When the MCU first expanded onto Disney Plus, it was a game-changer for cinema’s biggest franchise as it meant that Marvel Studios could also dominate the small screen alongside the big one. While Marvel Television (a now-defunct separate arm of Marvel Entertainment) had made multiple TV series for networks and other streaming platforms, it wasn’t until 2021 when Marvel Studios began producing its own TV content that was unarguably part of the unfolding narrative of the MCU.
Since then, we’ve had nine TV series emerge, which have both given long-term favorites their dues and also helped usher in the next generation of Marvel heroes. Much like the MCU as a whole since the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, the quality has certainly varied considerably from show to show, sometimes episode to episode, but on each occasion the fandom has been hopeful that each series finale would bring it home with aplomb.
Unfortunately, for every climactic episode that has struck gold, there’s another that flops hard. With Secret Invasion now in our rearview mirror and Loki season two on its way, it’s time to rank every Marvel Disney Plus series finale from worst to best. Warning: some unconventional opinions incoming…
9. Secret Invasion: “Home”
What more is there to say about the Secret Invasion finale that hasn’t been said already? The adaptation of an Avengers-level comic book event that had the power to fuel an MCU Phase all by itself really should’ve had a far more impactful final episode than this one. Or at least one that, you know, actually provided some kind of closure to Nick Fury’s character journey and motivations across the series. Is it deserving of the dishonor of being the lowest-rated slice of the MCU of all time? That’s up for debate, but it certainly is the weakest of the Disney Plus finales to date.
8. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: “One World, One People”
Oh, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, we had such hopes for you. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Kari and her Flag-Smashers suffered from a seriously flawed execution, as the audience doesn’t really feel the sympathy for these terrorists that Sam Wilson does, so our new Captain America’s big concluding speech doesn’t entirely hit home, despite its good intentions. That said, the reveal of Sam in his glorious new suit is worth the wait and kudos to Marvel for the genius move of announcing Captain America 4 on the same day as the finale’s release.
7. Moon Knight: “Gods and Monsters”
Moon Knight sure did come a long way, from kicking off with Steven’s low-key life in London to ending with a battle between two Kaiju-sized Egyptian gods. How much you enjoy that part of the finale depends on the individual viewers’ tastes, but fans from all over seem to agree that skipping over the big final fight between our hero and Ethan Hawke’s Harrow left us feeling seriously short-changed. The rise of May Calamawy’s Scarlet Scarab is a huge plus, though, and the long-awaited reveal of Jake Lockley was a punch-the-air moment for comic readers.
6. Ms. Marvel: “No Normal”
The threat of the Clandestines and the multiversal danger of the Noor Dimension were definitely not Ms. Marvel‘s strong points, which is probably why the show’s second half was a marked come-down from its strong and vibrant opening episodes. Nevertheless, its season one finale was a solid middle-of-the-road conclusion for an MCU show, thanks to its two much-talked about revelatory moments — the surprise that Kamala Khan is a mutant and Brie Larson’s The Marvels-teasing cameo as the spatially displaced Captain Marvel.
5. Hawkeye: “So This Is Christmas?”
Who would’ve thought that Hawkeye would remain one of the most consistent of the Disney Plus shows, beating out such much-hyped entries as Moon Knight and Secret Invasion? But the solo series for everyone’s least favorite founding Avenger stands as exactly that, with an entirely solid finale behind it to boot. There’s an enjoyably Christmassy vibe on display, Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate and Florence Pugh’s Yelena are a wonderful duo, and Vincent D’onofrio is back as Kingpin (in a hideous Hawaiian shirt, but still). An episode that’s entertaining enough to leave you wishing good will to all things Marvel.
4. What If..?: “The Watcher Broke His Oath?”
What If…? season one had a nifty structure, essentially acting as a Phase One of its own as the various variants heroes from the different anthology episodes assembled to save the multiverse in the finale. In terms of stakes, then, the What If…? finale beats all its brethren hands down, essentially acting as its own little Avengers movie. “Little” is sadly the operative word, though, as the episode just isn’t big enough to really deliver something entirely satisfying. Plus, its crossover fun is slightly hampered by a prior episode being pushed into season two. Still, let’s hope the next run’s finale is as imaginative as this one.
3. She-Hulk: “Whose Show Is This Anyway?”
Yes, you read that right. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law‘s meta humor wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea from the beginning, so naturally its truly surprising finale — which drives a bulldozer through a fourth wall that can never fully be rebuilt again — has gone down as the most divisive Disney Plus finale of the lot. Amid a sea of finales that mostly just tick the boxes, though, it’s self-awareness and critique of Marvel’s classic tropes makes it a real breath of fresh air and it displays the kind of gleefully avant-garde thinking the franchise could really do with more of across the board.
2. WandaVision: “The Series Finale”
WandaVision was the very first of Marvel’s Disney Plus series and it arguably remains the best overall. It’s finally is certainly the most emotionally impactful of the lot as the heartbreaking dissolution of the Maximoff family, leaving Wanda on her own once more, is so powerful that our sympathy for the Scarlet Witch here ensures we still can’t hate Wanda even after her Doctor Strange 2 rampage. Likewise, the long-awaited reveal of her final form is still the best “costume reveal” scene in one of these finales. If there’s one drawback, though, it’s that it couldn’t quite live up to the theory-fueled crossover epic we’d cooked up in our heads. We’re still waiting on Mephisto.
1. Loki: “For All Time. Always”
Loki is easily Marvel’s second biggest Disney Plus success story after WandaVision, as shown by its second season debut this October (it’s currently the only live-action show to get another run). Its finale is perhaps even better than its predecessor, however, on its own terms. Generally what hurts the MCU’s TV finales is that fans are always anticipating them to change the universe in a major way and they rarely do. Well, Loki definitely does, thanks to the arrival of Jonathan Majors as He Who Remains, offering a much more compelling performance than the one he gave as Kang in Quantumania (your mileage may vary). Loki‘s season one finale is really where the Multiverse Saga truly begins, making it an integral part of the ongoing MCU puzzle in a way that its fellow sister shows can only dream of.
Published: Aug 1, 2023 09:36 am