TheMarvel Cinematic Universeis known for pull deeply from the comic book archive , sometimes sneaking in obscure citation that only the most dedicated fans will recognize . Whilethe MCU timelineoften highlights iconic bomber and well - known storylines , it has also included subtle nods to lesser - known characters , relic , and event from Marvel ’s extensive history . Some of these element may have seemed inconsequent at first , but they suggest at a broad and more complex creation waitress to be explore .

Marvel Comics has a history spanning over eight decades , filled with countless theatrical role , artifacts , and locating . While some elements of this universe are well known to mainstream audiences , such as Spider - Man ’s origin or Captain America ’s shield , others have been buried under layers of comic Christian Bible history . The MCU movieshave done an impressive job of incorporate these lesser - known details , often using them as Easter eggs or succeeding storytelling ejaculate . Whether it ’s a blink - and - you’ll - miss - it Easter egg or a surprising reveal , these concealed details are proof of how much the MCU respects its source material .

10The Grandmaster’s Former Champions

Thor: Ragnarok

InThor : Ragnarok , the Grandmaster ’s castle on Sakaar features massive statues of premature fighter of the Contest of Champions . Among them aresome surprising face from Marvel Comics history : Beta Ray Bill , Bi - Beast , Dark - Crawler , Man - Thing , and ar . These characters are mostly unknown to casual viewers , but each has a significant history in Marvel Comics .

The most important events to have chance to Hulk throughout the MCU ’s history have happened between movies , and I ’m furious about it .

Beta Ray Bill , for instance , isa sports fan - best-loved character who once manage Mjolnirand subsequently obtained his own hammer , Stormbreaker . Man - Thing , Marvel ’s equivalent to DC ’s Swamp Thing , has mystifying ties to the multiverse . Bi - Beast is an hidden android villain created by the Bird People , while Dark - Crawler is a fauna from the Darkforce Dimension . ar , the Hellenic divinity of state of war , has long been a foe of Thor . These statues not only sum up depth to the Grandmaster ’s chronicle but also serve as a fun nod to longtime Marvel sports fan .

Red Guardian and Yelena Belova from Thunderbolts in front of the Avengers

9Pip The Troll

Eternals

A rich - cut character from Marvel ’s cosmic side , Pip the Troll made his surprisal MCU entry in the mid - credits conniption ofEternals , voiced by Patton Oswalt . Pip originated inStrange Tales#179 ( 1975 ) and isbest known for his association with Adam Warlock and the Infinity Watch . A severe - drinking , crude , but fiercely fast friend , Pip has played significant role in various cosmic plot line , include struggle against Thanos .

Pip ’s inclusion inEternalshints at a larger cosmic narration form in the MCU , especially with Adam Warlock ’s introduction inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3 . While Pip ’s comedic and mischievous naturemakes him a perfect fit for the MCU ’s spirit , his deep history in the comics hit him one of the more surprising gain . His visual aspect suggest that Marvel Studios is unforced to lean further into its weirder , more obscure cosmic characters .

8The Black Knight’s Ebony Blade

One of the most unexpected tease inEternalswas the brief appearance of the Ebony Blade , the touch weapon of the Black Knight . While Kit Harington ’s Dane Whitman does n’t to the full take up the pallium , the picture sets up his transmutation with a post - credits scene featuring the leaf blade and a mysterious voice ( revealed to be Blade , played by Mahershala Ali ) . The Black Knight is an old - schooltime Marvel quality withties to Arthurian legends and mediaeval fantasy , which is for the most part undiscovered in the MCU .

Millie Bobby Brown has been long - rumor for an MCU purpose , and her recent collaboration with the Russo Bros. might cement her as an iconic Marvel Heron .

The Ebony Blade , a unsaved weapon forged by Merlin , grants its wielder huge business leader at the cost of corrupting their psyche . This tease suggests that the MCU may soon introduce a more mystical and mediaeval chemical element , incorporate the theme of Camelot and British mythology . For comic readers , the Ebony Blade ’s introduction was an exciting planetary house of what ’s to fall .

