10 Superhero Movie Endings That Hold Up The Best Years Later

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There are many superhero movies in the MCU, the DCU, and beyond which have endings that have remained excellent even years later. The movies of the MCU have elevated the superhero genre to unprecedented heights of success, but adapting comic book stories to the big screen is a practice that predates the franchise’s popularity by a considerable margin. The superhero genre has been going strong for decades, with many notable movies standing out as especially excellent or influential.

There are many superhero movies, from both before and since the beginning of the MCU’s movie timeline, that have been just as popular as Marvel’s flagship franchise. In fact, some of their climactic scenes hold up remarkably well even years after release, with their endings continuing to stand out as exceptional or poignant. With that in mind, here are 10 superhero movie endings that hold up the best years later.

10 MJ & Peter Finally Connect

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

The movies of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy have long been hailed as particularly important moments in the development of the genre, with Spider-Man 2 typically considered the best of the bunch. The sequel saw Peter Parker question his ability to be a hero, as well as battling against Doc Ock and fighting for the love of Mary Jane Watson. The film’s climactic battle sees Peter reveal his secret identity to MJ, and is followed by a final scene that holds up brilliantly more than two decades later.

The final scene shows MJ leaving her wedding to pursue a relationship with Peter, only for him to be called away as Spider-Man. Thematically, the scene links in to Peter’s dual identity crisis, showing him reconciling his two halves by finally ending up with the woman he loves. Seeing MJ send him off on his way as he swings out among the New York rooftops is an exceptional ending to a great movie, closing things on a touching and upbeat note.

9 Hellboy Learning That He's Going To Be A Father

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy franchise proved hugely successful, earning widespread popularity and helping to bring the Mike Mignola character into the mainstream. Del Toro’s second and final Hellboy film, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, introduced several new aspects into the franchise’s mythos. Despite a general sense of disappointment over the lack of a third movie being made, Hellboy II’s ending still resonates with fans years after its release.

After learning of his impending fatherhood, Hellboy is able to overcome the Golden Army and Prince Nuada, with the final scene of the movie showing him quitting the B.P.R.D. alongside his girlfriend Liz and best friend Abe. The final moments of the movie see Hellboy and Liz visualize their future, only for Liz to tell Hellboy they aren’t having one baby, but two. The scene, which ends with a freeze-frame of Hellboy’s shocked face, perfectly ties off the film’s story and promises a happy ending for its heroes, and has held up brilliantly as a result.

8 The Parr Family Embracing Their Superhero Identities

The Incredibles (2004)

2004’s The Incredibles might have been largely marketed to a younger audience, but that didn’t mean that it was at all lacking in quality. Pixar’s original story of a superpowered family living in a world that has rejected superheroes is as compelling as ever, and not simply because of its quirky charm and singular style. The Incredibles’ ending is another superhero movie climax that continues to feel perfect more than 20 years later.

The film’s final scene shows the Parr family embracing their lives as Supers, while also living normally using their secret identities. However, they’re forced into action when another villain, the Underminer, appears, teasing further adventures for the characters. Though the sequel tease took an excessive amount of time to materialize into a movie, The Incredibles’ ending still holds up incredibly well, even when compared to its more modern peers within the genre.

7 Magneto's Full Villain Turn

X-Men: First Class (2011)

In 2011, Fox’s X-Men movie franchise adopted a new approach to adapting the Marvel mutants of the same name. After the negative reception to X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the franchise underwent a soft reboot with X-Men: First Class, a prequel following the founding members of the X-Men, including a young Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr. The film’s final scene cements the schism that formed between the friends, and remains one of the best moments in the entire movie.

The ending shows Charles Xavier setting about building a school in his home, and Magneto embracing a new role as the leader of his own Brotherhood of Mutants. In its final moments, he fully adopts the mantle of Magneto, signifying his full villain turn. The ending works perfectly, both to set up future stories and to fully establish how the two friends found themselves on opposing sides, making it a great end to First Class’s story.

6 Ozymandias's Victory & Rorschach's Journal

Watchmen (2009)

Zack Snyder’s Watchmen is often overlooked when it comes to superhero movies, despite being a groundbreaking piece of cinema. The movie’s characteristic dark tone conceals just how difficult to adapt the comic book story was, but Snyder’s work helped it to achieve cinematic excellence. The film’s shocking climax was already a perfect ending, but there’s also a final stinger that makes it all the sweeter.

