Many entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC's movies have ended with climactic fight scenes, and some of them left a huge mark. There is a formula when it comes to superhero movies, and it often leads to a major final fight. These can be between heroes and villains — the traditional route — or between heroes, a balance that the MCU's best movies and DC's top films have worked with.
A big finale is a must for superhero films. However, final fights do not have to be all about scale. A movie can leave a mark with a more personal fight between characters the audience cares about, which is often as effective or even more than large-scale conflicts. Throughout the last few decades, Marvel and DC have brought a slew of gripping final fights to the big screen. The MCU's upcoming movies and James Gunn's DC Universe can learn lessons from the following superhero final fights:
10
The Dark Knight Rises’ Final Fight Had Batman Get Revenge On Bane
The Dark Knight Franchise (2012)
First is the last movie in director Christopher Nolan's iconic Batman franchise, The Dark Knight Rises. While the movie itself is the worst in the trilogy, it is still good, and the final fight between Batman and Bane made up for some of the issues faced by the rest of the film, deserving a place on the list.
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Earlier in the movie, Christian Bale's Batman had his back broken by Bane. This led to months of Bruce Wayne working to get back in top shape and escape the prison Bane put him in. The Dark Knight Rises' final fight paid off all that training, with Batman defeating Bane.
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The Dark Knight Rises is the final chapter in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, with Christian Bale donning the cape and cowl once more to save Gotham City from certain destruction. Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Batman has left the public eye after taking the fall for the crimes committed by a twisted Harvey Dent. However, he is called back into action when a mysterious villain named Bane arrives to bring disorder to Gotham, forcing him to confront deeper, darker recesses of his past to be able to face a challenge he may not be ready for.
Release Date
July 16, 2012
Runtime
164 Minutes
The scene had many moving parts. Batman fights Bane as Gotham City descends into chaos, with GCPD officers fighting criminals all around the Dark Knight and the villain. This gave the scene an epic context. Batman recovered his body and soul, showing he was Bane's superior.
9
The Suicide Squad’s Final Fight Saw The Team Become Family With Bloody Action
Suicide Squad Franchise/DCEU (2021)
Before he became the creative chief of DC Studios, James Gunn directed The Suicide Squad. The movie is easily one of the DCEU's best, if not the franchise's crown jewel. After a thrilling ride full of laughs and mayhem, The Suicide Squad's final fight had a lot of blood and heart.
The DC team lost multiple members along the way, and Polka-Dot Man was sadly killed in the final fight against Starro. The battle with the towering monster and its army of minions was tough. However, by this point in the movie, the remaining members of the Suicide Squad had already become family.
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James Gunn's The Suicide Squad acts as a soft reboot for David Ayer's 2016 Suicide Squad. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) is again recruiting a group of superheroes for a dangerous mission, this time pairing Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) with Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Savant (Michael Rooker), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), Blackguard (Pete Davidson), and Javelin (Flula Borg).
Release Date
August 5, 2021
Runtime
132 minutes
Every character gets their moment to shine. The Suicide Squad's final fight secures its spot on the list due to the epic scale of the battle, exciting moments like Bloodsport assembling his mega gun, and how the team defies Amanda Waller to save the day. The villains became heroes.
8
Man Of Steel’s Final Fight Tragically Broke Superman’s Number 1 Rule
Superman Franchise/DCEU (2013)
This is perhaps the most controversial final fight on the list. Director Zack Snyder decided to start the DCEU with a bang, and Henry Cavill's Superman went all out against Michael Shannon's General Zod. Every hit could be felt as the two left a path of destruction in Metropolis as they fought.
Months before its premiere, the DCU's Superman film already beat a major Henry Cavill Man of Steel record, and the movie's box office chances improve.
If there is one thing Snyder excels at, it is action. Man of Steel's final fight never has a dull moment, showing how powerful these characters are and how small regular humans feel in comparison. There are many impressive visuals throughout the sequence, such as Superman standing tall with a major explosion behind him.
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This new take on Superman's origin story, Man of Steel, centers on young journalist Clark Kent/Kal-El, a being who came to Earth as a child from Krypton. Though he has trouble fitting in with his secret superpowers and questions his purpose in life, Clark is forced into action when fellow Kryptonian General Zod arrives on Earth hellbent on conquest. Clark is built by the values set upon him by his parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, who adopted him as an otherworldly orphan, inadvertently raising him to become the hero humanity needs.
The DCEU movie's final fight presents some of the best flight scenes in live-action. It ranks above the other two DC movies that came before due to its massive scale and the bigger impact of its conclusion. To save Metropolis' citizens, Superman snaps Zod's neck and is left inconsolable.
