20 Biggest Popculture Moments of 2023

2023 has been packed full of big popculture moments. James Gunn's smash-hit Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy came to an end, a number of beloved animated Star Wars characters made their live-action debuts, and Barbie took over the world, to name just a few.

As we say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new, let's look back on what were some of the most memorable big and small screen moments of 2023.

WARNING, will contain SPOILERS for all films and shows mentioned.

1. The Hallway battle scene (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3)

Most of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, the final chapter in James Gunn's now iconic trilogy, revolves around the team's desperate attempts to save the life of Rocket Raccoon, who is seriously injured at the beginning of the film. Even after Rocket is saved, the battle isn't over. Rocket's creator, the High Evolutionary, is still doggedly pursuing him, and is also housing a new race of genetically engineered children, as well as hundreds of other innocent creatures, aboard his ship.

Done running from his past, and agreeing that the children deserve to be saved, Rocket and his fellow Guardians make a final stand against the High Evolutionary's forces. The resulting battle sequence, set to the Beastie Boys 'No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn', is already considered by many to be one of the greatest action sequences in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Taking place within a single stretch of hallway and edited to appear as a continuous shot, the scene offers moments for each Guardian's personal strengths, while also showcasing how well they work together. It is a perfect example of why this gang of misfits became a team.

2. Loki finds his purpose (Loki 2x06)

After a long wait, the second season of Loki arrived on Disney Plus. It picks up right where season one left off, with the TVA in chaos after Sylvie's murder of He Who Remains results in the branching of the Sacred Timeline and birth of the Multiverse. The TVA's Temporal Loom cannot handle the new branches, and spends most of the season in near meltdown, which Loki and co work to prevent.

Eventually, Loki makes the ultimate heroic sacrifice, allowing the meltdown of the loom and using his godly abilities to take hold of the branching timelines himself, fashioning them into a shape resembling the Asgardian World's tree, Yggdrasil. He ascends his throne and sits upon it to hold and watch over the timelines, having found his glorious purpose at last. It is the perfect, bittersweet ending not only to TVA Loki's story arc, but the character's story in the MCU as a whole.

3. Disney Animation turns 100

2023 marked the 100th Birthday of Disney animation, an impressive feat for any studio. The celebrations ran all year long, including the creation of various documentaries and specials, including the adorable animated short Once Upon A Studio, which features over 500 characters from the Disney Animated canon, and makes use of original voice actors wherever possible.

The celebrations culminated in the release of the animated feature Wish, timed perfectly for the anniversary. The film is packed with Disney easter eggs, and focuses on a world where wishes come true, a running theme of Disney works. Here's to another hundred years!

4. Live-Action 'Clone Wars' Flashbacks (Ahsoka)

The animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, set in the period between the second and third films of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, has reached near cult-classic status among fans. So, these fans were understandably overjoyed when Ahsoka, a live-action series following the later adventures of Anakin Skywalker's Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, featured live-action flashbacks to certain Clone Wars events.

After an unexpected adventure into The World Between Worlds in Ahsoka's fifth episode, Ahsoka encounters a vision of Anakin claiming a desire to complete her training. They travelled back in time to two iconic Clone Wars battles, the relatively early Battle of Ryloth, and the Battle of Mandalore, which occurred towards the end of the series run. The flashbacks had some clamoring for a live-action Clone Wars remake, or at least more live-action content related to that era. Young Ahsoka is played in the flashbacks by Ariana Greenblatt, who, as it turns out, was part of more than one big screen moment this year.

5. Gloria's speech (Barbie)

When Greta Gerwig's Barbie, starring Margot Robbie in the title role as Stereotypical Barbie, was released in July of 2023, it immediately became a popcultcure phenomenon, quickly becoming not just the highest grossing film of 2023, but also Warner Bros. highest grossing film of all-time.

Late in the film, while trying to lift Stereotypical Barbie out of a slump, her new human friend Gloria delivers an impactful speech on the difficulties, contradictions, and confusion that come with being a woman in the present day. The speech helps Gloria regain the respect of her teenage daughter, Sasha (played by Ariana Greenblatt), and frees President Barbie from the spell of the Kens Patriarchy. Many believe the speech will see America Ferrera in line for an Oscar gong.

