Marvel Just Kicked Off Phase 5 Of The MCU, Which Means It's Time To Step Back And Rank Phase 4

Choosing between WandaVision and Loki was harder than collecting all six Infinity Stones.

It's official: The MCU's fourth phase has finally come to an end...And I already miss it!!

Marvel Studios/Disney

So, now that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has kicked off Phase 5, I thought it would be fun to go through and rank all 17 MCU properties from Phase 4 (that's everything between WandaVision and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special).

🚨🚨 Expect major spoilers to be ahead! 🚨🚨

17. Thor: Love and Thunder

Marvel Studios/Disney

Over the years, the Thor movies have generally been misses for Marvel (with the exception of 2017's Thor: Ragnarok), but this one is probably the worst of the bunch. While the Thor and Thor: The Dark World may be a bit boring, they still have something that Thor: Love and Thunder lacks: a coherent and well-paced storyline that makes sense.

16. What If...?

Marvel Studios/Disney

Hey, it's worth noting that the high points of What If...? are extremly high. Unfortunately, the low points are just as low. One moment, you're watching Dr. Strange in one of the most heartbreaking and mature stories that Marvel has ever put out, and the next, you're watching Thor throw a never-ending party in a TV episode ripped straight out of a five-year-old's Saturday morning cartoon.

15. Black Widow

Marvel Studios/Disney

I think we can all agree that this movie should've been made at least five years before it actually was. And unfortunately, after Avengers: Endgame killed off Natasha Romanoff with her heroic sacrifice, there wasn't much they could add to her character in order to keep consistency with the timeline. But hey, even though the third act is a bit messy in comparison to the objectively great first two, Black Widow is still worth watching for its dark atmosphere and realistically terrifying villain. And it goes without saying that Florence Pugh absolutely shines as Yelena Belova.

14. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Marvel Studios/Disney

Let's get one thing right out the way: Elizabeth Olsen is this movie's saving grace. She steals every single scene she's in, and keeps Multiverse of Madness re-watchable. Unfortunately, even Olsen's stunning performance isn't enough to save the film from awkward pacing and a rushed storyline...Especially because it feels like nobody in the writers room seemed to know anything about the first Doctor Strange OR WandaVision.

13. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Marvel Studios/Disney

Speaking of saving graces, let's talk about Sam Wilson's phenomenal character arc. It really is such a shame that the relationship between Captain America, Isaiah Bradley, and the U.S. government wasn't the sole storyline throughout The Falcon and the Winter Solider, because it was absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, the "Flag Smashers" just don't work. Their entire plot line is a mess that feels like it was cut short at the last second. And I still haven't forgotten how the writers just randomly tried to redeem John Walker at the end with little to no explanation.

12. Hawkeye

Marvel Studios/Disney

Maybe Hawkeye would be even lower on this list if it weren't so refreshingly festive, but the whole "EVERYTHING-IS-CHRISTMAS!" vibe works pretty well in its favor. And frankly, this show does a much better job of reflecting on Natasha's passing than her own movie did. Hawkeye may not be Marvel's best Disney+ series, but there's nothing quite like experiencing the holiday season alongside Clint Barton and his family. And the best part of this series is Hailee Steinfeld's portrayal of Kate Bishop.

11. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Marvel Studios/Disney

Look, if you went into this show expecting another action-packed, superhero series, then it's fair to acknowledge your disappointment. But if you went into She-Hulk: Attorney at Law expecting it to be a laid-back legal comedy through and through, you probably had a much better time. The one thing that holds it lower on this list is the fact that the finale seemed to abandon everything it had been setting up for the sole purpose of creating a unique way to close out the season. Episodes 1-8 are hilariously entertaining, though.

10. Eternals

Marvel Studios/Disney

Hot take? Absolutely. But there's no denying that Eternals has one of the most unique and refreshing tones in the entire MCU. Everything regarding the celestials and the creation of the universe puts me in an awestruck trance. On the more negative side of things, this movie does suffer quite a bit from its large cast. There were plenty of issues that could have been solved with a smaller group of Eternals or an extended run-time. When it comes to Eternals, it seems like you either loved it or hated it.

9. Ms. Marvel

Marvel Studios/Disney

Of all the Marvel Disney+ shows, this might be the one that felt the most like an actual television series instead of a movie split into six parts. I think it goes without saying that Marvel struck gold with Iman Vellani, who's already proving herself to be a future Hollywood icon. And while Ms. Marvel may differ quite a bit from the original comics, its touching themes surrounding culture and family made it a phenomenal adaption. Lately, I think Marvel's final battles have been harming their shows as a whole, but Ms. Marvel did the exact opposite with its finale: it made the show even better.

