TheMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)has seen its heroes evolve a great deal over time, with iconic suit upgrades mirroring this change. When the MCU began back in 2008 withIron Man, it would have been impossible to predict that almost 20 years later, there would be nearly 40 feature films with a combined box office of $32 billion.
Add to that nearly 20 TV shows, and the expanse of the modern MCU is truly breathtaking. And with so much material, the heroes of the MCU have had a lot of opportunities to change and evolve over time. With the most visually apparent changes coming through the alterations in their costumes.
9Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow Suit
First up, Natasha Romanoff is an excellent example of this change over time, as her character’s debut inIron Man 2was vastly different to her last MCU appearance inBlack Widow.Nat is initially introduced as an undercover SHIELD agentwho is sent to keep tabs on Tony Stark.
However, at this early stage in her story, when she is revealed to be the Marvel hero Black Widow,theMCU continued to focus on less refined parts of her character. Thankfully, by the time the audience says goodbye to this incredible hero, she is recognized for more than her looks.
Natasha Romanoff’s all-white suit inBlack Widowis a stunning evolution of the hero. Not only does it reflect the redemption arc that she experiences from her horrifying days in the Red Room, butitputs the focus on her as a hero.
8The Thunderbolts' New Avengers Suits
Connected to Natasha Romanoff, her younger sister and fellow alumni from the Red Room, Yelena Belova went on to have a redemption arc of her own. InThunderbolts*,Yelena and a ragtag group of mercenariesall undergo massive changes as they learn to work together and act selflessly.
With the growth of these characters which leads to their becoming The New Avengers, the film also showcases this change visually as each of the teamproudly wears costumes that are uniquely suited to them, while also identifying them as a team.
Ava Starr, aka Ghost, and John Walker, aka US Agent, sport two of the most notable costume upgrades from previous appearances, as theyrefined their costumes to reflect their personalities, rather than continue using suits that were not inherently their own.
7Matt Murdock’s Daredevil: Born Again Suit
The NetflixDaredevilseries may have taken place outside the official MCU, but it’s a testament to the strength of the series and the performers thatDaredevil: Born Againbrought these characters into the Sacred Timelineofficially.
And of course, to help with the transition, the MCU needed to ensure that the new suit worn by Matt Murdock wouldserve as a step up from previous iterations.Matt only dons the suit for a few episodes inDaredevil: Born Againseason 1, but the results speak for themselves.
The beautiful red and black suit, with hard lines of definition, and one of the most stunning masks from Charlie Cox’s iteration of the hero results inthe best Daredevil suit to appear in live-actionto date.
6Iron Man’s Avengers: Infinity War Suit
Tony Stark was the foundation of the Infinity Saga in the MCU, with his journey mirroring the developments of the series as a whole. Initially,Tony creates his first suit in a cave, putting scraps together to make something that somehow exceeded all expectations.
However, with more time, money, and resources behind him,Tony is able to create and reinvent his suit, adding important details, and expanding its capabilities. As much as many of these developments came from Tony’s paranoia, the evolution of Iron Man is undeniable.
And when he returns forAvengers: Infinity War, it’s clear that this incredible hero has reached the peak of his abilities, with a nanotech suit that is able to change and adapt according to his imagination and will. While it isn’t the prettiest Iron Man suit, it’s a clear upgrade, and awonderful visual representation of the hero’s growth.
5Thor’s Thor: Ragnarok Suit
Thor is one of the heroes of the MCU who underwent some of the biggest changes early on. Initially, this Asgardian warrior wore royal clothing, with a flowing cape, and large shoulder pads that kind offelt like he was a child dressing up.
However, inThor: Ragnarok, Thor clearly comes into his own, with the hero losing the long cape, the shoulder pads, the arm sleeves, and even an eye.Thor goes through hell to become his own man, but the results are stunning, and his debut as a charming and roguish hero is wonderful to behold.
4Sam Wilson’s Captain America: Brave New World Suit
When Sam Wilson arrived in the MCU, he was a humble veteran and counselor to other military personnel who were struggling with the reality of life after service. From here,Sam embarks on a journey to become Captain America’s right-hand man, Falcon, before being entrusted with the Captain America mantle himself.
Evidently, as Sam went from being known as theFalcon to becoming Captain America, a lot changed. But the way that his costume evolves, and the incredibleincorporation of Vibranium wingsto honor his journey as a hero make his Captain America suit uniquely his own.
The color scheme, the wings, and the overallconfidence that Sam Wilson has in this new suitis absolutely stunning.
3Steve Rogers' Captain America: The Winter Soldier Suit
Speaking of Captain America, Steve Rogers also experienced a lot of changes from his days as a soldier serving in World War II, to embracing his own identity as a hero. Initially,Steve wasn’t even trusted to be an active part of the war, despite having received the Super Soldier serum.
At that time,Steve was touring around the US as a propaganda tooland sporting a red, white and blue costume that screamed patriotism. However, after decades on ice, Steve woke up to a world that was very different. This was part of the reason that Steve began to move away from the patriotic color scheme.
HisCaptain America: The Winter Soldiersuit is sleek, dark; it serves to show his evolution, and foreshadows his disillusionment with the government after SHIELD is revealed to be a front for Hydra. Later, Steve would again incorporate the flag into his suit, butthis design marks one of the most interesting moments in his journey.
2Peter Parker’s Spider-Man: Far From Home Suit
Another iconic hero from the MCU, Spider-Man, has had plenty of costume changes despite only appearing in a handful of movies. However, there is one suit that stands out from the rest.Spider-Man: Far From Home’sred and black suit is distinct, and incredibly fun for the MCU’s version of Peter Parker.
WhileSpider-Man is known for his red and blue suit design, this unique take on the character’s outfitincorporates the elements that make him part of the MCU, like his advanced tech, and gives him a twist that distinguishes him from earlier live-action adaptations.
It’s simple, it iseasily recognizable as Spider-Man, but it’s also very much this version of Spider-Man, over being something else.
1The Scarlet Witch’s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Suit
Wanda Maximoff has a unique story arcin the MCU. Unlike most of her peers, Wanda starts out in a tough spot, finds a brief moment of happiness with Vision, and then descends lower and lower through multiple tragedies before becoming the villainous Scarlet Witch.
However, while her story may move in the wrong direction compared to other hero arcs, her outfits actually see the most drastic improvements. Initially, inAvengers: Age of Ultron,Wanda sports a long red jacket and some plain clothes. This barely improves in later appearances, untilWandaVisionsees the character tackle some more comic-accurate looks.
However, it’sDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessthat elevates Wanda beyond her previous appearances, and beyond the comics-inspiredWandaVisionlooks, tobecome a distinctly MCU-based version of the character.
From her pointed crown down to her full-body suit, this is an incredible take on the Scarlet Witch, and one of the finest suits in theMCU. Yet another incredible example of how simple costume changes reflect on the incredible journey of these characters.
