With excitement about the new Deadpool 3, it seems like Marvel fans are winning on every front. In addition, the many scattered Marvel projects that were launched and dropped over the years now have the potential to be revived in some way thanks to the magic of the multiverse. Now that the first wave of MCU Disney+ shows has ended, fans have taken the time to reflect on past projects and prepare for future ones.
The most anticipated episodes of every television series are arguably the pilot episodes and the finale episodes. This is especially true for Marvel shows, where the stakes can be incredibly high. Some finales perfectly tie up the series while others fall flat, and the finales of Marvel's plethora of TV shows range from brilliant to lackluster.
Updated on December 19th, by Meagan Bojarski: Phase Four of Marvel is officially over, and while the quality of its content varied, it proved the viability of creating Marvel series for Disney+. The company also transferred all of its older properties to the Disney+ streaming service, which has allowed fans to rediscover shows that they might have otherwise missed. Between reveals from the movies and shows and external news sources, it's become clear that mutants are coming to the MCU, as are the Defenders. For the Disney+ shows and those that came before them, the quality of each series and its finale may well decide what kind of future each has in Phases Five and Six of the MCU.
Inhumans
Season 1, Episode 8: ...And Finally: Black Bolt
Despite having a talented cast, Inhumans never really took off for fans, which perhaps could have been (and was) predicted given that the intended film version had already been abandoned by Marvel. The series followed the Inhuman royal family as they tried to find their place on Earth, but the characters simply weren't interesting enough to draw much of an audience. The show only earned an 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the finale struggled to overcome that.
There were definitely some successful moments, particularly while Black Bolt and Medusa were evacuating the population of Attilan. However, the characters simply weren't able to shine because of the low budget. They hardly ever used their powers, and there was no epic battle for fans to latch onto. On top of that, few characters had much of an arc to speak of. Altogether, it might have been the best episode of Inhumans, but it was the worst finale in a Marvel series.
She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
Season 1, Episode 9: Whose Show Is This?
From the first trailer, She-Hulk was overshadowed by cameos in her own show. That was a deliberate choice on the part of the showrunners, and Jen brings it up frequently. Despite She-Hulk as a character going back to 1980, she was up against a lot of ignorance to stand out as a worthwhile hero.
The show had its highs and lows, but the finale really captured Jen's struggle to be recognized on her own merits, as she literally escaped the show and confronted Kevin Feige about the failings of the MCU formula and why she couldn't be valid on her own without legacy characters like Bruce and Wong. With that being said, its success in that endeavor is up for debate, and it seems that fans either loved or hated the finale, similar to the controversy over the show as a whole.
Runaways
Season 3, Episode 10: Cheat the Gallows
While DC's Arrowverse spent a lot of time on the families of superheroes, Runaways addressed what happens when teenagers discover that their parents are the supervillains. The concept itself was intriguing (and is similar to DC's Stargirl series), and for the most part, it managed to balance the teen drama, family drama, and superhero genres.
For a series reliant on found family, it was only right that the finale would explore what would happen if the family fell apart. That question brought a lot of great concepts, comic references, and relationship dynamics to the surface. It also required a time jump, poorly-constructed world-building, and a lot of rushing. An arc that might have worked for a full season was forced into one episode, and while it would be difficult at this point to integrate Runaways into the MCU proper, fans can hope that one day the finale's arc can be properly explored.
Loki
Season 1, Episode 6: For All Time. Always.
The first season of Loki was very well-received by Marvel fans, earning a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. For most, seeing Tom Hiddleston's Loki, a deeply beloved character, get to be the lead of his own television series was a dream come true. That being said, the season 1 finale of Loki is one of the more controversial episodes of the Disney+ shows, with some fans liking it and others hating it.
The finale introduces a variant of Kang the Conquerer though some felt it was in an underwhelming manner, failing to establish him as a notable character and killing him off quickly. In addition to that, the controversial romantic attraction between Loki and one of his variants, Sylvie, is set in stone, with the two kissing. Aside from the last scene of the episode, the finale of Loki fails to answer important questions. While the second season will likely answer these burning questions, a season finale should still offer closure and end the season well, instead of leaving too many open endings.