MCU Ultron and Mysterio and animated She-Hulk

7The Original Human Torch

Captain America: The First Avengers

One of the earliest Marvel superheroes , the Original Human Torch , appear as a obliterate Easter bollock inCaptain America : The First Avenger . In a brief aspect at the 1943 Stark Expo , a glass display case houses a red - suited android label " Dr. Phineas Horton ’s Synthetic Man . " This is a direct book of facts to the Original Human Torch , who first appear inMarvel Comics#1(1939 ) .

Unlike Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four , this Human Torch was an android capable of burst into flames and play a crucial role in early Marvel account . He even contend alongside Captain America and Namor during World War II as part of the Invaders . While the characterhasn’t been fully explore in the MCU , this small nod was a cagy way to acknowledge Marvel ’s Golden Age theme . Whether he will ever roleplay a larger role remains to be image , but his brief coming into court was a treat for dedicated fans .

6Howard The Duck

Guardians Of The Galaxy

Howard the Duck is one of Marvel ’s strangest and most dark characters , yet he has made multiple cameos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Originally created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik in 1973 , Howard is an humanlike duck’s egg from Duckworld , a parallel universe where well-informed ducks evolved instead of humans . He became a cult favorite due to hissatirical and absurdist comic Good Book adventures .

Howard first appear in the MCU in the post - credits scenery ofGuardians of the Galaxy(2014 ) , sitting in the Collector ’s ruined museum . Voiced by Seth Green , he later appear in brief inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2and even fought inAvengers : Endgame’sclimactic battle . While his appearances have been small , his comprehension in the MCU isa surprising nod to his flaky wonder history , which even include a 1986 unrecorded - action mechanism film that bombed stunningly .

5The Jocasta Program

Avengers: Age Of Ultron

DuringAvengers : Age of Ultron , Tony Stark explore for an artificial word replacement after J.A.R.V.I.S. is merged into the Vision . As he flick through a natural selection of A.I. chips , one of them is label “ J.O.C.A.S.T.A. ” , a abstruse - cut quotation to an significant Marvel Comics eccentric . In the comics , Jocasta was create by Ultron , much like Vision , but wasdesigned to be his machinelike bride . Named after Oedipus ’ female parent , she was given the brain approach pattern of Janet Van Dyne , the Wasp .

Thunderbolts * is introduce a huge Marvel Comics eccentric , and if a popular theory is right , his turn to evil could be connected to the Avengers .

However , she develop independent thought and turn against Ultron , becoming an Avenger in her own right hand . Her presence inAge of Ultronsuggests that Stark may have experimented with her programing at some point , though he ultimately chose F.R.I.D.A.Y. instead . While shehas yet to appear as a full - fledged character , the Easter nut teases her potential future tense in the MCU .

Thor, Captain America, and Black Widow in the early MCU

4The Original Guardians Of The Galaxy

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2

WhenGuardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2introduced Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord , itsubtly referenced the original Guardians of the Galaxy teamfrom the comics . Unlike the more far-famed Star - Lord - lead squad , the first Guardians debuted in 1969 , boast a unlike lineup of intergalactic hoagie from the 31st century . In the MCU , Stakar is joined by character like Martinex ( Michael Rosenbaum ) , Charlie-27 ( Ving Rhames ) , Aleta Ogord ( Michelle Yeoh ) , Krugarr , and Mainframe ( voiced by Miley Cyrus ) .

These name calling might be unfamiliar to casual audiences , but they were the substance members of the original team . While their presence in the film was brief , their inclusion was a fun manner to pay tribute to Marvel ’s story . The prospect hint that this classic Guardians lineupmay have had their own dangerous undertaking in the yesteryear , potentially set them up for future MCU appearing .

