Considering that some of the Marvel heroes are literal Gods with unique and exceptional abilities, it's easy to forget that they can also be vulnerable and sensitive. A lot of them deal with the same problems as any normal person, even if their circumstances are entirely different.
Indeed, looking past all the muscle and heroism, Marvel's heroes deal with a lot of traumas. Some of it comes from their troubled past, and some is a consequence of their world-saving duties, but all of them do their best to deal with it. MCU movies aren't interested in exploring this pain, and perhaps they should, because these characters would become a lot more complex and relatable if they were allowed to go through their human emotions.
Hawkeye Tries To Protect His Family
Despite being a professional spy who somehow ends up being an Avenger, it's clear that all Hawkeye wants is to have a normal, quiet life with his family. Out of all the Avengers, he enjoys their potentially deadly adventures the least and simply sees them as a part of his job.
Clint's main concern is keeping his family away from danger, and isn't that what most parents want? For their families to be safe and happy, protected from any threat, and away from the chaos of it all. No one can guarantee their loved one's safety, not even Clint, but they still try.
Star-Lord Grew Up Without His Mother
One of Peter Quill's main character traits is the unresolved grief he carries due to his mother's death. It's the reason why he grows up to be a stunted, insecure, immature man-child who hides behind humor and sarcasm and has trouble letting people in.
Many children are unable to deal with traumatic events and retreat to fantasy worlds or develop depression. Some even regress and lose previously acquired skills. Quill shows signs of all of these behaviors, and the Guardians films can be seen as a coming-of-age story for a man in his mid-thirties who's just learning how to deal with his emotions.
Nebula Feels Less Than Her Sister
Having siblings can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it can also be the source of anger and frustration, especially if they're pitted against one another. Thanos was never going to win father of the year, but the cruelty he exhibits towards Nebula truly is outstanding.
Because of the incredibly hostile environment surrounding her, Nebula grows up viewing everything as a competition and Gamora as her ultimate rival. Many people share adversarial relationships with their siblings and while these two are clearly the worst-case scenario, it's a situation that's sadly very common.
Gamora Regrets Her Past Mistakes
After being taken away against her will, Gamora grows up under Thanos' control. She does everything in her power to survive and avoid the Mad Titan's rage, including a lot of things that she regrets. In the first Guardians films, many hold a grudge against her, although it's more because of her connection to Thanos.
Once she s the Guardians, Gamora tries to atone for her past mistakes. She's certainly the moral center of the group, always fighting for the greater good. She also actively seeks to resolve her problems with Nebula and opens herself to the idea of a relationship. Everyone makes mistakes during their lifetime, the important thing is to learn from them and always strive to be better.
Spider-Man Is Going Through Teenage Growing Pains
Out of all the Marvel heroes, Peter Parker may very well be the most relatable. He's experienced his fair share of loss, something that shaped his way of seeing the world. Taking his superpowers away, he's just a clumsy and shy teenager trying his best to do well by his aunt.
He also experiences a lot of the issues regular teenagers do, like being awkward with the girl he likes and trusting people he shouldn't. He learns from his mistakes but still has to deal with the consequences, just like every other kid on the planet.
Hulk Has Anger Issues
It would be an understatement to say that Bruce Banner has "anger issues." Indeed, that man is looking at anger in the rearview mirror. Still, take away the green, brutal, super-strong monster and what is left is the story of a man who loses control and completely dissociates, hurting everyone around him in the process. When he recovers his senses, he's left with a disaster of his own making and must deal with the consequences.
Millions of people struggle with anger management. Hulk is a fantastical and exaggerated way of exploring anger issues and with mental health awareness becoming a priority in society, it's the perfect time to have a conversation about it.
Ant-Man Tries To Be A Good Father
If Scott Lang has a defining trait, it's his undying love for his daughter, Cassie. All he does is in service of trying to give her a better life, and while he makes a lot of mistakes, they're never out of malice or ill-will. Scott is a good, decent man who happened to make a couple of badly-planned moves.
Being a parent is incredibly tough. There's no guide or manual to help and all they can do is do their best and hope it's the right thing for their children. However, and just like Scott shows, one of the most important things is loving and being there for a child. The rest is figured out along the way.
Black Widow Can't Trust Others
Because of her traumatic and still mysterious childhood, Natasha Romanoff begins her MCU journey by being unable to trust people. She wears many masks, keeps people at a distance, and sees every relationship as a transaction. It helps her stay alive but also makes her life extremely solitary.
By the end of her arc, Natasha finds a family and a reason to fight. She slowly opens herself to friendship and learns how to express her emotions in healthy ways. Many people have the same trust issues as Natasha, even without being super spies. The important thing to is that no one can make it alone. Humans need each other to make it past the dark times.
Captain America Feels Like He Doesn't Belong
Waking up in a different century, Steve Rogers is the ultimate fish out of water. The self-declared leading authority in waiting too long, Steve basically spends his time in the modern world trying to fix the mistakes of others and making some of his own.
Feeling out of place is a common human sentiment. Many teenagers feel like they don't fit in their schools or towns. Grown-ups sometimes feel this way too, at work or even in romantic relationships. Watching Steve struggle is certainly something many people could empathize with, even if they couldn't fully understand it.
Wanda Is Grieving
The pain of losing a loved one is, perhaps, the greatest one a human being can experience. Millions of people know what it's like and how hard it is to keep going with that huge gap in their lives. It isn't easy and many people never fully recover from the pain.
WandaVision is, at its core, an exploration of grief and loss. It's an elaborate metaphor about how some people retreat into a fantasy world so as not to deal with the cruel realities of the world. Wanda finally gets to express her pain, further developing her character and finally taking center stage in a story that could certainly use some of her depth.
