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2021 has been a adult twelvemonth for the Marvel Cinematic Universe - and here are all the big and best winding and reveal over the course of the class . The coronavirus pandemic meant even Marvel Studios sat out 2022 , but they come to 2021 in mode . There ’s a sense in which this was the year theMCU evolved into a transmedia multiverse- withWandaVisionleading to a spate of popular Disney+ idiot box shows that officially tie in directly into the movies themselves .
For all that ’s the example , though , 2021 has n’t really been a class of massive surprisal . Several of those Disney+ TV shows count on villains twists , but in general they were telegraphed well in advance ; the Sharon Carter / Power Broker expose inThe Falcon & the Winter Soldierwas rather too obvious , for model , while the Kingpin ’s appearance inHawkeyewas foreshadowed from the first instalment . Still , even some more obvious reveals have landed in a really satisfying mode - most notably a delicious winding inSpider - Man : No style Home- while there have been some other reveals that took audience by surprisal .
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Given that ’s the case , here are the best reveals of 2021 - the character debut , the plot twists , and the hound turns that will be most memorable . Phase 4 ’s transmedia advance means some of these will be related to the small screen rather than the big screen , and some of them have been celebrate rather more than others .
The Surprise Introduction Of Blade In Eternals
Eternals ' post - credit scene saw Kit Harington’sDane Whitman claim the Ebony Blade , set him up to be transformed into the MCU ’s Black Knight . This was hardly unexpected - as soon as Marvel revealed the name of the quality he was play , it was clear they ’d be take him down that route sooner rather than later . But Dane was interrupted before he could pick up the Ebony Blade , by a mysterious voice warning him he may not be quick for it . This was the surprise MCU voice debut of Mahershala Ali as Blade , an unexpected delight for devotee who ’d been wait forward to learn how the vampire hunter would enter the MCU . What ’s more , Marvel has foretell this was n’t just a random cameo . " The Ebony Blade , the characteristics of the Ebony Blade are not dissimilar to some level of vampirism , " manufacturer Nate Moore explained , " and we think that ’s an interesting form of thing to play with . So we kind of roll in the hay that was on the board . " It seems the MCU’sBlade and Black Knight will be intimately link , making this of import setup .
The Eternals Learn Earth’s True Fate
The Eternals had believe themselves grinder , champions of humans who had protected Earth from the terror of the Deviants for millennium . ButEternalsrevealed they had been misled ; in the true they were simply pawn of the Celestials , who used them to ensure life-time flourished on worlds that contained a heavenly germ in their nitty-gritty . The seed grew over the millennia , until the nascent Celestial sustenance in the heart of the planet draw off upon the abundant aliveness energy and emerged through the world ’s impudence , destroying it - and committing an act of genocide . This revelation was a shameful one , and it forced the various members of the Eternals to choose a side - would they save humanity by rebelling against their Celestial creators , or would they continue toserve the Celestialsand thus doom the worldly concern ?
Black Widow’s Identity Switch Twist
Black Widow ’s identity swap was one of the most effective bend in the MCU ’s latest undercover agent thriller . Natasha Romanoff ’s mother figure Melina apparently betrayed her surrogate family , devote them over to the Red Room , and the interest grew as the motion picture went on . Then , in a superb wrench , it wrick out both Natasha and Melina were using old SHIELD camouflage masks of the case seen inCaptain America : The Winter Soldier . The Red Room had unwittingly put away Melina , a scientist with the knowledge to get out of their cells , while Natasha Romanoff was confronting the leader of the Red Room itself . It was a tremendously effective twist , one that redefined the third act and localise up the moving picture ’s resolution .
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Xialing’s Heel Turn In Shang-Chi
Marvel typically use their post - credits scene to set up future movies , butShang - Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings ' post - credits include one of the most efficacious to date - twisting the entire story around by revealingShang - Chi ’s sister Xialingwas a villain all along . Shang - Chi believed she had travel to Hunan responsibility to shut down their father ’s Ten Rings terrorist organisation , but in reality she ’d taken them over . This remind viewers to look back through the film and recognize elusive guidepost that repoint to the heel turn throughout , include a Red Skull Easter egg at her Golden Daggers agitate club .
Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home
For month there had been rumors Charlie Cox would be reprising the role of Matt Murdock , the blind attorney who on the Q.T. suit up as Daredevil , inSpider - Man : No Way Home . These rumor prove correct , with Murdock hired as Peter Parker ’s attorney - and even demonstrating his superhuman ability in one memorable scene . It was only a brief cameo , but it worked - in magnanimous part because of careful timing , because Daredevil ’s nemesis Kingpin had made the jump from Marvel Netflix into the mainstream MCU just 24-hour interval earlier beforeNo Way Home ’s release , inHawkeyeepisode 5 . Marvel seemed to deliberately avoid any obvious indication as to whether these are the same lineament from Marvel Netflix , or whether they ’ve been boot , butdetails in the Kingpin designsuggest the former .
WandaVision’s “It Was Agatha All Along”
Most viewers had figured out Kathryn Hahn ’s Agnes was a villain inWandaVision , and indeed many had even speculated she was secretly sorceress Agatha Harkness , a powerful beldam in the funnies . But when Marvel finally revealed the truth , they did so in a wonderful montage that play with the stylus of the entire series - and featured an unforgettable Sung dynasty , " It Was Agatha All Along . " This showed how the persona had charm some of the most bizarre second inWandaVision , and built to a orgasm in which she delightedly told viewers , " And I defeat Sparky too . " This was well one of the MCU ’s most fashionable reveals in 2021 , and the birdcall acquire anEmmy for Outstanding Original Music .
The Introduction Of He Who Remains In Loki
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Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Spider-Men
But first place has to go toSpider - Man : No Way Home ’s thrilling use of the multiverse - bringing together three adaptation of Spider - Man , with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield reprising their theatrical role alongsideTom Holland . Maguire and Garfield ’s bearing in the pic was one of the worst - kept secrets in the history of Hollywood , but it was manage utterly , with the script lay the three Spider - Men as dissimilar visions of the hero sandwich - Tom Holland as the rookie , Andrew Garfield as the hero who ’s make up a fearful price , and Tobey Maguire as the seasoned superhero . Even more remarkable , Spider - Man : No Way Homedidn’t just utilize Maguire and Garfield for devotee - service , but rather made them essential characters , even give them their own arc . It was easily the most satisfying reveal in the MCU in 2021 .
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