15 Best MCU Duos

Spoiler Alert: This list contains spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.What’s better than just one superhero? A superhero team-up. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has some of the best superhero pairings in the genre. Some are unlikely duos, and some are matches made in heaven, but no matter who they are or where they come from, these amazing partnerships have led to some wonderful stories and character arcs. Some are from older MCU outings, and some from the newest—like Spider-Man: Brand New Day—but regardless of which, the relationships are undeniable.

Whether the animated is romantic, familial, a friendship, a rivalry, or something else, the couplings in the MCU have earned a good deal of admiration from the franchise’s true fans. Good team-ups and relationships—platonic and romantic—not only deliver good stories but also bring out the best in each character, enhancing their story arcs and progressing them further as people. They also spawn both heartfelt and comedic moments that make for some of the most memorable moments in the long-running franchise. These are the best duos in the MCU, ranked by how memorable, entertaining, and essential they are.

15

Clint Barton and Kate Bishop

Kate Bishop and Clint Barton aiming their bows and arrows in Hawkeye.Image via Disney+

Ever since Hawkeye’s (Jeremy Renner) introduction to the MCU, fans had been asking for a solo project adapting the comic book run by Matt Fraction. While it came far later than many would have liked, Hawkeye eventually debuted in 2021, giving fans exactly what they wanted, especially with the introduction of fan-favorite Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). The Oscar nominee was especially a welcome addition, being a fan cast for the character for quite some time.

The best part of the Fraction run was the animated between Bishop and Clint Barton, and Steinfeld and Renner adapted it perfectly. The idea of surrogate father-daughter relationships has become quite popular in Hollywood with the success of projects like The Last of Us, but Hawkeye turned it into a true partnership, ending with them on equal ground and far better people for it. Both Hawkeyes are also quite amusing, leading to some amusing banter.

14

Frank Castle and Peter Parker

Spider-Man and Punisher standing together in a broken building in Spider-Man: Brand New DayImage via Sony Pictures Releasing

Despite being one of the newest duos in the MCU, the pairing of Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Punisher (Jon Bernthal) is already winning fans over. They have a similar animated to the likes of Frank Castle and another red-clad vigilante, but this one is laced with a bit more of a brotherly bond. They’re consistently bickering and arguing with each other, but it’s clear that they both trust each other.

Frank welcomes Peter and Michelle Jones-Watson (Zendaya) into his personal home when the Wall-Crawler pleads for sanctuary, he shows up to aid the teenage man fight the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) of all threats, and sits in the boy’s hospital room for quite some time just to make sure he’s okay—something he probably wouldn’t do for his Netflix counterpart. The bond these two have built throughout the newest installment in the Holland Spidey franchise is ever-lovable and has already made them an absolute fan favorite.

13

Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson

Bucky and Falcon turning around to see the camera in The Falcon and the Winter SoldierImage via Disney+

Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) represent the legacy of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), both in taking up his mantle and his effect on others. The filmmakers at Marvel Studios have been building the love-hate relationship between the two for quite some time, and when they finally got a solo project, it worked incredibly well.

This rocky relationship between the two has led to some hilarious banter that was further exploited in the Disney+ show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. However, their banter isn’t even the best part of the partnership. Bucky and Sam’s wildly different personalities allow the other to grow and learn from each other’s perspectives on life, becoming both better heroes and, more importantly, people.

12

Vision and Wanda Maximoff

Vision and Wanda stand next to one another looking out the living room window, worried, in WandaVisionImage via Disney+

Many complain that the relationship between Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) was underdeveloped. After all, they seem to be at drastically fresh places in their relationship in each film, going from friends in Captain America: Civil War to the love of each other’s lives in Avengers: Infinity War. Still, it can’t be denied that this pairing is adorable and absolutely iconic, so much so that it spawned WandaVision, which became one of the best and most successful Marvel Studios Disney+ shows.

Their connection, especially in Wandavision, is very compelling. Vision’s death in Avengers: Infinity War was unhappy, but the fact that Wanda had to kill him was especially devastating, largely thanks to Elizabeth Olsen’s wonderful performance. Wanda and Vision’s love is bittersweet and makes it one of the most riveting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz
Which MCU Hero Are You?
Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap

Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?

🕷️Spider-Man

😈Daredevil

🤖Iron Man

💀Punisher

⚡Thor

🛡️Cap

FIND YOUR HERO →

01

What drives you to do what’s right?
Choose the answer that feels most like you.

