The fact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been running as long as it has is an impressive feat on its own. When you consider the sheer number of characters who are consistently introduced to the franchise, it becomes something truly special. The main heroes of the series that are ripped straight from the comic book pages are always what people come to see, and the same goes for some of the villains, yet it’s often the supporting players who manage to steal the show.
These are the characters who aren’t the titular people in their respective movies or the main antagonists. Instead, they’re introduced as characters meant to help the protagonist, sometimes even oppose them, and in a few cases, just cause a level of chaos. A handful have even gone on to become some of the biggest heroes in the entire MCU. Regardless, they all managed to shine brightly as supporting parts throughout Phase Two of the franchise.
The MCU’s second phase covers Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Ant-Man. It’s one of the strongest phases of the MCU and it’s thanks in large part to these scene-stealing characters.
10
The Collector (Guardians Of The Galaxy)
Technically, The Collector made his first appearance in Thor: The Dark World, but since that was only a small post-credits scene, he really got to shine in Guardians of the Galaxy. An eccentric man with a plan, the Guardians visit the Collector to bring him the Power Stone.
The Collector’s job in Guardians of the Galaxy is to basically explain the significance of the Infinity Stones, setting the stage for the future of the franchise. It’s not much, but Benicio del Toro’s charisma made the character a highlight of the film.
9
Sharon Carter (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
The journey of Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter is a wild one as she has gone on to be revealed as the Power Broker, a villain in a post-Avengers: Endgame world. However, she started as Steve Rogers’ flirtatious neighbor in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, only to reveal herself as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
Unlike other agents in the organization, she wasn’t secretly part of Hydra. That made her one of the people to root for and in the movie, she helps Steve when the Winter Soldier attacks his apartment and steps up against Hydra during the film’s climax. It shows that, for a time, she was incredibly heroic.
8
Frigga (Thor: The Dark World)
Although she debuted in Phase One’s Thor, Frigga didn’t get all that much to do there. She was given screen time in Thor: The Dark World and made the most of it. Rene Russo does strong work as the character, especially when she shares the screen with Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster.
Frigga also gets to be part of the film’s emotional core, as she defends Jane and ends up sacrificing her life in the process. While Frigga is solid in a small role here, it does look even better after seeing her return in a standout scene in Avengers: Endgame.
7
Trevor Slattery (Iron Man 3)
The entire premise of Trevor Slattery as a character is a controversial one. He first appears as The Mandarin, seemingly the main antagonist of Iron Man 3. Ben Kingsley’s performance as The Mandarin is legitimately chilling and fans were excited to see him as the villain.
However, the film delivers a twist and reveals that The Mandarin isn’t real and he’s actually just Trevor, an actor paid in drugs to play the character. Kingsley is hilarious once the reveal comes, delivering some of the MCU’s funniest moments when he gets confronted by Tony Stark and James Rhodes.
6
Pietro Maximoff (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)
For a while, it looked like Pietro Maximoff would be a huge part of the MCU. He appeared in Avengers: Age of Ultron alongside his sister and his superspeed made him an interesting addition to the story, especially once he moved over to align himself with the Avengers.
However, Pietro is tragically killed during the Battle of Sokovia, ending his MCU stint before it really began. Still, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is good in the role and Pietro gets some great moments, especially in terms of his budding rivalry with Hawkeye. It’s a shame that he’s yet to appear again, especially with the multiverse being a thing.
5
Hank Pym (Ant-Man)
Hank Pym plays a massively important role in Ant-Man. He fits perfectly into the trope of mentor figure, as he was Ant-Man in the past, he developed the shrinking technology, and he’s the one who chooses Scott Lang to take over as the hero.
Mentors tend to die, but Hank survived and is still part of the MCU to this day. Michael Douglas plays well off Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly, while also delivering a very good performance during the opening scene where he’s de-aged. Hank is tragic, yet he’s also not totally likable, which makes for a relatively complex character.
4
Sam Wilson (Captain America: The Winter Soldier/Ant-Man)
Sam Wilson has come further than almost anyone else in the MCU, starting as a friend to Steve Rogers and eventually becoming Captain America. He went from supporting character to leading his own television series and his own film.
In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie’s Sam has an easy chemistry with Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers. Their scenes together are playful and Sam eventually busts out his Falcon gear, turning him into one of the franchise’s best sidekicks. There was also his cameo in Ant-Man, which is one of the funniest parts of the movie. He’s a standout hero who has only gotten better over time.
3
Vision (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)
Like many others on this list, Vision started as a supporting hero only to become a much bigger deal. His arrival in Avengers: Age of Ultron is a complicated one as he’s born from a combination of J.A.R.V.I.S., Ultron, the Mind Stone, and more.
Almost immediately, Vision gets to show how special he is when he wields Mjolnir, which no Avenger besides Thor could do at the time. Paul Bettany is perfect in the role and it’s intriguing to see how Vision views the world around him given the many brains that played a part in his creation.
2
Luis (Ant-Man)
Luis is such a great supporting character that he’s a highlight of the first two Ant-Man movies and his absence in the third was a huge issue. Played hilariously by Michael Peña, Luis is Scott Lang’s ex-convict friend who delivers funny moments whenever he’s on screen.
You need a great comedic relief character like that and Luis is as good as it gets. His most famous bit is when he tells a story and recounts so many elements to get to his point that it’s hilarious. He also plays a role in the heroes coming out on top during the film’s main climax.
1
Wanda Maximoff (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)
Honestly, Wanda Maximoff could rank near the top of any list when it comes to MCU characters. She, like her brother, debuted in the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier but made an impact in Avengers: Age of Ultron, starting as an antagonist looking for revenge on Tony Stark.
Like her brother, she realizes what Ultron has planned and switches sides. Wanda is extremely powerful and gets some great scenes with everyone from Clint Barton to Ultron himself. Elizabeth Olsen is also a stellar actress who has been great in the role since her first appearance and is one of the MCU’s best characters.