The Marvel Cinematic Universe Has some incredibly poignant lines of dialogue, tugging hard on the heartstrings even on repeat viewings. It’s true that the MCU movies aren’t exactly known for their high-brow cinema, with something of a low profile like decent popcorn flicks to be enjoyed as entertaining blockbusters. But the series has managed to create some incredibly impressive lines over the years, often sad enough to inspire genuine emotional reactions.
With context, many of the iconic movie franchise lines are devastating, with the various screenwriters who have contributed to the MCU over the years putting some of their best work into the series. It helps that the star-studded game from Marvel Studios always delivers the lines with the necessary gravitas and acting skills to be expected from their celebrity status. Thought-provoking in a vacuum and devastating in the context they are spoken in, the dark lines of the MCU can stand up to those of any drama film.
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“I love you 3,000.”
Tony’s hologram Will, Avengers: Endgame
“I love you 3,000” is Ann Love quote first said by tony stark’s daughter with pepper, morgan, during the beginning of Avengers: Endgame. The childish expression of love is used as a refrain throughout the film, but is most noteworthy when said by a holoform Tony, who recites his last will and testament before his passing in the battle for Earth. Considering he had the presence of mind to record this message before entering the fight, it shows that Tony knew there was a very real chance that he would die in the effort to save the planet.
After ruminating on the consequences of Thanos’ invasion and his shock at playing such a huge role in it, Tony assures the audience that he is ready and willing to make such a sacrifice from the beginning. He ends the message with “I love you 3,000”, sending his daughter’s words back to her for the last time. The impact this simple quote is able to leave makes it all the more impressive that Robert Downey Jr. Improvised the line in the first place.
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“I have a date…”
Captain America Awakens, Captain America: The First Avenger
Although it is unfortunately often overshadowed by Iron Man And The Avengers In the original phase one lineup, Captain America: The First Avenger Has some truly brilliant moments. None shine perhaps as brightly as its ending, which sees Captain America wake up from his coma only to quickly learn that he is actually almost 70 years in the future. Sprinting from his containment facility at SHIELD headquarters, Steve Rogers stumbles into full view of a bustling modern city.
To his credit, the now centenarian veteran takes the new world surprisingly well, overwhelmed but still conscious after suffering such a dramatic culture shock. In the end, there is only one thing on his mind, as he realizes that he has a date with Peggy Carter that may now never be fulfilled. The simple somberness with which Steve utters these words is utterly heartbreaking, even though he finally gets the chance to make good on his promise in Avengers: Endgame.
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“He’s killing my mom.”
Tony learns the truth about Bucky in Captain America: Civil War
It is difficult to say that one side was obviously more in the right than the other in Captain America: Civil War. While both Tony and Steve make some valid points about the Sokovia Accords, the final nail in the coffin of the schism in their relationship comes crashing down with an emotionally devastating realization. It turns out that the accident that killed Tony’s parents was actually an assassination carried out by the Winter Soldier, aka Bucky Barnes.
As if learning this wasn’t brutal enough, the realization that Steve knew and didn’t tell Tony was salt in the wound. Try as Steve might to point out the fact that Bucky is not in control of his actions, in Tony’s mind, the simple fact remains – “He killed my mother.” There is so much heartbreaking about this line, From the importance it places on Tony’s relationship with his mother specifically (Whorard Stark was a more complex character) to the raw simplicity of the matter-of-fact statement.
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“I bet we are fun.”
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
One of the most interesting dynamics of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Is Peter Quill’s attempts to win over the Gamora of the past brought into the present timeline by the events of Avengers: Endgame. Even if she doesn’t share her father’s tyrannical beliefs, this version of Gamora is still far from the love interest Star-Lord knew, as she had no memories of the experiences that brought them together. Try as Star-Lord might, he can’t seem to reconcile his memory of the original Gamora with the new version.
She expresses some regret at the situation, idly speculating”I bet we are fun.“
Somewhere deep down, it seems as though the new Gamora almost refuses to believe that she could ever fall in love with Peter. At the end of the film, she expresses some regret at the situation, idly speculating “I bet we are fun.“Even if some part of you would like to have such a relationship with Star-Lord, the simple heartbreaking truth is that their relationship can never organically fall in the same way ever again. This painful acknowledgment makes Gamora’s final rejection of Peter all the more tragic.
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“I don’t want to go…”
Spider-Man Becomes Dust, Avengers: Infinity War
Avengers: Infinity War Has one of the most unbelievably unfortunate endings of any superhero film ever, with the heroes definitively losing as Thanos instantly erases half of them from existence. It’s chilling to see every beloved character turn to literal dust in the wind, but Peter Parker’s extended death scene is particularly tragic. Somewhat more clinging to life than Thanos’ other victims, Spider-Man’s fear of death comes bubbling to the surface in his final moments.
