10 MCU Fights The Heroes Needed To Lose

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Summary

Losses in the MCU can lead to positive consequences, like Thor's temporary defeat against The Destroyer that allowed him to prove himself worthy.
Doctor Strange's decision to continuously lose to Dormammu saved Earth and established him as a hero worthy of the title.
The Avengers' loss to Thanos in Infinity War demonstrated the consequences of division and showed that plot armor doesn't always protect the main characters.

Whether it was for the benefit of the narrative, the long-term benefit of themselves, or a little bit of both - there are many fights in the MCU that the heroes had to lose. Part of what makes the MCU so compelling is that it ensures that not every fight is a foregone conclusion for the heroes. Loss is always a real possibility and helps raise the stakes for every fight. Lessons learned from loss are part of what makes any MCU saga a saga, which is also why some victories can feel unsatisfying.
Conversely, there are also a few moments throughout the MCU in which the heroes are victorious, but a defeat could have been an even better narrative choice. Whether it's through an unfortunate sequence of events that could have been avoided with a tactical loss or a victory that only diminished the threat that they faced, sometimes the heroes should have lost but didn't. With that in mind, here are the losses that either should have happened or were right to come to pass.
Your browser does not support the video tag. Fights MCU Heroes Were Right To Lose Thor Needed To Lose To The Destroyer in Thor

Thor's defeat at the hands of the Asgardian Destroyer Automaton, albeit for all of a few moments, unequivocally steered the entire course of the MCU by placing Mjolnir firmly in his grasp and sparking debates over which other MCU heroes would be worthy for years to come. Thor's decision to place himself in a no-win situation against the Destroyer was precisely what was required for him to subsequently defeat it, ostensibly proving his self-sacrifice to be part of the secret to Mjolnir's "worthiness" clause. This early defeat against a relatively low-level threat was, in many ways, the first perfect example of how a loss gave way to vastly more positive consequences both in-universe and out.
Doctor Strange Needed To Lose To Dormammu in Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange pulled his first stroke of genius against the ruler of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu, after realizing that he would need to lose against the all-powerful demon in perpetuity. By using the Time Stone to trap himself and Dormammu in this time loop, Strange was able to stave off the Dark Dimension's assimilation of Earth, even though it meant that he would lose and suffer again and again and again. In doing so, however, Strange saved the earth, imprisoned Dormammu, and proved himself a hero worthy to call himself one of Earth's mightiest in one, forever repeated, move.
Asgard Needed To Lose To Hela in Thor: Ragnarok

The unstoppable power of Hela was made shockingly apparent in her first scene when she made short work of Mjolnir, causing Thor and Loki to flee. Their prospects did not improve, either, as Thor wrestled with the concept of fulfilling the prophecy of Ragnarök, which meant the destruction of his home. During the climax, however, Thor realized that loss was the only means through which Hela could be defeated; specifically, in a fiery blaze beneath Surtur's gargantuan sword. It culminated in another big lesson for Thor: that victory is not only never assured but sometimes necessary - a lesson he would learn again all too soon.
The Avengers Needed To Lose To Thanos In Avengers: Infinity War

The reasons why the Avengers needed to lose at the end of Avengers: Infinity War are twofold. The first was the in-universe confirmation by Strange that their loss was the only way they could ultimately win. The second was the narrative heft the moment carried in demonstrating the consequences of the Avengers being divided. Needless to say, the result was a masterpiece within the superhero genre, definitively demonstrating that the main characters won't always have plot armor to hide behind.
Wakanda Needed To Lose To Talokan in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Shuri's journey to becoming the Black Panther was fraught as she lost her loved ones in agonizingly quick succession in the process. Though T'Challa's death occurred off-screen, the death of Ramonda at the hands of Namor and the Talokans occurred in real-time, followed by Shuri's immediate and heart-wrenching response. Not only did the event spur Shuri on to recreate the heart-shaped herb, but it was also a defining moment that led to Shuri encountering Killmonger in the Astral Plane, followed by a streak of vengefulness that ultimately saw her emerge as a more merciful and wise ruler reminiscent of her late, great brother.
Iron Man Needed To Lose To Captain America in Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War set up the doomed conditions of Avengers: Infinity War by having the Avengers decidedly split ahead of the monumental battle to come. But it's possible that the Avengers, or more specifically Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, could have never set aside their quarrels if Tony had succeeded in his attempt to kill Bucky. Stark's motives were purely driven by vengeance, and not only would the death of Bucky have made the rift between the two leading figures even wider, but may have had a serious affect on both their mental states throughout the grave events of Avengers: Infinity War.
Hawkeye And Black Widow Needed To Lose To Each Other Avengers: Endgame

As one of the most tragic fights in the MCU, the need for Hawkeye to defeat Black Widow or vice versa was a particularly tough state of affairs to witness. The beauty of this MCU fight was in its paradoxical victory conditions, with both being winners and losers no matter the outcome. The tragic fact of the matter, however, was that one of them had to "win" for the sake of the lives of half of the universe, which isn't such a bad legacy to leave behind.
Fights MCU Heroes Should Have Lose But Didn't Iron Man Should Have Lost To Hulk In Avengers: Age Of Ultron

In many ways, the MCU has failed the Hulk. Despite his godlike powers in the comics, MCU Hulk's power levels have been greatly diminished by comparison, often making him little more than a narrative tool with which to exhibit the power of his fellow Avengers, or Thanos. This was particularly stark in Iron Man's one-on-one with Hulk, whose enraged state made it even harder to stomach. While Hulk gave Hulkbuster a run for its money, this scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron would have better illustrated the "Hulk is too dangerous" subplot if he actually came out on top against Tony's latest ace-in-the-hole, only to snap out of his magic-induced rage of his own accord.
The Guardians Losing Several Fights Could Have Saved Several Lives Later

As the first movie that really delved into the lore of the Infinity Stones courtesy of Benicio Del Toro's Collector, there were quite a few moments in Guardians of the Galaxy that could have been exploited to stave off the destruction Thanos was poised to unleash. Untold suffering and death may have been averted if the Guardians had been defeated at just a few key moments. However, that didn't come to pass.
One of the most consequential losses would have been the death of Gamora at the hands of just about anyone. Should Gamora have met her end early on, then it is unlikely that coldhearted Thanos would have had another suitable soul to sacrifice on Vormir come Avengers: Infinity War. While the defeat of the Guardians would have been a particularly hard pill to swallow - not to mention extremely atypical and probably not very entertaining cinema - it may have had some perversely positive in-universe consequences.
Ant-Man Should Have To Kang In Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantummania

Kang's defeat in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantummania was disappointing not because Scott Lang and the gang are meek but because Kang is supposed to be thus-far unparalleled. His defeat in a standalone movie of any Avenger would be disappointing. Scott even said it himself with the shivers-inducing line "I don't have to win...we both just have to lose." Only what resulted was this particular Kang variant's defeat thanks to some admittedly impressive tag-teaming from the titular Ant-Man and the Wasp, sundering the illusion that he is unbeatable in his first serious appearance as the Multiverse Saga's main villain.
Even if it was just an illusion, the stakes feel somewhat lower now that Kang has been beaten twice (even if one was without resistance) before the MCU's Multiverse Saga halfway mark. There is still a grave threat en route thanks to the Council of Kangs' strength in numbers showcased in the movie's post-credits sequence. Unfortunately, however, it does not assuage the anticlimactic scenes that saw Lang v Kang end in an all-out victory for the good guys.
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