In The Midst Of All The Action, I Gathered 26 Couples From The MCU And Ranked Them Based On Their Chemistry

“I just feel you” is one of the most romantic lines in cinema history and you can't change my mind.

Now, when we think about romance, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) isn’t really the first place to look.

Marvel Studios / Via giphy.com

Still, in the midst of all of the epic battles and cool CGI action sequences, there are relationships that develop and manage to fulfill my sappy love story needs. Who would have thought that people falling in love while fighting extraterrestrial/ magical beings would be so romantic?

Disney+ / Via giphy.com

Now, did all of the couples in the MCU work? Not all of them. But the ones that do, never fail to make my heart race! So, here's my ranking of my least to top favorite MCU couples:

Marvel Studios/Sony / Via giphy.com

(Sorry in advance to all of the fans of the previously Netflix-produced Marvel TV series or Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but for the sake of length, I will only be including couples from the MCU films and TV series produced on Disney+)

**MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD**

26. Ned Leeds and Betty Brant

Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios

Starting off with a couple that was very cringe, but added some humor. Glad our best man Ned got a girl, but Betty would not have been my first choice.

25. Natasha Romanoff and Bruce Banner

Marvel Studios

This was a pairing that I felt no one asked for, yet they were front and center in Age of Ultron. Nothing against the actors, I do think Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo have good chemistry in their scenes together. But the story behind their connection was half-baked, and they barely touch on it again in future films. The MCU would have been better off without this love story.

24. Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne

Marvel Studios

Look, I love Scott, which is probably due to my love for Paul Rudd. Unfortunately, I cannot stand Hope. She constantly belittles Scott! I understand that Scott’s kind of a doofus, but he’s a loving doofus who's trying to be better. Hope just comes off as very demanding and entitled. I mean she is Hank Pym’s daughter after all. Maybe they have a better relationship in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but I’m not convinced.

23. Stephen Strange and Christine Palmer

Marvel Studios

This couple missed the mark. Stephen took Christine for granted, and she rightfully moved on and ended up with someone else. Best to keep Dr. Strange single for the foreseeable future.

22. Okoye and W’Kabi

Marvel Studios

From the small bits we saw, they seemed like a loving couple. But we saw that Okoye was willing to kill W’kabi for the sake of Wakanda, so clearly, her love comes second to her duty as the General of Wakanda. General Okoye needs no man.

21. Kamala Khan and Kamran

Disney+

This couple is a classic teen romance trope pairing — Kamala is the unpopular kid, while Kamran is the hottie with the sketchy past. They’re fine I guess, but it’s not anything new.

20. Thor Odison and Jane Foster

Marvel Studios

As gorgeous as they are, they’re kind of boring. Thor was a stereotypical hero man with abs who beat up bad guys and was always saving his damsel in distress, Jane. Their romance just didn’t feel genuine to me. Even when they reunited, I couldn’t see the romantic connection. Sorry, Thor and Jane shippers.

19. Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne

Marvel Studios

I don't like Hank, but his devotion to finding his wife in the quantum realm is very admirable. Their love for one another is what kept them going all of those decades apart. I ship them over Scott and Hope that’s for sure.

18. Ayo and Aneka

Marvel Studios

Their relationship was very subtle, but nonetheless, I appreciate the LGBTQ representation! Unfortunately, I can’t really rank them higher given what little we saw, but they make a fierce couple for sure. Maybe we'll see them again in future films!

17. Sersi and Ikaris

Marvel Studios

They were hot, like, I can cook an egg with all of these steamy looks that they give each other. As much as I loved the intense staring, the twist of Ikaris being the true villain of the story made me like this pairing a lotttt less. But dang, their passion burns through the screen.

16. Peter Parker and Liz

Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios

They were cute! Unfortunately, the twist about Liz’s father definitely threw out this couple’s chance of being endgame rather quickly. But let’s be honest. We needed Liz to leave to make way for the one true pairing of the MCU Spider-Man films.

15. Sersi and Dane Whitman

Marvel Studios

They were also hot! While we didn’t get to see much of Dane in that short amount of screen time, he proved to be a very thoughtful guy. He didn’t even really freak out when Sersi revealed that she was an Eternal! If that’s not true love, then I don’t know what is.

Can I just quickly give a shout-out to my goddess, Sersi, AKA Gemma Chan? This girl got two hotties vying for her attention. LET'S GO QUEEEN.

14. May Parker and Happy Hogan

Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios

This was an unexpected pairing that I didn't know I needed. Our favorite head of security, Happy, deserves some lovin! They were pretty cute and it would’ve been fun to see more of them together.

13. Phastos and Ben Stoss

Marvel Studios

They were the first openly gay couple introduced in the MCU! The loving interactions between Phastos and the family he made for himself need to be celebrated. I wanted to see more of them, but I understand Eternals had a lot going on already. I trust the MCU to give the Stoss family some much deserved screentime in Phase 5.

