The Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps getting bigger and with the introduction of all these new characters it’s getting harder and harder to keep up with them all. We know that the MCU has given us some of the most powerful female characters portrayed in film. From fan favorites like Black Widow and the Scarlet Witch to newer heroes like Captain Marvel and She-Hulk, powerful women are no rarity in the MCU. From lead heroes to impressive supporting characters, strong on-screen protagonists will always be a win.
That said, there is something incredibly admirable about mother figures. We can all sit back as an audience and marvel at the power portrayed by our favorite heroes. However, the strength of some of them pales in comparison to the MCU’s mothers. From setting the line and guiding their kids to their willingness to sacrifice everything for those they love, the MCU has some of the best mother figures in their movies. Here’s our ranking of the best moms and mother figures in the entire MCU.
6/6 Pepper Potts (Avengers: Endgame)
We don’t really see much of Pepper Potts as a mother. In reality, Avengers: Endgame was the only glimpse into her home and family life with Tony after The Blip. But seeing how absolutely incredible Morgan was, we can come to the valid conclusion that Pepper, who is 50% of the child’s main influence, is a wonderful mother. Indeed, all our hearts almost broke when both Pepper and Morgan were on screen after Tony’s death. We may get to see more of Pepper and Morgan one day in the future of the MCU, but for now, here’s what we’ve got.
5/6 Ying Li (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)
In what’s been called the new band of heroes in the MCU, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings made waves as a new fan favorite. Ying Li is the mother of Shang-Chi and Xu Xialing. Whenever new characters are introduced to a universe the size of the MCU, it’s admirable when a side character has such a presence in the story. Her role in shaping her children’s abilities and morality is so deeply ingrained in them that although she is not there to personally guide them, her influence remains.
4/6 Ramonda (Black Panther)
Ramonda, the mother of T’Challa/Black Panther and Shuri, is one of the strongest mothers depicted in the MCU. At this year’s D23 Expo, Marvel unveiled a new teaser for: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that really showed Ramonda’s strength as a leader, mother and representative of Wakanda to the world. In the first Black Panther film in 2018, we caught a glimpse of Ramonda and the care and attention she takes not only for the well-being of her children, but also for her country. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever comes out on November 11, so hopefully we’ll see more of her in the upcoming movie.
3/6 Wanda Maximoff (WandaVision & Doctor Strange 2)
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Wanda Maximoff has now emerged as the Scarlet Witch. Wanda is not a mother in our universe. But apparently she’s one in every other universe, so it’s time for us to give her credit. Wanda emerged as a villain/antihero in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Her actions around multiverse travel were fueled by the desperation and longing for the family she never had, but of which she did have a taste during the events of WandaVision. Though unconventional and partially immoral in her methods, there is no doubt that Wanda loves her children and will do anything, including butchering hundreds of people, to get them. She’s terrifying, but we have to admit, her actions as a mother are quite admirable.
2/6 Frigga (Thor)
Thor’s story in the MCU has been a long one, and it’s safe to say that Frigga, his and Loki’s mother, has had a huge impact on his journey. During her lifetime she behaved with immense grace as the queen of Asgard and the wife of Odin. She functioned as the most balanced peacekeeper among the chaos surrounding her family. Her tragic death while protecting Jane was a great loss to all who knew her. Even as we see Thor at his lowest post-snap, his return to Asgard in Endgame was dominated by the fitting reunion with his mother. She forces him to believe not only in himself, but also in what he is fighting for.
1/6 Aunt May (Spider-Man Trilogy)
Aunt May is the only person on this list who isn’t a real mother, but here she is claiming her throne as the best mother figure in the MCU. We see all of our favorite MCU heroes go through extensive character development and growth. However, there is no one quite like Peter Parker who relies so heavily on the guidance of a mother figure. Aunt May raises and molds Peter into the selfless, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and we’ve had the pleasure of seeing her influence on him since his MCU debut in Captain America: Civil War. She was the voice of reason, his motivation, his heart and the only relative he had left. If you need any more proof that Aunt May should be at the top of the list, the heartbreaking events taking place in Spider-Man: No Way Home should work.