6. The cliffhanger ending of 'Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse'

When Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse hit theatres in 2018, it became an instant game-changer. Praised for it's engaging story and unique visual style, Into The Spider-Verse opened audience's eyes to the untapped potential of the animated medium for comic book films. The 2023 sequel, Across The Spider-Verse, continues the trend.

Desperate to prevent his Father's death, a supposedly destined 'Canon' event, and also shaken by the fact his spider was from a different universe, and therefore never supposed to deliver the bite that made him Spider-Man, Miles Morales flees the multiversal peacekeeping Spider Society. Unfortunately, instead of returning home, Miles ends up on Earth-42, home of the spider that bit him, and is captured by his alternate self, who has become recurring Spidey villain the prowler.

For many fans, this was the biggest movie cliffhanger since Avengers: Infinity War, and are now left eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the trilogy, Beyond The Spider-Verse, to see how the story is resolved.

7. Grogu protects Mando and Bo-Katan ('The Mandalorian' S3)

2023 also saw the debut of the long-awaited third season of The Mandalorian. With Grogu safely back in his care following the events of The Book of Boba Fett, Mando teams up with Bo-Katan Kryze, hoping to fulfil his promise to help her reclaim Mandalore. In the process, they also reunite their previously warring Mandalorian factions as one people.

The season finale sees the Mandalorians face off once more against Moff Gideon, who has been running an Imperial Base in Mandalore's ruins. As the base begins to explode following their final stand against Gideon, it looks bad for Mando and Bo, until, thankfully, Grogu uses a force-shield to protect them, while Gideon is seemingly killed in the blast. For many, this was the best moment of the season.

8. The DCEU comes to an end

Almost from the moment of it's inception, the DC Extended Universe, or DCEU, faced unfavourable omparisons to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Eager to play catch up with the much more established MCU, the DCEU tried to rush its early worldbuilding, and as a result never felt quite as well thought out or cohesive as it's rival. While there were a few bright spots along the way, such as the first Wonder Woman and Shazam! films, the DCEU never quite reached the heights fans of the DC Comics universe would have liked.

New DC Studios chairman James Gunn announced that the franchise would be relaunched as the DC Universe with the release of Superman: Legacy in 2025. While some actors and characters will reprise their roles, the DCU will begin a new continuity. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, released in the dying days of 2023 to negative reviews, proved a last gasp for the DCEU, which while loved by some, will mostly be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

9. Ant-Man and the Wasp defeat Kang (Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania)

While many were initially skeptical about how an Ant-Man film would work, Scott Lang, the likeable former thief chosen as the wielder of the Ant-Man suit, was soon embraced as a fan favourite. Following a successful sequel, Ant-Man and The Wasp, and appearing as one of the leading heroes of Avengers: Endgame, Ant-Man was elevated to the big leagues when the character's third film, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, launched the fifth phase of the MCU.

In Quantumania, Ant-Man becomes the first MCU hero to face the Multiverse Saga's ultimate big bad, Kang the Conqueror. Some fans feared that the film would end with Scott Lang's death, sending a message that Kang is not a villain to be trifled with. While Scott is willing and almost expecting to die in his face off with Kang, he is rescued by his partner in love and heroism, Hope Van Dyne, aka The Wasp, with the pair defeating Kang and escaping the Quantum Realm. While this proves Scott aand Hope are not to be underestimated, they may have painted a target on their backs later in the saga.

10. 'The Marvels' Post-credits scene

The MCU's third and final film release of 2023 was The Marvels, a sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel. The sequel follows Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan as they are forced to work together when their three light-based power sets become accidentally entangled due to the actions of villain Dar-Benn. Some fans were, unfortunately, quick to dismiss The Marvels as an unimportant MCU entry, failing to see it's relevance to the ongoing arc of the Multiverse Saga. Those fans may be in for a shock when they do see the film.

