When it’s time to think about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, movies always take the spotlight. There’s no doubt that Marvel Studios found its footing on the big screen by bringing together the Avengers and spotlighting underrated comic book characters, such as the Guardians of the Galaxy. However, the MCU has also had its fair share of misses land in theaters, which has created a stigma around everything that’s come out post-Avengers: Endgame. That means the Disney+ Marvel shows are always fighting an uphill battle, scrambling to get attention as they mostly focus on characters not big enough to lead their own movies.
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In truth, Disney+’s Marvel shows deserve a lot more credit than they’re getting. Sure, there are series that are hard to get through, like Secret Invasion, but that doesn’t mean they’re all bad. In fact, the episodes on this list prove that Marvel can be at its best while on a streaming platform.
10) “The Past Is the Past” (Ironheart Episode 6)
Ironheart got the short end of the stick after dealing with delays and receiving a strange release schedule. However, it persevered by releasing a finale that not only subverted expectations by having its titular hero make the wrong choice but also introduced a major villain, Mephisto. While there’s no telling when the MCU will pick up the threads the Ironheart sets up, the show makes a major impact by refusing to pull any punches in its final episode.
9) “Truth” (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 5)
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s fifth episode, “Truth,” picks up right after the tragic events of Episode 4, which sees Battlestar die and his partner, John Walker, kill someone for it. Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes fight Walker for the shield at the start of the episode before returning to Sam’s family’s home to regroup. What sets “Truth” apart is that it sees Sam finally accept that he needs to pick up the shield while accepting the complicated history that accompanies it.
8) “Death’s Hand in Mine” (Agatha All Along Episode 7)
Despite being about Agatha Harkness’ journey to regain power, Agatha All Along Episode 7 chooses to focus on a member of the titular witch’s coven, Lilia Calderu. The group finds itself facing another trial on the Witches’ Road, and things aren’t looking good because Calderu is unable to figure out how to do a card reading. Well, it turns out she has to read herself and accept her past to move forward. “Death’s Hand in Mine” ends with Calderu sacrificing herself in a tragic sequence that paves the way for major moments down the line.
7) “Mutant Liberation Begins” (X-Men ’97 Season 1, Episode 2)
In the world of animation, X-Men ’97‘s first episode asks the titular superhero team to accept Magneto as their new leader. Cyclops and Co. aren’t onboard at first, but they don’t have time to bicker in “Mutant Liberation Begins” because a terrorist group attacks during Magneto’s trial at the United Nations. Storm loses her powers in the scuffle, which leaves the Master of Magnetism furious. He delivers his best speech to date, explaining how he’s trying to do better despite the world pushing him to be worse, and spares the lives of his enemies.
6) “Isle of Joy” (Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Episode 8)
The first seven episodes of Daredevil: Born Again have trouble getting on the same page, creating a messy story. Episode 8, “Isle of Joy,” is where the show finally starts firing on all cylinders, pitting Daredevil against Bullseye again as the villain attempts to assassinate Wilson Fisk. Despite wanting Fisk off the streets, Matt Murdock can’t let Bullseye kill the villain, taking a bullet for him in a shocking moment.
5) “For All Time. Always.” (Loki Season 1, Episode 6)
Loki‘s first season teases that there’s someone behind the curtain pulling the strings of the TVA. “For All Time. Always.” reveals that He Who Remains, a Kang variant, is behind the whole thing, and offers his spot to the God of Mischief. Sylvie and Loki spend the episode debating whether it’s a good idea to take He Who Remains up on his offer, but in the end, vengeance gets the better of Sylvie. Her choice to kill the man at the End of Time not only changes her but the MCU as a whole.
4) “We Interrupt This Program” (WandaVision Episode 4)
There are so many twists and turns in WandaVision that it’s hard to keep up. Every episode jumps to a different era in television, and it isn’t clear why until “We Interrupt This Program.” Monica Rambeau, who goes inside the hex in Westview to get answers, drops her sitcom facade for a moment and asks Wanda Maximoff some hard-hitting questions. The former Avenger doesn’t like Monica’s attitude and reveals she’s the villain, controlling the town to live the life she never had the chance to experience.
3) “Journey Into Mystery” (Loki Season 1, Episode 5)
Before his big talk with He Who Remains, Loki spends time in the Void in “Journey Into Mystery.” He meets variants of himself and learns more about the End of Time. While all the variants are great in the episode, Classic Loki stands out among the crowd because of his epic standoff with Alioth, where he recreates Asgard with his illusion powers and gives the titular Asgardian time to escape.
2) “Remember It” (X-Men ’97 Season 1, Episode 5)
X-Men ’97 is fantastic from the jump, but “Remember It” takes it to new heights. While some of the team is on Genosha, a Sentinel attack leaves the mutants on the island nation fighting for survival. Rogue, Gambit, and Magneto do all they can to help, and the card-throwing mutant loses his life to save his beloved. The end of the episode, which features Rogue touching Gambit’s lifeless body, is still a sore spot for many.
1) “Glorious Purpose” (Loki Season 2, Episode 6)
The only episode of Marvel TV on Disney+ that can top “Remember It” is Loki‘s Season 2 finale. The God of Mischief spends the whole season trying to find a way to save the multiverse, but he runs out of options. He decides to walk out and hold it together himself, giving up his life so his friends can survive. After years of trying to be a villain, Loki realizes his true purpose is to be a hero.
Do you think the episodes on this list are the best Marvel TV on Disney+ has to offer? What other episodes deserve a spot? Let us know in the comments below!
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