MCU: The 15 Biggest Tear-Jerker Moments of 2021

While 2020 proved a quiet year for MCU fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this resulted in a packed slate for the beginning of phase four in 2021. The films and shows released throughout the year included the action, laughs, drama, and great characters fans have come to expect from the MCU, while also putting fans through an emotional rollercoaster great enough to rival Avengers: Endgame.

Here are the MCU's biggest tear-jerker moments of 2021.

1. The entirety of WandaVision episode 8, 'Previously On..'

WandaVision's eighth episode, 'Previously On..' opens with Agatha Harkness having captured Wanda Maximoff, wanting an explanation how she cast the Hex over Westview. As Wanda genuinely cannot remember how the Hex started, Agatha forces the soon-to-be Scarlet Witch to embark on a trip through her memories in search of the truth. This results in a parade of tears and trauma for Wanda as she relives some of her saddest memories, including the bomb blast that killed her parents, her grief after the death of her brother, Pietro, and a visit to Vision's broken body, prompting her to inadvertently cast the Hex over Westview.

While the episode is full of tear-jerker moments, it did give us the sweet scene above, including a memorable quote that fans fell in love with:

"What is grief, if not love persevering?"

2. Wanda says goodbye to her family (WandaVision)

While battling Agatha in WandaVision's final episode, 'The Series Finale', Wanda learns that neither her revived Vision or their twin sons, Tommy and Billy, could ever survive outside of the Hex. In the show's heartbreaking final scenes, Wanda says goodbye to Vision and her children as the Hex crumbles, before she leaves Westview, alone once more. Only Monica Rambeau acknowledges Wanda's sacrifice.

Wanda does tell Vision that they will 'Say hello again', and the original Vision's body is out there somewhere. Also, the series post-credits scene hints that she may be able to recover some form of the twins. However, chances are, they will never be the same as the Westview family she lost.

3. Bucky tells Yori the truth about his son (Falcon and the Winter Soldier)

In the first episode of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes is seen to have befriended an elderly man, Yori Nakajima, and takes him out to lunch once a week. Yori appears to view Bucky as a substitute for his son, who was killed some years previous. In a sad twist, it is revealed that Yori's son was a victim of Bucky's during his time as the Winter Soldier, killed simply because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Eventually, Bucky reveals the truth to Yori. This ends the pair's friendship, but at least Bucky knows he has given Yori closure.

4. Loki sees his future (Loki)

In the opening episode of Loki, a variant Loki is apprehended by the Time Variance Authority after stealing the Tesseract during Avengers: Endgame. While being interviewed by Mobius M. Mobius, Loki is shown parts of his past on video, and after briefly escaping captivity, returns to watch his future. To Loki's despair, this includes witnessing the death of his Mother, Frigga, an event he indirectly caused, and even sees his own eventual death at the hands of Thanos. Worse, Loki is told that these tragedies are unavoidable.

What he sees affects Loki through the entire series, driving his later efforts to prove that a Loki can forge his/her own path, and be more than a villain and a trickster.

5. "It was real to me!" (Black Widow)

Black Widow opens with a flashback sequence depicting a young Natasha Romanoff living in the U.S with her 'Father' Alexei, 'Mother' Melina, and younger sister, Yelena. However, it is soon revealed that the 'Family' was simply Alexei's cover for a long-term undercover mission, which quickly comes to a dramatic end.

Later, when the foursome are reunited, Alexei begins fondly reminiscing about their time as a family, only for Natasha to coldly dismiss the memories as not real. This greatly upsets Yelena, who was only Three when the mission began, and Six when it ended, and therefore never realised that her family was fake.

"It was real to me!"

Thankfully, in a touching scene towards the end of the film, Natasha acknowledges that their family life was real to her too.

6. 'Black Widow' Ending

As the film is a prequel/interquel taking place after the events of Civil War, the ending of the film hints at the upcoming events of Avengers: Infinity War. Having begun the film believing she had no family to eventually accepting that she actually has two, Natasha farewells Yelena, Melina, and Alexei in order to return to her Avenger family, who currently need her more.

While a happy ending on the surface, the scene takes on a much more bittersweet tone when we realise that Nat is heading into a battle doomed to failure, with half the world about to be wiped out by Thanos. The scene becomes even sadder still after remembering that Natasha never sees Yelena or her Widow family again, as she is killed sacrificing her life for the Mind Stone to ensure all those lost can be restored.

7. Supreme Strange destroys his Universe trying to revive Christine (What If..?)

The fourth episode of Marvel's multiverse-exploring animated series What If..? focuses on Stephen Strange, asking the question 'What If.. Doctor Strange lost his heart instead of his hands?'. In this episode's universe, instead of costing Strange the use of his hands, his car accident claims the life of Dr. Christine Palmer. The desire to revive Christine drives this Strange's efforts to learn magic.

Sadly, his efforts to obtain the power needed to revive Christine drive Strange down an increasingly dark path, damaging the stability of his universe. When his efforts finally prove successful, a terrified Christine cannot even recognise the monster Stephen has become. Soon after, the universe crumbles, leaving only Stephen alive, and completely alone.

