Welcome true believers to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best little details and references in the MCU.
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00:00Welcome, true believers, to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for
00:06the best little details and references in the MCU.
00:23James Gunn really likes to flex his knowledge of the source material.
00:26By including the Collector in his first Guardians of the Galaxy film, he got the opportunity
00:30to include a whole assortment of recognisable oddities to thrill his fellow comic book lovers.
00:40Amidst the Collector's many cases, we can spot Cosmo the Space Dog, who many will recognise
00:44from his time with the Guardians in the comics.
00:47Then there's Howard the Duck, everyone's favourite hard-drinking mallard.
00:50You can also spot a Dark Elf and a Chitauri.
00:53What more could fans ask for?
01:05We've said it before and we will say it again, it's nice to see a character's
01:08first comic book appearance get an on-screen nod.
01:11While Thor's debut got a billboard, Ant-Man's actually got some lip service, courtesy of
01:15the movie's villain, Darren Cross, aka Yellowjacket.
01:24The original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, made his comic book debut in Tales to Astonish number 27,
01:29which saw the discovery of the Pym Particles and Hank's first experiences with shrinking.
01:34It was eight issues later in the same title that Dr. Pym would debut as a bona fide superhero,
01:40adopting the mantle of Ant-Man.
01:42In the film, after showing footage of Hank's early adventures, Cross loudly proclaims,
01:46Tales to Astonish.
01:47It's quick, but a nice nod nonetheless.
02:01Nowadays no one stays dead in comics.
02:03If a character is killed off, they're sure to make a triumphant return in a matter of
02:07months or years, probably with a complicated story arc detailing the means by which they
02:12cheated death.
02:13But that wasn't always the case.
02:15In 1968, after 27 years of service at Captain America's side, Bucky Barnes was retroactively
02:20killed off in World War II.
02:26And he stayed dead for nearly four decades.
02:28Then, in 2005, writer Ed Brubaker revived Bucky and gave us the awesome character known
02:34as the Winter Soldier.
02:37Well, when Bucky came back from the dead in the MCU, Ed Brubaker did it again by playing
02:42one of the on-screen scientists.
02:53While this TV show mostly stands alone, it has a significant tie-in to the wider MCU.
02:58In a flashback to 1942, the clandestines find a bangle, or quantum band, in an Indian
03:04temple.
03:05On the floor, you can see the symbol of the Ten Rings, the criminal organisation from
03:08Shang-Chi.
03:09But how the band ended up there remains a mystery.
03:16Wenwu might have collected various artefacts over the centuries, which may have led to
03:20an encounter with the Kree.
03:21The quantum bands might also be linked to the actual Ten Rings, as both are ancient
03:25weapons of otherworldly origins.
03:27In any case, this is an interesting little reference that sparked many theories.
03:48This one isn't exactly subtle, but hey, an iconic superhero punching one of the most
03:52hated men in history shouldn't really be subtle now, should it?
03:55During his performance for the troops, Captain America winds up and throws a simulated punch
03:59right in the Führer's face.
04:07Even without the comic book context, it would be a widely appreciated moment.
04:10But what makes it all the sweeter is the fact that this right hook is taken straight from
04:14the cover of Captain America Number One, first published in March of 1941.
04:19Cap has weathered his fair share of changes over the years, so it was nice to see the
04:23filmmakers pay tribute to his fascist-smashing roots.
04:34Before Eric Selvig mapped out Marvel's reality in Thor The Dark World, this map was a major
04:39clue for what was to come.
04:40It marked Tony's Malibu mansion and New York, which could either be the site of the
04:44Stark Expo or the Hulk's battle in Harlem.
04:49There's also a tease of a frozen Steve Rogers in Greenland, and Thor landing in New Mexico.
04:56Then there's the hotspot in Africa that could be Wakanda, and the one in the Atlantic
04:59Ocean that's not too far from Talikon.
05:00I mean, it is genuinely impressive how they foreshadowed characters who wouldn't appear
05:04until years later.
05:16Marvel clearly hasn't shied away from paying tribute to its TV and film predecessors.
05:20In the finale to She-Hulk, we get a show opening that is straight out of the 70s.