3Thor’s Umbrella

InThor : Ragnarok , Thor disguises Mjolnir as an umbrella while on Earth , a humorous nod to his classic funny Good Book alias , Donald Blake . In the former Thor comics , Dr. Donald Blake was a physically frail doctor who come across a walk peg that transform into Mjolnir , revealing his true identity as the Norse idol of big H . This enchanted disguise allowed Thor to live incognito among human beings when necessary .

Some of the most iconic moments from the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been depicted age prior as part of Marvel ’s shared animated creation .

The MCU largely ignore this facial expression of Thor ’s origin , butRagnarokbriefly referenced it when he visited Earth with Loki . While Blake himself never appeared in the flick , the visual gag of Thor tapping his umbrella on the ground to summon Mjolnir wasa verbatim court to how Blake transform in the comics . It was a small but meaningful way to acknowledge an obscure yet substantial part of Thor ’s Marvel story .

Pip the Troll and the Thanoscopter in the MCU

Custom image by Ana Nieves

2Garrett Morris’s Ant-Man Cameo

Ant-Man

When Scott Lang first dons the Ant - Man suit inAnt - Man(2015 ) , he unintentionally shrinks and fall onto a car , startling a garbled number one wood . That number one wood , played by comedian Garrett Morris , might seem like a random cameo , but he has a unique connective to Ant - Man ’s account . In 1979,Saturday Night Livefeatured a Marvel - themed vignette where John Belushi played the Hulk , Bill Murray was Superman , andGarrett Morris portray Ant - Man .

At the meter , Ant - Man was far from a household name , and Morris ' portrait nose fun at the character ’s then - limit popularity . decennium later , his cameo inAnt - Manwas a clever recall , giving him a lowly but fitting position in the fictitious character ’s cinematic debut . While it may have gone over the oral sex of most viewers , longtime Marvel fans recognized it as a uproarious Easter egghonoring Ant - Man ’s earliest resilient - action visual aspect .

1The Thanoscopter

Loki

Perhaps the most bizarre Marvel Comics computer address to look in the MCU , the infamous Thanoscopter made a blink away - and - you’ll - miss - it cameo inLoki(2021 ) . Originally appearing inSpidey Super Stories#39 ( 1979 ) , the Thanoscopter was a shiny yellow helicopter with " THANOS " written on the side , piloted by none other than the brainsick Titan himself . Unlike his common cosmic conquests , this version of Thanos was bizarrely found , even being arrested by regular police officers .

The former days of the MCU saw the enfranchisement be criticized for affair that , quite honestly , now seem like a refreshful change to modernistic Marvel picture .

While the comic was a lighthearted take on Marvel character , the Thanoscopter became a jocularity among fans due to how ridiculous it was . Lokiembraced this obscure cryptic gash when a wrecked Thanoscopter appear in the Void , the dimension where lop variant end up . get wind this cockamamie token of Marvel historyin the same universe asAvengers : Infinity War’sterrifying Thanos was a surrealbut delightfulMCUEaster ball .

Hulk screaming in the MCU with Sakar and Gladiator Hulk

Thor: Ragnarok, released on October 2, 2017, is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It features Chris Hemsworth as Thor, who is imprisoned on the other side of the universe, racing against time to return to Asgard to prevent Ragnarok and confront the formidable Hela.

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Thor : Ragnarok , released on October 2 , 2017 , is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe . It features Chris Hemsworth as Thor , who is jail on the other side of the universe , racing against time to return to Asgard to preclude Ragnarok and confront the formidable Hela .

Eternals , direct by Chloé Zhao , follows a group of ancient aliens who have on the QT know on Earth for thousands of years . The film explores their reunification in the face of an unexpected tragedy and the menace posed by their eld - old adversaries , the Deviants . Released in 2021 , the film enlarge the Marvel Cinematic Universe .

Captain America : The First Avenger follow Steve Rogers , a frail world from Brooklyn transformed into the super - soldier Captain America during World War II . As he help the state of war feat , Rogers present Red Skull , who seeks globe domination through a powerful twist for a nefarious organization .