Cloak and Dagger
Season 2, Episode 10: Level Up
Cloak & Dagger was originally ordered by the Freeform Channel, which led to its young adult soap opera tone. Tandy Bowen and Tyrone Johnson both acquired superpowers from a shared catastrophe, with one acquiring light powers and the ability to see others' hopes and the other acquiring control over the dark and the ability to see others' fears. After learning that their powers work better together, they teamed up to fix some of the injustices around them.
When it came time for the show's finale, the characters were forced to face their deepest fears and insecurities. Essentially, the finale staged the entire show as Tandy and Tyrone's origin story, with their trials in the Darkforce making them into the heroes they needed to be. While several moments were weaker than they should have been, the finale gave the characters closure and set up their potential future in Marvel media.
Agent Carter
Season 2, Episode 10: Hollywood Ending
The Agent Carter show was greenlit after the character became popular in Captain America: The First Avenger. The show stars Hayley Atwell, and it explores how life would have been for such a powerful woman in the 1940s, particularly when it came to sexist infrastructure and complicated romantic dynamics.
The show's finale had a lot of really strong moments, especially when it came to Peggy's dynamic with Howard Stark. In addition, the moral complexities that had been explored throughout the series were shown to be subjective, which gave closure to many of the contentious relationships the show had previously established. However, the cliffhanger at the end is difficult to accept given there wasn't a third season, and the reintroduction of Steve into Peggy's life in the MCU effectively retcons the finale's most earned moments.
The Defenders
Season 1, Episode 8: The Defenders
For those who loved the Netflix Marvel shows more than the MCU, The Defenders was a crossover that had been eagerly awaited. While the series brought together Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, the series was not overly popular, losing viewers more rapidly than its predecessors.
As for the finale itself, there were a few shining moments in the midst of a lot of chaos. Unlike major superhero crossovers like Avengers: Infinity War or DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, the show as a whole—and particularly this finale—felt like significantly less than the sum of its parts. The chemistry between the leads felt genuine, but the fights had limited consequences and the cancelation of the Netflix shows meant that even the budding relationships between the various superheroes couldn't go very far.
Hawkeye
Season 1, Episode 6: So This Is Christmas?
While dealing with important topics, Hawkeye is one of the more lighthearted Marvel shows. It takes place during Christmas, it has a pizza dog named Lucky in it, and the bad guys are a gang that wears tracksuits. Even though Hawkeye is a fun show and the finale is still an enjoyable episode, it misses the mark by just a little.
The main flaw in Hawkeye is its villains and how they are handled in the finale. In the fifth episode, it is revealed that the villain is Kate Bishop's mother, Eleanor, and she is working with the infamous Kingpin. The excitement at Kingpin's reveal is quickly diffused when in the finale, he fights Kate and appears to be killed off soon after. It is an underwhelming official MCU debut for such a pivotal character, especially one who is so well done in Netflix's Daredevil series. The redeeming qualities of this finale are Yelena and Clint's heart-to-heart and some cool shots of best friend duo Clint and Kate shooting down Tracksuit Mafia goons.
Luke Cage
Season 2, Episode 13: They Reminisce Over You
Throughout its first season, Luke Cage was about Luke trying to stay alive and out of prison, with a desire to help Harlem when he could. Season 2 had a stronger focus on Luke's actions to keep the peace, as he was no longer fighting for his life.
In the finale, Luke had to decide whether to keep his hands clean or make Harlem a safer place. While that plot line was relatively successful (though controversial), too many elements were added to set up a third season that never came, which left many characters—especially Tilda Johnson—without much closure.
Ms. Marvel
Season 1, Episode 6: No Normal
Ms. Marvel was an important step in the right direction to diversifying the MCU, both in of hero demographics and tonal changes. The series feels unique from the standard Marvel formula, and the finale showcased its emphasis on color and community.
Kamala had a successful hero journey, but the ensemble didn't fare as well. Neither her New Jersey nor Karachi allies felt wholly realized, and Kamran's villain arc felt rushed. However, those failings were largely overshadowed by the reveals in the end: that Kamala Khan is a mutant and that she can trade places with Carol Danvers. Those surprises turned a respectable finale into a must-see component of the MCU.
