The 10 greatest MCU moments

From interstellar dance-offs to shawarma smorgasbords, here are the funniest, coolest, most badass moments since Earth's mightiest heroes began to assemble.

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Secret identity? Save it for Bruce Wayne. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) wants the world to know he's added action hero to his billionaire/genius/playboy calling card. In the film's finale, he proudly proclaims he's the guy inside the tin suit — at a press conference, no less — as gal Friday Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) stands by.

Spidey (Tom Holland) swings into the MCU just as the Marvel heroes are squaring off for a superhero showdown. The amazing arachnid's arrival at the German airport makes for six heroes on each side — and a debut that impresses even Captain America (Chris Evans). But it's an insect, not an arachnid, that changes the odds, when Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) expands into his colossal Giant-Man incarnation!

Everybody knows a superhero movie culminates in a climactic battle of good against evil. Everybody, that is, except Chris Pratt's goofy Star-Lord, who challenges his nemesis Ronan (Lee Pace) to a dance-off rather than the traditional amped-up fisticuffs. As Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) says, "There are two types of beings in the universe: those who dance and those who do not." Wise words.

Taking a call from the boss isn't always comfortable — even less so when you're being held prisoner. But Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) demonstrates that it's a minor inconvenience — and that she's a force to be reckoned with — by wrecking her captors while S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) is on hold.

The first Marvel limited comic-book series, Contest of Champions, introduced the idea of heroes battling in the arena of the Grandmaster (played onscreen by Jeff Goldblum). Ragnarok brought that idea to the screen a quarter-century later on the planet Sakaar. When Thor (Chris Hemsworth) saunters into the arena and encounters the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), he's much relieved — but not for long. Hulk isn't big on workplace camaraderie. For Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who had suffered the green giant's wrath before, it's a moment to treasure.

After the Valkyries of Asgard were defeated by Hela (Cate Blanchett), sole survivor Brunnhilde fled to Sakaar to drink and forget her pain. But "Scrapper 142" (Tessa Thompson) couldn't keep away from the fight for long. Thor wisely seeks her aid to reclaim their homeland from the goddess of death — and the Valkyrie eventually jumps at the chance to get a bit of revenge for the deaths of her comrades.

In the mid-credits scene inspired by the "I am Iron Man" moment, T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) addresses the United Nations — and prepares to spring a surprise on the whole planet, revealing his nation's technological advancement. Long live the king.

Batroc the Leaper might be one of the sillier villains in Marvel's Silver Age stable — as the name suggests, in the comics he just leaps around, taunting Captain America with epithets spoken in French. But his hijacking of a S.H.I.E.L.D. satellite-launch ship gave Cap and Black Widow the chance to start The Winter Soldier in full caper mode — and trade a few quips along the way.

Tom Hiddleston's Loki is a man of many words. Hulk, not so much. "I am a god, you dull creature, and I will not be bullied by..." Thor's power-mad little brother doesn't get to complete his thought once the mean, green alter ego of Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) begins to swing him around like a rag doll. To finish the beatdown, Hulk offers a derisive aside about the Asgardian. Though, in fairness, most folks are pretty puny compared to a Hulk.

The gang's gotta eat, and there's nothing like saving the planet from hordes of Chitauri invaders to help work up an appetite. After Tony offhandedly mentions trying the Middle Eastern dish shawarma to his pals during the fight, the Avengers are seen sharing a meal at a local diner in the final post-credits scene. Fortunately, there was a place still open after the destruction. No word on whether Tony picked up the tab or where they stashed Loki during their chow-down.