Aside from picking up plot threads from Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and WandaVision, The Marvels' post-credits scene is a pivotal turning point in the current saga. Ending up on the wrong side of a repaired incursion, Monica Rambeau finds herself in what appears to be the universe of the Fox X-Men films, not only establishing those films as officially part of the Marvel Multiverse, but possibly beginning to set up Avengers: Secret Wars, which has been strongly rumoured to include characters from the Fox-verse. For this reason, The Marvels may actually be the most important film of Phase 5 so far.

11. The Doctor's first bi-generation (Doctor Who)

The era of Doctor Who's Thirteenth Doctor ended with a surprise twist when she regenerated into the form of David Tennant, who had previously played the popular Tenth Doctor. Rather than a backwards regeneration as many initially expected, it was eventually revealed that Tennant would in fact play an entirely new incarnation, The Fourteenth Doctor, who, alongside Catherine Tate as former companion Donna Noble, was set to star in three 60th anniversary specials before regenerating into The Fifteenth Doctor, played by former Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa.

In the third special, 'The Giggle', The Fourteenth Doctor suffers what would ordinarily be a fatal injury while battling the Celestial Toymaker, and seemingly begins to regenerate. However, as the Toymaker's presence alters the rules of reality, The Doctor instead goes through the previously mythical process of bi-generation. Instead of becoming the Fifteenth Doctor, the Fifteenth Doctor instead splits from the Fourteenth, leaving them as two beings.

While fan reaction to the bi-regeneration has been mixed, it seems fitting for a once in a lifetime event to occur for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary.

12. The Death of Maria Hill (Secret Invasion)

Ever since her debut in the first Avengers film, Agent Maria Hill had been portrayed as the right-hand woman of Nick Fury. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, she is the only one aware that Fury staged his death, and in Age of Ultron, she continues secretly reporting to Fury despite having taken a job at Stark Industries.

When it was revealed that Hill would appear alongside Fury in the TV series Secret Invasion, many fans were excited to get a closer look at the working relationship between the two characters. It came as quite a shock when, after failing to stop Skrull Rebels from carrying out a bombing in Russia, Hill is shot by Rebel leader Gravik, posing as Fury, and dies in the arms of the real Fury soon afterwards. The shock ending of the character's long tenure sent an immediate message: In this series, no-one can be trusted, and nobody is safe.

13. Mando officially adopts Grogu (The Mandalorian S3)

For three seasons of The Mandalorian, and a few episodes of The Book of Boba Fett, fans have watched and adored the growing bond between the titular Mandalorian, Din Djarin, and Grogu, the adorable Force-sensitive Foundling he takes into his care. Hearts everywhere broke when the pair were briefly forced to part at the end of season two, but were mended by their eventual reunion.

By the final episode of The Mandalorian's third season, Din has decided that Grogu is ready to become his Mandalorian Apprentice. He is informed by The Armorer that, as Grogu is too young to speak the creed, this is not possible.. unless he had a parent to grant permission. Din promptly declares that he will adopt Grogu as his own son, allowing the two of them to embark on new adventures together.

The moment was not unexpected, but heartwarming all the same.

14. Rocket Raccoon embraces his full identity (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3)

Many long time Marvel fans agree that Rocket Raccoon has one of the greatest character arcs in the entire MCU. Over the course of his appearances in the Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers films, Rocket has grown from a surly lone wolf into a much loved member of his Guardian family, loving them all in return despite their various quirks.

A running joke in the Guardians films has Rocket reject being called a Raccoon.. mostly, it turns out, because he does not know what a Raccoon actually is. However, during the climax of the film, while aiding the High Evolutionary's genetically engineered children escape the ship, he discovers a cage full of baby raccoons, and finally realizes that he is one of them. In his subsequent confrontation with the High Evolutionary, Rocket fully embraces the truth of himself for the first time.

"The name's Rocket.. Rocket Raccoon."

It is a truly iconic moment.

15. 'I'm Just Ken' (Barbie)

When it was revealed that Ryan Gosling had been cast in the role of Ken in the Barbie movie, some questioned his suitability for the role. However, those doubts were soon quashed when promotional material for the film began to emerge.