Millie Bobby Brown with Rogue and Squirrel girl from Marvel Comics

Guardians of the Galaxy is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe , featuring Chris Pratt as Peter Quill . nobble from Earth as a child , Quill pilot intergalactic dangerous undertaking , becoming entwined in a battle center on a sinewy orb covet by Ronan the Accuser .

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2 continue the risky venture of Peter Quill and his eclectic crew as they navigate complex family moral force and disclosure about Quill ’s mysterious inheritance . set up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , the motion-picture show research themes of family and identity against a backcloth of intergalactic escapade .

Ant - Man follows maestro stealer Scott Lang as he becomes a submarine under the steering of Doctor Hank Pym . Using his Ant - Man suit , Lang gain ground the power to shrink in size while increasing in strength , and together they must protect the technology from new threats and carry through a world - save rip-off .

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Thor: Ragnarok, released on October 2, 2017, is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It features Chris Hemsworth as Thor, who is imprisoned on the other side of the universe, racing against time to return to Asgard to prevent Ragnarok and confront the formidable Hela.

Avengers : Age of Ultron , released in 2015 , pursue Earth ’s Mightiest Heroes , include Iron Man and Captain America , as they contend with Ultron , a rogue AI with programme for orbicular annihilation . This Marvel sequel realise The Avengers shape uneasy alliance and embark on a precarious global dangerous undertaking to thwart Ultron ’s strategy .

Upcoming MCU Movies

Headshot Of Mark Ruffalo In The 76th Annual DGA Awards

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Eternals, directed by Chloé Zhao, follows a group of ancient aliens who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years. The film explores their reunion in the face of an unexpected tragedy and the threat posed by their age-old adversaries, the Deviants. Released in 2021, the film expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Headshot Of Gemma Chan

Headshot Of Richard Madden In The Los Angeles Red Carpet And Fan Screening For Amazon Prime Video’s ‘Citadel’

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Captain America: The First Avenger follows Steve Rogers, a frail man from Brooklyn transformed into the super-soldier Captain America during World War II. As he aids the war effort, Rogers confronts Red Skull, who seeks world domination through a powerful device for a nefarious organization.

Headshot Of Chris Evans

Headshot Of Hayley Atwell In The Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2023

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Guardians of the Galaxy is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring Chris Pratt as Peter Quill. Abducted from Earth as a child, Quill navigates intergalactic adventures, becoming entwined in a conflict centered on a powerful orb coveted by Ronan the Accuser.

Headshot Of Chris Pratt In The European Gala Event of Marvel Studios' ‘Guardians of the Galaxy. Vol 3’

Headshot Of Zoe Saldana In The 2024 KERING Women In Motion Awards

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the adventures of Peter Quill and his eclectic crew as they navigate complex family dynamics and revelations about Quill’s mysterious heritage. Set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film explores themes of family and identity against a backdrop of intergalactic adventure.

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Ant-Man follows master thief Scott Lang as he becomes a hero under the guidance of Doctor Hank Pym. Using his Ant-Man suit, Lang gains the ability to shrink in size while increasing in strength, and together they must protect the technology from new threats and execute a world-saving heist.

Headshot Of Paul Rudd In The  ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Premiere

Headshot Of Michael Douglas In The 7th Canneseries International Festival

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Avengers: Age of Ultron, released in 2015, follows Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man and Captain America, as they contend with Ultron, a rogue AI with plans for global annihilation. This Marvel sequel sees The Avengers form uneasy alliances and embark on a perilous global adventure to thwart Ultron’s schemes.

Headshot Of Robert Downey Jr. In The 10th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony

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Headshot Of Tom Hiddleston In The 49th Annual People’s Choice Awards 2024

Headshot Of Tara Strong In The ‘My Little Pony: The Movie’ Premiere

Thunderbolts (2025) Official Poster

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Avengers 5 Concept Poster

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