After Rorschach realizes that Ozymandias has already won and subsequently is killed, it’s revealed that before his death he sent his diary away. The film’s final scene shows a journalist recovering the diary after being told by his boss to publish something from the mail pile. The scene just adds another excellent twist to the already subversive story, making it a memorable and well-considered final moment in an already epic superhero journey.

5 Blade Arrives In Moscow

Blade (1998)

Wesley Snipes’ tenure as Blade featured several iconic moments, with several of them coming in his first big-screen outing in the role. After battling Deacon Frost and preventing him from becoming a god, Blade is forced to make a difficult choice: to keep his half-vampire abilities or to give them up. Deciding he needs them, Blade chooses the former, and then makes a final appearance in the film before its end.

The final scene shows Blade arriving in Moscow, where he approaches a young man biting his date’s neck. The scene sees Blade threatening the vampire before launching into action, hinting that the vampire hunter's adventures would continue. Simple though the late ‘90s post-credits scene might have been, it was a pretty groundbreaking decision, and one that paid off massively, as Blade’s ending holds up staggeringly well after so many years.

4 Peter Grieving Uncle Ben

Spider-Man (2002)

Though it’s among the earlier stages of Spider-Man's movie timeline, 2002’s Spider-Man played a pivotal role in the character’s modern cinematic journey. It did more than just introduce him to modern cinema, it proved a pioneering title for the genre, and prompted a major shift toward similar stories. The film ends with Peter Parker embracing his heroic identity, and echoing the advice of his late Uncle Ben: “with great power comes great responsibility.”

Though it’s perhaps not as eye-catching or memorable as some other superhero movie endings, Spider-Man's closing moments hold up incredibly well. The ending ties the movie’s whole narrative together, and sees Peter fully accepting his calling as a hero. It’s an ending that establishes the potential of a sequel without outright confirming it, and it holds up perfectly in its simplicity and its approach to the character’s future.

3 Batman Is The Hero Gotham Deserves

The Dark Knight (2008)

It’s no secret that Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy are some of the most successful and well-respected in the superhero genre. 2008’s The Dark Knight is commonly considered not just the best of the trilogy, but one of the best movies ever made. Naturally, its ending is appropriately poignant, polishing off its narrative in a manner that embodies the spirit of the titular hero.

Following on from the death of Harvey Dent in the wake of his killing spree as Two-Face, Batman realizes Gotham needs to hold on to Dent’s public image. Accepting the blame for Two-Face's crimes, the movie’s closing moments see Batman fleeing from the authorities, with a monologue from Gary Oldman’s James Gordon. It’s a perfect payoff to the movie’s themes of heroism and corruption, and one that cements Batman as Gotham City’s true hero.

2 "I Am Iron Man."

Iron Man (2008)

The first movie in the MCU, 2008’s Iron Man, can be cited as one of the most important movies in the history of the superhero genre. As well as introducing the titular hero and telling the story of his origins, it also established what was destined to become the biggest franchise in cinema. What’s more, Iron Man’s ending, in which Tony Stark announces himself to the world as Iron Man, holds up perfectly years later.

The scene was subversive, as Stark had long maintained a secret identity in the comics. Having him announce himself to the world in such a way was surprising, but it ultimately proved to be the right choice for the MCU. Seeing how the franchise dared to eschew comic accuracy in pursuit of the best possible story even at its earliest stages makes it impossible to deny that Iron Man’s ending holds up excellently.

1 Wolverine's Tragic Death

Logan (2017)

2017’s Logan is considered the best movie of the X-Men franchise, as well as the most emotional. It sees an older Logan whose powers are failing him living in an apocalyptic future in which mutants are hunted. Its ending pits Logan against a more powerful clone of himself, named X-24, who he fights in order to protect his daughter, Laura, in the hopes of giving her a future in which she can be free.

Logan’s death at the end of the movie is perhaps the most emotional scene in the history of superhero cinema. Considering that it was subtly undone by Deadpool & Wolverine, Logan’s death remains one of the best endings to a superhero movie of all time. As such, it’s the superhero movie ending that holds up best of all the movies in the MCU, the DCU, and beyond.