While Barbie's soundtrack as a whole has been praised, 'I'm Just Ken', along with it's accompanying sequence in the film, has become immediately iconic. It also has an important purpose in the plot, as the beginning of the Kens realisation that they do not need the attention of the Barbies to feel worthy and validated.

16. Grand Admiral Thrawn makes his live-action debut (Ahsoka)

In the decades between the original trilogy and the prequels, the Star Wars fandom was kept alive by a series of expanded universe novels. The most memorable villain of these novels was undoubtedly Grand Admiral Thrawn, a Chiss Imperial seeking to restore the Empire under his control.

Upon Disney's purchase of LucasFilm, the novels were relegated to the non-canon status of 'Star Wars Legends'. However, fans of the former EU were delighted when Dave Filoni restored Thrawn to canon status, using him as the main antagonist in seasons three and four of the animated series Star Wars: Rebels. In Ahsoka, Thrawn makes his live action debut, played by Rebels voice actor Lars Mikkelsen. For fans of the Expanded Universe, many of whom remain heartbroken by Disney's decision to de-canonise the novels, seeing the character in the flesh is a dream come true, bringing hope that more EU content may eventually be salvaged.

17. Ash Ketchum is retired as protagonist of the 'Pokemon' anime

After 26 years, 25 TV seasons, eight regions travelled, and a Pokemon World Championship won, it was revealed that Ash Ketchum would be retired as the protagonist of the long-running Pokemon anime. His final twelve episodes, subtitled To Be A Pokemon Master, aired in Japan in January of 2023, with the English dub arriving on Netflix in September

The series was mostly slice-of-life Pokemon adventures that saw Ash reunite with his two original travelling companions, Misty and Brock, culminating in Ash and co rescuing two legendary Pokemon, Latios and Latias, from the clutches of a nefarious Pokemon hunter. After a brief trip home, Ash ultimately decides to continue travelling with Pikachu, befriending as many Pokemon as he can. While some fans had hoped for a more epic and conclusive final adventure, most agreed that the open-ending felt more true to his character.

18. The first appearance of a 'Clicker' (The Last of Us, S1)

Fans of the popular post-apocalyptic video game The Last of Us were both excited and nervous when it was revealed that the game was to be adapted into a TV series, starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as survivors Joel and Ellie. Afterall, video game adaptations have historically been rather hit-and-miss. As it turns out, they needn't have worried. The Last of Us TV series has been widely praised, keeping existing fans happy with near shot-for-shot replications of some scenes, while also introducing the game's world to new viewers.

One of the show's most memorable moments comes relatively early in the first season, when our heroes first encounter a Clicker, one of the most common forms of infected from the games. By that stage, the Cordyceps fungus has completely obscured the face of the infected, and uses a form of echolocation to trackdown prey, hence the nickname Clicker. The design of the creatures is made all the more creepy by the very real science that inspires the Cordyceps infection. Fans are now eagerly awaiting season two, believed to begin filming soon.

19. 'Peaches' (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

The catastrophic failure of the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. film soured Nintendo to the idea of allowing their biggest video game franchises to be adapted for the big screen. Thirty years passed before they agreed to another attempt, partnering with Illumination for the animated The Super Mario Bros. Movie., and the risk paid off, with the film becoming one of the biggest hits of 2023.

Many believed the decision to cast Jack Black as Bowser was a stroke of genius, and were proven correct when the above sequence, in which the villainous King Koopa sings of his love for Princess Peach, became one of the most talked about scenes. Black embraced the song's popularity, performing 'Peaches', usually in full costume, at a number of video game industry events.

20. Henry Cavill's final outing as Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher)

Fans everywhere were devastated when Henry Cavill announced that he would be leaving the role of Geralt of Rivia on Netflix's The Witcher. That he would still be seen in the then upcoming third season of the show came as a small comfort.

For many, Cavill's imminent departure cast a shadow over season three of The Witcher, with the series receiving mixed reviews. However, Cavill's performance was still memorable, and it is definitely hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Liam Hemsworth has some very big shoes to fill as he steps into the role of Geralt for season four.

Hopefully, 2024 will bring us another great year in popculture.