AWith great power comes great responsibility — I protect those who can’t protect themselves.
BMy faith and my conscience — I believe justice must be served, even in the gloomy.
CLegacy and ego, honestly — but I’ve learned that others depend on me now.
DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay.
EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name — I was born to protect realms.
FThe values I was raised with — freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully.

NEXT QUESTION →

02

It’s 2 AM. Where are you?
Your answer says more about you than you’d think.

ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood.
BRunning rooftops in Hell’s Kitchen, listening for trouble.
CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cool cup of coffee nearby.
DStaking out a target I’ve been tracking for three weeks.
ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand.
FOn a morning run — I was up at 4, actually. Couldn’t sleep.

NEXT QUESTION →

03

How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice?
Every hero has a method. What’s yours?

AWeb them up and leave them for the police — again.
BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside.
CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins.
DMake sure they don’t escape a third time. Permanently.
EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end.
FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in — by the book, even if it’s demanding.

NEXT QUESTION →

04

How do you feel about keeping a secret identity?
The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.

AEssential — my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am.
BCritical — the mask protects my mission as much as my face.
COverrated — I announced myself to the world and I’d do it again.
DI’m a ghost. The less people know about me, the better.
EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There’s no hiding it.
FI don’t hide — but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust.

NEXT QUESTION →

05

You’ve lost someone essential because of your heroism. How do you carry that?
Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.

AWith guilt that never fully goes away — it pushes me to do better, every single day.
BI channel it into purpose — their memory is the reason I keep fighting.
CI buried myself in work for years. I’m only recently learning to face it.
DIt transformed me completely. I’m not the same person I was before.
EWith warrior’s grief — I honour them by fighting with everything I have.
FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win.

NEXT QUESTION →

06

What’s your role when working with a team?
Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.

AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work — and keeps the mood up.
BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most.
CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation.
DI don’t do teams. I’m more effective operating solo, on my terms.
EThe hefty hitter — I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle.
FThe leader — I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind.

NEXT QUESTION →

07

Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge?
The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.

AClearly — I don’t kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly.
BI try to hold the line, but I’ve come terrifyingly close to crossing it.
CPractically — I do what’s necessary to protect people, including demanding calls.
DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice — the system just won’t admit it.
EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned — not automatic.
FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against.

NEXT QUESTION →

08

When you’re not saving the world, what does life look like?
The person behind the mask is always the more compelling story.

ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends.
BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets.
CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I’m sleeping enough.
DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions.
ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world — coffee is extraordinary.
FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly.

NEXT QUESTION →

09

What keeps you up at night?
Fear is useful data — if you’re candid about what you’re actually afraid of.

AThe people I couldn’t save — and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow.
BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too.
CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough.
DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I’ve made my choices.
EWhether I’m truly worthy — of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect.
FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing.

NEXT QUESTION →

10

The battle is lost. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do?
This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.

ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything.
BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat — and keep going.
CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan.
DI don’t accept that it’s lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore.
ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me.
FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it’s not over.

REVEAL MY HERO →

Your Hero Has Been Identified
Your MCU Hero Is…

Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.

Queens, New York

🕷️ Spider-Man

You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — amusing, true, and endlessly self-sacrificing.

• You do the right thing not because it’s straightforward, but because no one else will.
• You understand that responsibility isn’t a burden you choose — it’s one that finds you.
• Whether it’s a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
• Peter Parker’s lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn’t a slogan to you. It’s the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.

Hell’s Kitchen, New York

😈 Daredevil

You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.

• You apply every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
• You’ve looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been straightforward.
• Matt Murdock’s duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
• Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.

Stark Industries, Malibu

🤖 Iron Man

Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.

• You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
• You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
• Tony Stark’s arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
• You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you’re willing to give everything. Because in the end, you’re Iron Man.

New York City

💀 The Punisher

You’ve been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.

• You don’t ask for forgiveness, and you don’t expect gratitude.
• You see a corrupt, broken world and you’ve decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
• Frank Castle’s war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
• Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.

Asgard · Protector of the Nine Realms

⚡ Thor

Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.

• You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
• You’re larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
• Thor’s story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
• You bring the storm when it’s needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.

Brooklyn, New York · The Avengers

🛡️ Captain America

You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.