7
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s Final Fight Was More Intense Than Expected
Black Panther Franchise/MCU (2022)
The first Marvel movie on the list had a brutal and personal final fight. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's story built up to a major confrontation between Shuri and Namor. Both characters are very similar, so seeing these two possible allies almost kill each other was impactful.
After the original Black Panther had one of the worst superhero movie final fights, the sequel was an improvement in every aspect. Visually, the fight did not look like a video game at all, with Shuri's black and gold Black Panther suit beautifully contrasting with the white sand.
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the sequel to the 2018 film Black Panther and is part of Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Gripping with the passing of their king, the nation of Wakanda attempts to figure out how to move forward with Queen Mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) at the helm. However, a nation in grieving is not observed by all, as soon Wakanda comes under attack by the underwater civilization of Talocan, led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta.) Wakanda will enlist allies outside and from within to push back this new invading threat and ensure that Wakanda truly does live on forever.
The sequence cuts between the two rulers of their nations fighting and Wakandan forces going up against the Talokanil. Shuri took a spear to the stomach while Namor was blasted by the potent engines of her Wakandan ship. Both characters almost died, elevating the fight and securing its spot on the list.
6
Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice’s Final Fight Led To Superman’s Untimely Death
Batman And Superman Franchises/DCEU (2016)
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice might have its fair share of issues, but fight scenes are not among them. As is par for the course, Zack Snyder once again delivered brutal, engaging action scenes. After Superman fought Batman, a surprising final fight ensued.
While Batman and Superman's brawl was the movie's climactic moment, Doomsday posed a major threat to the heroes. With Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman suiting up, the fight marked the first time DC Comics' Trinity appeared together in live-action. Sadly, it would end in tragedy.
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In this high-action film by Zack Snyder, the two DC superheroes face off against one another in a conflict spurred on by the villainous Lex Luthor. The film also features WonderWoman playing a role in the fight against Doomsday and other villains from beyond the Earth. As the world's two most powerful superheroes prepare to destroy each other, an unexpected commonality brings them together to defeat their real enemy.
Release Date
March 24, 2016
Runtime
152 minutes
They might not have been friends yet, but seeing Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman fight side by side was epic. Each hero got a moment to shine. To cap it off, Superman made the ultimate sacrifice, dying to take out Doomsday and save the world. The epic scale of the fight and its result warrant its placement on the list.
5
Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Final Fight Showed Peter Parker’s Brutal Side
Spider-Man Franchise/MCU (2021)
The top five final fights in superhero movies go from large battles to more intimate fights. To start them off is Spider-Man: No Way Home, whose final fight is divided into two moments. First is the large-scale conflict, with the three Spider-Men facing off villains from Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man movies.
MCU Spider-Man Movies
Release Year
Spider-Man: Homecoming
2017
Spider-Man: Far From Home
2019
Spider-Man: No Way Home
2021
Spider-Man 4
2026
After some exciting moments that spotlight all three versions of Peter Parker, the movie focuses on Tom Holland's. Spider-Man: No Way Home's true final fight is an intimate brawl between Holland's Spider-Man and Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin. Norman Osborn killed Aunt May, which filled Peter with rage.
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For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the trials and tribulations of being a superhero. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) when his identity becomes a problem for the ones he loves. Unfortunately, when the spell goes wrong, Spider-Man will now have to face off with villains such as Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) and Electro (Jamie Foxx) as Peter finally comes to terms that he can't run from being Spider-Man. Supported by his close friends and help from an unexpected place (or multiverse), Spider-Man will go toe-to-toe with some of the most legendary foes in his storied history.
The MCU movie's final fight shows what Spider-Man looks like when he is not holding back. Peter tells Norman he wants to kill him, then proceeds to viciously attack the villain with a series of punches, being stopped from killing him by Maguire's Spider-Man. The dark and personal fight was exhilarating.
4
The Avengers’ Battle Of New York Shaped MCU History
The Avengers Franchise/MCU (2012)
The Avengers' Battle of New York has become the MCU's most popular fight. Not only was it the first major conflict with the MCU's biggest heroes as a team, but the shot going in a circle with Earth's Mightiest Heroes has become iconic.
Marvel made sure the audience could feel the unprecedented scale of the battle.
Tom Hiddleston's Loki and the Chitauri made for tough foes. It was interesting to see how each member of the team was assigned to a specific mission within the battle, with Chris Evans' Captain America showing his leadership skills. The visuals and action were top-notch.