05:33Complete with retro visuals and dramatic narration, this is a clear reference to the iconic opening
05:37titles of the Incredible Hulk series.
05:47Everything from the film grain to entire recreated shots make this a clever gag for fans of the
05:51original show.
05:52Tatiana Maslany even has a male body-double, echoing Lou Ferrigno's role as the Jade
05:56Giant.
06:05Have you ever noticed that somebody loses an arm in every Phase 2 movie?
06:13While viewers know that Bucky lost his arm to become the Winter Soldier, there are even
06:16more severed limbs in this phase.
06:18The villains Killian, Malekith and Klaw all suffer this violent feat.
06:28Yellowjacket also loses his right arm to the Quantum Realm, and even Groot and Nebula experience
06:33similar losses.
06:34So how did this keep happening?
06:35Well, it's Fargey's way of honouring the Empire Strikes Back, and its impact on the
06:39franchise.
06:40Just like how Luke lost his hand to Vader, various characters in Phase 2 have the same
06:44kind of injury.
06:59There was a time when Fox's X-Men were the biggest superhero team in cinema, while Marvel
07:03Studios could have started fresh, they're honouring the old guard in their own way.
07:07When Wanda attacks the Illuminati, Charles Xavier delivers some advice.
07:20The line he uses is actually from days of future past, where Xavier talks to his younger
07:24and more cynical self.
07:26This moment captures the heart that Stewart brought to the role over 20 years ago.
07:30It's only fitting that he uses the quote to show his trust in Steven, and it's reassuring
07:34that his faith in others remains constant throughout the multiverse.
07:50Namor was long thought to be a character too difficult to adapt for the MCU, mostly due
07:55to rights issues with Universal.
07:58Wakanda Forever finally did the character justice.
08:00The film captures everything we love about the anti-hero, his signature intensity, regality
08:05and winged feet.
08:06They even included his comic book catchphrase in his fight with Shuri.
08:13The line, Imperius Rex, roughly translates from Latin to Empire King.
08:17Though it doesn't quite fit his Mesoamerican roots, it's still a great nod to the comics
08:21that showcase his arrogance and power.
08:37After his return in No Way Home, it was just a matter of time before we saw Matt Murdock
08:41show up in another project.
08:43Since She-Hulk also features a superhero lawyer, it made perfect sense for him to appear.
08:47The team-up brought thrilling fights, electric chemistry and a recognisable piece of music.
09:01Amid some banter between Jen and Matt, the opening theme to Netflix's Daredevil plays.
09:05This was a cherished callback to one of Marvel's best shows, and a reassuring sign that the
09:09elements that made it work were not being forgotten.
09:22When Thor gets stranded on Sakaar, he's forced to fight the Hulk in the Contest of
09:25Champions.
09:26But who held the title of champion before Bruce?
09:29As Thor is brought to the Grandmaster's Palace, you can see sculptures of previous
09:32contest winners.
09:38Among them are the Hulk villain's Bi-Beast and Dark Crawler, suggesting that they may
09:42have been defeated by him in the arena.
09:44The more recognisable faces include Ares, a former mighty Avenger, and Beta Ray Bill,
09:49an ally of Thor who's worthy of lifting his hammer.
09:52The creature known as Man-Thing also has a sculpture, so looks like he had adventures
09:56beyond escaping monster hunters in Werewolf by Night.
10:07This movie is packed with easter eggs related to Wolverine's history, and the best one
10:11is this blink-and-you-miss-it moment.
10:14As Deadpool explores the multiverse, he runs into a Logan who is about to face the Hulk.
10:18Wolverine's classic brown and tan suit is already a visual treat, but if you look closely,
10:22you can also spot the Hulk's reflection in his claws.
10:25This image recreates Todd McFarlane's cover of The Incredible Hulk number 340.
10:30The art has become iconic to Marvel fans, and seeing it brought to life on the big screen
10:34is nothing short of thrilling.
10:48More so than perhaps any other director working for Marvel, James Gunn has a deep, deep love
10:53for the source material from which he's drawing upon.