• You don’t bully the miniature guy, and you never stop when it gets demanding.
• Steve Rogers didn’t become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
• Your strength isn’t in your fists; it’s in your refusal to compromise what’s right, no matter the cost.
• In a world full of people taking the straightforward road, you’re the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

11

Peter Parker and Tony Stark

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Peter Parker (Tom Holland) at the end of ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

One of the fan-favorite pairings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the father-son relationship between Spider-Man and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). While many had a problem with Peter’s connection to Stark, their scenes together make the duo extremely lovable. Spider-Man’s teenage and spry nature pairs perfectly with the older, snippy Armored Avenger.

The pairing also allows for some incredible growth for both. One of Spidey’s best arcs in the MCU is learning to step out of the shadow of Iron Man and focus on the little guy in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Peter Parker also taught Tony how to be a father before he had his daughter in Avengers: Endgame. The two share a surprisingly heartwarming mentor-mentee bond, and they both mature greatly because of it.

10

Hulk and Thor Odinson

Mark Ruffalo as Hulk pouting next to Chris Hemsworth’s Thor in Thor: RagnarokImage via Marvel Studios

From the first moment that the green alter-ego of Bruce Banner met Thor (Chris Hemsworth) in The Avengers, a rivalry spawned. However, their animated evolved considerably from their fight on the Helicarrier to their meeting in Thor: Ragnarok on Sakaar. And through it all, the rivalry between the two strongest Avengers has been a fun ride.

What’s great about these two is that, much like Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, they love and hate each other at the same time. This unique animated is best displayed through their pairing in Thor: Ragnarok, where they’re constantly arguing about who is stronger and trying to one-up each other. But when it comes down to the wire, the two will always be there to support one another.

9

Reed Richards and Sue Storm

Reed and Sue looking down at something off-camera in The Fantastic Four: First StepsImage via Marvel Studios

In the Marvel Comics universe, Reed Richards and Sue Storm have always been one of the biggest power couples out there. They are the heads of “Marvel’s First Family,” and their mighty bond is a huge part of what brings The Fantastic Four together. While audiences haven’t had much time yet to spend with these two in the MCU, The Fantastic Four: First Steps manages to build their relationship to be an extremely mighty one in just one flick.

The MCU’s Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) have already been through so much together, and it’s demanding not to fall in love with their adorable love story. Moving into Avengers: Doomsday, fans already can’t wait to see more of what they do together, and how they manage the threat of Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) together.

8

James “Rhodey” Rhodes and Tony Stark

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Rhodey (Don Cheadle) in ‘Iron Man 3’Image via Marvel Studios

The friendship between James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Terrance Howard and Don Cheadle) and Tony Stark is one for the ages. No matter what shenanigans the billionaire is up to, Rhodey is there. What makes their friendship so special is that it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. However, they stick with each other, even when Rhodes needs to beat up his drunk friend to whip him into shape.

What makes Tony and Rhodey’s friendship so special is that it’s not always sunshine and rainbows.

The greatest friendships are those that not only support each other positively but also hold each other accountable and push each other to grow and learn from their mistakes. Rhodes has been around, doing that for Tony for quite some time. They have been through bulky and lean, and theirs is the longest-lasting relationship in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

7

Clint Barton and Natasha Romanov

Clint Barton aka Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) in ‘Avengers’Image via Marvel Studios

Another one of the longest-lasting relationships in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is between Hawkeye and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). The two are so close that she’s one of the only people on the planet who knows about Clint’s family. They’re the two secret agents and decidedly human characters in the original Avengers lineup, and their history connects them in an absurdly compelling way.

Their history is hinted at and spoken about quite a bit throughout the franchise, but when we get more of a look into it with Black Widow, it adds so much to the context behind their friendship. Together, Clint and Natasha have been through so much, and it shows. Clint’s mourning at Natasha’s well-earned sacrifice in Endgame is quite heartbreaking and another example of how close they were.

6

Frank Castle and Matt Murdock

Punisher (Jon Bernthal) and Daredevil (Charlie Cox) in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 1, Episode 9.Image via Disney+

While it was up in the air how much the Netflix Daredevil show was actually part of the MCU for a while, the release of Daredevil: Born Again has made it a full inclusion in the cinematic universe. The duo of Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), introduced all the way back in Daredevil Season 2, was not only one of the best duos back then, but has had time to grow into one of the best of the best.

What makes this such a fun pairing is the idea that they’re consistently helping each other out, regardless of the fact that they so very much don’t have much love for each other—with respect driving their partnership through conflict. Their inherent disagreements about how to operate as heroes make their time together so compelling and provide genuine conflict, as The Man Without Fear typically has to actively keep this gun-toting anti-hero from murdering people. Anyone who’s seen these two together always loves to see them come together in any way, shape, or form.