5 Disappointing MCU Post-Credits Scenes Everyone Forgets About, Ranked

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has turned post-credits scenes into one of its defining trademarks. Ever since Nick Fury stepped out of the shadows at the end of Iron Man, fans have enjoyed sitting through the credit scenes, waiting for a surprise cameo, shocking twist, or a tease-heavy insight into the superhero franchise’s future projects. However, not every post-credits scene has set well with audiences.

Many post-credit scenes disappointed fans, whether they hinted at something that hasn’t yet come to fruition, confused audiences, or simply felt underwhelming compared to the scenes that preceded them. This is especially true of the past few years, mainly after Avengers: Endgame. The MCU’s best post-credits scenes are still celebrated, but several disappointing ones have faded from memory.

5

Spider-Man: Homecoming Has 1 Final Joke

While some fans thought Spider-Man: Homecoming’s post-credits scene was hilarious, others thought it was a dull and forgettable quip that wasted an opportunity for a great tease. At the end of the movie, Steve Rogers walks in front of a white background and gives a speech about the importance of patience and how it can sometimes lead to disappointment. It was an on-the-nose meta joke about fans who were waiting for the credits to roll to see what the MCU had in store for them.

The joke instantly divided Homecoming viewers. It was a playful way to poke fun at the MCU’s post-credits scene tradition, but because it deliberately avoids setting up future stories, including Avengers: Infinity War, which was scheduled for the following year, it’s rarely ever mentioned among the MCU’s best end scenes. Unfortunately, the “patience” PSA has no rewatch value, like other great and funny lines in the franchise, because it only told viewers they’d waited for nothing.

4

The MCU Never Followed Up on Doctor Strange’s Second End Scene

The end of Doctor Strange featured an exciting scene that focused on Karl Mordo, who has become completely disillusioned by the misuse of magic. Mordo hunts down Jonathan Pangborn and strips him of the magical energy that allowed him to walk again, embracing a far darker philosophy. The post-credits scene set Mordo up to be a great antagonist in the Doctor Strange sequel, but unfortunately, as seen in Multiverse of Madness, this was completely abandoned. Instead, fans were given a sort of consolation prize in the form of an alternate version of Mordo.

Nearly a decade later, the Earth-616 version of Mordo that was teased in Doctor Strange has yet to payoff in any meaningful way, disappointing fans who were hyped after such a great post-credits scene. This set-up was once a promising plot thread but has now been largely forgotten thanks to the significant amount of time passed.

3

Iron Man 3’s Post-Credits Scene Undermined One of the Most Introspective MCU Films

The MCU’s jokes can often miss the mark, especially when they undermine the tone of an otherwise serious or emotional scene. One of the biggest examples is the end of Iron Man 3, where the post-credits scene reveals that Tony was actually recounting recent events to Bruce Banner, therapy-style, all while Bruce was asleep. He woke up to tell Tony that he was “not that kind of doctor,” before falling back asleep. It serves as a lighthearted punchline after a particularly deep movie.

Iron Man 3 was a character-driven film that focused on Tony Stark’s mental well-being and panic attacks. What could have been an important bonding scene between the two characters was thrown aside for a joke that felt a little inappropriate. Phase One had taught MCU fans to expect major reveals from its post-credits scenes, so the joke felt largely anticlimactic. It didn’t advance Tony’s story or tease future projects, and it’s largely overshadowed by Iron Man’s far more significant scenes in the franchise.

2

Eternals Had Two Post-Credits Scenes

Eternals had two post-credits scenes, but the second seemed positioned to have the biggest impact on the MCU. It was a perfectly good scene where Dane Whitman hesitates but ultimately decides to pick up the Ebony Blade, a weapon that can cut through anything at the cost of the user’s mental state. Just before he picks it up and seemingly embraces his comic book identity as the Black Knight, a man steps in and asks him whether he is ready for it. Marvel later confirmed that this voice was Mahershala Ali’s Blade.

Seemingly ready to introduce an exciting supernatural corner to the MCU, the post-credits scene actually became one of the franchise’s most frustrating loose ends. It teased the Ebony Blade, Dane Whitman’s transformation into the Black Knight, and featured Blade, but almost nothing happened with either storyline. This is likely thanks to Blade’s developmental hell and Eternals’ lackluster success, turning it into one of the most disappointing forgotten post-credits scenes.

1

Avengers: Age of Ultron Featured An Iconic Line in a Forgettable Scene

Avengers: Age of Ultron ends with one of the franchise’s most iconic lines, “Fine, I’ll do it myself,” as Thanos retrieves the Infinity Gauntlet. The brief scene was designed to show that the Mad Titan would finally step out of the shadows, setting the stage for the Infinity Saga’s ultimate conflict. While seeing Thanos don the Infinity Gauntlet caused a ton of hype among fans, the scene was downright confusing.

Thanos’ line alludes to the fact that Loki and Ronan failed to retrieve the Infinity Stones, and these failures prompted him to take matters into his own hands. However, the scene comes after Ultron’s defeat, implying that the villain’s downfall was the catalyst for Thanos’ appearance, despite having no meaningful relationship with Ultron in the movie. Thanos’ quote eventually became iconic thanks to Infinity War, but the post-credits scene never explained why this was the moment the Mad Titan decided to intervene. Many fans remember the line, but few can fully recall the scene.