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The sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers is an action superhero film that sees the heroes assembled across the franchise face off with a deadly galactic threat. With the arrival of Thor's brother, Loki, heroes such as Captain America, The Hulk, Iron Man, and Black Widow are brought together to stop him from unleashing an alien race upon earth.
Marvel made sure the audience could feel the unprecedented scale of the battle. The Avengers also succeeded in creating tension over a possible major death, with Iron Man seemingly sacrificing himself but managing to survive. Being the first moment where the Avengers truly became a team and defeated a powerful villain in Loki, the Battle of New York deserves the fourth spot on the list.
3
Captain America: Civil War’s Final Fight Broke Up The Avengers
Captain America Franchise/MCU (2016)
Captain America: Civil War deserves to open the list's top three due to its unique status. The movie's final fight scene is different from most other entries, going for a more intimate brawl than large-scale superhero action. The airport fight scene covered that instead.
Captain America and Iron Man are the MCU's two biggest heroes. As such, seeing them trade blows would already be quite sad. However, the reason they fight in the movie is due to how Bucky Barnes killed Tony Stark's parents when he was the Winter Soldier, and Steve Rogers knew but kept quiet.
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This third Captain America film adapts the "Civil War" storyline from Marvel Comics and sees Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) at an impasse over who governs superheroes and how. Captain America: Civil War pits two teams of Avengers against one another and introduces new superheroes Black Panther and Spider-Man. The divide between the two perceived leaders of the Avengers caused the other members to choose sides. It all started when the UN decided to take control of the superheroes’ involvement in fighting crimes. Steve disagreed with the UN’s proposal, while Tony supported the decision. Things turn for the worst when Steve’s friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), also known as the Winter Soldier, becomes the prime suspect in a terrorist bombing.
This led to one of the most gripping, tense, and sad fight scenes in superhero movie history. First, Captain America and Bucky took on Iron Man together. However, the fight truly shined when Bucky was out of the way. Captain America defeating Iron Man and leaving his iconic shield behind cemented the end of an era in the MCU.
2
Avengers: Infinity War’s Battle Of Wakanda Saw The Heroes Lose
The Avengers Franchise/MCU (2018)
In second place comes the MCU movie that felt like a non-stop action sequence. With Thanos pursuing the Infinity Stones, Avengers: Infinity War brought together heroes from all corners of the MCU and had them fight the Mad Titan's army. The Battle of Wakanda ended the film in the most shocking manner possible.
Up to that moment, Marvel's heroes had always found a way to win. This did not happen in Avengers: Infinity War. The movie's final fight saw Thanos collect all the Infinity Stones and snap half of the heroes and the whole universe out of existence.
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Avengers: Infinity War is the third Avengers movie in the game-changing Marvel Cinematic Universe. This film is positioned as the beginning of the culmination of everything that has transpired in the franchise to date. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who previously helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War, have assembled the largest ensemble in a superhero film to date. Nearly every living character in the MCU is included as the Avengers join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to take down Thanos in a battle that has massive repercussions for the future of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. A sequel, Avengers: Endgame, was released in 2019 and marked the end of the Infinity Saga.
Audiences were left speechless around the world. Before Thanos won, the Battle of Wakanda featured major moments. Thor's arrival, Captain America and Black Panther rushing Thanos' army, the villain turning back time and killing Vision again, and more led to the event feeling unique.
1
Avengers: Endgame’s Final Battle Was Like A Living Comic Book
The Avengers Franchise/MCU (2019)
Finally, Avengers: Endgame takes the top spot on the list. The movie is the MCU's crown jewel, serving as the perfect ending to the Infinity Saga. The main reason it ranks ahead of projects like Avengers: Infinity War is because Avengers: Endgame's final fight is the closest movies have come to the comics.
There are so many moving parts in the battle. With several MCU heroes and Thanos' army fighting, it feels like looking at a splash page from Marvel Comics. Avengers: Endgame's final fight has to be watched multiple times to try to catch all the events going on in the background.
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Avengers: Endgame, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, concludes the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Infinity Saga. It follows the remaining Avengers as they attempt to reverse the destruction caused by Thanos, navigating complex dynamics and forging alliances to restore balance to the universe.
There are many moments the MCU has yet to top, with Iron Man's ultimate sacrifice being the biggest. The hero who started the MCU dies to save everyone. It is a poetic ending to a fight that is filled with impeccable CGI, gorgeous visuals, fun character dynamics, intense action, and more, making it the best final fight in a Marvel or DC movie.
Custom image by Ana Nieves
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