8. Hope sacrifices herself so her friends can find the cure (What If..?)

The fifth What If..? episode sees the MCU ravaged by a zombie apocalypse after a deadly virus escapes the Quantum Realm, and follows a small group of surviving heroes, including Peter Parker, Bucky Barnes, and Hope Van Dyne, among other supporting characters, on the hunt for a cure. Around the episode's mid-point, just after the group receives word of a possible cure at Camp Lehigh, Hope is bitten. With time running out as the train in which they are hiding is slowly swarmed, the infected Hope gives up her own life to transport her friends to safety, sharing a sweet but sad goodbye with Peter Parker, with whom she had developed a close bond:

"Peter.. Smile. Smile for me, okay?"

For many fans, the friendship between Peter and Hope was an unexpected highlight of 'What If.. Zombies?!'. The fact that the group loses her right when they believe they are close to a cure is heartbreaking.

9. Yelena learns that Natasha is dead (Hawkeye)

The intro of Hawkeye's fifth episode reveals Yelena's fate after the events of Black Widow. Yelena has been travelling the world freeing other Widows from Dreykov's mind control, with plans to visit Natasha when the job is complete. However, during a pit-stop at a former Widow's home, Yelena falls victim to the Blip. When she is restored five years later, Yelena's first thought is that she needs to find Natasha, to let her know she is alright. Sadly, we, as viewers, know that Nat is dead.

The actual moment Yelena is told of Natasha's death is not seen on screen, but it didn't need to be. Knowing that Yelena was about to find out her sister was dead when they had only just found each other again was tragic enough.

10. Yelena forgives Clint (Hawkeye)

In the post credits scene of Black Widow, Yelena Belova is hired to assassinate Clint Barton. When Yelena makes her grand entrance mid-way through the Hawkeye series, she is at first eager to carry out the task, believing Clint to be responsible for her sister's death, and unwilling to believe Clint's assertion that Nat willingly sacrificed herself.

In Hawkeye's final episode, Yelena has Clint down, and is about to finish him off, but stops when Clint whistles, the exact way Natasha and Yelena did to communicate as children. In a bittersweet but beautiful moment, Yelena, finally accepting that they had both truly loved Natasha, puts away her gun and helps Clint to his feet. Some fans fear repercussions for Yelena failing to complete her mission.

11. The death of Shang-Chi's Mother (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)

It is apparent early in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings that Shang-Chi's Mother, Ying-Li, has died, but it is not until later in the film that we learn the exact details of her death. Following his marriage to Ying-Li, Wenwu gives up his criminal organisation, and locks the Ten Rings away. However, his past eventually catches up with him. When Shang-Chi is seven years old, Wenwu's old rivals, the Iron Gang, murder Ying-Li.

Ying-Li's death irreparably shatters the family. Wenwu returns to his life of crime, and subjects Shang-Chi to a brutal training regimen, turning him into a weapon against his enemies. He neglects his daughter, Xialing, due to her resemblance to Ying-Li. Though Wenwu still loves his children on some level, he is never the same after his wife's death.

12. Gilgamesh falls (Eternals)

One of the sweetest relationships in Eternals is the bond between warriors Gilgamesh and Thena. When Thena is diagnosed with a rare Eternal illness known as Mahd Wy'ry, which affects her mind and renders her prone to uncontrollable acts of violence, even against those she loves, Gilgamesh takes her away to care for her. The pair cope relatively well, until their fellow Eternals eventually come looking for them.

Though she is one of the Eternals best fighters, Thena's illness means she must be kept away from battle. This leads to tragedy when the group visits Druig's village, as Gilgamesh is killed by a Deviant while protecting Thena.

13. Aunt May dies (Spider-Man: No Way Home)

For nearly all incarnations of Spider-Man, Aunt May is a solid, steady, constant presence in Peter Parker's life. Peter loses Uncle Ben, loses friends, and even loses a few love interests, but he always has Aunt May to help guide him through. So, it came as an unpleasant shock to many fans to see May fatally injured during one of Peter’s battles with the Green Goblin in Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, she hangs on for just long enough to deliver a version of the iconic Spidey motto, usually said by Uncle Ben:

“With great power, there must also come great responsibility.”

As Peter’s plan to cure the multiverse villains had been showing signs of success up until that point, May’s death comes as a huge emotional gut-punch.

14. The Amazing Spider-Man still grieves for Gwen (Spider-Man: No Way Home)

Soon after May’s death, MJ and Ned discover two alternate Peter Parkers, and take them to find their Peter. The other two Spider-Men attempt to help MCU Peter by sharing stories of their own losses. Andrew Garfield’s Peter, now dubbed ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ in some post film media, reveals that he became bitter after losing his girlfriend, Gwen, and does not want the same thing happening to the younger Peter.

Garfield’s Spider-Man does get a chance at redemption when he saves MJ from a fall during the film’s final battle, it is clear that Gwen’s death still haunts him.

15. The World forgets Peter Parker

The main plot of Spider-Man: No Way Home is sparked by the reveal to the world at large that Peter is Spider-Man, followed by a spell of Doctor Strange's going wrong, and drawing in characters from other universes who know that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Over the course of the film, the spell spirals further out of control, causing tears in the universe. Peter convinces Doctor Strange that the only way to correct the damage is with a new spell, that will make everyone forget Peter Parker entirely. Unfortunately, 'everyone' includes Peter's best friend Ned, and girlfriend, MJ.

Strange reluctantly casts the spell, and Peter promises Ned and MJ that he will find them and make them remember him. However, when he does find MJ, Peter hesitates to reveal himself to her after seeing a small wound she sustained during the film's final battle. Peter Parker ends the film with no friends and no family, beginning a new life entirely alone.

Hopefully, we can look forward to some happier times for the MCU in 2022.