burgeoning friendship absolutely deserves a long future in the MCU.

Doctor Strange And Thor

Upcoming Marvel Thor Strange

Doctor Strange and Thor Odinson are two of the most powerful superheroes in all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The two have crossed paths on several occasions, the first of which occurred during the events of Thor: Ragnarok, wherein Thor took the bizarre antics of Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum in stride, continuing his conversation with the then-Sorcerer Supreme without batting an eye at the strange goings-on around him.

Strange and Thor are not only incredibly powerful heroes, but they are also two of the most important Avengers moving forward in the MCU, whose adventures are leading the franchise's 2022 cinematic endeavors. As the events of the next Marvel saga unfold, these two would make powerful allies in whatever threat they are to face next.

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