12. Marc Spector/Steven Grant and Layla El-Faouly

Disney+

This one is tough because technically Layla is with Marc, but I thought her interactions with Steven were swoony. Mostly because I loved the gender role reversal in their dynamic. But in the end, Layla loves Marc, and by extension, also Steven, and that’s what matters.

11. Alexei Shostakov and Melina Vostocoff

Marvel Studios

I liked these two! Even though their relationship was technically a cover story, there’s some sexual tension there. Also, you can feel their longing for each other in their reunion scene. Really giving me all the From Russia with Love vibes.

10. Tony Stark and Pepper Potts

Marvel Studios

Despite being the first MCU couple introduced, Tony and Pepper’s love story didn’t do much for me. Tech-millionaire playboy falls in love and settles down with his personal assistant? How groundbreaking! Don’t get me wrong, their relationship does progress in future films and they prove how solid they are together. Thanks to their relationship, we were introduced to precious Morgan and got the quotable “I love you 3000” line.

9. Matt Murdock and Jennifer Walters

Disney+

I guess this couple is more like a casual fling than a real relationship. But I really liked this pairing! They make a lot of sense — they’re both lawyers and fight crime at the same time. Also, the playful flirting banter between the two was great!

8. Peter Quill and Gamora

Marvel Studios

While I find Peter a big tool and believe Gamora deserves better, they do love and need each other. That specific scene in Infinity Wars never fails to make me cry. Not sure if their relationship will exist in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, given what happened in Infinity War, but I'm hoping they can rekindle that connection.

7. Clint Barton and Laura Barton

Marvel Studios

I didn’t read the comics, so this couple came as a nice surprise for me. Age of Ultron introduced us to Laura, and since then I've been vibing with their synergy! I’m totally for family-man Hawkeye. Another married couple on the list that I would go to bat for.

6. Loki and Sylvie

Disney+

Of course, our favorite self-absorbed god of mischief fell in love with the female version of himself. It only makes sense! Narcissism aside, the dynamic between these two is amazing. Sylvie is Loki’s perfect foil. They are a prime example of enemies-to-lovers done exceptionally well.

5. Makkari and Druig

Marvel Studios

They weren't even the main couple of the film, but their scenes together blew me away! The affectionate gazes and the cute teasing that happens when they reunite left me obsessed. This was the true couple of Eternals. They made such a huge impact and were the best part of the movie.

4. T’Challa and Nakia

Marvel Studios

Out of all of the couples on this list, this couple truly represented a supportive relationship filled with trust and respect. They are also equally badass! The moments between them are tender and the comfort they give each other is beautiful. I’m really sad that we cannot see more of them.

3. Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter

Marvel Studios

Another couple we didn’t get to see much of due to Steve being frozen in ice. But in that one movie alone, Steve and Peggy’s romance really set the bar pretty high. I think we were all Peggy when we saw Steve for the first time after being injected with the super-soldier serum. Steve asking Peggy for that dance while sacrificing himself makes me teary-eyed after every rewatch. I am happy that they got their happily ever after in the end, even if it didn’t make a lot of sense to some fans.

2. Wanda Maximoff and Vision

Disney+

Ahh. This couple tugs on all of my heartstrings. They had such a sweet, innocent love. I still haven’t recovered from watching the heartbreaking scene of Wanda killing the love of her life to save the world, only for it to fail and watch him die again. This woman really has been through so much. I never thought I could be so invested in the love of a woman with supernatural powers and an artificially intelligent humanoid powered by an infinity stone, but here we are.

1. Peter Parker and Michelle "MJ" Jones-Watson

Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios

Finally, the OTP of the MCU! I will confess that I am biased because Tom Holland and Zendaya are together in real life. BUT no one can deny the chemistry between them. The way they look at each other just makes me melt every time I see them on screen. Their relationship perfectly represents what it’s like to be young and in love. The MCU better give me more Peter and MJ or I will Hulk Smash and throw things.

Honorable Mentions

There were some pairings and couples that weren't confirmed, but they merit a quick shoutout.

Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter

Marvel Studios

They shared a kiss, so there was something there. Sharon being related to Peggy makes them a bit icky though, so I'm kind of glad the MCU didn't choose to move forward with this couple.

Shang-Chi and Katy Chen

Marvel Studios

The film kind of sets them up to get together, but I’m not feeling the romantic chemistry between these two. Shang-Chi and Katy should just stay friends.

Kamala Khan and Bruno Carelli

Disney+

It’s obvious that Bruno has some feelings for Kamala. But like a classic high school romance, Kamala only got eyes for the brooding hot guy. They had a moment, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they become a couple soon.

Kamala Khan and Kareem

Disney+

This girl has got a lot of options, but this couple is one I want to see. The chemistry between the two was undeniable. Let's see if they do become something more...

And Gilgamesh and Thena

Marvel Studios

There wasn’t anything romantic between them, but they deserve to be included. I loved their relationship. The support Gilgamesh gave Thena when she was going through Mahd Wy'ry and her gratitude for him was everything. Their platonic love was better than most of the love stories in the MCU.

How do my MCU couple rankings match up with yours? Which couple is your fave? Let me know in the comments below!