5 Greatest Marvel Comics Relationships of All Time, Ranked

While the Marvel Universe has plenty of amazing heroes and exciting events, it can be easy to forget that it also has a number of fantastic relationships. Though rarely the focal point of superhero comics, it’s not entirely uncommon to see one’s favorite heroes find love. And I’m not just talking about the occasional fling, either. I mean a true connection between people. Yes, with comic books, it can be messy with drama or even derailed by the occasional deal with the devil, but who among us can say that any relationship is perfect?

Plenty of heroes have had fun love affairs, but when we get down to it, whose relationships could we actually call the ‘best’? What about Rictor and Shatterstar? We saw their dynamic blossom from a very close friendship to genuine love over the course of years. There’s also Medusa and Black Bolt, whose love has survived countless attacks on their Inhuman kingdom. Maybe this all comes down to personal preference (most shipping-adjacent things do), but I do think that the following 5 couples have some of the best relationships in the Marvel Universe.

5. Luke Cage and Jessica Jones

Admittedly, this one had a bit of a rocky start. Jessica met Luke when she was still carrying a lot of pain and trauma from her experience with the Purple Man. However, these two struck up a surprisingly healthy dynamic. It wasn’t long before they decided to commit to a relationship after an unexpected pregnancy. But these two aren’t together for their kids. They see and really know one another. No matter what drama comes their way, they lean on each other to overcome it. Messy? Sure, but these two actually have one of the strongest relationships around.

4. Rictor and Shatterstar

It’s always great to see queer representation in comic books, and I don’t know how much better it gets than Shatterstar and Rictor. These X-Force teammates shared an incredibly close bond from the moment they met, but the ‘90s weren’t as free for LGBTQ+ characters as they are today. But that changed in the late ‘00s when they finally kissed and were able to express their deep love for one another. Since then, these two have been pretty rock solid. Not the most featured mutants, sure, but their love continues to this day.

3. Medusa and Black Bolt

There’s something hauntingly beautiful about Black Bolt and Medusa’s relationship. The Inhuman king cannot speak without his voice destroying everything around him, meaning he can’t even verbally express his love for his queen. But that romance has never been in doubt. Black Bolt and Medusa have been together for decades, and Medusa has always been by Black Bolt’s side, not just as his queen, but as his most trusted political ally. Though the two can’t exchange “I love yous”, these two have gone above and beyond for each other countless times, which says more than words ever could.

2. Rogue and Gambit

I’m not even the biggest X-Men fan alive, but damn it if I don’t love Rogue and Gambit together. These two both have baggage, between Rogue’s dangerous powers and Gambit’s murky past. Chaos is practically baked into the foundation of their relationship (which has had a lot of ups and downs). And yet, there is a deep, burning passion between them that brings them back to one another no matter what disagreements or problems they have. Is it always perfect? Not really. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a couple whose love burns brighter for each other than theirs.

1. Spider-Man and Mary Jane

I don’t care that these two haven’t been together for years. Spider-Man and Mary Jane are the de facto Marvel couple. Do you know why people loved the latest incarnation of Ultimate Spider-Man so much? It’s because it gave fans the loving stable relationship between Peter and Mary Jane that they’ve been dying for. Seriously, their marriage ended almost 20 years ago, yet fans still hold out hope that they’ll come back together. If it was any other couple, fans would have moved on. But Spider-Man and Mary Jane’s love is so iconic, even Marvel can’t bury it.

Who is your favorite Marvel Comics couple? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

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