8. Moon Knight

Marvel Studios/Disney

I’m starting to notice a recurring pattern: great projects with excellent pacing that throw themselves away during their final moments with messy final battles and rushed endings. Okay, maybe that’s a little harsh, but I still haven’t forgotten how confused I was watching the Moon Knight season finale for the first time. That ending sequence seemed to have us all questioning, “Oh, I guess it’s just…over now?” That being said, Moon Knight as a character is such a uniquely refreshing addition to the MCU. Oscar Isaac’s performance is unbelievable, and the tone of this entire show is perfect.

7. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Marvel Studios/Disney

This Marvel Studios Special Presentation was everything I'd hoped it would be. It wasn't great because it some sort of cinematic work of art, it was great because it was the perfect, silly, almost dumb little ball of Christmas spirit that we all needed after the emotional wrecking ball that was Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. I'll be revisiting this one every December from now on.

6. Werewolf By Night

Marvel Studios/Disney

Werewolf By Night is practically perfect. It's an awesome standalone Halloween story that communicates what it needs to share flawlessly in the short period of time it runs for. The use of practical effects in today's modern society just hits different, and the specified tone and design of the entire production is exactly what we all needed to see in a Halloween Special Presentation. Also...since when did Marvel get so good at keeping secrets? I'd like to remind everyone that we had absolutely no idea that Werewolf By Night was coming out until Marvel released the TRAILER.

5. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Marvel Studios/Disney

A round of applause to Simu Liu for bringing a generally unknown Asian superhero into the limelight in the best possible way. Shang-Chi is the perfect example of a solid Marvel movie. It keeps a consistent tone, and has all the character development, comedy, and action you could ask for. The family dynamics in this movie are absolutely phenomenal, and Wenwu is already becoming a fan-favorite Marvel villain. Now, is the third act kind of...a lot? Sure. But everything building up to it is pure perfection.

4. Spider-Man: No Way Home

Sony/Marvel Studios/Disney

Here's the thing with Spider-Man: No Way Home, the second half of this movie is so good, and so satisfying...you sort of forget that the first half is a little mediocre. To this day, I remain annoyed that the entire conflict of this movie could have been avoided with a simple conversation between Peter and Dr. Strange. However...what follows that minor storytelling issue is absolutely astounding. This movie is proof that fan service CAN make a good movie when it's balanced well with emotion and well-thought out plot lines. Aren't we all so glad this movie turned out great?

3. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Marvel Studios/Disney

The overarching narrative of Wakanda Forever is easily the best of Phase 4, and one of the greatest in the MCU. So why isn't this movie number one on the list? Well, it's because Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sufferers from the Marvel Studios effect of putting too many teasers for future projects into one movie. This film is a beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman with some amazing character development and themes...which means it didn't need to include Val, Everett Ross, the Midnight Angels, or even Riri Williams. Marvel really should have left this movie alone instead of weighing it down with their teaser subplots. That being said, director Ryan Coogler's stroke of genius is more prominent than ever in this movie. Coogler, Angela Basset, and Letitia Wright deserve all the awards.

2. Loki

Marvel Studios/Disney

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Loki should have been the opener to Phase 4, and in turn, to the Multiverse Saga. We may not have known what we were getting ourselves into back in the summer of 2021, but today, with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in theaters (starring a very familiar Johnathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror), the implications of Loki are clearer than a glass of Mobius' whiskey. Giant implications aside, Loki is just a really cool show. A series about a secret, interdimensional force controlling the multiverse? It's no wonder this one is so exciting to watch, especially with the underlying discussions of freewill behind all the action. None of us deserve Tom Hiddleston OR Sophia Di Martino.

1. WandaVision

Marvel Studios/Disney

WandaVision may very well go down in history as the definitive second-wave-of-quarantine TV show. It's easy to forget just how much of an impact this show had on Marvel fans and general viewers alike. Just imagine how many people were introduced to the MCU for the first time because of this show. To this day, it's Marvel's only program to be nominated for "Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series" at the Emmy Awards...and for good reason! This show has it all: tear jerking performances, mystery, action, and plenty of laughs. Maybe it's too early to refer to WandaVision as "iconic," but I stand by it.

Do you agree with my ranking? What was your favorite TV series/movie from this phase? Let me know in the comments!