Iron Man, which introduced Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark and set the basis for what would become the biggest connected universe of superheroes on the big screen.
Since then, the MCU has brought various superheroes from Marvel Comics to film, from more recent characters like the Guardians of the Galaxy to classics like Captain America and Spider-Man. The MCU has also seen various conflicts, which were usually resolved by the end of the movie, but Civil War saw Captain America and Iron Man fighting each other and their relationship coming to an end, with most heroes taking sides or going their own way, as was the case of Scott Lang and Clint Barton, who had to spend some time in house arrest. Needless to say, at that point the Avengers and company weren’t the beloved heroes they once were within the MCU, but all that bad publicity was over in Avengers: Endgame, though not for long.
The consequences of the Civil War conflict could be felt in Iron Man’s sacrifice finally changed the world’s perception of superheroes after the Battle of Sokovia and all the problems in Civil War, showing that the world (or more like the universe, really) needs superheroes to ensure everyone’s safety. However, this didn’t last long, as Spider-Man: Far From Home ended up tainting the image of superheroes again, all through young Spider-Man.
Spider-Man: Far From Home saw Peter Parker go against the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, with Mysterio gone and Peter Parker going back to normal while still juggling his superhero life, it was revealed that Mysterio had one last trick up his sleeve and framed Spider-Man for all the destruction he was responsible for and for his death, painting him as a murderous criminal before exposing his real identity. Everything Spider-Man and the rest of the MCU heroes did in Avengers: Endgame was completely forgotten and superheroes are in a bad light again.
It’s yet to be seen how the MCU will handle this big reveal in its movies, as it not only affects Spider-Man’s image but also that of superheroes in general – if your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man was capable of destroying cities and killing so many people, then other superheroes can be very dangerous too. Surely, the MCU will do its best for superheroes to be seen as the good guys again, but the damage to the legacy of Avengers: Endgame has already been done.