10:56While Peter Quill and company are the line-up that have seen the greatest success in terms
10:59of both comic book sales and in making it to the big screen, they are in fact the second
11:04characters to use the label, Guardians of the Galaxy.
11:13As a nod to Guardians who came before his, Gunn brought to life some of the original
11:17crew for one of his post-credits scenes.
11:19We got to see Starhawk, Charlie-27, Martinax, Mainframe, Alita and Kruger.
11:24Oh, and let's not forget the original Guardians' first enemy, Taserface.
11:42When Tom Holland donned the tights, he became the third big screen Spider-Man, but the first
11:47to join the MCU.
11:48He received a warm welcome from audiences and MCU devotees, but with Spider-Man Homecoming,
11:53he also raised a few questions, like, will Tom Holland be the only Spider-Man in this
11:58universe?
12:04Donald Glover played a small-time criminal known as the Prowler who, in the comics, is
12:08none other than the uncle of Miles Morales, who took on the role of Spider-Man after Peter's
12:13death in the Ultimate Universe.
12:15Glover also happened to voice Miles on the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon, making this small
12:19moment truly fascinating.
12:32You know that a cinematic universe is doing well when it's expansive enough that it
12:35can start making references back to its early films.
12:38In Civil War, Captain America's third solo outing and fifth appearance in the franchise,
12:43he comments to friend-turned-enemy Tony Stark, does the line sound familiar?
12:48That's because Steve Rogers is quoting a much younger version of himself from many
12:52decades back.
12:53Before undergoing the experimental treatment that turned him into the super-soldier he
12:56is today, he uttered those exact words to a jerk beating him up behind a theatre.
13:06A lot changes over time, but not the fighting spirit and optimism of Steve Rogers.
13:21This mid-credits scene was a mind-boggling development for the MCU.
13:24When Monica wakes up on another Earth, she quickly learns that her mother is not only
13:28alive in this universe, but that she's also an ally of the X-Men.
13:38Kelsey Grammer's Beast appears as well, hinting that this could be taking place in
13:42the timeline of the original X-Men movies.
13:44As Monica starts to realise what's happened, a nostalgic piece of music likely confirms
13:48the theory.
13:56The score that plays softly in the background is unmistakably John Ottman's X-Men theme,
14:01hinting at the possibility of a future crossover.
14:14There are many ways in which Marvel has paid homage to Spider-Man's co-creators.
14:18In addition to borrowing Steve Ditko's classic costume, an important moment from the comics
14:22was brought to life here.
14:23When Peter is trapped under a collapsed building, he's left defeated and crying for help.
14:31This is a live-action take on a scene from The Amazing Spider-Man 33.
14:35Although the stories are different, both feature Spider-Man finding the strength to free himself.
14:46The comic has since become famous for highlighting Peter's ability to overcome self-doubt.
14:50With that context, Homecoming perfectly captures the spirit of Lee and Ditko's creation.
15:09When Spider-Man came to the MCU, we thought we'd never see Andrew Garfield as the character
15:13again.
15:14But, not only did he make a triumphant return, he also found some closure.
15:18Fans will recall that Peter failed to save Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
15:22His chance at redemption eventually came in the final act of No Way Home.
15:26When MJ falls from the Statue of Liberty, Peter 3 immediately springs into action and
15:30saves her.
15:37He then takes a beat to recover, reflecting on Gwen's heartbreaking death.
15:41It's one of the film's most emotional moments, especially for those who have followed
15:44Garfield's journey as Spider-Man from the beginning.
16:14There was a time when an appearance from the man himself was a guarantee in every Marvel
16:18movie.
16:19But even then, we wondered how all of his characters could exist within the same universe.
16:22Thankfully, we got an answer to this question, in Guardians Vol. 2, Lee cameos as an informant
16:27for the Watchers, a race of beings who observe the multiverse.
16:37We watch him in the middle of telling a story about his time as a delivery driver.
16:41This is a reference to his cameo in Captain America Civil War.
16:44If those two are the same character, it's likely that all his characters are the same
16:47person, even the barber who cut Thor's hair.
16:59So that's our list.
17:00I mean, the MCU has too many easter eggs to count.
17:03Are there any ones that we missed on our list?
17:05Let us know down below.