True, the last line, “Mr. Stark… I don’t feel so well“, Has memed past the point of no emotional impact yet Avengers: Infinity Wars release. But Spider-Man falling into Tony’s arms while whimpering that he doesn’t want to go over and over again is still hard to watch, even on repeat viewings. The deep darkness of the moment was a stroke of brilliance on behalf of Tom Holland’s improvisation, which generated the line in the first place.
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“In case you need to kill me, but you can’t! I know! I tried!”
Bruce Banner describes his suicide attempt, The Avengers
Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner is one of the most underwhelming performances in the MCU. Today, his character has sadly floundered into a friendly, lovable Hulk with none of the darkness or trauma that Bruce Banner is typically associated with. But there was a time early on in the MCU when it seemed like the Hulk might be one of the franchise’s most serious and emotionally charged characters. This is best demonstrated in the avengers, When Bruce Banner describes his suicide attempt.
Banner reveals that any attempt to kill him to avoid the dangers of the Hulk would not go well, as he himself had already made an attempt on his own life. Banner describes how he put a bullet in his mouth, only to have the “other guy” spit it out.A terrifying testament to the power of the Hulk. His shocking admission of this among new people is one of the most vulnerable moments of any character in the entire MCU.
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– It hurts.
Rocket says his first word, Guardians of the Galaxy 3
While the soap opera-style melodrama between Star-Lord and Gamora is certainly alluring, at its core, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 was an origin story for Rocket Raccoon. Through flashback, the film tells the tragic tale of Rocket’s upbringing, starting life as a scared and confused experiment of the high evolutionary. however, Rocket began learning at an accelerated pace, saying his first word not long after gaining sensation – “Hurts.”
For this simple but pleading line to be Rocket’s first word is deeply tragic, shedding insight into just how painful life can be as a thought experiment. The cybernetic implants poking through Rocket’s back certainly look painful, and his early line confirms as much. Unfortunately, for the earliest stages of his life, Rocket would only know more pain, as his ruthless creator kills his friends in cold blood. Still, there’s something about the innocent simplicity with which Baby Rocket matters.”Hurts“That just tugs at the heartstrings every time.
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“You are so great.”
Ant-Man sees Cassie, Avengers: Endgame
Unlike the Hulk and Thor, who started their journey in the MCU more seriously to end up as comedic figures, Ant-Man was an inherently comedic character from the start. From his ridiculous power set to the comedic talents of actor Paul Rudd, Scott Lang has always been a source of punchlines in the series. that is, Avengers: Endgame Knowing when to let the characters have a serious emotional reaction to somethingEspecially when it came to his daughter, Cassie.
All he could make out through tears was “You are so great“, commenting on the fact that his little girl is now a teenager
Between movies, Ant-Man manages to skip the five years of the snap in mere moments thanks to being hidden in the quantum realm, only to escape thanks to Avengers: Endgames hall-of-fame rat. Because of this, he misses his daughter, Cassie, aged five years, causing him to burst into tears when he saw her for the first time. All he could make out through tears was “You are so great“, commenting on the fact that his little girl is now a teenager.
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“I’m sorry I didn’t do any of it right. But I’m damn proud you’re my boy.”
Yondu Saves Star-Lord, Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is a movie all about fatherhood. While Quil finally meets his long-lost biological father for the first time, he soon discovers that his true father figure has been Yondu all along. Even though the blue-skinned alien Ravager may be rough around the edges, he actually raised Peter Quill as his own son, and finally admits to their bond when he dramatically sacrifices himself to save Star-Lord towards the climax of Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
After years of denying it, Yondu admits to Peter that Ego could be his father, “But boy, he’s not your daddy“, assumed responsibility as Star-Lord’s sole parental influence. This becomes all the more obvious when the realization is made that Yondu was supposed to hand Peter over to Ego, but could not bear to do so knowing his plans for the boy. Few things in the MCU are as heartbreaking as realizing that Yondu kept Peter around for more reasons than just his skills as a thief, only for him to die moments later.
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“But look at me. Stretching one moment in a thousand… just so I can watch the snow.”
The Ancient One dies, Doctor Strange
The Ancient One may not be a particularly celebrated role in Tilda Swinton’s filmography, but the prestige actress brings a remarkable amount of grace and class to the hectic superhero film. After living for millennia, the Ancient One finally begins to die due to the wounds she sustained at the hands of Caecilius and his followers. Before she does, she slows down time and brings Doctor Strange’s astral spirit outside for an out-of-body aside.
Here, the Ancient One gives Stephen Strange a pep talk about his failures and his future, not to mention the necessity of him stopping Dormammu. Eventually, she moves on after admitting that she is stealing her own death, which she has predicted countless times. This thoughtful dialogue emphasizes how no matter how ready one may appear to be to die, when the time finally comes, it is a different story, even for a MCU Character with a long life like the ancients.