Along with all of the saving-the-world heroics, the characters of the MCU occasionally find some time for romance. With all the dangerous adventures these people experience together, it makes sense that a few of them will fall in love from time to time. Sometimes these romances feel like a match made in heaven. Other times they have us scratching our heads wondering why.
Just like in real life, not every MCU couple is built to last. We might cheer for two heroes to finally live happily ever after together, but then other couples just feel wrong. Here are some couples from the MCU that make sense and somewhat make no sense.
Makes Sense: Tony And Pepper
Tony and Pepper are the couple that started the MCU. While it took until the sequel for them to officially get together, their chemistry was apparent from the very beginning. They have had their share of problems and even separated for a time, but we always knew they would work it out.
Perhaps what makes Tony and Pepper such an ideal pair is that she is somehow who keeps him grounded. His ego can get him into trouble and make him do stupid things, but she helps bring him back to earth. Though their relationship ended too soon, they remained a heartwarming couple to the end.
No Sense: Hope And Scott
There has long been a tradition of the tough and serious hero being partnered with the goofy comedic hero. That dynamic is certainly on display with Hope Van Dyne and Scott Lang. While that relationship might be fun when they’re fighting crime as Ant-Man and The Wasp, it is less successful as a romantic relationship.
Scott is certainly a lovable guy, but we’re still left wondering what Hope sees in him. She could believably be friends and partners with him, but they don’t seem to have anything in common besides both being superheroes. Hopefully, the third film can explore that romance a little further.
Makes Sense: T’Challa And Nakia
As T’Challa becomes King of Wakanda, it seems like only a matter of time before he needs to find himself a queen. What’s refreshing about his relationship with Nakia is that she seems like the furthest thing from what one would expect from a queen.
Nakia is more interested in helping out her people from a ground-level position, rather than sitting in a throne room. And T’Challa seems to respect that. He listens to her, considers her position and takes her advice. It is a relationship built on mutual respect.
No Sense: Natasha And Bruce
The MCU has previously received some criticism for its lack of female heroes. This problem became even more apparent when the only female Avenger was shoehorned into a romance with one of her teammates. While Joss Whedon no doubt had good intentions by introducing the Natasha and Bruce love story in Avengers: Age of Ultron, it was ill-advised.
Aside from that, the romance itself was pretty uninteresting. The idea that these two were drawn to each other because they are both damaged adds some more problematic subtext. Without actually seeing what they are like as a couple, it all feels awkward and was sort of brushed aside in later films.
Makes Sense: Gamora And Quill
Once again, the goofy guy falls for the serious girl with the romance between Peter Quill and Gamora. However, this time it works surprisingly well. What helps is that both of these characters are outcasts. Quill is an orphan in space while Gamora is trying to run away from her troubled past.
With each other and the other Guardians, Gamora and Quill find their own family. The will-they-won’t-they dynamic is cliched but entertaining and their romance is pretty impactful in Avengers: Infinity War. It will be interesting to see what’s next for them considering the changes to their relationship.
No Sense: Thor And Jane
There’s something special about a romance between people from different worlds. However, Thor and Jane Foster could not be from more different worlds and yet their romance has been so dull.
It seems like the only reason these two people got together was that they were attracted to each other. The movies have tried to convince us that their romance is so powerful, they cannot stop thinking about each other even when in different parts of the universe, but it’s hard to buy that. Maybe Thor: Love and Thunder will finally make it a worthwhile romance.
Makes Sense: Peter and MJ
Who knew that the MCU would be so good at portraying a high school romance? The relationship between Peter Parker and MJ has been such a big part of the comic books. Even though this is a very different take on that story, it is no less easy to cheer for these two to fall in love.
Spider-Man: Far From Home did such an amazing job showing the awkwardness of this kind of flirting and the nervousness of the teens trying to express their feeling to one another. The third Spider-Man movie should provide some interesting hurdles for this young couple to overcome.
No Sense: Ned And Betty
To be fair, this relationship is meant to be confusing and, in that respect, it certainly succeeds. Before traveling to Europe, Ned was adamant that he and Peter live the bachelor’s life abroad. However, after sitting next to Betty Brant for the long flight, he finds himself in a very meaningful relationship.
What makes this relationship so hilariously random is how we get no real idea of how these to found themselves so head-over-heels in love with each other. Even funnier is how quickly they break up without any reason.
Makes Sense: Peggy And Steve
The romance between Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers was hinted at before he was ever a super-soldier. But given how nice and caring of a person Steve is, it’s not too surprising that Peggy saw something special in him even when he was a skinny kid.
Their romance was filled with tragedy as Peggy lost Steve once only for him to come back when she was old and nearing the end of her life. Thankfully, Avengers: Endgame gave these two the happy ending they deserved and they finally got to share that dance they had planned so many years ago.
No Sense: Steve And Sharon
If there is one thing that could damage the lovely romance between Peggy and Steve, it is the short-lived but highly disturbing romance between Steve and Sharon Carter. Though Steve deserved to move on and find someone else to build a relationship with, Peggy’s great-niece was the wrong choice.
Both of these characters seem to be good people, so it’s confusing why they would do something that is very wrong for so many reasons. The fact that Steve then went back in time to spend the rest of his life with Peggy and start a family raises some uncomfortable questions.
